Hammertoe

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Claw Toe

This involves a malposition of the toes, which are named differently depending on the extent of the deformity.

It is a flexion contracture in the middle or distal joint, with or without hyperextension and contracture in the metatarsophalangeal joint. Due to the malposition, there is a pressure point in the shoe, also known as a clavus (corn).

When is surgery needed?

In the case of a painful hammertoe or claw toe that can no longer be treated conservatively, a surgical intervention may be considered.

What happens during surgery?

During surgical therapy, the position of the toes is adjusted by removing the head of the proximal phalanx, with or without removal of the base of the middle or distal phalanx, into a corrected position and fixed with, for example, a wire.

Aftercare

Full weight-bearing in a surgical shoe is sufficient for approximately 4–5 weeks, after which the K-wire can be removed as an outpatient procedure without anaesthesia. The removal of the K-wire is not painful. The tendency to swell can last for several weeks or months.