Is It Possible to Reverse My Flexible Hammertoe Deformity?
Oct 21, 2024
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Hammertoe happens when one or more of your toes bend abnormally at the middle joint. Not surprisingly, this can be painful and affect your mobility. If you’re starting to experience the earliest signs of hammertoe, you might wonder if anything can be done to reverse it.
Below, our team of providers at NYC Foot & Ankle Center, in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood of the Upper West Side, answers that question in more detail.
A hammertoe is considered "flexible" when your affected toe can still be moved at the joint, even though it may be painful or stiff. In this early stage, your muscles and tendons haven’t yet tightened permanently, so it’s possible to reverse your deformity or at least significantly reduce your symptoms without surgery.
Nonsurgical treatments focus on relieving pressure on the top of your affected toe joint, under the ball of your foot, and at the tip of your toe and can include:
Shoes that are too tight or narrow can force your toes into a bent position and worsen your deformity. Ill-fitting shoes can also increase your chance of developing blisters, corns, calluses, and bunions.
Switching to shoes with a roomy toe box and proper arch support can relieve pressure on your affected toe and help it return to a more natural position. Ideally, avoid wearing high heels and pointed shoes.
Hammertoe happens when the muscles around the metatarsophalangeal joints in your toes become imbalanced. The weaker inner muscles are unable to compete with the stronger outer muscles.
Toe exercises help restore this balance. Stretching and strengthening the muscles in your toes can help realign your joint and improve flexibility.
Simple exercises, such as picking up small objects like marbles with your toes or gently stretching your toes manually, can be done daily to help correct your deformity.
Custom orthotics or toe splints can provide additional support and help straighten your toe. These devices work by holding your affected toe in the correct position, which can reduce the strain on your muscles and tendons.
Wearing orthotics regularly can help prevent your deformity from worsening.
Padding and taping your affected toe can provide relief and help maintain proper alignment. Padding protects your toe from rubbing against your shoe, reducing pain and inflammation. Taping helps keep your toe in the correct position and encourages it to straighten over time.
If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to develop hammertoe. About 32% of individuals with diabetes seen in diabetes clinics also have a hammertoe.
Our team of experts offers specialized diabetic foot care and can help you avoid the complications of hammertoe. Even the smallest blister (a common problem for hammertoes) can be problematic for individuals with poor circulation. Early intervention can help you avoid issues later on.
Flexible hammertoe can often be improved or corrected with nonsurgical treatments if addressed early, but completely reversing your condition to a perfectly normal toe isn’t guaranteed.
The goal of flexible hammertoe treatment here at NYC Foot & Ankle Center is to alleviate your symptoms, improve your toe alignment, and prevent the condition from worsening.
If your deformity is caught in its early stages while your toe is still flexible, there's a good chance that nonsurgical methods like exercises, proper footwear, and orthotics can help significantly reduce your deformity and discomfort.
However, the extent to which your toe condition can be reversed varies from person to person. You’re not out of options though.
Yes, surgery can permanently correct a hammertoe by straightening your toe and addressing the underlying issues, such as tight tendons or misaligned joints. After surgery, your toe is typically restored to a more natural position, and the deformity is less likely to return, especially if proper footwear and foot care are maintained.
Recent studies have found that almost 50% of forefoot surgeries are on the smaller toes, with hammertoe surgery being the most common.
If nonsurgical treatments aren’t effective, or if your hammertoe progresses to a rigid stage where your joint can no longer be moved, your NYC Foot & Ankle Center podiatrist may recommend surgery. Surgical options can correct your deformity, but they’re usually reserved for more severe cases.
To learn more about your treatment options for flexible hammertoe, contact our office today to schedule a consultation. You can call us or utilize our online booking tool.