Claw and hammer toes
Toes that bend and stop touching the ground. They rub against the shoe above and overload the sole below.
When a toe becomes permanently bent, two problems appear at once: above, the knuckle sits higher and rubs against the top of the shoe, producing a corn on the top of the toe; below, the tip stops touching the ground and its load transfers to the metatarsal head, which becomes irritated and develops hard skin on the sole. Both hurt and both can be relieved.
It can affect one toe or several, and it often goes hand in hand with a bunion: as the big toe drifts, the second toe runs out of room and rides over it. It also appears from shoes that have been too short for a long time, from an imbalance between the muscles that bend and straighten the toe, or in association with conditions affecting the nerve or the joint. While the toe still moves there is a lot that can be done; once it becomes rigid, the aim shifts to protecting and offloading.
What is done
- Checking whether the toe can still be straightened or is already rigid.
- Treating the corn on top and the hard skin on the sole that go with it.
- Silicone orthoses moulded on the toe itself to protect and realign it.
- Reviewing footwear: toe-box height and true length, not the size marked.
- Offloading the metatarsal head that has taken over the toe’s load.
Does the shoe dig into the knuckle of a toe, or is a corn forming on top?
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