HAMMER TOES
Toes that curl or contract, rubbing painfully against your shoes?
Hammer toes, claw toes, and mallet toes are digital deformities where toe joints contract and bend downwards. Our podiatrists relieve painful corns, provide silicone props, and help offload pressure
COMMON SYMPTOMS
Does any of this sound familiar?
Contracted toes typically affect the lesser toes (second, third, or fourth toe):
- A toe that is permanently or flexibly bent at the middle joint
- Painful corns or calluses forming on the knuckled top of the bent toe
- Callus or sores developing at the very tip of the toe from downward pressure
- Redness, swelling, or rubbing pain from the toe box of your shoes
- Stiffness or reduced flexibility in the affected toe joints
- Associated ball-of-foot pain from retrograde pressure on the metatarsal head
Removing the painful knuckle corn brings immediate relief in clinic.
Custom silicone devices can keep toes comfortably positioned inside footwear.
HAVE A QUESTION?
Ask Our Podiatry Assistant
Get instant answers about appointments, treatments, pricing, insurance or what to expect.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
What causes hammer toes?
Toe contraction occurs when the delicate balance between flexor and extensor tendons is disrupted:
Muscle-tendon imbalance
Instability in the foot causes the long toe flexors to overwork and grip the ground.
Footwear pressure
Shoes that are too short, tight, or high-heeled cramp the toes into a contracted position.
Bunion association
When the big toe angles inward, it can crowd and displace the second toe upward.
Underlying nerve health
Diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, or arthritis can affect small intrinsic toe muscles.
WHEN TO SEEK ASSESSMENT
When should you consider getting hammer toes checked?
Consider arranging an assessment if:
- Corns on top of your toes make wearing shoes painful
- The toe is becoming rigid or difficult to straighten manually
- Skin is breaking down or ulcerating at the toe tip or knuckle
- You have diabetes (contracted toes carry high risk of pressure wounds)
- You want customized pressure offloading devices
YOUR APPOINTMENT
What happens when you come to see us?
We relieve painful corns, assess joint flexibility, and fit comfortable offloading solutions
We examine
Your podiatrist checks whether the deformity is flexible or rigid and evaluates skin integrity.
We relieve pain
Painless debridement of knuckle corns and tip calluses provides immediate shoe comfort.
We offload
We fabricate custom silicone toe props or orthodigital devices moulded to your toes.
We advise
You receive deep-toe-box footwear advice and guidance on custom orthotics where needed.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Treatment depends on what we find
Treatment focuses on relieving painful pressure and protecting vulnerable skin:
Not every treatment is appropriate for every patient. Your podiatrist will discuss suitable options after assessment.
- Painless clinical corn & callus debridement
- Custom silicone toe props & orthodigital devices
- Prescription orthotics to address flexor stabilization
- Footwear advice (high, wide toe boxes)
- Dermal foot fillers for chronic knuckle corns
We're here for you
Tired of Living With Pain? We Can Help
STEP 1 OF 2
Request a callback
Fill in your details and one of our team members will be in touch to help.
- Not sure who to ask?
- Not sure what to do next?
- Not sure who can help?
Please fill out the form and chat with one of our team members about your right next step.
OUR CLINICIANS
You'll be seen by our podiatry team
Our clinicians assess a wide range of foot, ankle and lower-limb problems and will explain your options clearly.
Matthew Francis
Clinical Director / Managing Podiatrist
Megan Kelly
General & High Risk Foot Podiatrist
Yaw Nimoh
MSK, Sports & Advanced Practice Podiatrist
Patient Reviews
What our patients say about their care
Real feedback from individuals who have trusted our clinical team with their mobility and foot health.
FAQ
Hammer toe FAQs
READY TO GET STARTED?
Ready for comfortable, pain-free toes?
Book online at a time that suits you, or request a callback if you're unsure which appointment is right for you.