Click here for information on medical and surgical treatment of hammer toes.
Home Remedies for Hammertoes and Corns
If you are suffering from painful corns or hammertoes, there are many treatments that a podiatrist can offer you. Make sure to see a podiatrist as soon as possible. There are, however, some simple home treatments for corns and hammertoes that you can do on your own.
Follow our Home Treatment Plan for Hammertoes and Corns for 4 weeks. If you don’t have relief by then, see a podiatrist.
Hammertoe Pads
There is not one best pad for hammertoes. The goal of the pads is to reduce pressure on toe from the shoes, from adjacent toes and to help straighten the toe. There is no one “best” hammertoe pad. Your best bet is to try several and find out which one you like best. The “Hammertoe Relief Packs” listed below are a good value for most people
Pads for Top of Toe Pain
Use a Silicone Crest Pad to straighten toes while you wear it. These pads go in the sulcus of your toes and act to straighten your toes and act to straighten your toes while you wear them. Soft Silicone Gel will not bottom out like foam and the reinforced toe loop increases durability.- Use a Leather Crest Pad to straighten toes while you wear it. These pads go in the sulcus of your toes and act to straighten your toes and act to straighten your toes while you wear them. Leather crest pads are firmer than silicone pads. Some people prefer silicon crest pads and others leather crest pads. Overall, more people find the leather ones more comfortable.
- You can use a Hammertoe Toe Straightener to pull down the bent toe. Pulls the toe down to stop shoe irritation while walking. Has an adjustable loop that gently helps maintain proper alignment of the toe. Can be used on left or right foot. Fits easily in most shoes.
- For corns on top of your toes, use a Silopad Digtial Pad. This is a soft, comfortable and stretchable slip-on device coated with h Silipos® proprietary gel pad which releases a high grade mineral oil onto the hard skin to help soften and remove corns in a most comfortable way. This product is both washable and reusable.
- You can also use Felt Corn Pad for corns on the top of your toes. These are great when wearing dress shoes or every day use when you want to make sure you keep the pressure of the corn. These are non-medicated (no acid) pads. When never suggest you use acid pads for corns. If you need to reduce more pressure just double up the pads.
- Use a Hammertoe Gel Toe Cap. These offer some of the best cushioning and protection. The slim design fits into most shoes. Tend to stay on better than stick on pads. Fit is secure and reliable.
- Our best recommendation for pads is to buy this Hammertoe Pain Relief Pack that contains a variety of the best pads for hammertoes. Try them all and see which ones work best for you.
contains a variety of the best pads for hammertoes. Try them all and see which ones work best for you.Pads for Pain Between the Toes
- For corns between the toes, you want to use a Gel Toe Spreaders or Gel to Separators to prevent pressure. Gel Toe Spreaders help relieve pain of overlapping toes/toe drift and painful bunions. Gel will not flatten or lose its shape like foam. Washable and reusable.
Spreaders help relieve pain of overlapping
- You can also use Foam Toe Spacers for corns between the toes, to prevent pressure between toes and help relieve pain of overlapping toes/toe drift and painful bunions.
Other Hammer Toe Treatments
- Use an arch support in your shoes. This will not straighten the hammertoe but can reduce the pressure that a hammertoe causes on the bottom of the foot. For hammertoes we recommend an arch support that conforms as close as possible to the arch of the foot in order to reduce pressure under the ball of the foot. The best that we have found for transferring pressure off of the ball of the foot is the FootChair Medical Grade Orthotic. It has the unique feature of an adjustable arch height to allow for maximum support and comfort. Pads can be added under the cover to increase the arch height in order to more effectively transfer pressure. For best pain relief we recommend using the maximum arch height that is comfortable for you.
- Use a pumice stone to file down any corns. We like the Hands and Feet Pumice Stone due to it’s easy to hold shape and long life.
- Wearing the correct socks can help reduce hammertoe pain. Socks help in two ways. First by reducing friction on the bunion and second by providing cushion. Cotton is a poor choice for people with hammertoes because of high friction. Because it has low friction, no seam over the bunion and cushions the bunion from shoe pressure, our favorite sock for bunions is the Juzo Silver Sole Sock. Available in white and black.
- Find a shoe store with well trained shoe fitters to fit your shoes. You can find a list of shoe stores on our Shoe List. A good shoe fitter will not only lead you to the best fitting shoes, but can often modify the shoe to fit difficult to fit feet. If you don’t have a good shoe store nearby, these Orthofeet Shoes for Women and Orthofeet Shoes for Men work great for hammertoes as they have extra room in the toe box and are easy to stretch. Both casual and athletic shoes are available.
- Stretch your shoes over the hammertoe deformity. You can stretch them yourself with a ball and ring shoe stretcher.
- For very large hammertoes that hit the top of all shoes use a stretchable shoe: These Women’s Stretchable Shoes and Men’s Stretchable Shoes have a unique design that combines suede leather and spandex, which is both elastic and breathable. It stretches to conform to the contours of the foot, accommodating foot deformities, and eliminating pressure on bunions and other prominences. Provides exceptional comfort for feet with bunions, tailor’s bunions, hammertoes and bony prominences. For Women For Men
- Instead of slippers, use a sandal with an arch support to wear around the house. Like the arch support, this will act to decrease pressure that the hammertoe causes on the ball of the foot. We recommend the Wave Flip-flop Sandal – available here for its superior arch support.
- Use a Sandal Gel Toe Spreader when you are wearing your flip-flops. Soft Silicone Spreaders with built-in slit for sandals/thongs. It wraps around the thong to reduce friction and enhances walking comfort in thongs, flip flops, and sandals.
- For topical pain relief you can try Biofreeze Roll-on. Flexstat is a deep penetrating topical pain reliever that provides quick, effective relief from pain.
Find a shoe store with well trained shoe fitters to fit your shoes. You can find a list of shoe stores on our Shoe List. A good shoe fitter will not only lead you to the best fitting shoes, but can often modify the shoe to fit difficult to fit feet. If you don’t have a good shoe store nearby, these 
For topical pain relief you can try CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF OUR HAMMER TOE PRODUCTS
Home treatments will not get rid of your hammertoes, but you can use self treatment to decrease hammertoe pain.
Find detailed information on hammertoe treatment here.
Video: Best Shoes for Hammertoes
Don’t let your bunions or big toe pain get worse. Early treatment can prevent future problems. Call today for an appointment in our Seattle office
