Go to navigation Go to content Toll-Free: What is the difference between a hammertoe and claw toe? Cynthia Miller [email protected]. Where 2 bones connect is called a joint. Normally the toes lie flat. But pressure on the toes or the front of the foot can cause one or more joints to bend. This curls the toe. Toes that stay curled are called mallet toes, hammer toes, or claw toes, depending on which joints are bent.
You may feel pain in the toe or in the ball of your foot. A corn a hard growth of skin on the top of the toe may form where the toe rubs against the top of the shoe. Or a callus a hard growth of skin on the bottom of the foot may form under the tip of the toe or on the ball of the foot. A fixed joint often requires surgery. You can probably treat your toe joint problem at home. If you start right away, you may be able to avoid surgery.
Call your doctor if your pain doesn't go away or it gets worse after 2 to 3 weeks of home treatment, or if you get a sore on your affected toe. Sores can get infected and lead to cellulitis or osteomyelitis , especially if you have diabetes or peripheral arterial disease.
In general, surgery is used only for severe toe problems. You may need surgery if other treatments don't control your pain, if your toe limits activity, or if you can't move the toe joint. For fixed toe problems, doctors often do surgery on the bones.
Doctors can often treat flexible toe problems by moving tendons to release tension on the joint and let the toe straighten. In some cases, the surgery for a flexible toe problem will still include work on the bones.
Surgery for these problems has not been widely studied and may not be for everyone. Talk to your doctor about the types of surgery and how much they might help you. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page. Topic Overview What are hammer, claw, and mallet toes? A hammer toe bends down toward the floor at the middle toe joint.
This causes the middle toe joint to rise up. It usually affects the second toe. Hammer toes often occur with bunions. Claw toe often affects the four smaller toes at the same time. The toes bend up at the joint where the toes and the foot meet.
They bend down at the middle joints and at the joints nearest the tip of the toes. This causes the toes to curl down toward the floor.
Over time, the tendons are shortened, making it impossible for the toe muscles to straighten when the shoes are removed. After our podiatrist has identified the disease, we will prescribe the right care for you. It usually starts by changing the socks, keeping cushions over the feet, and taking control of calluses or grass.
If conservative treatments do not solve the problem, surgery to reposition the joint and straighten the toe may be recommended. Difference between Hammertoes vs.
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