Hammertoe Trouble

Over the summer, you may have noticed one or more of your toes bending downward at the joint, particularly if you spent a majority of your time in flip-flops since gripping with the toes are necessary to keep these shoes on. Now, however, even as you transition to other shoe styles, your toe still seems to be unusually bent in a position that resembles a hammer. If this is you, we at Goldsmith Podiatry want to urge you to come into our Upper West Side office as soon as possible to get your toe examined.

Early Detection Beneficial

In the initial stages, a hammertoe is still flexible. Our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia will want to examine your foot and study the contracture of your toe. The foot doctor may order x-rays to assess the degree of the deformity and to use as a reference for monitoring your condition.

Hammertoes are a progressive condition and will not go away without treatment. Usually the symptoms will worsen as time goes by. In more advanced stages, you may experience:

• Corns developing on the top of toe as a result of the friction from the rubbing against your shoes

• Calluses on the ball of the foot or between two toes

• Rigid contracture of the toe

• Inflammation, redness and burning

• Open sores that are difficult to heal

Treatment Options

The podiatrist has several treatment options to choose from for hammertoe and will determine the best plan for you based on your individual condition. Some possibilities include medication, padding or changes in footwear to relieve pain. Orthotic devices can control the muscle/tendon imbalance that is the root cause of hammertoe. In some cases, the foot doctor may recommend surgery to correct a hammertoe.

If you suspect you may have a hammertoe developing, contact us as soon as possible by calling 212-877- 1002.