U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Hammer Toe Syndrome

MedGen UID:
209711
•Concept ID:
C1136178
•
Anatomical Abnormality
Synonym: Hammertoe Syndrome

Definition

A condition characterized by a series of interrelated digital symptoms and joint changes of the lesser digits and METATARSOPHALANGEAL JOINTS of the FOOT. The syndrome can include some or all of the following conditions: hammer toe, claw toe, mallet toe, overlapping fifth toe, curly toe, EXOSTOSIS; HYPEROSTOSIS; interdigital heloma, or contracted toe. [from MeSH]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVHammer Toe Syndrome

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Effects of Flexor Digitorum Longus Muscle Anatomical Structure on the Response to Botulinum Toxin Treatment in Patients with Post-Stroke Claw Foot Deformity.
Takekawa T, Kobayashi K, Yamada N, Takagi S, Hara T, Kitajima T, Sato T, Sugihara H, Kinoshita K, Abo M
Toxins (Basel) 2022 Sep 25;14(10) doi: 10.3390/toxins14100666. PMID: 36287935Free PMC Article
Hammer toe syndrome. American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
J Foot Ankle Surg 1999 Mar-Apr;38(2):166-78. PMID: 10334708

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Comparative Study of Intramedullary Hammertoe Fixation.
Obrador C, Losa-Iglesias M, Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo R, Kabbash CA
Foot Ankle Int 2018 Apr;39(4):415-425. Epub 2018 Jan 16 doi: 10.1177/1071100717745854. PMID: 29337598
Digital arthrodesis.
Zelen CM, Young NJ
Clin Podiatr Med Surg 2013 Jul;30(3):271-82. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2013.04.006. PMID: 23827486
Hammertoes and clawtoes: proximal interphalangeal joint correction.
Ellington JK
Foot Ankle Clin 2011 Dec;16(4):547-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2011.08.010. PMID: 22118228
Biphalangeal fifth toe.
Dereymaeker G, van der Broek C
Foot Ankle Int 2006 Nov;27(11):948-51. doi: 10.1177/107110070602701114. PMID: 17144958
Hammer toe syndrome. American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
J Foot Ankle Surg 1999 Mar-Apr;38(2):166-78. PMID: 10334708

Diagnosis

Hallux claw toe.
Abousayed M, Kwon JY
Foot Ankle Clin 2014 Mar;19(1):59-63. Epub 2013 Dec 19 doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2013.11.001. PMID: 24548509
Hammertoes and clawtoes: proximal interphalangeal joint correction.
Ellington JK
Foot Ankle Clin 2011 Dec;16(4):547-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2011.08.010. PMID: 22118228
Lesser toe deformities.
Shirzad K, Kiesau CD, DeOrio JK, Parekh SG
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2011 Aug;19(8):505-14. doi: 10.5435/00124635-201108000-00006. PMID: 21807918
Disorders of the lesser toes.
Smith BW, Coughlin MJ
Sports Med Arthrosc Rev 2009 Sep;17(3):167-74. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0b013e3181a5cd26. PMID: 19680113
Biphalangeal fifth toe.
Dereymaeker G, van der Broek C
Foot Ankle Int 2006 Nov;27(11):948-51. doi: 10.1177/107110070602701114. PMID: 17144958

