Hammertoes: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses the foot and toe condition called hammertoes and compares conventional podiatric treatment techniques with natural, preventive, and conservatives techniques. A hammertoe is an upward shifting of the first toe bone, and this shifting, notes Dr. Ray, is caused by two common design features in conventional shoes: Heel elevation and toe spring. These features create an imbalance in the muscles and tendons that act on the toes.

Conventional care for this foot health problem includes the use of an arch orthotic to somehow restore biomechanical balance, or surgery to release ligaments around the affected joint and fuse the involved bones. A natural approach, on the other hand, involves avoiding injurious footwear and rehabilitating the foot using exercises such as the Toe Extensor Stretch and the Hammertoe Stretch & Mobilization technique. Correct Toes and metatarsal pads are also a crucial part of hammertoe rehabilitation.