The musculoskeletal system is a weak spot in almost every person over the age of 60, so it is not surprising that so many elderly people suffer from this ailment. Pathologies of the joints of the legs, in particular hammer-like deformation of the fingers, are most often found in women of retirement age. This ailment brings not only external inconvenience, but also turns walking into a real torment.
What is a disease?
The hammer-like deformation of the toes of the foot is a change in the position and shape of the joints. This ailment can develop into a chronic form, which will lead to irreversible consequences. Most often, the second toe is deformed, which outwardly begins to resemble a hammer. At the same time, it becomes very difficult for a person to move around and pick up shoes. Also, such changes affect the whole body as a whole.
It is noteworthy that the changes can touch any finger except the thumb.
If the affected area experiences additional loads, then they switch to the metatarsal bones. In turn, this leads to the appearance of painful corns and bloody calluses, which is also associated with additional discomfort for a person with a hammer-like deformation of the fingers. In addition, patients suffering from this ailment are not able to straighten the foot to a normal position, any attempts bring strong pain.
Varieties
Hammer-like deformity of the toes usually develops in several stages. It all depends on whether foot mobility remains:
- Fixed deformation. In this case, it is impossible to straighten the foot, even if physical force is used.
- Unfixed deformation. In this case, a person can independently straighten the affected area with his hands.
Causes of occurrence
There are several factors that affect the appearance of hammer-shaped fingers. For example, an ailment may develop if:
- Wear tight shoes or tight-toed models. In addition, the constant wearing of boots, sneakers or any other “clothes” for legs whose size is smaller than necessary can lead to such consequences.
- Joints and ligaments underwent changes, due to which they ceased to function normally. This is because a person suffers or suffered earlier from another disease of the musculoskeletal system, for example, cerebral palsy or transverse flat feet. Also, polio or other similar ailments can lead to such consequences.
- A person suffers from a pathological structure of the foot. This means that the long metatarsal bone is too long or the foot is hollow.
Hammery toes can also appear due to overweight, diabetes, psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, even diseases that are not related to the musculoskeletal system can affect joint changes and the position of small limbs.
Most at risk are women. This is explained by their desire to follow fashion trends and wear shoes with very high heels. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that you avoid such “clothes” for the legs or wear it not every day for a short period of time.
It is also worth noting that due to uncomfortable and narrow shoes, the hammer-like deformation of the second finger usually rarely develops, more often the ailment affects the little finger, since in this case the heaviest loads are applied to it.
Signs of the disease
Identifying an ailment is not very difficult. In a person who suffers from hammer-like toes, the following is most often observed:
- hallux valgus of the first finger;
- an increase in the length of the second finger compared to neighboring ones (while its nail phalanx goes down);
- inability to extend or hold the finger in a straight position for a long time.
In this case, it is necessary to begin treatment as soon as possible, since the ability of a person to fully move around will depend on this.
Symptomatology
Among other things, there are a number of simple signs by which you can independently determine that there is a risk that the hammer-shaped fingers will soon become your "unpleasant companions."
First of all, you should pay attention to the appearance of bone marrow. Their presence is the first sign of the development of the disease. If friction constantly occurs in the corpus callosum, this can provoke the appearance of painful ulcers, which will later develop into more serious troubles.
Another alarming symptom is the difficulty in straightening the fingers, which change their position. If they are too close to each other and cannot be in a level position or cannot be divorced in different directions, then you should think about new shoes and immediately visit a specialist. Fortunately, treatment for hammer fingers is possible. However, it can be associated with rather unpleasant procedures.
Diagnostics
In order to correctly assess the situation, at the initial examination, the specialist studies the situation in detail. The orthopedist must palpate each of the phalanges of the fingers, after which he will be able to make the necessary diagnosis. However, it is better if the doctor offers to take an X-ray of the entire foot or individual finger, which causes the most anxiety. It is desirable that the image was made in three projections at once.
Based on the data obtained, it will be possible to draw conclusions about the degree of damage. After this, a treatment technique is developed.
Treatment
First of all, it is worth saying that with the appearance of hammer-shaped fingers, one should not hope for the miracles of traditional medicine. This is one of those cases where self-medication can lead to irreversible complications. An extremely qualified specialist can prescribe the right therapy. In addition, it is worth considering that there are two ways to further develop the ailment. With a mild form, the so-called conservative treatment is prescribed. If the situation is critical, then the operation will not be enough.
Hammer finger: operation
Surgical intervention cannot be avoided if the degree of lesion is quite severe. In this case, there are two scenarios. In the first case, the protruding part of the bone is removed. Such operations are classified as simple. However, in this case we are talking about a temporary solution to the problem. The patient for some time ceases to suffer from pain symptoms, but after several years, a second operation may be required.
The second option is more radical. In this case, an operation is performed to completely eliminate the pathology, as a result of which the transverse arches of the feet are formed.
If we talk about the rehabilitation period, then, again, it all depends on the type of surgical intervention. If part of the bone is removed, the patient can independently move almost immediately after the operation. However, in particularly difficult situations, the doctor may recommend casting. Then the patient will be prescribed bed rest for a period of up to 1 month. If we talk about recovery after more serious procedures, such as the formation of a transverse arch, then in this case, the rehabilitation period can reach up to 6 months.
Hammerlike toes: conservative treatment
This method of getting rid of an unpleasant ailment is far from possible in every situation. It all depends on how long the patient made the decision to see a doctor. If this is possible, the specialist prescribes conservative treatment. First of all, it includes various types of massage and therapeutic exercises. In this case, the patient can perform the simplest manipulations on his own, without leaving home. The main thing is to adhere to the recommendations of a specialist.
As a rule, orthopedists recommend stroking and slightly rubbing the affected areas. In this case, you need to alternately move each toe, straighten it and try to hold the limb in the right position for as long as possible. It is important to ensure that all movements are smooth. In no case should you forcefully pull your fingers or twist them. Otherwise, you can only cause additional harm and even injure already painful joints.
Also very effective is a set of exercises designed specifically for people suffering from problems with the musculoskeletal system. You can also do at home. Gymnastic exercises are quite simple. The patient without the help of hands should capture various small objects (pens, pencils, toys, etc.) with his toes. It is also recommended to roll small balls (for example, tennis), crumple newspapers or any fabric material.
If possible, it is also recommended to go to the sea or visit places where you can walk barefoot along stony paths. At home, it is enough to scatter the grok on the floor and walk daily on such a surface.
Also conservative treatment methods include the use of:
- helium separators for toes;
- specialized orthopedic insoles;
- protective caps;
- dressings impregnated with a special helium compound.
For especially mild and initial forms of the disease, it is enough to use a patch, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
Possible complications
It is worth noting that the hammer-like deformation develops over a rather long period of time. Muscles begin to constantly tighten, tendons stretch, painful corns develop, etc.
However, such a sluggish development of the disease usually leads to the fact that a person is simply not able to determine the presence of an unpleasant ailment in time, because of which it is not always possible to get timely treatment.
If the disease is at an advanced stage and the fingers do not extend and cannot occupy the correct position, then in this case it is impossible to avoid surgery.