![]() This treatment targets the accumulation of corns and calluses (dead skin) and thickened nails. ![]() It also helps stretch and relax the tense and sensitive muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the affected toes. Manipulative therapy is used to mobilize and relieve painful, contracted joints. They also help prevent the formation of hammertoes and the worsening of the condition over time. They are used to directly address the cause of hammertoes and to reduce excessive pressure that can cause pain. Plantar orthotics optimize foot mechanics and distribute pressure more uniformly. What can my podiatrist do? What can my podiatrist do about hammertoe? 1. Plantar orthotics : Mobility and strengthening exercises for the toes are recommended to decrease pain and reduce joint contracture. Gel tubes, toe spreaders/separators, cushions, gel insoles and other solutions may be used. Pharmacy-bought splints can help reduce hammertoe-related irritations and/or corns and calluses at the affected site. Finally, avoid wearing high heel shoes as they increase pressure at the ball of the foot and are an aggravating factor in the formation of hammertoes. Shoes can also be altered by shoemakers to fit your feet and allow more space for your toes. The stitching on the upper part of the shoe should not rub against the affected toes, as toes with this condition fail to stretch out and can become irritated in this way. Shoes should be wide enough at the top to comfortably fit your foot. How to relieve myself at home? How to relieve a hammertoe pain at homeįirst of all, it’s important to wear adequate footwear in order to reduce the consequences of hammertoes and prevent them from worsening. Certain structures of the foot like ligaments and muscles may also attempt to compensate, causing fatigue and pain in the arch of the foot. In turn, the other toes attempt to compensate, potentially forming other hammertoes. When to is hammered, it’s function is altered. If this stress continues to be applied over a long period, these structures tire out and can tear, leading to the dislocation of the toe. The extra pressure can cause inflammation in neighbouring joints and ligaments, making walking very painful. These bones support our weight as they make contact with the ground. Hammertoes also exert a retrograde force, increasing the amount of pressure that has to be sustained by the metatarsal bones at the base of the toes. Among higher-risk populations, this irritation can cause pressure injuries.The toes get irritated inside shoes, forming corns and calluses.It becomes more and more difficult to be comfortable in shoes, and footwear can wear down. ![]() The more flexibility is lost, the more problems tend to arise: But with time, the contracture of the tendons intensifies, causing the contracted toe to become rigid and immobile. Initially, the affected toe is flexible: it remains possible to extend it. Progression and Consequences Progression and consequences of a hammertoe Injury (toe or metatarsal fracture, sprain or injury of a ligament or tendon surrounding the toe) can cause or accelerate the development of hammertoes. Inadequate footwear (high heels or shoes that are too tight, too small or too large) are an aggravating factor for hammertoes. The weakening of these muscles, which toes rely on to function properly, can cause the toes to contract. In addition, some conditions that affect the nerves in the extremities can lead to a loss of function in the smaller muscles of the foot. A number of inflammatory diseases can attack the toe joints, causing them to deform. Hammertoes can be a symptom of broader (systemic) illness.
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