④ Hammer Toe (includes genetic factors)
Condition
Long toes, curled up, bent upwards, or “Z”-shaped. The toes are extremely ungrounded and look weakened. The root of the toes on the sole is wide and the skin is thick. Toes appear to be merely decoration.
Cause
Hammer toe tends to be seen on the people who have genetically long toes, who are also predisposed to have bunions. Additionally, hammer toe occurs when toes are compressed inside narrow-toed shoes, or in cases of “locking walk” where the toes lock to prevent oversized shoes from falling off.
Injury examples
Sports injuries (feet, knee, lower back, neck), medial meniscus injury, rupture of a cruciate ligament, teenage lumbar hernia, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, decreased flexibility and agility, fatigue
