Jeffrey Petty, DPM, our Waxahachie podiatrist, says you may have noticed one or more of your toes are bent or curled over instead of the  normal forward position. This occurs when one of the joints in your toe is not held in the proper position by your foot’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In fact, hammertoe refers to an abnormal bend of the toe’s joint near the base, while claw toe refers to a deformity in the joint closest to your toenail. Both hammertoes and claw toes usually occur in the second or third toe. Our experienced Waxahachie podiatrists at Family Foot & Ankle Centers explain this condition and our 5-star hammertoe treatment in Waxahachie below.

What Causes a Hammertoe?

While genetics, nerve damage, or trauma to the foot can certainly be factors causing someone develop a hammertoe, this foot deformity is more likely caused by wearing poorly fitting footwear, such as high heels, or shoes that aren’t appropriate for the unique shape of your foot. Over time, pressure on your toe from your regular activities may become difficult or painful. In addition, your bent toe continuously rubbing against the inside of your shoe can eventually cause painful calluses and corns to form.

Family Foot & Ankle Centers Offers Hammertoe Treatment in Waxahachie

Relief from the pain of walking around with a hammertoe is often just a matter of changing your shoes, padding the area for a couple of months and using inserts to position your toe in the correct position. We suggest that patients avoid high heels and instead shop for shoes with plenty of toe room and a heel less than 1 1/2 inches high. We also recommend trying on new shoes at the end of the day, when your feet are more likely to be swollen from your daily routine.

Our experienced Waxahachie podiatry team diagnoses hammertoes with a physical exam and x-rays. Patients with advanced cases of hammertoe where one or more toes are severely deformed may need to be treated with corrective surgery but this is always the last option considered.

Have More Questions? Our Team Is Here for You!

If you would like to have your hammertoe or another podiatry issue evaluated, please call our office to schedule an appointment today at (972) 597-4132. We have treated over 50,000 happy Texan patients since 1999. We are improving lives one foot at time in our Waxahachie, Ennis and Corsicana offices.

The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about topics related to podiatry, feel free to contact Family Foot & Ankle Centers by clicking here or calling 972-597-4132 to reach our Waxahachie office, 903-872-9910 to reach our Corsicana office, or  972-875-3668 to reach our Ennis office.