Help! My Hammertoe Is Getting Worse

You’ve had a hammertoe deformity for a while now, but you were never too concerned about the claw-like bend in your toe’s middle joint because it never hurt and you could still move your toe with ease and press it flat with your finger. 

Only, now your hammertoe is getting stiffer and harder to move, and you’re worried it’s about to become a bigger problem.  

You’re right to be concerned, and the team at Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Institute in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada, is here to tell you why. 

Read on as our board-certified orthopedists and podiatrists explain the ins and outs of hammertoe progression, including how you can keep it in check and when it’s time for expert care. 

From flexible to semi-rigid to rigid 

A hammertoe is a claw-like bend in the middle toe joint that keeps the affected toe in an inverted “V” shape, preventing it from lying flat. This common deformity accounts for about one in five medical care visits (20%) made for orthopedic foot concerns. 

Tight-fitting shoes, flat feet, high arches, bunions, or arthritis can often lead to the development of hammertoes. How? The structural foot changes that occur with such conditions can lead to an imbalance within the toe muscles that eventually leads to a joint contracture.   

Early on, hammertoes are flexible, meaning the muscle imbalance and resulting joint contracture are mild and highly responsive to treatment, even potentially reversible. Without proper care, however, all hammertoe deformities will progress through three stages:  

1. A flexible hammertoe deformity is still somewhat pliable 
2. A semi-rigid hammertoe has become stiffer and less flexible
3. A rigid hammertoe deformity is totally fixed and immobile

Rigid hammertoes tend to be much more painful than flexible hammertoes, often undermining mobility. Once a hammertoe is rigid, surgery is typically the best option.

Counteracting hammertoe progression 

Fortunately, conservative treatment solutions can deliver long-lasting relief as they work to slow, halt, or even reverse the progression of hammertoe deformity — as long as you catch the problem in its early, flexible phase. 

You’ll want to take steps to manage flexible hammertoe before it advances, but if you don’t, these strategies can still help you control its progression if it seems to be worsening:

1. Wear proper footwear 

Choose comfortable, supportive shoes with a wide toe box to minimize pressure on the affected toe. Never wear narrow, tight-fitting, or high-heeled shoes if you have a hammertoe.   

2. Use custom orthotics 

Made to support your feet precisely, custom orthotic inserts redistribute your weight more evenly, eliminating “pressure points” on your hammertoe. In addition to easing inflammation and pain, this can help slow, halt, or even reverse the progression of hammertoe.  

3. Try toe pads and taping

Available at your local pharmacy, toe pads and orthopedic medical tape offer an easy way to cushion your hammertoe inside your shoe — or use taping to gently hold it in a straighter, flatter position.    

4. Perform PT exercises  

Our team can teach you daily physical therapy (PT) exercises and stretches to improve the muscle tone and flexibility of your affected toe. 

When hammertoe needs expert care

Even if your flexible hammertoe only seems to be progressing into a semi-rigid state, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit with our team: Besides teaching you PT stretches and showing you the best techniques for taping your toe, we can prescribe custom orthotic inserts for advanced hammertoe care.    

We recommend a prompt in-office evaluation for any hammertoe that:

• Shows significant worsening over a very short period
• Causes considerable pain when you walk or wear shoes 
• Significantly hinders your ability to walk normally
• Causes painful calluses or sores on the affected toe 

With the right care strategies, you should be able to halt the progression of hammertoe — or possibly even resolve the condition altogether. To learn more about how we can assist you, please call the Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Institute in Henderson, Nevada, at 775-403-5055 or schedule an appointment through our website.