Can a Hammertoe Be Dangerous?

Ideally, your toes extend straight out from your foot, helping to propel you forward while making it easier to balance. But an issue with the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your toes can make a toe curl up on itself. If the middle joints of your toe are higher than your toe tip, you probably have hammertoe. 

At first, this condition is usually just a nuisance. Because your toe isn’t flat, it might rub against shoe tops.

If you don’t treat the tissue imbalance causing your hammertoe, though, it gets worse. Hammertoe is a progressive condition, meaning that leaving it unchecked allows the toe to stiffen in its abnormal position. This makes the toe more uncomfortable in shoes and, in some cases, it can even present a danger.  

If your toes don’t extend out flat, talk with Christopher Vittori, DPM, or Ameet Thakrar, DPM, at Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist in Homer Glen and New Lenox, Illinois. The sooner we treat this condition, the easier it is to correct — and the less likely it is to be dangerous. 

When hammertoe gets dangerous

In most cases, the primary issue with hammertoe is pain. As the toe rubs in shoes, it’s uncomfortable. You can get blisters or calluses that make it hurt to wear closed-toed shoes. 

As the toe worsens, though, it can cause problems with the way you walk, potentially altering your gait, or even impacting your balance. This can be a danger for older folks who are more likely to sustain a serious injury during a fall. 

And if you have diabetes, hammertoe presents another set of risks. 

Hammertoe and diabetes

Diabetes means poor circulation in your feet. As a result, the spot where the hammertoe rubs in shoes is more likely to become an ulcer (i.e., an open wound). And that ulcer will probably be slow-healing and prone to infection. 

If that infection gets into your bone, it could require the amputation of your toe or even your foot. 

In other words, if you have a hammertoe, the situation can quickly escalate and become dangerous. With a diabetes diagnosis, it’s critical to check your feet daily for any open wounds and signs of infection. 

If you do spot anything, visit our team for dedicated diabetic foot care.

Treating hammertoe

Anyone who has the symptoms of hammertoe benefits from seeking treatment soon. The faster you work to correct the muscle, ligament, and tendon imbalance, the easier it is to fix. 

Early stages of hammertoe can usually be successfully treated by:

• Wearing shoes with ample room in the toe box
• Taping or strapping the toe in the correct position
• Using specialized padding in your shoes
• Doing stretching and strengthening exercises for the toe
• Adding customized orthotics to your shoes

To correct your hammertoe and prevent it from escalating to the point where it could be dangerous for you, call us, or schedule an appointment online today.