Hammer, Claw & Mallet Toe in Singapore

Written & reviewed by the BestDoctors.sg editorial team · Last updated 24 Aug 2026 · General information, not medical advice

If you have diabetes, poor circulation or numb feet, do not treat corns over a bent toe yourself — any sore, colour change or non-healing wound needs professional care, because a small injury can become a serious ulcer.

Why toes bend

Each small toe is kept straight by a balance of tendons; when the tendon pulling one way overpowers the other, the toe is held bent, and over time the joint stiffens so the bent position becomes fixed. The most important clinical distinction is flexible versus rigid. A flexible toe can still be straightened by hand and responds best to non-surgical care; a rigid toe is fixed, so conservative measures can ease symptoms but only surgery corrects the shape. The longer a deformity is present, the more likely it is to become rigid.

Common causes

Footwear is the most common contributor — tight, narrow, pointed or high-heeled shoes crowd the toes and force them to bend. Foot shape matters too: a second toe longer than the big toe, high or flat arches, or a bunion crowding its neighbours. Other causes include muscle and tendon imbalance, arthritis (especially rheumatoid and osteoarthritis), nerve conditions such as diabetes-related nerve damage (a particularly common cause of claw toe), ageing with weakening foot muscles, and previous toe injury. It tends to be more common in women, largely because of footwear, and with increasing age.

Symptoms

The toe is visibly bent and will not lie flat, and it may be painful when walking or wearing shoes — pain at the top of the bent joint or under the ball of the foot. Pressure from the shoe commonly causes a corn on top of the bent knuckle and a callus on the sole. There may be redness, swelling or a burning feeling over the prominent joint, difficulty finding comfortable shoes, and a “walking on a pebble” sensation. As the toe stiffens, its movement reduces until, in later stages, it becomes fixed.

Red flags

Some features need prompt attention. Anyone with diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation should have any new toe deformity, corn, callus, blister, colour change or sore checked professionally rather than self-treated, because reduced sensation and slow healing raise the risk of ulcers and infection. Seek care for signs of infection (spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, a foul smell or fever), an open sore or non-healing wound over the toe or under the ball of the foot, or a black, blue, very pale or cold toe with sudden severe pain, which may signal a circulation problem. A severely infected foot with fever, or a suddenly cold, intensely painful foot, is an emergency — call 995.

How it is assessed and treated

Assessment is mainly clinical — checking whether the deformity is flexible or rigid, examining footwear wear and pressure points, and, in older patients or anyone with diabetes, checking circulation and sensation. An X-ray is used when the deformity is significant, painful or surgery is being considered. A podiatrist manages most cases; a foot-and-ankle orthopaedic surgeon is involved when correction is considered. Treatment is conservative first. Roomy, deep, wide-toe-box shoes with a low heel are often the single most effective step. Padding and offloading — non-medicated corn pads, toe props, silicone sleeves and metatarsal pads — relieve pressure, and orthotics redistribute load. For a flexible toe, stretches, towel curls and toe pick-ups strengthen the small muscles, and splints or taping hold it straighter. A podiatrist can safely pare down corns. Surgery is reserved for selected cases — a rigid or severely painful toe that fails conservative care — using tendon procedures for flexible toes and joint procedures for rigid ones, and is a considered step rather than a routine first move.

Choosing shoes and preventing progression

Footwear is where most people can make the biggest difference. Choose shoes with a deep, wide, rounded toe box and a low heel, and have both feet measured, since feet change shape and size with age; try shoes on later in the day when feet are slightly larger, and avoid pointed or shallow styles that squeeze the toes. While a toe is still flexible, a daily routine of gentle toe stretches, towel curls and picking up small objects with the toes helps keep the small muscles balanced, and silicone spacers or props can ease pressure between and over the toes. Addressing a bunion that is crowding the lesser toes, and dealing early with any corn or callus a podiatrist can pare down, both slow progression. It is worth acting sooner rather than later, because a flexible toe is far easier to manage than a rigid one. Anyone with diabetes or poor circulation should check their feet daily and have any toe change reviewed professionally rather than waiting.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor or podiatrist if the toe is painful, rubbing in shoes, developing corns or calluses, getting worse or becoming stiff, or if you cannot find comfortable footwear. If you have diabetes or poor circulation, seek professional care rather than self-treating any toe change, and treat any red flag above as urgent.

Related foot & ankle topics

• Metatarsalgia (ball-of-foot pain)
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Sever’s disease (children’s heel pain)
• Haglund’s deformity
• Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
• Peroneal tendinitis
• Plantar fibroma
• Chronic ankle instability
• Corns & calluses
• Plantar fasciitis
• Ankle sprains
• Orthopaedic (foot & ankle) surgeons
• Corns & Calluses in Singapore: Causes, Safe Removal & Treatment

Sources

• OrthoInfo (AAOS) — Hammer Toe: orthoinfo.org
• Cleveland Clinic — Hammertoes: clevelandclinic.org
• Cleveland Clinic — Claw Toes: clevelandclinic.org
• HealthHub (Singapore) — Podiatry: healthhub.sg