Are hammertoes causing sore feet for anyone in your family? It’s a painful condition that has definitely impacted people I care about, including two senior citizens as well as one 30-something. According to FootPhysician, “The most common cause of hammer toe is a muscle/tendon imbalance. This imbalance, which leads to a bending of the toe, results from mechanical (structural) changes in the foot that occur over time in some people….Occasionally, hammer toe is caused by some kind of trauma, such as a previously broken toe. In some people, hammertoes are inherited.” Whatever the cause, they definitely make for very sore feet! There are some treatments to help them, including foot surgery, which you would, of course, have to discuss with your doctor. There are, however, some non-medical options we’ve discovered that can help ease some of the discomfort they cause:

• Pointy shoes or too-small shoes are a major no-no for Hammer Toes, (not to mention arthritis foot pain which I have to deal with). No matter how pretty the shoes, the comfort of your feet need to be the top priority. My senior friend, Emma, loves tennis shoes with wide round toe areas, as do I. She especially likes the cloth tops in the summer to keep her feet cooler, switching to totally vinyl tennis shoes for cold and wet weather.
• Croc Shoes are also at the top of her list! Emma absolutely loves them and they are so much more comfortable for her hammer toes. She has traditional Crocs for summer, and loves the Mammoth style, with the fleece lining, for cold weather. She has to get a bit larger size in them because of the lining, but loves how they keep her feet nice and warm in the winter, while still protecting her toes. 
• Yoga toes. I am NOT a proponent of yoga but I do recommend these toe separators that massage and even, somehow, exercise the hammer toes. I spotted an ad for them in the back of a Prevention magazine and told Emma about them as her feet had been giving her some extra grief at the time. She ordered a set and LOVED them. I passed the info on to my 30-something friend who also gave them a try. She, too, gave them a thumbs-up! They really seem to make their sore feet a bit less sore and more comfortable. At the time, about three years ago, I think we paid $30 each by ordering through the magazine. Nowadays, Amazon carries a similar product, HealthyToes Toe Stretchers,  for only 21.71! What a great deal! If Emma ever loses hers, we’ll definitely try one of these out.
• Slippers with toe separators. While reading the Sunday paper, and going through the coupons, Emma spotted an interesting advertisement for memory foam slippers with toe separators and asked my opinion about them. For about $17 plus shipping, they were definitely worth a try. She ordered them, gave them a try, and loves them. My 30-something friend hasn’t yet tried them, but will soon.
• Comfy Foot Alignment Socks Emma gave these a try, as well, and likes them, although she commented the other day that they do keep coming off the toes. These seem to run true to her shoe size, while the slippers ran a bit small. But, of course, each store’s products could be different. She bought them elsewhere, but we just discovered that Amazon carries them as well. They do charge shipping so the price is about the same as what Emma paid through the catalog she ordered them from. Since she loves Amazon as much as me, she’ll probably order direct from them next time.
• Little elastic sleeves or tubes – This was suggested to Emma by her podiatrist. “How could a little round tube help with my toe pain?” she wondered, but she was pleasantly surprised to discover they did. You can often get these free from your podiatrist, who you should be going to for this problem. 

Well, there you have it. Our personal recommendations for easing the sore feet caused by a hammer toe condition as well as making them a wee bit more comfortable. Of course, always check with your doctor first before making any major changes. And if you have found any great options, please share them with us in the comments section. We’re always on the look out for more great ideas.

Kaye