How to Hammer Out Hammertoes

Do you think you might have hammertoes?

Hammertoes, sometimes also referred to as mallet toes, happen when our toes seem to ‘scrunch’ inward and upward at the middle joint. While women are statistically much more likely to develop hammertoes than men, they can still be prevalent in men for many of the same reasons they could affect women. Hammertoes affect women much more than men, mostly because of the cultural differences between men and women’s footwear.

Since women often wear shoes that are tighter and tall than men’s shoes, women’s feet are much more prone to stress and restriction that causes hammertoes to develop. When our toes are pushed and scrunched into spaces that don’t allow them to relax and move as they should, it puts unnecessary pressure and strain on the bones, tendons, and ligaments within our toes. This can cause semi-permanent cramping of those tendons and ligaments that can lead to painful inflammation for the sufferer.

You may have noticed we said semi-permanent… this is because, while hammertoes seem like they might be permanent, there are definite ways to help reverse this painful, cramping effect. The sooner it’s addressed by a podiatrist at Valley Stream Podiatry, the better off you will be. In extreme cases, hammertoes might require surgical intervention to go in and manually release the tendons to reform them back into a natural curve.

Even if you’ve already called (516) 825-3860 and scheduled your consultation with Andrew Shapiro, DPM , Michael Barkin, DPM, Sajni Shah, DPM, there are steps you can take to help relieve some discomfort in the meantime:

• Ditch the high heels!

• Opt for shoes with a wide toe-box.

• Try over-the-counter hammertoe pads for your shoes.

• Gently massage your toes for 5-10 minutes at a time.

We hope this helps, and we hope to see you soon! 

Our podiatry practice is conveniently located on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream to accommodate all of your foot health care needs. Book an appointment today!