Sesamoiditis (Hammer Toe)

A hammer toe is a deformity causing one or both joints of your toes (except your big toe) to bend abnormally. The most common cause of a hammer toe is a muscle or tendon imbalance resulting in abnormal toe positioning.

Hammer toes can be aggravated by shoes that do not fit properly, or if a toe is too long and is forced into a cramped position when a tight shoe is worn.

However, occasionally, a hammer toe is the result of an earlier trauma to the toe. For some people, hammer toes are inherited.

If you are experiencing pain or irritation in your toe/s when you put on shoes, you could be suffering from a hammer toe. 

Developing corns or calluses on, or between two toes, or on the ball of the foot, are indications that suggest you may be suffering from a hammer toe. Ongoing friction against your shoe/s cause corns to form. Corns may be soft or hard depending on where these corns appear on the foot. 

Other symptoms include:

• Inflammation
• Redness 
• A burning sensation
• Contracture of the toe 
• Open sores may form in more severe cases of hammertoe

We offer a variety of treatment options for hammer toes. The treatment we prescribe for you will depend on the severity of your hammer toe.

At Footfocus Podiatry, we strive to give our clients the highest quality of care and proactive, preventative treatment possible.

We achieve this by offering a variety of treatment options for hammer toes, including:

• Using a range of diagnostic tools such as force pressure plate analysis and diagnostic ultrasound we can provide a confident and informed diagnosis of your problem.
• Providing pads designed to shield corns from irritation
• Advising you on your footwear, and recommending which shoes will aggravate your condition and should therefore be avoided
• Advising you on custom orthotic devices to be placed in your shoe to help control the muscle/tendon imbalance
• Using injection Therapy as Corticosteroid injections or shockwave therapy as this can ease pain and inflammation caused by a hammer toe
• Recommending oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen to reduce pain and inflammation
• Applying splints or small straps to offload the painful joint.

The treatment we prescribe for you will depend on the severity of your hammer toe. Although there are several treatment options available, after examination, your podiatrist will know which treatment method is best for you and your symptoms.

It is important to note that a hammer toe will not get better without intervention. In some cases, for example, when an open sore is present, we may need to recommend surgery. That’s why we hope you will visit us at the early stages of a suspected hammer toe before such measures are necessary.

We’re 100% committed to your wellbeing and in delivering the highest quality care and treatment to you at every visit.