The holiday season is here and it is the perfect time of year to spend with family and friends enjoying all of the wonderful festivities around us. Holiday shopping, parties and other activities keep you on your feet a great deal, and it is important to make sure your feet are healthy and in good shape this time of year. One occurrence that may keep you sitting out of the festivities this year is hammer toe. What is hammer toe you may ask? It is not when a hammer falls on your foot, that is for sure. Hammer toes is a foot condition in which the toes has an abnormal bend in the middle joint.
Causes of Hammer Toe Pain
It is reported that more than 200,000 cases of hammer toe happen every year. One of the most common causes of hammer toe is the wearing of shoes that have a high heel or narrow boxed toe. Wearing shoes that put more pressure on your toes is not only extremely uncomfortable, but it will result in hammer toe and a great deal of pain. Hammer toe generally affects the toe that sits right next to your big toe. Hammer toe is painful and makes it difficult for you to move the toe, it can also result in corns or calluses.
Foot Pain & Hammer Toe Prevention
One way to prevent hammer toe from occurring is to wear more comfortable shoes. While those high heels you purchased for the Christmas party may look absolutely stunning, they will end up causing you a great deal of pain if they put too much pressure on your toes and you will be cringing by the end of the night, wishing you had made a more comfortable choice. Shoes with more room in the toe area will assist in avoiding the chance of hammer toe. When shopping for shoes, keep this in mind, and purchase shoes that you could walk all day in.
Symptoms of Hammer Toe Foot Problems
Some symptoms of hammer toe to look out for include pain or irritation in the toes when you are wearing shoes, corns or calluses on the toe or between the two toes, inflammation, redness and open sores. There are a few different options when it comes to hammer toe treatment; this all depends upon the severity of your toes condition. A custom treatment plan can range from toe exercises and splints to surgery in more severe cases. If you are experiencing pain on your toes, contact Belmont Anderson and Associates today. Take care of your toes and feet so you can enjoy this holiday season and all the festivities.