Hammer Toe

A hammer toe is an abnormal bending of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth, or fifth toe. The bending is the result of a weakened muscle in the toe. 

In the early stages, the toe can still be moved at the joint and is called a flexible hammertoe. It becomes a rigid hammertoe if the tendons press the joint out of alignment and the toe can no longer be moved.

Other similarities to this condition include a mallet toe and a claw toe. In each of these conditions, a different joint is contracted.

A hammer toe is one of the most common deformities of the foot. 

The visual effect gives off the appearance of a toe hammering the ground – the PIP joint protrudes upward and the tip of the toe is flat on the ground. The deformity usually occurs in the second toe and is often related to the length of that toe. 

The condition may also cause metatarsalgia at the base of the second toe. The biggest complaint with a hammer toe is usually friction in the shoe due to the toe rubbing on the upper area of the toe box. This irritation can cause callus formation, especially on the tip of the joint protruding upward.

Hammer toe is a deformity of the foot, symptoms of hammer toe include the following:

Oftentimes a hammer toe is genetic and the chances of developing the condition increase as you age. 

It can also be caused by wearing tight-fitting shoes or shoes that are too short. Those who take special care to wear shoes that are not too short or too tight in the toe box decrease their chances of developing a hammer toe.

There are also certain medical conditions that can cause a hammer toe to develop. These conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, affect the joints and cause contracture.

There are a variety of treatments available for hammer toe as you may be able to treat this condition at home before opting for surgery.

If you are looking for insoles to either ease the pain from hammer toe or help treat it, here are a few things to consider: