Claw Toes: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How It Gets Treated
Updated: 2 days ago
Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Answer
Claw toes are a toe deformity in which the middle and end joints buckle, bending the toe like a claw, usually on the four smaller toes. Muscle imbalance causes it, linked to genes, tight shoes, diabetes and arthritis. Symptoms include pain, swelling, corns and calluses. Treatment starts with roomy shoes, pads, exercises and splints, with surgery for severe cases. [4]
What the research says
According to PubMed, research specifically on claw toes is limited, and the studies below are small. They add context rather than proof about treatment.
Claw toes were linked to greater disability in people with multiple sclerosis. A 2026 cross-sectional study of 100 people with MS found claw toes (P = .042) and loss of foot sensation were associated with higher disability scores. Loss of sensation was the only foot problem that independently predicted disability. (Zúnica-García et al., Foot Ankle Spec, 2026) [1]
Toe deformities can change how the whole leg works during walking. In a 2026 study of 17 adults with hammertoe deformity and 30 healthy controls, ankle push-off power was 58.7% lower, and the hip and knee changed how they moved to compensate. This study looked at hammertoe, a related deformity. (Rahman et al., Gait Posture, 2026) [2]
Custom toe props may help offload pressure. A 2026 case report of one 82-year-old man with lesser toe deformities (including claw toes) described a custom silicone toe prop that reduced pre-ulcer calluses and pain. A single case cannot show how well this works in general. (Cunningham Gregor, J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs, 2026) [3]
Study details are from PubMed abstracts.
What Are Claw Toes?
A claw toe is a toe that bends into an abnormal claw-like shape. The name describes how it looks: the toe curls under instead of lying flat. [4]
The condition usually affects the four smaller toes of the foot, not the big toe. The middle and end joints, the joints furthest from the ankle, are the ones that buckle and bend. [4]
Claw toes are often associated with a high arched (cavus) foot type, muscle imbalances, or occasionally a neurological condition. Ulcers may develop in people with diabetes because of decreased foot sensitivity [4].
The key takeaway: if you don't get treatment for your claw toes, they may become permanently stiff. [4]
What's the Difference Between Claw Toes, Hammertoes, and Mallet Toes?
These three toe deformities are easy to mix up because they all involve bent toes. For a deeper look at the other two, see our guide to hammertoe and mallet toe.
Condition | Which Joints Bend | Main Cause |
Claw toe | Both the middle and end joints buckle | Muscle imbalance; often neurological or hereditary |
Hammertoe | Only the middle (second) joint bends | Weak muscles |
Mallet toe | Only the last joint bends | Pressure on the tip of the toe |
Are Claw Toes Painful?
Claw toes can cause pain because your toes get pushed down into the soles of your shoes. Corns or calluses may result from the pressure and rubbing on the bottom of the shoe or on the top of the toes. Rarely, infections may occur. [4]
What Are the Stages of Claw Toes?
Claw toes progress through two stages. The earlier stage is much easier to treat. [4]
Stage | What It Means | Treatment Implication |
Flexible (early) | Your toes still flex at the joints, although they're stiff | Surgery is most effective during this stage |
Rigid (late) | Your toes are stuck, unmoving | Treatment options become more limited |
Who Is Likely to Get Claw Toes?
People with high arches, or those who tend to rotate their feet inward while walking, are susceptible to toe deformities. Toe deformities can also be hereditary, passed down from family members. [4]
What Causes Claw Toes?
Most of the time, an imbalance of foot muscles causes claw toes. Your toe muscles contract too far, tighten the tendons, and bend the joints. [4]
Foot muscles become unbalanced due to the following factors:
Contributing Factor | How It Contributes |
Genes | Toe deformities can be inherited |
Ill-fitting shoes | Tight or high-heeled shoes crowd and push the toes |
Nerve damage from diabetes | Decreased foot sensitivity and weakened muscles. See our guide to peripheral neuropathy. |
Rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis | Joint disease disrupts normal foot mechanics |
Nerve damage from alcoholism | Damages the nerves that control toe muscles |
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease | A neurological disorder that weakens foot muscles |
Spinal cord tumors | Can disrupt the nerve signals to the feet |
Polio and cerebral palsy | Neurological conditions that affect muscle balance |
Stroke | The stroke-side foot is affected |
Trauma | Injury can disrupt the muscles and tendons |
What Are the Symptoms of Claw Toes?
