The hammer toe is a flexed phalanx at the first metatarsophalangeal joint.
This deformity can develop on all toes except the big toe and is an aesthetic problem that also causes enormous discomfort in the foot.
Calluses and other bulges may appear at the location, causing pain when walking.
Hammer toes can be fixed, where you can manually rotate the toe, or unfixed, requiring only medical intervention.
Most often, hammertoe deformity of the second toe occurs; sometimes all the hands become curled, and the entire foot is damaged.
In isolation, the anomaly is very rare, and its occurrence may be due to excess length of the metatarsal bone.
As the disease progresses, it becomes more and more difficult to walk, the toes rest on the shoes, rub, and painful corns and calluses appear.
The following diseases can cause the development of the disease:
The disease progresses with the appearance of bone calluses, and friction and irritation of the damaged area continues. Thus, wounds and even suppuration appear.
The tendons in the arch of the foot try to stabilize the bone, and the muscles that control the mobility of the toes. As a result, additional pressure is applied, as a result of which the fingers are retracted back and the joints begin to appear.
This is how deformation of the phalanx occurs.
If your hammertoes are very tight, it can be very difficult to separate them.
To make a correct diagnosis, you need to consult an orthopedist and take an x-ray.
After a diagnosis of hammertoe deformity is made, conservative treatment without surgery is prescribed, which includes wearing comfortable and soft shoes, without heels and various insteps.
Boots should not restrict the foot; be sure to have a spacious toe box and a comfortable back part.
During this period, courses of therapeutic supervised massage and gymnastics are prescribed, which can be done at home, using non-traditional methods of treatment: herbal baths, rinses, to reduce leg pain.
In the place of greatest friction, patches and cotton swabs should be used; any wounds or injuries should be immediately treated and bandaged.
Also on sale today are toe separators that reduce the risk of contact of the phalanges.
When a hammertoe makes it difficult to move, surgery is prescribed. The most gentle technique is used, which is used in the initial stages of the disease, when the joints are still being corrected.
During surgery, the flexion reflex can be completely eliminated by removing the main phalanx of the dislocated finger. After this, the brush is cast for a month.
Radical surgery involves the formation of a transverse arch of the foot, where ligaments, bones and tendons are involved. After such a procedure, a long rehabilitation period is required.
This operation is performed under conduction or spinal anesthesia. General anesthesia is rarely prescribed, according to the patient’s individual indications. The duration of the surgical stage is 15-30 minutes.
How centrally acting muscle relaxants are used to relieve pain in the spine and joints - details in our material.
Myofascial pain syndrome comes in different localizations. What causes it in each specific case and what methods of pain relief exist?
Recommendations from specialists for relieving pain in the presence of a hammertoe.
To improve the condition of your feet in the summer, you need to walk barefoot more often. While sitting in front of the TV, you need to make rolling movements with your feet, using roller or spiked balls.
If you have transverse flat feet, rolling a rolling pin is not recommended.
The most effective exercise is the following:
Its task is to reduce the degree of deviation of the damaged toe, which is done with the help of interdigital bandages. Efficient and affordable.
It is important to monitor your health every day, relax more in the fresh air, and eat nutritious and healthy food. More vegetables, fruits, greens, foods rich in vitamins E, B, D.
It is better to steam, bake or boil dishes, but not to fry, especially in a large amount of oil. The meat is lean and dietary.
It is better to remove sweets, pastries, pasta and bakery products from the daily menu, only on holidays. Less carbonated and sweet drinks; a great alternative to them is homemade freshly squeezed juices.
These procedures do not guarantee the absence of risk. It is important to know about possible complications during toe correction.
Infection, excessive swelling of the hand, bleeding, reaction to anesthesia, relapse of the disease, damage to the nerve endings and blood vessels of the fingers.
Such side effects can occur in smokers, people with diabetes, bleeding disorders, and poor blood circulation.
The main task during the rehabilitation period is to restore mobility to the fingers . After removing the knitting needle, the doctor should prescribe exercises that will be aimed at strengthening the tendon and improving the functionality of the joints.
