A Variety of Shoes
Two Non-Surgical Treatment Options For Hammertoe
Tessa Jean
Hammertoe is a condition where one of the toes (usually the second, third, or fourth one) remains in a bent condition at all times. It's usually caused by wearing tight shoes that force the toes to stay in a curled position for long periods of time, causing damage to the muscles that control the toes. The condition can be corrected with surgery but, if caught early enough, hammertoe can be resolved using non-surgical means. Here are two treatment options you should try:
Splinting the Affected Toe
The first non-surgical treatment for hammertoe involves applying a splint to the affected toe to force it into its regular position. The splint then remains on the foot for as long as it takes to retrain the muscles to keep the toe straight like normal. Alternatively, the toe may be taped down, which may make it easier to accommodate in shoes.
The primary benefit of this treatment is you can purchase the splint at your local drugstore for just a few dollars, and it's pretty simple and straightforward to implement. However, to be effective, you must wear shoes with adequate room in the shoe box for all the toes to sit side-by-side, which means you eliminate (or minimize) the use of ones that cause overcrowding, such as high heels.
Additionally, you may experience some pain or discomfort while the toe is being retrained, but this can be alleviated using special shoe inserts or over-the-counter pain relievers.
Do Foot Exercises
Another option for correcting hammertoe is to do foot exercises on a daily basis. This treatment can be used with others to help speed up the healing process. The exercises will help stretch and strengthen the foot muscles, so they are strong enough to pull and keep the toe in place.
A few exercises you can do include:
- Curling and straightening the toes rhythmically
- Using the toes to pick up small objects from the floor (e.g., pens and marbles)
- Pulling the toes back for a few seconds and releasing
- Lifting the toes while standing and then pressing them back to the floor one at a time starting from the pinky
There are many more exercises you can do to help improve hammertoe. You can find many of them online or by talking to a physical therapist.
Sometimes it's not possible to fix hammertoe using non-surgical treatments because the disease is too far advanced. Make an appointment with a podiatrist office like Affiliated Ankle & Foot Care Center to discuss other options for returning your toes back to normal.
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Growing up, I was never very interested in buying a large quantity of shoes to pair with my outfits. I rarely owned more than five or six pairs of shoes at any given time. I usually wore either my favorite pair of sneakers, boots, flats, or heels everywhere I went. When I married my amazing husband ten years ago, my shoe closet expanded. My generous spouse encouraged me to buy some several pairs of cute shoes to match my clothing. After shopping for new shoes, I was hooked. Now, I rarely wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. Thankfully, I’ve learned that wearing a different type of shoe each day is good for my foot health. On this blog, you will discover the most important benefits of wearing a different kind of shoe every day of the week.