Hammer toe is a condition that causes your toe to bend at the middle joint. The main cause of hammer toe is improper fitting shoes. When you wear shoes that are too tight or narrow, they force your toes into a bent position and cause the muscles in your toe to tighten and shorten.
When your toe is initially affected, it is still flexible and can be treated with conservative treatments such as splinting. If not treated, the deformity will eventually become rigid and stiff, requiring surgery.
What is splinting?
Splinting is a non-invasive treatment option that is believed to be able to restore mobility and relieve pain. A splint is a large foam pad with single, double, or triple loops. The loops are connected to the pad. The splint works by pulling the hammer toe back into its correct alignment.
The goal of splints is to straighten out a curled hammer toe. Splints can be used to extend curled under hammer toe. They can also be used to pull a curled up hammer toe down.
Are splints effective?
Studies into whether or not splints are effective do show that splinting can have positive effects. A ten week daily regimen of splinting can relieve pain and improve walking mobility. Your exact treatment plan, however, can depend on your symptoms and cause of hammer toe. You may need to wear the splint for a few months to see any results.
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