Dr Brad Schaeffer, DPM - Board Certified Foot Surgeon & Podiatrist with the ABFAS
What are Hammer Toes?
If your toes are bent and often cause pain or discomfort, you may be suffering from a common foot condition known as Hammer Toes.
Hammer, Mallet and Claw Toes are all commonly referred to as Hammer Toes. Hammer Toes occur when the joints of the toes are bent upwards, creating an inverted ‘V’ shape. There is a difference between these conditions. A hammer toe refers to a bent middle joint. A mallet toe occurs when the joint closest to the tip of your toe is bent upwards. A claw toe occurs when the joint at the base of the toe is bent upwards.
Hammer toes are often accompanied by calluses and corns; small lumps of hard skin which can be very painful too.
Some of the main causes of hammer toes are foot structure, trauma to your toes, medical conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, and wearing poorly-fitting footwear. If you suffer from this condition, it is very important to wear comfortable shoes for hammer toes.
What are the Best Shoes for Hammer Toes?
Video: How to Choose Shoes for Hammer Toes
Founder and Designer of Sole Bliss, Lisa Kay shares her top tips on how to choose shoes for Hammer Toes.
If you are looking for the best shoes for hammer toes, there are several factors which you need to consider. While the idea of "shoes for hammer toes" may conjure up connotations of orthopaedic-looking shoes, fear not! Stylish shoes for hammer toes exist and there are plenty of fashionable options out there.
If you are looking for comfortable shoes for hammer toes, it is essential that they have a wide toe-box. The area at the front of the shoe needs to be spacious in order to accommodate those difficult joints and bent toes.
Look for shoes with plenty of volume at the front of the shoe. This will prevent your hammer toes from cramping, which can exacerbate the problem.
It is important to make sure that your hammer toes are not rubbing against the top of the shoe, as this can lead to painful corns which can be hard to get rid of once they have formed.
Although you may think it is difficult to find hammer toe shoes which will accommodate this awkward foot condition, there are plenty of comfortable and stylish shoes for hammer toes available.
Our Best Shoes for Hammer Toes:
Leading podiatrist Dr Brad Schaeffer has selected the best shoes for hammer toes and it's Sole Bliss to the rescue! From heels to trainers, sandals to boots, here are the top picks:
Good news shoe lovers! Heels for women with hammer toes exist! If you are looking for heels for hammer toes, you need to look for shoes with a deep and wide toe-box. Your claw toes / mallet toes / hammer toes should not be constricted or rub against the top of the shoe.
All hammer toe shoes (including high heels) should be made from very soft leather or suede. Look for hammer toe shoes with leather lining to prevent rubbing against your painful joints and leather uppers which will give a little, and conform to the contours of your foot.
This will ease the pressure on your hammer toes and provide a comfortable fit which will enable you to wear your heels for hours on end!
All Sole Bliss heels are designed with a deep and wide toe-box with a circumference of up to 3 sizes bigger than your usual shoe size, which gives your toes space to breathe and relax.
All our closed-back heels for hammer toes also contain an anti-pronating arch support. This is a small memory foam arch support pillow which counters the inward rolling of your feet (pronation) as you walk. By improving the way in which you walk, you can prevent the worsening of hammer toes, corns and calluses too.
If you are looking for flat shoes for hammer toes, you also need to look for styles which have a generous toe-box which gives your hammer toes room to breathe.
Your flat shoes for hammer toes should have a supportive insole with protective cushioning, arch support and shock absorption, which counters the shock of walking on hard surfaces.
All Sole Bliss flats feature a triple-layer memory foam cushioning under the entire length of your foot. The base layer of this triple-layer cushioning system is designed for shock absorption. This creates a much softer impact with the ground, dramatically reducing the pain of difficult toes and sensitive soles. The middle layer contours to the shape of your foot. The top layer provides luxuriously soft cushioning to keep your feet comfy all day long.
The best trainers for hammer toes will have a deep toe-box, a wider fit, and are adjustable to accommodate your difficult joints.
Just because you are wearing trainers, it doesn’t mean you have to forgo wearing leather shoes. If possible, you should look for leather lined trainers which are soft against your hammer toes. A comfortable stretchable upper will ease the pressure on your toes and make it much more comfortable to wear your hammertoe shoes for long periods of time.
Sole Bliss trainers for hammer toes are fully leather lined and also feature soft leather uppers which will contour to the shape of your feet. Our signature footbed is luxuriously padded and provides extra support for sensitive soles and painful toes.
The toe-box of our hammer toes trainers is exceptionally wide, although this width and depth is disguised to maintain a flattering fit. Your hammer toes have plenty of room to relax without rubbing against the shoe. These really are the most comfortable shoes for hammer toes, claw toes and mallet toes.
If you are looking for summer sandals or pretty wedges which are comfortable for your hammer toes, there are a few things you need to take into consideration. Make sure that any open-toe shoes have enough room to accommodate the affected toe. You do not want the peep-toe to catch the part where your toe is most bent.
The best sandals for hammer toes are leather lined. This is particularly important in the summer when temperatures start to heat up and your feet are likely to sweat. Non-leather shoes are never a good option! We would recommend looking at wide-fit sandals which will be more accommodating for your hammer toes.
Sole Bliss wedges are the perfect shoe for women with hammer toes. Handcrafted from luxuriously soft suede, they all feature the components of our award-winning Comfort Technology. A deep and wide toe-box provides a comfortable fit for women with hammer toes; triple-layer underfoot cushioning provides extra comfort and support; and our peep-toe design is strategically positioned to accommodate awkward toes and difficult joints.
The best boots for hammer toes have a wide toe-box and an extra deep design. The interior should be soft leather which eliminates pressure on your hammer toes. The soles should be very soft too with support for sensitive soles and painful feet.
Sole Bliss boots are designed for wide feet, bunions and hammer toes. They provide a generous fit which never cramps toes, a stretch panel to accommodate difficult joints, and a luxuriously soft and supportive insole.
Sole Bliss Customers with Hammer Toes
For those struggling to find shoes for hammer toes, discovering the right product is a game-changer for comfort and relief. Sole Bliss shoes are tailored to tackle the challenges linked to foot conditions like hammer toes by offering a deep and wide toe box for unparalleled comfort and support.
Rather than just taking our word for it, this hammer toes customer review below shares a first hand experience, showcasing the transformative impact of Sole Bliss shoes.
"I have looked for stylish shoes for a few years now, only to be very disappointed. Due to foot issues (bunions, hammer toes) finding comfortable yet stylish shoes are impossible! Well, after finding Sole Bliss, I don’t have to look any further!" – Candace
If you have any questions about finding the best shoes for your feet, please contact our Customer Care team who are highly knowledgeable and here to help!
When it comes to comfort, Lisa Kay knows it all! Lisa has been a Shoe Designer for over 20 years. She has used her own experience dealing with bunions to create Sole Bliss - the shoe brand dedicated to women with bunions, wide feet and sensitive soles. Lisa has worked with Italian and Spanish artisans and the world’s leading podiatrists to create the best shoes for women with bunions and wide feet. Every pair of Sole Bliss shoes contains an award-winning, podiatrist-approved Comfort Technology.
Dr Brad Schaeffer is a Certified Foot Surgeon with the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He trained at Hoboken University Medical Center with a 3 Year Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgical Residency.
After residency, Dr Schaeffer has continued training and crafting his skillset in cutting edge surgical techniques and regenerative medicine.
Dr Schaeffer was also discovered for the hit TV show, "My Feet Are Killing Me". He is known for bringing his eye of aesthetic medicine and attention to detail to every patient that he treats.
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