Claw toes are more than just bent toes. Additional symptoms include: [4]
Corns
Calluses
Blisters
Pain
Swelling
Ulcers (rare)
What Makes Claw Toes Worse?
Your claw toes will get progressively worse with time. That is why seeing a healthcare provider early matters. [4]
What Are Corns and Calluses?
Caused by pressure and rubbing, corns and calluses are common in people who have claw toes. A bent joint can rub against the inside of a shoe, and so can the bottom of your foot. Corns are small and round, and calluses are larger and have a more irregular shape. They may or may not be painful. [4]
How Are Claw Toes Diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination of your toes, likely touching them to see how they move. This tells them whether your toes are in the flexible or rigid stage. [4]
You may also be tested for neurological problems, since some neurological disorders can weaken the muscles of your foot and create imbalances that bend your toes. [4]
Your primary healthcare provider may refer you to a podiatrist and/or a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon. [4]
What Questions Might My Healthcare Provider Ask?
When did you start to notice your toes bending?
Do you have any corns?
Do you have any calluses?
Have you tried any at-home treatments?
Do members of your family have claw toes?
What's the cause of your family members' claw toes?
What's the Treatment for Claw Toes?
Claw toes can be treated with both non-surgical options, such as toe exercises, and surgical options. Most of them you can do at home. [4]
Non-Surgical Treatments for Claw Toes
Treatment | What It Involves |
Better shoes | Roomy toe boxes, low heels, good arch support |
Wider, deeper shoes | Increased width and depth, soft soles, minimal seams in the toebox |
Pads and inserts | Pads, arch supports, or other shoe inserts to cushion the toe |
Toe exercises | Strengthening and stretching toe muscles through exercises |
Splint or tape | Holds your toes where they're supposed to be |
Avoid triggers | Avoid high heels and tight shoes |
What Exercises Can I Do?
Use your fingers to stretch your toes. Then exercise your toes by using them to pick things up off the ground. Recommended objects include towels, marbles, and small balls. [4]
Surgical Treatments for Claw Toes
The severity of your claw toes determines what type of surgery you'll have. Your healthcare provider will classify your claw toe as early or late stage, either flexible or rigid. Surgical options include: [4]
Procedure | What It Involves |
Tendon lengthening and rerouting | Adjusts the tight tendons pulling the toe down |
Phalanx bone shortening | Shortens the bones of the toe |
Steel pin insertion | Temporarily inserts a steel pin to hold the toe in the correct position until healing occurs |
Toe fusion | Fuses the toe joints so the toe stays straight |
What Should I Expect From Surgery?
Claw toe surgery is outpatient, meaning you won't have to spend a night in the hospital. [4]
All surgeries come with risks. Claw toe surgery specifically carries these risks: [4]
Nerve injury
Stiffness
Infection
Recurrence: your claw toes may return after treatment. Ask your healthcare provider about ways to prevent that.
How Soon After Treatment Will I Feel Better?
About four to six weeks. [4]
What's the Outlook for People With Claw Toes?
If you don't get treatment, your claw toes may become permanent. That may make walking and running painful and hard. See your healthcare provider as soon as you have symptoms to keep your toe joints from becoming rigid. [4]
Can I live a normal life with claw toes? Yes, but your claw toes may make walking and running difficult. [4]
How Do I Prevent Claw Toes?
To prevent claw toes, a healthcare provider may recommend toe exercises, sensible shoes with a wide toebox and filing down corns and calluses. [4]
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider?
See your healthcare provider as soon as you notice that you're having trouble flexing the joints of your toes. Early treatment keeps your toes in the flexible stage, where surgery, if needed, is most effective. [4]
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider?
Do I have claw toes, hammertoes or mallet toes?
What at-home remedies do you recommend for me?
What stage are my claw toes in?
Do you think I need surgery?
What do you think caused my claw toes?
What shoes do you recommend?
What is the bottom line on claw toes?
Claw toes are a common foot deformity where the middle and end joints of the smaller toes buckle into a claw-like shape. They're most often caused by muscle imbalances in the foot. They can be hereditary or linked to conditions like diabetes, arthritis, or neurological disorders, and many cases are worsened simply by ill-fitting shoes. Most treatment is non-surgical and can be done at home: roomy shoes, pads, toe exercises, and splints. Surgery is reserved for more severe cases and works best while the toes are still flexible. The most important step is not waiting, because untreated claw toes can become rigid and permanent. If you notice your toes curling, talk to your healthcare provider early.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a claw toe?