The duration of hospitalization is about 7 days, pain will be observed in the first half of the day, patients begin to move and walk within 5-7 hours after surgery.
The foot may swell and swell; the main thing is to take the necessary medications on time and do regular exercises for the foot. Sutures are removed on an outpatient basis after 2 weeks.
For the purpose of prevention, the main task is to wear comfortable, spacious shoes with orthopedic insoles. Regular shoes can be worn 2-3 months after surgery.
Advice from specialists in the first days after surgery:
The corrected phalanx may have less range of motion than a healthy one. Swelling and redness of the operated area may persist for several months.
If hammertoes are identified and treated promptly, this will help prevent the development of more complex foot deformities and will protect the patient from excruciating pain during the development of phalanx pathology.
Hammertoe correction is performed to correct a foot deformity called hammertoe.
Hammertoe occurs when the tendon that controls the movement of the finger is torn. This causes the middle joint of the toe to bend upward and the outer joint to angle downward. Deformed fingers resemble a hammer. Hammertoe correction is performed in the following cases:
Complications are rare, but no procedure is guaranteed to be risk-free. If correction is planned, you need to be aware of possible complications, which may include:
Factors that may increase the risk of complications:
The doctor will likely do the following:
Consult your doctor about any medications you are taking. A week before surgery, you may be asked to stop taking certain medications:
On the day of the procedure:
Most often, local anesthesia is used, which will numb the surgical area.
Spinal anesthesia may also be used to numb the lower part of the body.
There are several surgical options for treating hammertoe. Some methods use changes in soft tissue (such as tendons), while others are performed on bones.
The procedure is used for patients under 30 years of age with limited leg deformities. An incision is made in the skin and the tendons are released. Sometimes the tendon attaches to another part of the bone. Changes in the soft tissues allow the finger to relax and eliminate the deformity.
There are two common methods for correcting hammertoes—knuckle arthroplasty and knuckle fusion. The type of procedure used depends on the severity of the injury. A combination of both procedures may be necessary. In both cases, a skin incision is made in the area of the finger joint.
During arthroplasty, some bone may be removed from both sides of the middle joint of the toe. This will allow the toe to straighten.
During the connection, the ends of the toe bones are separated, which are placed in place after correction. Repositioning is usually carried out in conjunction with the installation of a fastening element in the bone, which can be removed after 3-4 weeks. Other changes to the anatomy of the foot may be made in connection with hammertoe correction.
At the end of the procedure, the doctor closes the incision with stitches. A sling is used to support the toe(s) in proper position.
This depends on the type of procedure and the number of fingers being operated on.
Anesthesia prevents pain during surgery. The doctor will provide medication to reduce pain after surgery.
The corrected finger may be slightly longer or shorter than before surgery. The finger may have less range of motion than a normal finger. Minor swelling and redness is expected and may last for several months. The bandage may need to be adjusted after the swelling has subsided. If it turns out that the deformity may recur, the doctor may extend the wearing of the bandage for another 2-4 weeks.
Shoes with sufficient room for your toes should be worn. Poorly fitting shoes contribute to the recurrence of hammertoe.
After returning home, you should consult a doctor if the following symptoms appear:
Ledderhose disease or plantar fibromatosis. Diagnosis and treatment. Surgical treatment of fibromatosis.
Deformation of the toes. Hammer fingers. Calluses on toes.
Taylor's deformity or tailor's foot. Removal of bunions on the feet. Reducing the width of the foot. Curvature of the little finger.
Haglund's deformity. Bump on the heel. Removing heel bumps. Treatment of Haglund's deformity.
Minimally invasive treatment of bunions. Laser treatment for bumps on feet. Laser removal of bunions.
Reducing the length of the toes. Hammer fingers. Elimination of hammertoe deformity. Minimally invasive foot surgery. Shortening of the toes. Reducing foot size. Toe surgery.
