Toes that are bent into
an odd position at one or more the joints tend to develop
calluses, sores and bony lumps and are often inflamed, swollen and painful. Lesser toe deformities can cause problems walking or participating in sports. If they are not treated soon enough, the deformities become fixed and surgery is necessary to straighten them out.
Tight shoes are the most common cause of this problem. Two muscles work together to straighten and bend the toes. If a shoe forces a toe to stay in a bent position for too long, the muscles tighten and the shorten or contract. This makes it harder to straighten the toe. Over time, the toe muscles cannot straighten the toe, even if you are not wearing shoes.
Other common causes for lesser toe deformities are: diabetes, poor blood supply to the foot; brain, spinal cord or nerve injury; arthritis.
The most common lesser toe deformities are: , , and .
Any pressure on the deformed toe is painful. Walking is painful and you may cause other problems with your foot as you adjust your gait to avoid the pain. You may have redness and inflammation on the affected toe.
Physical examination and tests are used to diagnose toe deformities. The surgeon measures flexibility, stability, and sensation in the toe and checks for redness (erythema), swelling, and calluses. X-rays will show the precise nature of the deformity.
Arthroplasty:
this is used to treat claw, mallet and hammer toes.
The surgeon performs a number of minor procedures including
releasing trapped or pinched soft tissue, and tendon
lengthening to allow the toes to straighten.
Arthrodesis: if the deformity has been present for so long that the joint can no longer function properly, the joint may need to be fused. This is done by removing the cartilage from the end of the toe bones in the middle joint, exposing the bone. The two cut ends of bone are held in place with a removable pin so that the bones can fuse together.