Understanding Claw and Mallet Toes

Think you may have mallet or claw toes? Mallet and claw toes form over years and are common in adults. Mallet and claw toes are among the most common toe problems. If you think you have mallet or claw toes, see a podiatrist right away. If you don't treat the problem right away, you are more likely to need surgery. Here's what you need to know about claw and mallet toes.

What Are Mallet and Claw Toes?

Mallet and claw toes are toes that are bent into an abnormal position. They may hurt or look odd, or both. These toe deformities usually occur in the small toes, not the big toes. Claw toe often affects the four small toes at the same time. The toes bend up at the joint where the foot and toes meet. This causes the toes to curl downward. Mallet toes often affect the second toes, but it may occur in the other toes too. Mallet toes bend down at the joint closest to the tip of the toes. 

What Causes These Conditions?

Tight footwear is the most common cause of mallet and claw toes. Wearing tight footwear can cause the muscles of the toes to get out of balance. Less often, these conditions are linked with other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, stroke, or an injury to the ankle or foot. Women are affected more often than men because they are more likely to wear narrow shoes or high heels.

How Are They Diagnosed?

Your podiatrist will take a detailed medical history and ask about your daily activities and footwear. A physical examination comes next, in which the level of deformity and scope of pain will be assessed. Diagnosis of these claw and mallet toes is usually obvious from the physical exam. To further evaluate the joints and bones of your feet and confirm a diagnosis, your podiatrist may order x-rays or other imaging tests.

How Are They Treated?

Buying shoes with more room in the toes, filing down calluses and corns, and padding the toes most often relieve the pain. If you have pain, your doctor may put a splint or pad on the toe. A custom orthotic device may be placed in your shoe to help control the muscle/tendon imbalance and alleviate your pain. This keeps the toe from rubbing on the top of the shoe. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used to ease pain and inflammation. If these steps don’t work, you may need surgery to straighten the toes.

Podiatric medicine a branch of science that is devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions of the ankle, foot, and lower extremity. Podiatrists diagnose and treat various foot problems, including claw and mallet toes. They offer a variety of treatments for claw and mallet toes. If you think you may have claw or mallet toes, a podiatrist in your area can help you achieve real relief.

A hammertoe is a common foot deformity that affects the middle joint of the smaller toes. As a result, this causes the toes to bend downward. Since this bend causes the joint to stick out this can put more pressure on the affected joints when wearing shoes, which can also make the deformity worse over time. As with most foot deformities a hammertoe will start out minor and continue to progress over time if left untreated.

During the earlier stages you may not notice much pain and discomfort. In fact the only way you may be able to tell that you have a hammertoe is by examining the foot and noticing that the small toes bend downward like a claw. Of course, at this stage the deformed joint is still flexible enough to be straightened out.

However, if the deformity progresses this can cause the joint to become rigid, which won’t respond effectively to simple conservative treatments. As you might imagine, the sooner you see a podiatrist to treat your hammertoe the better. Early intervention is key, as a hammertoe will not get better without the proper care.

Hammertoes are often the result of an imbalance in the muscle or tendon of the foot. Over time, this leads to structural changes in the foot. Genetics may also play a role in whether your feet are at risk for this deformity. A hammertoe can also be made worse by wearing shoes that are too tight and put too much pressure on the toes.

Along with the structural changes that occur with hammertoes it’s also common to experience redness, inflammation or the development of a corn or callus on the toe. If you are noticing symptoms of a hammertoe see your podiatrist for an evaluation. A simple physical exam is usually all that’s needed to diagnose a hammertoe; however, sometimes an x-ray will be performed in order to determine the extent of the deformity.

If you are dealing with a flexible hammertoe, more often than not simple nonsurgical treatment options are all that’s needed. Following simple treatment options and care can prevent the hammertoes from becoming rigid or painful. Some nonsurgical treatment options include:

• Wearing the appropriate footwear. This means wearing shoes that aren’t pointy or have high heels, which can put more pressure on the toes.
• Placing custom orthotics into your shoes, which can ease discomfort and prevent pain resulting in a muscular imbalance.
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, which can reduce both pain and inflammation.
• Splinting the toe or toes to keep them straight, which can also reduce stiffness, inflammation and pain.
• Applying protective non-medicated padding over the top of the toe to prevent a corn or callus from developing.

If your hammertoe is painful or rigid then you may need to discuss whether surgery is the best option for alleviating your symptom and correcting the deformity. If you are dealing with a hammertoe turn to a foot specialist for help.

While there are many people with flat feet, often times they won’t even know it; however, there are others with flat feet that regularly experience pain, soreness, and other problems. While flat feet is rarely considered a serious issue, if you are dealing with problems as a result of your flat feet it’s important that you turn to a podiatrist who can offer up ways to prevent problems.

How to tell if you have flat feet

If the arches of your feet touch the floor when you stand then you have flat feet. The arches of our feet don’t actually develop until around the age of six; however, sometimes flat feet develop due to injury or repeated stress on the feet.

Symptoms of flat feet

The most common symptom of flat feet is foot pain that originates in the heels and arches. You may find that the pain gets worse when standing or moving for long periods of time. Those who are physically active may experience pain more regularly. Sometime swelling on the inside of the foot or ankle may also occur.

Potential complications of flat feet

Since flat feet can be responsible for misalignments, this can lead to ankle and knee problems. If you are noticing foot, ankle, knee, hip, or lower back pain then you will want to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist to find out what’s going on.

