What are “hammertoes”?
Hammertoes or “Hammer Digit Syndrome” is a positional problem involving the lesser toes. The toes begin to curl up over time causing painful shoe irritation and calluses. Hammertoes are usually caused by various muscle imbalances. Surgical correction is the most appropriate to way to eliminate the problems associated with hammertoes.
A hammertoe is a term used to describe a toe that is abnormally bent at one or more joints. Generally speaking, contracture only at the proximal interphalangeal joint is called a hammertoe; contracture at the distal interphalangeal joint is called a mallet toe, while contracture of both joints is called a claw toe. Hammertoes can become very painful with a sharp constant or throbbing pain located in the joint space and corns form on the top of the toe or the front of the toe due to friction in the shoe that has become a pressure point. Hammertoes can result from a muscle imbalance, which causes the tendons and ligaments to unnaturally tighten and produce curling of the toes downward. Trauma to the local area and arthritis can also cause this problem. Women have a greater risk of acquiring a hammer toe due to size, width and height of the shoes they wear which increase the chances of bunions which in turn can place external pressure on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th digit. Athletes also have a hi