Onychocryptosis. Why do toenails grow ingrown? How to avoid ingrown toenails? Symptoms of an ingrown toenail. Which doctor should I contact with an ingrown toenail? Treatment of ingrown toenails: laser correction, treatment with correction plates.
Surgical treatment of Halux Valgus. Removing “bumps” on the feet. Minimally invasive foot surgery.
Halux Valgus (Bones in the feet). Valgus foot deformity. Lumps on the legs. Cause of hallux valgus. Treatment of bunions on the feet.
What is a heel spur? Surgical treatment of heel spurs (plantar fasciitis). Which surgical method should I choose? Surgery for heel spurs.
Intermetatarsal neuroma (Morton's neuroma).
What is a heel spur or plantar fasciitis? Heel spur treatment. UHT of the heel spur. Surgical treatment of heel spurs. Heel spur removal.
A person is in constant motion, and the foot reflects his state of health. Most serious diseases manifest themselves first in the legs. It becomes painful or difficult for a person to walk, and a discomfort appears. Just by looking at the feet, a doctor can draw a conclusion about the state of health of his patient.
When we walk, our feet receive a load that is 1.5 times our own weight. Therefore, it is always necessary to pay attention to the condition of your feet and take action if the slightest discomfort appears. After all, feet are our vital activity and need to be taken care of.
Such pain may occur during physical activity or walking. But in old age they appear even at rest. Timely treatment will help get rid of the disease and not lead to a chronic condition.
If you have acute pain in your foot, you should treat the foot injury with cold for the first couple of days. Massage your heel using a piece of ice. This procedure is recommended to be carried out within five minutes. Carry out the massage several times a day with a break of about 3-5 hours. Then, after a few days, compresses must be alternated with warm procedures. If the pain does not disappear during exercise, you can use special anti-inflammatory ointments to relieve and treat the foot.
The site presents and describes in detail possible diseases that arise with foot discomfort. After reading detailed information about them, you will understand what is bothering you and can quickly eliminate the disease. Remember that you should not put off illnesses, as they only get worse every day. With quick and timely treatment, any illness can be overcome without negative consequences.
Hammertoe deformity is a common pathology of the toes (usually II and III), as a result of which they become like hammers. As a rule, such a disorder is not isolated, but is part of a process of complex foot deformation due to flat feet in combination with arthrosis of the small joints of the foot. In men, this pathology is observed five times less often than in women.
The movements of the toes are controlled by the flexor and extensor muscles, the tendons of which are attached to the phalanges of the toes. The tendons of the two muscle groups should “pull” the toes with equal force. However, with a disease such as flat feet, the foot lengthens, and the strength of the flexor muscles begins to prevail over the strength of the extensor muscles, as a result of which the fingers begin to gradually deform.
Sometimes hammer toes are the result of injury. An additional provoking factor is narrow and tight shoes and high-heeled shoes, when worn, the load is redistributed to the parts of the foot involved in walking.
In addition, the likelihood of developing hammertoes increases with certain diseases:
A hammer finger manifests itself through external signs: it is curved in a certain way. Calluses, which indicate deformation, necessarily form on its back side. Interphalangeal joints also have deformities due to arthrosis or subluxation.
Symptoms or signs of hammertoe include corns - characteristic skin thickenings on the sole of the foot.
In the most common cases of hammertoe, all of the above symptoms affect the second toe.
As this deformity progresses, walking becomes difficult and painful. Deformed hammertoes can poke into various places in the shoe and become subject to friction. Dress shoes are not suitable for those who already have deformed toes. In those places where crooked toes touch the shoes, irritation occurs.
If your hammertoes are too tight, it can be very difficult to straighten them.
The development of hammertoes is usually accompanied by subluxation of the proximal phalanges of the fingers, osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joints occurs, and movement in them is limited. Patients begin to experience pain when walking, as well as when trying to rise on their toes.
The earlier treatment is started, the greater the chances of correcting the pathology without surgery. Over a long period of time, the deformity becomes fixed and is accompanied by changes in the bones, joints and soft tissues of the foot, and the formation of adhesions between the tendons and the joint capsule. At this stage, it is almost impossible to straighten the position of the fingers without surgery.
