What They Are
Hammertoes (and the closely related claw and mallet toes) are imbalances of the small intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the toe, creating fixed bends at the toe joints. The second toe is most commonly affected, often in association with a bunion that crowds it.
Flexible vs Rigid
Early hammertoes remain flexible - the bent joint can still be straightened by hand. Over months to years, the deformity becomes rigid. Treatment options change at that transition.
Conservative Care
Wide, deep toe-box footwear, toe crests, gel sleeves, and custom orthotics that redistribute pressure away from prominent joints. Calluses and corns from shoe rub can be debrided.
Surgical Correction
For rigid or progressively painful deformities, surgical correction is reliable: arthroplasty or arthrodesis at the proximal interphalangeal joint, sometimes combined with tendon balancing or correction of the adjacent metatarsal. Recovery is generally well-tolerated, and pain relief is high.