What to Do About Your Hammertoe

Does hammertoe pain make walking or even wearing shoes painful? Your podiatrists at Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ, offer treatments that will ease your pain and relieve other symptoms.

What to do about your hammertoe

When your toe remains in a bent position constantly, wearing shoes can be uncomfortable. If you put off seeing a podiatrist, your toe can eventually become rigid, which only increases your pain. Fortunately, taking a few of these steps can improve your comfort:

• Protect Your Toe: Do you have corns or calluses on your toe as a result of friction from shoes? Placing adhesive pads on your toe can reduce pressure and help you avoid new corns and calluses. Rubbing a pumice stone over the corn every day will gradually reduce its size. (Don't try treating corns and calluses at home if you have diabetes, as home treatment may increase your risk of infection.)
• Go Shoe Shopping: Many types of dress shoes are designed with the expectation that your toes will remain flat when you put on the footwear. Unfortunately, shoes that fit perfectly before you had a hammertoe might not be very comfortable now. Rather than trying to jam your foot into a tight shoe, it's a much better idea to purchase new shoes. Look for sandals, open-toed shoes, or footwear that offers a tall toe box.
• Try a Toe Workout: Exercises ease stiffness and keep your toe limber and flexible. Toe crunches are just one of the exercises that your Pennsauken or Turnersville foot doctor may recommend. Perform them by putting your foot in the middle of a small towel. Bend your toes to scrunch the terrycloth under your foot. Keeping scrunching until you've reached the end of the towel.
• Ask About Orthotics: Prescription orthotics are custom-designed for you by your podiatrist. The shoe inserts stabilize toes and reduce stress on toe muscles.
• Think About Surgery: If your toe becomes rigid, surgery may be the best option. Surgery straightens your toe and restores flexibility.

Don't let hammertoe pain keep you from your favorite activities! Pay a visit to your Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ, podiatrists. Call (856) 488-5290 to reach the Pennsauken office or (856) 875-8855 to schedule an appointment for the Turnersville office.