Mild hammer toe in children can be treated with foot manipulation and splinting the affected toe. Wear the right size shoes or shoes with wide toe boxes for comfort and to avoid aggravating hammer toes.

Protect the protruding joint with corn pads or felt pads, corrective footwear, or other foot devices. Exercises may be helpful.

Severe hammer toe requires an operation to straighten the joint. The surgery may involve cutting or moving tendons, or fusing the joints of the toe together.

If the condition is treated early, you can often avoid surgery. Treatment will reduce pain and walking difficulty.

• Foot deformity
• Posture changes caused by difficulty in walking

If you have hammer toe, call for an appointment with your health care provider for instructions on the best treatment.

Also call for an appointment if your pain gets worse or you have difficulty walking.