Beginning as a slight bend of the toe, hammertoes ultimately progress to a fixed deformity where the end of the toe points down like a hammer. This often affects the second toe.
Primary culprits include:
Often when the second toe is longer than the first and tight shoes are worn - or shoes that were measured only from the length of the big toe - the second toe will bend downward and progressively become a hammer toe.
Other than hammer-like toes, symptoms include:
It is easiest to treat hammer toes in their early and flexible stages before they become rigid. They won’t go away on their own. Treatment can involve: