adminTo keep your feet healthy, you must understand the different conditions. One case some people still often confuse is claw toes vs hammer toes. But how do you set them apart?
They may seem similar, but they have more differences than they look. Here’s a look at their differences and treatment options to start with.
Defining Hammer Toes
When you check out hammer toes pictures, you might confuse them for a different condition. You want to remember that it causes your toes to bend in a peculiar way.
Usually, it resembles the shape of a hammer. It’s also more common on the second, third, or fourth toe.
This happens when the joint closest to the foot angles up while the following joint angles down. This can make wearing should be uncomfortable and lead to pain, corn, and calluses.
The Causes
This case is often linked to genetics, foot structure, and footwear choices. A person with a high foot arch, tight tendons, or a history of toe injuries will most likely experience this.
Wearing ill-fitting shoes, like those with narrow toe boxes or high heels, could also contribute to developing hammer toes. This is because it forces the toes into a bent position.
The Symptoms
The following are some common symptoms of hammer toe pain: discomfort, swelling, redness, and formation of corn or calluses.
You also want to remember that it tends to bend in a way that resembles a hammer!
Treatment Options
Whether you’re dealing with a hammer toe bunion or more, one of the first lines of defense tends to be surgical intervention. With this, professionals aim to straighten the toes, remove the deformed joints, or realign tendons or ligaments.
Other solutions include wearing more comfortable shoes. You can check out the ugg footwear collection for men as a reference. At the same time, you can add over-the-counter corn pads and foot cushions.
Explaining Claw Toes
Claw toes are a condition where the toe bends abnormally in both the middle and end joints. So, it makes it look like a bird’s claw, where the toe seems to be curled down.
Compared to hammertoe surgery recovery pictures, you might notice this happens on every toe except the largest one. Moreover, it tends to affect several toes at home.
The Causes
Claw toes can be multifaceted, encompassing factors such as nerve damage from certain conditions-for example, diabetes, alcoholism, rheumatoid arthritis, or wearing tight shoes. The condition can also be present from birth.
The Symptoms
Claw toes are usually more noticeable because their toe deformities have a more distinct look. They also cause more pain and calluses on the top of the toe or under the ball of the foot.
In other cases, you may also experience inflammation, redness, and difficulty moving the affected toe.
Treatment Options
You can treat claw toes with non-surgical solutions. These include wearing shoes with a wider toe box and lower heels and using silicone pads to relieve pressure areas.
Toe stretching and strengthening exercises also work well. Even so, note that you might need surgery if it causes nerve damage or stiffness.
The Key to Understanding Claw Toes vs Hammer Toes
You want to know the difference between claw toes vs hammer toes. This way, you can figure out the right solution for your case. Moreover, it ensures you get the right treatments, relieving you of pain as soon as possible!
Check out our blog to learn more about it.
Add comment