At the initial stages of development of hammertoes, complex conservative treatment of flat feet is carried out. The patient is recommended to wear orthopedic shoes and is prescribed therapeutic exercises to strengthen the arch of the foot.
What to do if you have hammertoe deformity:
If the pathology persists for a long time and there is severe deformation of the toes, surgery is indicated. Orthopedics and traumatology has several dozen surgical techniques for correcting hammer toes. Resection (removal) of part of the main phalanx, arthroplasty (treatment of articular surfaces) and arthrodesis (excision of articular surfaces with fixation of bones in a certain position) are possible.
But, the most preferable operation is by excision of part of the deformed bone of the finger to give it the correct shape. During the rehabilitation period, you must wear a plaster cast on your finger (about one month).
An orthopedic doctor performs a visual examination and palpation. To clarify the clinical picture, X-rays from three projections are used.
Hammertoe is one of the most common types of deformity. It is expressed in a change in the shape of the proximal interphalangeal joint on the second finger from the inside. At the same time, it bends and turns, as a result of which the finger “looks” down, and bone tissue begins to grow at the joint itself. At the very beginning, it still retains flexibility, but over time the formation grows, mobility decreases, and any touch causes discomfort.
The occurrence of the disease is directly influenced by the incorrect selection of shoes, and up to 75% of cases of hammertoes occur among women.
Even in ancient China, girls deliberately bandaged their toes tightly to shorten their feet. According to the canons of beauty, this may have been considered attractive, but subsequently the girls could not walk. It's hard to imagine, but in modern society, many ladies deliberately subject themselves to such torture by wearing narrow or pointy shoes that cause the forefoot to compress unnaturally. Other causes of hammertoes include displacement of the metatarsals due to injury, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and other disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The genetic factor should also be taken into account. If you have inherited a high arch or a long second toe, you are at risk. A common cause is arthrosis of the interphalangeal joints of the finger. The disease is often diagnosed in patients with flat feet.
There are physiological causes of hammertoe deformity:
the second toe is too long, so it constantly bends with the nail phalanx down;
the finger is in a bent position due to a tense tendon;
callus on the thumb has a constraining effect on the second finger;
The disease can also be caused by a high arch of the foot, which leads to improper functioning of the tendons.
For each case, the NARA Medical Center has prepared its own effective treatment method!
The symptoms of hammertoe are hard to miss. The foot begins to flatten. There is a lot of pressure on it, and the patient experiences serious pain.
Often the first sign of the disease is the appearance of calluses in areas that experience the most intense pressure and friction. Ulcers may form in place of calluses. The body tries to stabilize the foot using the tendons in this area, so the joints are pulled back and protrude noticeably.
If you do not seek medical attention early, the foot will continue to deform, causing difficulty and pain when walking. Bent hammertoes will press against the sides of the shoe, causing even more irritation in these areas. Strongly curled fingers cannot be straightened using therapeutic methods; in difficult cases, only surgical intervention can help.
In medicine, there are two main types of hammertoes:
when fingers creep on each other;
when the fingers clench.
In both cases, the fingers rub strongly against each other, and among conservative methods, doctors usually use special separators, interdigital rollers, and gel caps placed on the fingers.
Experts strongly recommend seeking medical help at the first symptoms of hammertoe. Otherwise, subluxation may develop in the metatarsophalangeal region, during which it will be almost impossible to straighten the foot.
The diagnosis is made most often on the basis of:
Blood tests are also carried out that can identify the cause of the disease, such as diabetes.
At the initial stage of the disease, treatment can be conservative. It consists of physiotherapeutic procedures. In addition, the patient will need to wear special orthopedic shoes. Its upper part is made of soft natural materials that do not injure the affected joints.
If conservative treatment is powerless and flexion contracture (immobility) of the interphalangeal joints persists, surgical intervention is required. Israeli orthopedists know dozens of surgical methods, the most common of which is resection of the affected phalanx.
