Hammer toe: Symptoms, causes & diagnosis

Hammer toe is a condition where the second, third, fourth or fifth toe is bent in the middle, giving it a hammer shape. Imbalance in connective tissues within the toe is what causes hammer toe, and wearing shoes that don’t fit can make it worse. Hammer toe is also known as mallet toe or claw toe.

At Aurora Health Care, we offer a variety of noninvasive and surgical orthopedic services to correct hammer toe and get you back on your feet. As well as hammer toe, our orthopedic and podiatric experts specialize in foot and ankle conditions such as plantar fasciitis, sprains, joint pain and more.

Hammer toe symptoms & causes

The main symptom of hammer toe is an abnormal bend or deformity in the middle joint of the toe. Other signs include foot or toe pain, as well as calluses or corns on the toe.

Causes of hammer toe typically include a combination of:

• Muscle imbalance: Pairs of muscles control toe movement. When a toe stays bent for a long period, the muscles get tight and can’t straighten out.

• Footwear: Shoes that are too narrow, such as high heels, compress the toes and cause them to become bent and sometimes overlap each other.

• Injury: An injury – like jamming or fracturing your toe – can increase your chances of developing hammer toe.

Are hammer toes inherited?

Your genes may contribute to the development of hammer toe. You may be predisposed to hammer toe should you have a family history of the condition or if you have any of the following:

• Flat feet
• High arches
• Tight tendons or ligaments in your feet
• Second toes that are longer than your big toes
• Bunions, which can put pressure on your second toe

Straightening hammer toes without surgery

In early stages, hammer toe treatment includes special exercises and footwear to correct the deformity. Fixing hammer toe typically focuses on noninvasive methods first.

Nonsurgical treatments your doctor may recommend:

• Wearing comfortable, low-heeled shoes with more room in the toe box
• Using orthotics, which are special shoe inserts customized to your feet
• Doing toe exercises like stretching, picking up items from the floor using your toes or scrunching a towel with them
• Using straps or cushions to help straighten the toes and relieve symptoms

Hammer toe treatments

When you get care at Aurora, our orthopedists, podiatrists, primary care doctors, and physical therapy specialists work together on your care to find the best treatment possible. First, your doctors can diagnose hammer toe with a medical exam, evaluating your toes for pain and deformity. They may also use X-rays to get images of the bones and joints inside your feet.

Left untreated, hammer toe may require surgery to repair. If noninvasive treatments don’t work, your doctor may recommend hammer toe surgery to correct your condition. Learn more about surgery for foot and ankle pain at Aurora.