Prevent Hammertoes with the Right Shoes

Hammertoes aren’t pleasant and the name for this foot condition doesn’t help its cause. Without initially knowing what hammertoes are, one might picture a literal hammer smooshing the toes back into the foot. This isn’t too far off. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey want our patients to know that they do not have to live with this pain. There are ways to find pain relief and prevent this common foot condition!

Hammertoe is a deformity that occurs in the middle joint of one or more of your little toes. It develops when there is an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that normally hold the toes straight. The structure of your feet, trauma, certain diseases, and the type of shoes you wear can all bring on hammertoes. Surgery may be required to correct hammertoes if they are severe enough. Left untreated, the toes affected can become permanently bent and cause painful corns or calluses. 

Preventing hammertoes is quite easy since a lot of it has to do with the shoes you wear:

- Make sure to have adequate toe room in your shoes and avoid shoes that are pointy.

- Lower heels are less likely to slide your foot forward and put your toes in a scrunched position.

- Laced or strapped shoes are a better option since they have more room and are adjustable. 

- Your feet tend to swell throughout the day, so it’s better to purchase shoes at the end of the day to account for that swelling.

- Your shoe size can change with age, so it’s important to keep checking that you are the size you are!

- Be sure to purchase shoes that are comfortable.

Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC is located at two New Jersey locations for your convenience. You can find our Mercerville office at 2103 Mercerville-Whitehorse Rd and our Toms River office at 202 Rte 37 W, Suite 4. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit newjerseyfoot.com, call our Mercerville office at 609-585-3200, or call our Toms River office at 732-557-4266.