You can prevent problems like hammertoes if you use certain strategies that help you prevent these toe deformities in the first place. Toe deformities usually happen by not following proper foot care. Learn 6 tips that you can use to avoid toe deformities and maintain foot health in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.
6 Tips to Avoid Toe Deformities and Maintain Foot Health
- Choose the right footwear:
Hammertoes generally develop when the muscles and ligaments in your toe become strained. To counter that, you can choose certain kinds of shoes to either keep your hammertoe at bay or make your toes curl.
You may need to rethink aesthetics when it comes to choosing footwear. Women especially are generally directed by style magazines and influencers when choosing shoes with high heels and narrow-toe boxes. These are the worst ways to select footwear for your feet and cause many issues in addition to hammertoes, such as corns and worsening bunions because they put enormous pressure on the toes.
You should look for lower heels or flats or you can choose shoes with a square or wider toe box, so your tootsies have some good arch support with some wiggle room.
To find the right anti-hammer shoe, you should not only be worried about the size and shape of your shoe but also consider some other factors, including:
- Shop at day’s end especially when your feet are swollen from all day activity.
- Wear your shoes with socks to ensure that you have enough space in them.
- The space from the front for your longest toe should be at least half an inch.
- The ball of your foot should rest comfortably on the widest part of the shoe.
- Pay attention to arch support, particularly if you have flat feet.
If the shoe you like is too tight, then don’t buy it because it won’t stretch later on.
- Toe splints:
Splints are devices that exert straight force on the muscles used to bend the toe. It also keeps your muscles from tightening in the curled position to prevent the condition from getting worse. Toe splints like Budin Toe splints also have features like an adjustable loop for hammer toe straightening and a foam pad to cushion the ball of your foot. The elastic band can also reduce migration of the Toe Alignment Splint to maintain alignment after surgery.
- Orthotic Inserts:
This is a custom orthotic device placed in your shoe that helps to manage muscle/tendon imbalance. It is firm but soft, the orthotic inserts allow you to redistribute your body weight more evenly across the bones and joints of the foot. It also removes excess stress from the toes and provides pain relief.
- Gel separators:
This is a flexible gel cushion that keeps one hammer toe from curling under and prevents it from rubbing up against your other toes or the inside of your shoe. Gel toe separators are only effective if they fit properly, especially if you have crossed toes. In addition, a toe crest pad is a ring of gel material you can use around the hammer toe and held in place by an attached pad that sits under your toes.
In case your hammer toe is painful, you can apply an ice pack several times a day to reduce your soreness and swelling.
- Toe stretch exercises:
You can also use certain toe stretching exercises to strengthen the muscles in your foot. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Toe Lift:
- Sit on a chair and keep your feet flat on the floor. Then, lift your toes in the air at the same height.
- Hold this lift for 5 seconds, and then lower your toes back down to the floor.
- Repeat this 10 times with each foot.
- Toe Lift and Press: It helps to improve your control over the movements along with strengthening them.
- Sit on the chair with your feet flat on the floor and lift your toes on one foot or both feet at the same time at the same height.
- First, press only your big toe up and down 10 times.
- Then, press only your little toe up and down 10 times.
- Alternate pressing your big toe up and down and then repeat the same with every little toe 10 times on each foot.
- Toe curl: This stretch strengthens your toes.
- Sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor. Place a small towel on the floor with the short side facing you, try to grasp the towel with your toes on one foot and try to pull it toward you. You can also use a resistance band to curl your toes.
- Hold for 5 seconds before relaxing your foot and repeat 10 times with each foot.
- Toe pull: This stretches the bent joint and tries to move the bones back to their normal position.
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor, lift your right leg, and place your ankle on your left thigh.
- Slowly and gently pull the bent toe down to stretch the joint and hold this position for 5 seconds before returning to the start position.
- Lift your left leg, place your ankle on your right thigh, and repeat it 10 times on each affected toe.
- Take care of your feet:
Most people with diabetes need to know about foot inspections because they are more prone to foot problems compared to healthy people. It is also a good way to prevent small issues from becoming something serious. So, everyone should check their feet regularly. You should regularly check your foot to find signs of joint deformity so that you can manage issues like hammertoe before they become painful.
You should also ensure that blood circulation stays maintained in your feet by lifting them regularly or by taking a walk, especially if you have a sitting job or sit mostly throughout the day. You can add extra movements that help your blood return to your heart and lungs. Taking regular foot baths or massages are good preventive foot care practices.
Hammertoes mostly occur when you wear unfitting shoes, especially tight or narrow shoes for longer periods. The constant pressure from your body’s weight on your toes keeps the toes in an unnatural position. It causes the toe muscles to become stiff. So, you must follow the above-mentioned tips to prevent toe deformities and maintain good foot health.
If you need help with hammertoes or other foot problems, visit our podiatrist clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical treatment. Visit our podiatrist in Brooklyn to get the best treatment for your foot problems. Doral Health & Wellness employs Podiatrists with extensive education and expertise. Trauma to the tendons, muscles, and bones of the foot is quite common, as are infections secondary to systemic diseases. It’s not a good idea to put off seeing Foot Doctor Brooklyn until you’re in a lot of pain. Our address is 1797 Pitkin Avenue, New York, NY 11212. To make an appointment, please call +1-347-384-5690 or send an email to info@mainwebsite.dialysisny.com.
