What are Hammer Toes?
Hammer toes are an abnormal bend in the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP joint) of the toe, which causes the toe to be unnaturally bent at that joint. This can lead to pain in the joint, discomfort, and stiffness.
What Causes Hammer Toes?
The main causes of hammer toes are unnatural footwear that squeezes the toes or pushes them back from the end of the shoe, and trauma or injury to the joints that are not rehabbed properly. Over time, forces that are imbalanced around the joint can cause the toe to become stuck in an abnormal position.
What Should I Do to Resolve Hammer Toes?
To resolve hammer toes, it is important to switch to natural footwear as much as possible, which can encourage the toes to return to their natural posture. Additionally, exercises that help to straighten the toe and teach the muscles to work properly can be helpful. It may also be necessary to lengthen through the top part of the toe and the next joint to help loosen the joint.
3 Steps To Healthy, Happy Feet
How To Get Started On Your Journey
Learn
Before you can take control of your foot health you need gain an understanding of how your body should naturally function and what may be contributing to the issues you’re experiencing.
We’ve combined all of our most potent education into one handy e-book we call the Guide To Foot Freedom to get you started on this journey. Click here to get free access.
Train
The next step is to start exploring your potential through movement.
Whether you have some of our TFC training tools or not, we’ve created a library of training videos to help you restore natural function from the ground up.
Check out our free training portal here for exercise suggestions and guided routines from our Head Physiotherapist.
Connect
To make major strides on your journey requires consistency and the main reason people struggle with this is because they're missing a strong support network around them.
Turning up every day to improve your health without a cheer squad motivating you is really challenging.
You need to connect with like-minded humans who've been in your shoes before so that you can learn from and inspire one another.
That’s what our TFC Explorer Community is here for. Click here to learn more.
While our education, training and community are an empowering way to help you start putting your feet first, everyone is different and we always recommend seeking advice from a qualified healthcare professional who can properly assess your individual needs and determine the best treatment options for you.
To find a trusted TFC Pro near you, head to our directory here.