Everyone’s foot shape is unique, and as we grow and age, that shape is influenced by lots of factors, including genetics, weight gain, gait pattern, and even the shoes we wear. Over time, many of us develop characteristics that reveal our habits and even our health.
Bunions, corns, and calluses are good examples, and so are hammertoes, a foot issue that may be lesser known, but can pose just as many problems. And, like many foot issues, the shoes you wear could be to blame, at least partly.
The team at Texas Foot & Ankle Specialists, PLLC, is skilled in treating hammertoes, helping women and men find long-term relief from painful symptoms while improving overall comfort, balance, and gait. Learn why hammertoes happen and how your shoes could be playing a bigger role than you realize.
Hammertoes are a type of foot deformity that causes one or more toes to assume a curved or bent shape, similar to the shape of a claw hammer (hence the name). While the deformity itself may not be painful, the bent shape fits poorly in most shoes, leading to corns, calluses, and pain when walking or standing, especially for long periods.
Hammertoes happen when the tendons and muscles that control toe movement are short or tight, drawing the toe downward and inward. While hammertoes may start out flexible and pliant, over time and without treatment, the joint becomes stiff and “locked” in place.
Hammertoes can develop at any age, but they tend to occur more commonly as we get older. Underlying medical issues, including diabetes or arthritis, can also play a role in bending the joint out of its normal position.
What many people don’t realize is that their choice of shoe can also play a role — a big role — in hammertoe development and persistence. Our toes are designed to be flexible, but when we wear shoes that are too stiff, narrow, or pointed, we prevent our toes from moving naturally.
Instead, our toes are forced into a crowded space that leads to unnatural bending and prolonged imbalances in muscle and tendon strength. Over time, poorly fitted shoes can cause our toes to assume a curved, hammerlike shape permanently.
That unequal pressure can also be exacerbated by your gait pattern or by differences in foot anatomy, like unusually high arches or flat feet. Together, these underlying issues contribute to the muscle imbalance, causing tendons to become shorter and tighter over time.
Initially, hammertoes remain relatively flexible. In this early stage, changing the shoes you wear can make a tremendous difference in the forces exerted on your toes. Opting for shoes with a wider toebox and more flexibility and support in the arch is essential.
Depending on your foot shape, your gait pattern, and other personal factors, custom orthotics can help support your feet and distribute weight more evenly, avoiding excess strain on your toe muscles and tendons. Physical therapy and at-home toe stretches and massages can help, too.
For more severe hammertoes, our team may recommend injections to relieve inflammation and relax the muscles and tendons. When these conservative options fail, it may be time to consider surgery to release the tight tendon and relieve extra stress on the joint.
A bent toe might not seem like much more than an uncomfortable nuisance, but without prompt and proper care, you could wind up with permanent and worsening foot pain, along with increasing pain in your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.
To learn how we can help you find relief and avoid more serious problems in the future, request an appointment at our locations in Mesquite, Forney, and Kaufman, Texas, today.
