Effective Home Treatments For A Hammer Toe
A hammertoe often develops when the muscles of the toes that keep them straight become too weak, leading to an imbalance that can make your toes get bent at the middle joint. This is usually caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes that force the toes to stay bent for too long.
If you have a misshaped toe, read on to learn how you can treat it at home using simple remedies such as splints, corrective footwear and pads to strengthen weak muscles and relieve pressure on affected tendons and joints so as to bring the hammer toe back to normal alignment and relieve pain.
Wearing hammer toe splints
Hammer toe splints are specially designed footwear that can be used to extend a toe that has curled under the foot or pull down a risen toe. The splints consist of a large foam pad where the foot rests and several splints that loop over the affected toe so as so as to help the toe curl up or down to its normal position.
The splints rise perpendicular to the pad and loop over the affected toe through an elastic band that can be adjusted for a tight fit so as to offer ample support to the weakened toe joints and muscles. As you stand on the foam pad, your body weight applies pressure on the hammer toe, gradually pulling it into alignment while allowing you to exercise weakened toe joints.
Corrective shoes and pads
Wearing shoes with good cushioning and ample room at the ball of the foot can also be effective at treating a hammer toe. The shoes should allow the affected toe to rest comfortably with no pressure so they can receive enough blood supply to stimulate healing. A corrective shoe should also feel comfortable and preferably have laces that you can loosen to avoid injuring the hammer toe while wearing them.
Additionally, the shoe should be flexible at the front to allow you to roll your toes up and down while standing and have a firm sole to offer support to the foot and direct body pressure forward. A hammer toe pad can then be used to bind the hammer toe so as to restrict movement and prevent it from rubbing against the shoe, reducing discomfort and allowing for quick healing. A podiatrist can help you choose a good corrective shoe and hammer toe pad depending on the location of the affected toe. Contact a business, such as ETL Podiatry, for more information.
Share