What Are Hammer Toes and Claw Toes?
Hammer toes and claw toes are types of digital deformities, meaning the toes develop an abnormal bend or contracture that affects how they sit in footwear and how weight is distributed across the foot. A hammer toe involves a bend at the middle joint of the toe, while a claw toe affects both the middle and end joints, causing the toe to curl downward. Both conditions can involve one or more toes and range from flexible to rigid depending on how long they have been present.
These deformities are often caused by muscle and tendon imbalances, footwear that crowds the toes, or underlying conditions such as diabetes or arthritis. Common symptoms include pain over the affected joint, corn or callus formation where the toe presses against footwear, and difficulty finding comfortable shoes. Left untreated, flexible deformities can progress to become fixed, at which point conservative options become more limited.
How Will Stewart Treats Digital Toe Deformities
Will Stewart, BA (Hons), D.Ch., Chiropodist, has a particular interest in the assessment and correction of digital toe deformities. Will graduated from the Chiropody program at The Michener Institute with distinction in 2022, completing an Honours BA in Kinesiology at the University of Western Ontario before his chiropody training. Percutaneous tenotomy, a minimally invasive tendon release procedure used to correct digital contractures, is an area Will gravitated toward during his training and has continued to develop in practice.
At Stayner Foot Clinic, Will assesses each patient's deformity, degree of flexibility, and footwear before recommending a treatment path. Conservative approaches including padding, strapping, and orthotic intervention are explored first. For flexible or semi-rigid contractures, percutaneous tenotomy offers a surgical option that can be performed in-clinic without only local anaesthetic.
What to Expect at Your Appointment
Initial Assessment
Treatment
Recovery and Follow-Up
What Treatment Can Achieve
Patients treated for digital deformities typically experience reduced pain and pressure over the affected toes, improved toe positioning, and relief from the corns or calluses caused by friction in footwear. For patients who undergo percutaneous tenotomy, correction of the contracture allows the toe to sit in a more functional position and makes footwear more comfortable. Outcomes vary depending on deformity severity, flexibility, and patient health, and Will discusses realistic expectations at the assessment appointment.
Chiropody is defined from the College of Chiropodist of Ontario as, “ the assessment and treatment of the foot by therapeutic, orthotic or other palliative means”. Chiropodists and Podiatrists are regulated health professionals that specialize in treating conditions of the foot.
The scope of practice for Chiropodists allows them to treat skin conditions, nail conditions, subcutaneous lesions, and manage bony and biomechanical deformities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hammer Toe and Claw Toe Treatment
Book Your Toe Correction Assessment in Stayner
Will Stewart is accepting new patients for digital deformity assessment and treatment at Stayner Foot Clinic. Book online to schedule your appointment.
