Back to Top Treatment Hammertoes and clawtoes can be treated with a range of techniques, depending on the severity of the deformity. When the toes first start to buckle, they can be straightened easily. If the problem is caused by flat feet, a podiatrist can fit the patient for custom-molded orthotics that provide a better arch for the foot and help the muscles work together. In these cases, the prognosis is good. Without treatment, the soft tissue structures that attach to hammertoes and clawtoes begin to tighten.
Adhesions gradually form from the tendons onto the joint capsules, and a rigid deformity results.
In these cases, surgery is necessary to fix the problem. Arthroplasty is a minor surgical procedure designed to lengthen a toe muscle that has shortened over time due to the deformity. In it, the podiatrist or surgeon makes a dorsal incision along the toe, then trims the head of the proximal phalanx. This usually permits enough movement for the toe to straighten. If the affected toe does not straighten sufficiently after arthroplasty, the podiatrist or surgeon can use a variety of progressive procedures to achieve the desired result.