Therapy

Donor-site morbidity of free fibula flap in pediatric patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Du W, Zhou W, Zhou L, Wang Y, Yan C, Al-Aroomi MA, Pang P, Sun C
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2023 Aug;83:207-214. Epub 2023 Apr 24 doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2023.04.048. PMID: 37276738
Claw Toe: Anatomic Guide for Injection of Botulinum Toxin into Foot Muscles.
Takekawa T, Takagi S, Kitajima T, Sato T, Kinoshita K, Abo M
Can J Neurol Sci 2022 Jan;49(1):102-108. Epub 2021 Mar 26 doi: 10.1017/cjn.2021.52. PMID: 33766160
Ideal implant choice for proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in hammer toe/claw toe deformity correction: A systematic review.
Wei RX, Ling SK, Lui TH, Yung PS
J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong) 2020 Jan-Apr;28(1):2309499020911168. doi: 10.1177/2309499020911168. PMID: 32223520
Treatment of Rigid Hammer-Toe Deformity: Permanent Versus Removable Implant Selection.
Doty JF, Fogleman JA
Foot Ankle Clin 2018 Mar;23(1):91-101. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2017.09.007. PMID: 29362037
Lesser metatarsal surgery.
Barouk P, Bohay DR, Trnka HJ, Weil LS Sr, Weil L Jr
Foot Ankle Spec 2010 Dec;3(6):356-60. doi: 10.1177/1938640010383249. PMID: 21148469

Prognosis

The use of an Intra-medullary fusion system in hammer toe surgery; mid-term follow-up.
Dulgeroglug TC, Karaaslan C
J Pak Med Assoc 2023 Dec;73(12):2383-2387. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.7934. PMID: 38083917
An investigation into the hammer toe effects on the lower extremity mechanics and plantar fascia tension: A case for a vicious cycle and progressive damage.
Moayedi M, Arshi AR, Salehi M, Akrami M, Javadi Asl N, Naemi R
Comput Biol Med 2023 Jan;152:106381. Epub 2022 Dec 10 doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106381. PMID: 36563541
Digital arthrodesis.
Zelen CM, Young NJ
Clin Podiatr Med Surg 2013 Jul;30(3):271-82. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2013.04.006. PMID: 23827486
Hammertoes and clawtoes: proximal interphalangeal joint correction.
Ellington JK
Foot Ankle Clin 2011 Dec;16(4):547-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2011.08.010. PMID: 22118228
Disorders of the lesser toes.
Smith BW, Coughlin MJ
Sports Med Arthrosc Rev 2009 Sep;17(3):167-74. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0b013e3181a5cd26. PMID: 19680113

Clinical prediction guides

Claw Toe: Anatomic Guide for Injection of Botulinum Toxin into Foot Muscles.
Takekawa T, Takagi S, Kitajima T, Sato T, Kinoshita K, Abo M
Can J Neurol Sci 2022 Jan;49(1):102-108. Epub 2021 Mar 26 doi: 10.1017/cjn.2021.52. PMID: 33766160
Comparative Study of Intramedullary Hammertoe Fixation.
Obrador C, Losa-Iglesias M, Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo R, Kabbash CA
Foot Ankle Int 2018 Apr;39(4):415-425. Epub 2018 Jan 16 doi: 10.1177/1071100717745854. PMID: 29337598
Digital arthrodesis.
Zelen CM, Young NJ
Clin Podiatr Med Surg 2013 Jul;30(3):271-82. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2013.04.006. PMID: 23827486
Hammertoes and clawtoes: proximal interphalangeal joint correction.
Ellington JK
Foot Ankle Clin 2011 Dec;16(4):547-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2011.08.010. PMID: 22118228
Disorders of the lesser toes.
Smith BW, Coughlin MJ
Sports Med Arthrosc Rev 2009 Sep;17(3):167-74. doi: 10.1097/JSA.0b013e3181a5cd26. PMID: 19680113

Recent systematic reviews

Donor-site morbidity of free fibula flap in pediatric patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Du W, Zhou W, Zhou L, Wang Y, Yan C, Al-Aroomi MA, Pang P, Sun C
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2023 Aug;83:207-214. Epub 2023 Apr 24 doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2023.04.048. PMID: 37276738
Ideal implant choice for proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in hammer toe/claw toe deformity correction: A systematic review.
Wei RX, Ling SK, Lui TH, Yung PS
J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong) 2020 Jan-Apr;28(1):2309499020911168. doi: 10.1177/2309499020911168. PMID: 32223520

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Related information

    • MeSH
      Related Medical Subject Headings
    • PMC Articles
      Related information in PubMed Central Links
    • PubMed
      Related literature resources in PubMed

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...