One of the most common foot deformities is hammer toes. Hammer toes occur when one or more of the toes are bent under or inwards, causing the toe to resemble a hammer. This affects the way the toe moves, often causing discomfort when walking or running.
They occur when there is an imbalance between the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that hold the big toe (called the toe extensor group) and the smaller toes (called the toe flexor group). The muscles, tendons, and ligaments that make up the toe extensor group are shorter than the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that make up the toe flexor group.
This imbalance causes the toe extensor group to overwork, causing the toes to become stiff and hard, sometimes resulting in small bumps or ridges on the sides of the toes. Hammer toes usually appear on second, third and fourth toes
This condition can be painful and may cause difficulty wearing certain types of shoes.
Causes of Hammer toes
Causes of hammer toes are various as following
Wearing too tight or too loose. The type of shoes you wear can contribute to hammer toes. Shoes that are too small or too tight can cause the toes to bend under or inwards, resulting in a hammer toe. Shoes that are too loose can allow the toes to spread apart, putting more strain on the toe joints and nerves.
Genetics play one important part of this foot deformity, hammer toes can also be hereditary. In other cases, some people born with abnormal shape of feet like high arch feet, flat feet. These abnormal bone structure more likely to develop this disease
Injury Hammer toes can also develop as a result of a trauma to the foot, such as a fracture or sprain. Many people develop them after a sports accident or injury to a ligament or tendon in their foot. Athletes who participate in sports such as dancing, football, kickbox ,running are at risk of developing hammer toes as a result of trauma to their foot.
Medical conditions
Some underlying health conditions like diabetic and arthritis are caused by hammertoes. Complications of these diseases can cause neuro-arthropathic with swollen, hot, red, strong pulse vein symptoms. You should contact your doctor to have a proper diagnosis and treatment for your specific case.
Symptoms
Hammer toes make walking become difficult. One toe or more toes bend in the middle part with bumps making stretching challenging. Symptoms can be different from might to severe.
Might symptoms can be one or more toes bent down with bumps. Moving toes and stretching is not easy
In severe cases it seriously affects daily life. Pain in the toes makes walking become difficult. In these cases you should contact your doctor to have proper care. X-rays to have a clear dialogs is and orthotic and surgery may be directed by your doctor.
Treatments
Wearing the right shoes can help reduce the symptoms of hammer toes and flexed toes. They should be roomy enough to accommodate your arches, but not too wide that your feet slide around in them. Your shoes should have a firm heel, a wide toe box, and a thick sole. Hammertoe pain is often caused by wearing shoes that don’t fit well or aren’t suitable for your foot type.
Hammer toe treatment may involve wearing a splint, insole or special shoes, and in some cases surgery is necessary.
Massaging your feet can help reduce the pain caused by hammer toes and other foot deformities. This is because foot massages can improve blood flow to the affected areas. Reduce swelling, and ease cramping and tension in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that affect the toes. Your healthcare provider can recommend the best foot massage techniques for you, depending on your specific condition. Massaging your feet can also help improve your circulation and range of motion. Which can help speed the healing process and reduce foot pain.
Ice therapy is a treatment to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by hammer toes. The goal of ice therapy is to numb the area around the affected toe to provide some relief. It is important to note that hammer toe is not the same thing as bunions, when the cause is too much toe motion. Ice therapy is only effective for hammer toes if the underlying cause is an imbalance between the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that keep the toes straight.
Cyclist and hammer toes
Cyclists and runners are at increased risk of developing a condition known as hammer toe. The most common symptom of hammer toe is a toe that curves or clicks, causing pressure on the big toe joint.
Hammer toe often develops when a cyclist or runner repeatedly stresses the same muscles, tendons, or ligaments while cycling or running. Over time, the tissues become unbalanced, causing the toe to become curved or enlarged.
Hammer toes can be avoided by wearing correct shoes, which fit properly to the foot. Shoes have wide enough toe box and arch support, heel cushions are most necessary to prevent this problem. Help toes have enough spaces to move and reduce stress on them
Conclusion
Hammer toes is a kind of injury caused by wearing unfit shoes or some other medical conditions. Treatment can be shoes changing, put insole,orthotics or surgery
Please contact to your doctor to have a correct diagnosis and best care for your foot health
Sources Wikipedia, Mayo clinics
Images Wikimedia commons
