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Progressive Foot Care

Conservative (non-surgical) Treatment of Hammertoes

Many people suffer from unsightly toes that can often be attributed to a hammertoe deformity. Hammertoes can be painful and embarrassing, and make it difficult to find comfortable footwear.

This toe abnormality can be due to years of external pressure on the toes while walking or running, or due to biomechanical dysfunction of the toes.

External pressures from wearing of the wrong types of shoes can cause the toes to hammer or buckle from years of excessive pressure. Toes can also become deformed from the confinement of tight toe boxes in shoes that inhibit the toes from functioning appropriately. Women’s high heel shoes are a common cause of toe deformities, especially when the heel is five centimeters or more in height.  As well, narrow or pointy-toed shoes contribute significantly to the formation of hammertoe deformities.

Shoe pressure on the toes is a typical cause of hammertoes, but in some individuals there is an innate biomechanical dysfunction that produces an imbalance in their feet that leads to toe deformities.

Custom made shoes and custom made orthotics are two options that can be beneficial in addressing hammertoe deformities.  Dr. D-LuCS: Doctor Designed Luxury Custom Shoes (drd-lucs.com), a custom made footwear company founded by Dr. Bruce Pinker of Progressive Foot Care, creates bespoke shoe designs through a specialized biomechanical examination and computerized gait analysis (CSGI).  An individual’s biomechanical concerns are identified and a custom made orthotic is fabricated to pair with the custom made footwear (clients have the ability to design their shoes, a unique feature at Dr. D-LuCS).  Custom made orthotics, independently, can also improve toe deformities by supporting the way an individual’s foot functions.

Shoes should be stylish and meaningful to the people that wear them. Custom made shoes is a great alternative for addressing toe deformities. While surgery is still a more definitive approach to correcting hammertoes (regularly performed at Progressive Foot Care), we realize that some patients are not surgical candidates for various reasons. Fashionable and highly functional footwear can be designed for a person to correct biomechanical dysfunctions in their feet.  This allows one to experience style and comfort all at the same time.

If you are suffering from painful hammertoes or embarrassed by the appearance of your feet, please call to make an appointment to see one of the doctors at Progressive Foot Care