What is a Hammer Toe?

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What is a Hammer Toe?
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• What is a Hammer Toe?
• Your feet are very interesting and unique parts
  of your body and, as time goes on, you may notice
  that there are a variety of things that happen to
  them as time goes on. One such issue is known as
  a hammer toe mainly, because they end up being
  a shape that is similar to a hammer. The middle
  of your toe ends up flexing upward, and the end
  of your toe is flexing downward and it can be
  quite a painful foot issue to deal with.
• What Causes Hammer Toe?
• Hammer toes happen because of the way that our
  feet are designed. Each of our smaller toes has 3
  different joints (including where it attaches to
  the ball of your foot) and 3 different bones.
  Hammer toe happens when the joint that is
  attached to the ball of the foot has a permanent
  extension, and the middle tow joint has what is
  called a flexion.
• Our lower leg is connected to the muscles in our
  foot, and every one of those muscles plays a role
  in our foot stability and how our feet work. The
  above conditions usually happen to our toes when
  there is some sort of imbalance in the muscles.
  Lower leg muscle imbalances can happen for a
  variety of reasons, including foot and leg
  structure, spinal injuries, stroke, and even just
  wearing the wrong type of shoes for your feet.

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• Can You Fix Hammer Toe?
• Sometimes. If hammer toes are just starting to
  develop in an adult or child, then the toes are
  likely still flexible enough to be straightened
  out by a doctor. But, if you have had hammer toes
  for an extended period of time, the soft tissue
  and bones actually form differently, and end up
  staying that way permanently.
• Other Associated Issues
• There are a variety of different problems that
  can occur with your toes if you have hammer toes.
  Here is a quick overview of the most common
  problems
• Bunions. The big toe and/or pinkie toe is
  misaligned, causing a bump on misaligned side.
• Pain. You can feel all sorts of pain, from
  arthritis in the joints of your toes, to
  metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot), and
  in any of your foot, toe, or leg muscles.
• Flat Feet. The arches of your feet may fall due
  to the pain or pressure related to hammer toes.

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• Calluses or Corns. Since your toes and the ball
  of your foot are not positioned correctly, you
  can get corns or calluses anywhere. The most
  common spots are at the balls of your feet, on
  your toe knuckles, or in between toes.
• If youre having issues with your hammer toes,
  then you want to be sure that you talk to a
  doctor about the issues that youre dealing with.
  They can work to recommend podiatrist foot care
  solutions and help you to sort out what is
  necessary so that you can have relief from any
  pain you may be in. Contact your doctor or a
  podiatrist to make an appointment.