A claw toe is a toe bent into an abnormal claw-like shape. It usually happens to the four smaller toes of the foot, and it's the middle and end joints, the joints furthest from the ankle, that buckle. [4]
Which toes get claw toes?
Claw toes usually affect the four smaller toes, not the big toe. [4]
What does a claw toe look like?
The toe curls downward like a claw. The middle joint and end joint both bend instead of lying flat. [4]
What's the difference between claw toes and hammertoes?
A hammertoe is bent just in the second (middle) toe joint and is caused by weak muscles. Claw toes have both the middle and end joints bent. [4]
What's the difference between claw toes and mallet toes?
Claw toes have bent middle and end joints, while a mallet toe is a bend in just the last joint. [4]
Are claw toes painful?
Claw toes can be. Your toes get pushed down into the soles of your shoes, and corns or calluses may form from the pressure and rubbing. Rarely, infections may occur. [4]
Are claw toes hereditary?
Yes, toe deformities can be inherited. [4]
What causes claw toes?
Most of the time, an imbalance of foot muscles causes claw toes. The toe muscles contract too far, tighten the tendons, and bend the joints. [4]
What factors cause foot muscle imbalances?
Genes, ill-fitting shoes, nerve damage from diabetes or alcoholism, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spinal cord tumors, polio, cerebral palsy, stroke, and trauma. [4]
Can tight shoes cause claw toes?
Yes. Ill-fitting shoes are one of the factors that unbalance foot muscles. [4]
Does diabetes cause claw toes?
Nerve damage caused by diabetes can contribute. People with diabetes may also develop ulcers because of decreased foot sensitivity. [4]
Can a stroke cause claw toes?
Yes. With stroke, the stroke-side foot is affected. [4]
Who is likely to get claw toes?
People with high arches, or those who tend to rotate their feet inward while walking, are susceptible to toe deformities. [4]
What are the symptoms of claw toes?
Besides the bent toes themselves: corns, calluses, blisters, pain, swelling, and rarely ulcers. [4]
Do claw toes get worse over time?
Yes. Claw toes get progressively worse with time, and without treatment they may become permanently stiff. [4]
What are the stages of claw toes?
Two stages: flexible (early, when toes still flex at the joints although stiff) and rigid (late, when toes are stuck and unmoving). Surgery is most effective during the flexible stage. [4]
How are claw toes diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider performs a physical examination of your toes, touching them to see how they move. You may also be tested for neurological problems. [4]
What are the non-surgical treatments for claw toes?
Shoes with roomy toe boxes, low heels, and good arch support; wider, deeper shoes with soft soles; pads, arch supports, or inserts; toe exercises; splints or tape; and avoiding high heels and tight shoes. [4]
What exercises help claw toes?
Use your fingers to stretch your toes, and use your toes to pick things up off the ground, such as towels, marbles, and small balls. [4]
What surgical options exist for claw toes?
Tendon lengthening and rerouting, shortening the bones of the toe, temporarily inserting a steel pin to hold the toe in position, and toe fusion. Surgery is outpatient. [4]
How long does claw toe surgery recovery take?
You'll feel better in about four to six weeks. Risks include nerve injury, stiffness, infection, and recurrence. [4]
What's the outlook if I don't treat claw toes?
Without treatment, claw toes may become permanent, making walking and running painful and hard. [4]
Can claw toes be prevented?
You can reduce your risk by exercising your toes, wearing sensible shoes with good arch support and an extra wide toebox, and using a pumice stone to file down corns and calluses. [4]
When should I see a healthcare provider about claw toes?
As soon as you notice that you're having trouble flexing the joints of your toes. [4]
Related Reading
References
Zúnica-García S, Pastor-Vidal B, Gracia-Sánchez A, et al. Association Between Foot Alterations and Disability in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study. Foot Ankle Spec. 2026 (published online September 23, 2026). PMID 42775540. https://doi.org/10.1177/19386400261484267
Rahman H, Fofana S, Farrell G, et al. Alterations in gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with hammertoe deformity during walking. Gait Posture. 2026;131:110642. PMID 42766945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2026.110642
Cunningham Gregor SR. Challenges in Offloading Lesser Toe Deformities: A Case Study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2026;53(5):435-438. PMID 42758166. https://doi.org/10.1097/WON.0000000000001321
Cleveland Clinic. Claw Toes. Cleveland Clinic. Last updated May 11, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16875-claw-toes
Medical disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.
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