Treating flat feet

If you aren’t experiencing pain or other issues then you won’t require any treatment for your flat feet. While we can’t fix flat feet our podiatrist can provide you with simple solutions to reduce pain and discomfort associated with faulty biomechanics within the feet. Common ways to prevent flat foot-related pain include:

• Using arch supports in your shoes, which can take pressure off the arches and provide cushioning and support when standing or moving.
• Performing certain stretching exercises prescribed by a podiatrist. There are specific exercises designed to stretch the Achilles tendon to alleviate and prevent foot pain.
• Wearing the appropriate footwear that provides further arch support. Shoes that are old and worn, as well as certain styles such as sandals or flip-flops won’t provide your feet with the proper support they need.
• Undergoing physical therapy if you are dealing with foot pain due to overuse injuries, which is common among athletes. Physical therapy can help strengthen certain ligaments, tendons and muscles of the feet and ankles to prevent excessive wear and tear, as well as pain and soreness in the arches and heels.

If you are dealing with pain due to flat feet and can’t seem to get your discomfort under control then you will want to talk with a podiatrist who can recommend certain exercises, proper footwear, and custom orthotics to improve the health of your feet. Talk to a podiatrist today.

As you become more active it’s important to keep the health of your feet in mind.

Summer is such a wonderful time. It’s time to take that trip to Europe or play beach volleyball or just enjoy peaceful walks around the park. Of course, whatever you choose to do to celebrate the beautiful warm weather our Boise, ID, podiatrists want you to keep the health of your feet in mind to prevent common foot problems that often occur more frequently as people become more active.

Limit Your Flip-Flop Usage

Yes, we know how comfortable these shoes may seem, especially when it’s blazing hot out; however, many flip-flops do not provide feet with the ample support they need, which not only affects the health of your feet but could also lead to posture and orthopedic issues. Those who do wear flip-flops are more likely to deal with foot, ankle, hip and lower back pain. Therefore, replace those flip-flops with a supportive pair of quality sandals and your feet will thank you.

Slowly Increase Activity

With the warm weather it’s easy to finally get out there and start running again; however, it’s important that you don’t just jump right into a workout that’s perhaps a little too intense. Ease back into running, especially if you’ve taken time away from it during the colder months. Remember, running outdoors can be tougher on your feet due to hard pavement and uneven running surfaces. Make sure to slowly increase the duration and intensity of your run to reduce your risk for plantar fasciitis or tendonitis, inflammatory conditions that cause heel pain.

Consider Shoe Inserts

From very high arches to flat feet, there are many structural abnormalities that can affect how your feet function as a whole. To prevent deformities like bunions and hammertoes, as well as shin splints and other painful conditions, our Boise, ID, podiatrists can create custom orthotics, which can be placed inside your shoes to cushion, stabilize, support, and absorb shock. Shoe inserts are also great for athletes.

Wash Your Feet Daily

This should be a given and yet you would be surprised how many people just think that soaking in the tub or letting water run over their feet in the shower is enough. From participating in yoga to wearing loafers all day for work, there are many factors that can lead to sweaty and dirty feet. They need a proper washing each and every day with soap and water to reduce sweat and to prevent fungal infections, which are more common during the summer months.

Summer should be enjoyed pain-free; however, if you do end up dealing with a foot or ankle problem in Nampa, Meridian, or Boise, ID, it’s important to know where to turn. Our podiatrists here at Idaho Foot & Ankle Associates wants to make sure you get the care you deserve. Call us today.

Diabetic feet need special care because of decreased circulation, neuropathy, joint deterioration, and more. While your primary care physician may guide you on blood sugar control, medications, a healthy diet, and active lifestyle, your podiatrist assesses and treats how your feet and ankles function everyday and for the long term. Enlist their help in the health maintenance of your diabetic feet.

Keeping ahead of neuropathy and avoiding amputation

Those are two key goals of diabetic foot care. Your podiatrist will want to see you regularly to assess the color, temperature, sensation, function, and shape of your feet and ankles, noting any developing problems. Early detection of circulation issues, nerve degeneration (neuropathy), and deformities, such as hammertoes, bunions, and Charcot Foot, are key.

Your podiatric foot examination will include an eye-on inspection of your skin (color, temperature, texture, and integrity). Your foot doctor also may perform gait analysis to watch for changes in how you walk. Sometimes a podiatrist orders X-ray imaging or an MRI to view the internal structure of the foot and/or ankle.

Remember, that foot ulcers are the primary threat to the overall health and well-being of the diabetic, says the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Untreated, they may lead to complications so severe amputation is the only option.

What can you do to treat your diabetic feet?

1. Be proactive. Inspect your feet daily, looking redness or skin breakdown.
2. Wash and dry your feet daily.
3. Trim your toenails carefully using a clean clippers. Trim straight across and not too short to avoid ingrown toenails.
4. Wear shoes at all times--even indoors--to avoid injury.
5. Wear clean, well-fitting, moisture-wicking socks.
6. Keep your weight and blood sugars within normal range.
7. Get in-office treatment of calluses and corns, says the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
8. Avoid all forms of tobacco.
9. Report any changes to your foot doctor as soon as possible.
10. See your podiatrist every six months or as he or she directs.

Healthy feet and a healthy you

Podiatric health is so important, but especially to the diabetic. So stay in touch with your foot doctor, and be routinized in your foot care for better long-term health.