Surgeons at the NARA center solve the most difficult problems of straightening the toes and giving them a normal position. Among the most effective methods of surgery, experts note arthroplasty, which consists of treating the articular surfaces in order to straighten the fingers and restore joint mobility.
This type of surgery in Israel is carried out using low-traumatic technologies, using the latest equipment, which allows operations to be carried out with maximum precision and achieve high results. If the articular ends of the bones are fused, the surgeon inserts microsurgical instruments into the area (often requiring only two small incisions) and separates them.
The use of modern techniques for finishing the articular ends allows surgeons at the NARA center to perform their resurfacing with high quality. In particular, laser radiation is used. The laser not only perfectly cuts off excess bone growths and formations, but also has antiseptic properties. Therefore, the risk of the patient contracting an infection is reduced to zero.
By treating the articular surfaces, the surgeon gives them a natural shape, which in the future will allow the joint to function normally. In order to protect the joint from new fusion, the doctor creates a special padding from soft tissue.
During the operation, no major surgical intervention is performed, and the patient’s rehabilitation period is significantly reduced, and within a day after arthroplasty he is discharged for outpatient treatment.
Another important type of surgical intervention for hammertoe is arthrodesis. The purpose of this operation is to immobilize the affected joint and fix the bones of the toe in a certain way in order to return the foot to its normal functions.
The operation can be performed either intra-articularly or extra-articularly. For her, the NARA Medical Center also uses the latest developments in the field of foot surgery, which allows minimal trauma to the patient during the arthrodesis procedure itself.
If the doctor decides to perform intra-articular arthrodesis, then during the operation the cartilaginous surfaces of the bones that form the joint are removed. Excision is carried out using modern microsurgical instruments and under the control of computerized equipment. That is why the doctors of the Nara Center guarantee high precision of intervention and exceptional quality of work!
After removing excess cartilaginous parts, the joint is immobilized using a special metal, bone pin. In particular, the same method is successfully used on the shoulder and hip joints. Next, the joint is fixed for several days with a plaster cast. During the healing process, the tissue grows into special holes in the pin, which ensures high reliability of the structure.
If it is necessary to perform extra-articular arthrodesis, the surgeon does not open the joint, but achieves its immobilization using a bone graft, which is inserted into the periarticular tissue.
Among the newest methods of surgical treatment of hammertoe, it is also worth noting:
Weil operation – distal osteotomy of the metatarsal bones;
BRT surgery – proximal osteotomy of the metatarsal bones;
operations of Homan, Goth, etc.
If the problem with hammertoe is the dysfunction of the tendon that flexes the second or third toe, surgery is performed to reposition the tendon. This allows you to radically solve the problem and return the foot to its correct shape.
Hammertoes are deformities of the second and third toes. The fingers take on the shape of a hammer. Hammertoe deformity is a consequence of complex generalized foot deformity . This deformity occurs due to a violation of the tension of the flexor ligaments, as well as due to a decrease in the mobility of the phalangeal joints of the fingers. When the activity of the fingers decreases, the joints seem to be fixed in a bent state.
Very often, hammertoe deformity is accompanied by such orthopedic pathologies as: hallux valgus, transverse flatfoot, cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, myelodysplastic cavus, etc. This foot deformity is dangerous due to such complications as the development of osteoarthrosis due to subluxation of the phalanges of the toes. Also, with this disease, large calluses and corns form due to strong pressure and constant friction of shoes.
Hammer toes are accompanied by severe pain, especially when walking , and the pain intensifies when trying to stand on your toes. This finger deformity can be:
The main causes of hammertoe deformity are:
The main symptoms of hammertoe deformity are:
If you seek medical help in time, hammertoe deformity can be successfully treated using conservative treatment . At the first symptoms of hammertoe deformity, contact our Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics at Clinical Hospital No. 85 of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia.
