Don’t let hammertoes and corns get in the way of enjoying your activities and doing what you love. Read below to find out why this is occurring and what to look for when shopping for your next shoe!
The most common cause of corns is excessive pressure on a particular area of the body. For a hammertoe, this occurs on top of the “knuckle” of the affected toe (on the proximal interphalangeal joint). The joint bends upwards, causing the toe to “curl” downwards. Often the corn forms at the joint that is raised, which leaves a hardening of the skin on the surface that can cause irritation and pain. Keep in mind that corns can occur anywhere on the foot where there is pressure!
Why Am I Getting a Corn?
There are two main reasons that corns tend to form due to shoes:
- Your shoes are fitting too tight or not deep enough!
- Tight fitting shoes lead to more pressure on the foot because as you move your foot expands. If there is nowhere for this to occur, pressure is put onto the foot by your shoe. And as the foot moves, the excessive pressure placed on your foot increases the risk of a corn forming. But it’s not just width that matters, but also toe box depth. With hammertoes, if there isn’t enough extra space to accommodate them in the toe box, rubbing can occur as well.
- Loose shoes!
- On the contrary, shoes that are too loose can cause very similar issues as shoes that are too tight. Often this occurs when shoes are either not tied up tight enough or are just way too big for your feet. This leads to too much extra movement in the shoe and rubbing occurs, leading to blister, corn or callus formation.
What Do I Look For?
First things first, get properly fitted. Sitting down with a BioPed lower limb clinician is key in determining the proper fit. Getting a shoe that fits both in length and width is essential in reducing pressure on your hammertoes and other problem areas.
Next, find a shoe with the extra depth toe box feature. Especially with hammertoes, having extra space in the toe box will keep friction and pressure on the joint at a minimum. An alternative is to find a leather-based shoe. A leather shoe can be more easily stretched at problem areas to create pockets of relief and keep you comfortable all day long.
Another great idea is to look for shoes that have few seams or have mesh/stretchy material over problem areas. Often sites of corns or blisters occur at the location of seams. By reducing the amount of seams or even switching to a meshed shoe with more give can be a great way to keep those feet happy.
In some cases, orthotics might be necessary to control your hammertoes. A sulcus pad in orthotics provides support to the toes and minimizes gripping, which worsens hammertoes over time. If orthotics are required, having a shoe that has a removable insole is essential to giving your orthotic and foot extra space in your shoe.
BioPed Chiropodists/Footcare Nurses offer corn trimming services to reduce the pressure and pain on your toe if a corn is present.
Finally, BioPed clinics sell toe accessories, such as silicone toe sleeves to minimize pain associated with toe corns when wearing closed toe shoes.
Come See Us!
Footwear can be tough! If you can’t quite find that perfect fit and are experiencing corns or blistering, please book an appointment with us today! At BioPed Footcare, whether its bracing, shoes, or footwear we are here for you. With our on-site lab there is nothing we can’t do! Meet with one of BioPed’s lower limb clinicians to see how you can keep your feet and legs healthy!
