Hammertoe is a condition that is caused by wearing high heels or shoes that have cramped toes. The usual symptoms with this condition are an oddly bent toe (next to your big toe) with pain and potential swelling. This blog is going to focus on the next step once you receive a diagnosis – how to treat hammertoe.
1. Wear Different Shoes
One of the first steps inmaking sure that you can treat hammertoe is to wear different shoes. The main cause of hammertoe is if you wear high heels or shoes that have a cramped front toe. You can either choose to wear regular flat shoes with enough space for your toes or you can purchase orthotic shoes that will offer the same thing, but with incredible support. In fact, you might find that orthopedic shoes will help with more than just your hammertoe and can bring about great relief for your knees and back.Â
2. Treat Hammertoe With A Splint and Cushion
You can treat hammertoe with two different items, depending on how bad it is. These are either a splint or a cushion. If your hammertoe is not too severe, you can use a cushion to keep it from rubbing against other shoes you wear and forming blisters. A splint will make sure that your hammertoe will not get in the way while also bracing it and helping it to lay out like your toe should.Â
3. Relieve Pain With Massage And Ice
A hammertoe can be quite painful, meaning that you do not wish just to treat the condition, but the pain as well. You can always take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve the pain or swelling, but you can also massage your foot around your toe and put ice on your toe for 15-minute intervals. Massage can promote blood flow to the area, which can help with healing and ice will alleviate the pain and swelling. Always make sure that you give your toe a break in-between ice packs, use one for 15 minutes and wait another 15 to 30 minutes to use it again.Â
4. Custom Made Orthotic Devices
If you do find that your hammertoe is too much to handle on your own, you can always get some custom made orthotic devices whether they are shoes or insoles. You can go to a podiatrist to get a mold made, and measurements taken to send to a shop like The Orthotic Shop to make you the perfect orthotic device to help with the pain and also to keep your toe from further problems such as calluses, corns, and blisters. Sometimes, you might find that a combination of custom made orthotics and a cushion on your toe will be the best solution to treat hammertoe.
If you are looking for some excellent ways to treat hammertoe, take a look around The Orthotic Shop. We have plenty of shoes, cushions, and a great splint for you to choose from to help relieve pain and support your toe. If you have any questions, please let us know!