First of all, they establish the cause of this disease and begin to treat the accompanying foot deformity as a whole. The patient is selected with the correct therapeutic shoes, orthopedic insoles and other orthopedic devices. Then a therapeutic foot massage and specially selected gymnastic exercises are prescribed, specifically suited to the deformation of each patient’s fingers. In the later stages of finger deformity, conservative treatment is considered ineffective.
When hammertoes become fixed, significant changes occur in the muscles, ligaments, joints and bones, and adhesions form between the tendons and joint capsules. In this case, doctors at our orthopedic center prescribe surgical treatment.
If there are medical indications and there are referral quotas, our center performs operations using funds allocated under the program for the provision of high-tech medical care (HTMC)
Surgical treatment of hammertoe deformity:
Highly qualified doctors at our orthopedic center have been practicing surgical operations to correct hammertoe deformity for many years . Our doctors use only the most modern surgical treatment techniques (distal metatarsal osteotomy, proximal metatarsal osteotomy, digital flexor tendon transposition, and much more). After the surgical procedures, a plaster cast is applied to the leg for 4-5 weeks.
Preparation for surgery for hammer-
Carrying out an operation for hammer-
figurative deformation of the toes
There were no relapses of hammertoe deformity after treatment at our Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics at Clinical Hospital No. 85 of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia.
At the first symptoms of hammertoe deformity, immediately contact our Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics at Clinical Hospital No. 85 of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia for immediate medical assistance. Sometimes it is enough to prevent the occurrence of orthopedic problems rather than take a long time to treat them. You may just need to choose the right shoes and learn preventive massage techniques. The doctors at our orthopedic center are always ready to help you.
After surgery on the forefoot, the patient walks the next day after surgery in special shoes. If you have any questions, please call the numbers provided.
Flat feet lead to the development of hammertoe deformity. Taking into account your concomitant pathology, at the initial stage of treatment I recommend you individual orthopedic insoles.
Yes, the degree of foot deformation is determined by the doctor.
It is necessary to clarify the stage of finger deformation.
The cost of the operation is determined by the volume of the upcoming intervention. During the consultation, the doctor will tell you everything. Call.
Moscow, st. Moskvorechye 16
Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia
Most often, the second and third toes are affected by this disease. Hammer toe is a result of wearing tight shoes and high heels. Hammertoe deformity develops gradually due to strong compression: the outer phalanx of the toe curls down, and the middle part of the toe rises up. The shape of the finger begins to resemble the tip of a hammer.
Very painful calluses form on the finger, which even a salon pedicure cannot always cope with. A callus can take several years to form and eventually make itself known. Most often, a person does not notice the development of hammertoe deformity of the second or third toe until painful sensations appear.
Curvature of the toe can also occur as a result of improper functioning of the flexor and extensor muscles, due, for example, to transverse or transverse-longitudinal flat feet and deviation, the so-called bunion of the big toe.
Another cause of hook toes is a claw foot , which is so curved that it resembles the shape of the letter S. The extreme arching of the foot causes tension in the tendons of the foot, which leads to muscle contraction of all five toes. Claw foot, as a rule, is a congenital pathology; only in rare cases does it appear as a result of a neuromuscular disease or injury to the neuromuscular system of the foot.
There is another, rarest cause of hammertoe deformity . This is a neurological dysfunction of the foot that causes the muscles to contract and the foot to rise too high. Such cases are a manifestation of a systemic disorder and should be identified by a neurologist.
In any case, hammertoes make it difficult to choose fashionable and comfortable shoes at the same time. This is especially true for women who are used to being beautiful in dressy stilettos. Painful sensations in the second and third bent toes prevent you from wearing nice shoes and feeling absolutely comfortable.
In the initial stages of hammertoe formation, it can be corrected by wearing orthopedic shoes with a spacious and soft toe to reduce pressure on the deformed toes. In addition, the podiatrist may apply special splints and tape to straighten the toes and reduce the phenomenon of hammertoes.
If these methods do not give the desired result, then the hammer finger is restored only through surgery, which involves removing the deformed joint.