Claw Toes Origins: Interesting facts

What are claw toes?

Claw toes are also identified as clawfoot. Claw toe is a disorder that makes the toes fold into a claw-like shape. It may be detected from birth and can lead to bent feet, which is not troubling just that it is uncomfortable. It may also indicate a hidden health condition like diabetes or cerebral palsy. To clear doubts on its presence, ensure to consult your doctor as early detection can greatly relieve its unpleasant effect.

Claw toe symptoms

The toe joints near the ankle to point upward while the other toe joints go downward, which makes your toes resemble claws and keep them in a claw-like position.

Claw toes may be painless in some cases while for other cases might develop calluses, ulcer or corn at the point where the toe rubs off on shoes. Claw toes is occasionally wrongly identified as “hammer toes,” which is not the same condition. Though both conditions share similarities, they are triggered by different joints in the body.

Claw toe causes

Clawfoot may be brought about by different situations. For example, it may result from the effect of a knee/ankle operation. Nerve damage can impair muscles in the foot which can destabilize the toes and make them bend. Infections may also trigger curved toes.

Clawfoot may point to the following undetected conditions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune disorder that triggers your immune system to fight healthy joint tissues. Resulting in an inflammation of the joint lining and later joint deformity.
• Cerebral palsy: The muscle tone is infected by this disorder, leading to stiffer or looser muscles. It may be indicative of birth defects in the brain or injuries at birth.
• Diabetes: This is brought about by elevated blood sugar levels triggered by inadequate insulin production or insulin resistance. Nervous breakdown may occur in the foot as a resultant effect if diabetes.
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: This is a rare genetic condition that can affect your nervous system. This condition can weaken the feet and bring about toe deformities.
• Stroke: This disorder occurs when the circulation of blood to the brain is inhibited by either weakened vessels of the blood or blood clots. Stroke may affect the muscles (including the foot muscles) and trigger a nervous breakdown.

Occasionally the underlying origin of claw foot may not be detected.

Indications for when to consult a doctor

Consult with your doctor when your toes start resembling a bent shape. The bent toes may seem flexible initially but later become permanently fixed in that state. The early remedy is necessary to stop this from happening. Doctors may also carry out medical checks to ensure there are no underlying diseases present like stroke and cerebral palsy. Early detection as well as treatment can relieve the symptoms of clawfoot and can help avoid troubling health challenges.

Claw toes treatment

The doctor may administer several health interventions, drugs, and sufficient home care methods as well to help people living with a claw foot.

Medical interventions

If your toes are still bendable, the doctor may administer a splint to keep them in shape or more simply tie them together with a plaster or tape. They will also demonstrate recommended exercises to keep your feet flexible and avoid rigidness. They would also advise that you wear specific shoe types and also to refrain from some other shoe types.

If it is observed that the treatment cannot help remedy your toes, or they have become too fixed the doctor might advise you to undergo a surgery, the doctor would create more space for your toes to straighten by operating on the bone at the top of the toes to make them shorter.

When your claw foot is confirmed to be linked to a hidden condition then the doctor would advise surgery, or treatments to help address it.

Home Care Options

For people whose toes are still bendable, they are advised to exercise regularly to stop the signs and relieve the discomfort. For example, the doctor may require you to move your toes to the original position regularly with your hands. Also, you can be advised to pick up objects with your toes. Comfortable shoes to help prevent pain are recommended for use. Avoid wearing shoes that are tight or with high heels. If the toes are still becoming more fixed go for shoes with more space. Also, special padding may be utilized to relieve the effects and pain within your toes.

General positions on clawfoot

Specific home care methods can relieve the symptoms, especially if your toes are still bendable. On some occasions, surgery is an inevitable option to remedy it. Your toes should be better between six and eight weeks.

Please request for more information about possible treatments, specific disorder and the future outlook from your doctor.

Tonika Bruce

Tonika Bruce, also known as The Network Nurse, is a multi-talented individual with a career spanning over 20 years. She’s a Registered Nurse, speaker, author, and advocate for change, excelling in business building and team development. Tonika holds two Master’s degrees in Nursing and Business Administration, (MSN & MBA) and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership.

Her expertise extends to various fields such as nursing, entrepreneurship, business, basketball coaching, and executive leadership. She is a published author of “Relentless Pursuit: Proven Tips for Unlocking Your Potentials, Limitless Success and Post COVID Syndrome: A Guide to Repositioning the Nursing Profession for A Post COVID Era”. Currently, Tonika is working on Thrudemic, an anthology examining the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on medical professionals and patients.

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