Claw Toes

What are CLAW TOES ?

Claw toes are toes that are bent into an odd position. They may look strange or may hurt, or both. These toe problems almost always happen in the four smaller toes, not the big toe. Claw toes most often are a consequence of the Bunion deformity of the great toe (Hallux Valgus)

What are the symptoms ?

  • Hurt.
  • Make it hard to find shoes that fit.
  • Rub against your footwear. You may get calluses where a bent toe presses against another toe or your shoe or where the toe's tip touches the ground.
  • Your toes are bent upward (extension) from the joints at the ball of the foot.
  • Your toes are bent downward (flexion) at the middle joints toward the sole of your shoe.

This condition gets worse without treatment and may become a permanent deformity over time.

What is the treatment ?

Claw toes are repaired during the Bunion surgery which corrects the aesthetic and functional aspects of the foot. The claws are aligned back to a normal straight position. Your options may include one of the following:

  • Removing part of the toe bone. This is called phalangeal head resection or arthroplasty.
  • Removing part of the joint and letting the toe bones grow together. This is called joint fusion, or arthrodesis