A hammertoe is curled due to a bend in the middle joint of the toe. A hammer toe is usually caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes. It often affects the toe next to the big toe. The affected toe may be painful or hard to move and may develop corns or calluses.
TREATMENT
- Exercises may also strengthen and stretch the muscles in the feet, which may reduce the imbalance that is causing hammer toe.
- Strengthening exercises for the toe
- Gently stretching the toe manually
- Applying taping
- Taping is a technique that seems to have the short-term effect of changing the position of small toes in patients suffering from hammertoe.
- Flat or low-heeled shoes, with a heel of fewer than 2 inches (5 centimeters)
- Shoes with a wide and deep toe box to accommodate long or bent toes
- Open-toe shoes or sandals
Authors
Dr . P. Senthil Selvam, PhD
Professor & HOD, School of Physiotherapy, VISTAS, Chennai.
Dr .D. Hepzibah Rubella, MPT (Ortho)
Research Scholar, School of Physiotherapy, VISTAS, Chennai.
Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS)