Hammer toe

[Tariq Zaki]

Hammer toe is a toe that is bent in a fixed Z-shaped position.

Pain may be felt when people wear certain shoes, and some people have pain in the ball of the foot.
Diagnosis is based on an examination of the foot, and other joints are examined as well.
Wide shoes and toe pads can relieve irritation, and orthoses can relieve pain.

(See also Overview of Foot Problems.)
Among the causes of hammer toe are unusually long metatarsal or toe bones, poor alignment of foot joint surfaces, rheumatoid arthritis, and years of wearing ill-fitting shoes. Because part of the toe is higher than normal, excessive friction may result, leading to corns and possibly open sores (ulcers) on the top of the toe. The second toe is the most common toe to develop hammer toe deformity.
Wearing shoes, particularly shoes with low and narrow toe boxes, may be painful. Sometimes people develop pain in the ball of the foot (metatarsalgia).