Patients watch their toes curl over years and assume nothing can be done until it's "bad enough." By then, a flexible deformity has become rigid — and the treatment got bigger. A hammertoes poster shows the stages and makes the case for early intervention.
The flexible-to-rigid story
- Stages: flexible, semi-rigid, rigid — illustrated so patients understand their deformity has a trajectory, not just a current state.
- Causes: muscle-tendon imbalance, bunion-related drift, trauma, and footwear — the "why" behind the curl.
- Conservative care: splinting and taping (works when flexible), orthotics, shoe modifications, and corn/callus management.
- Surgical options: tendon transfer, arthroplasty, and fusion — matched to the stage, which the poster has already taught.
Why staging education changes decisions
A patient who understands they're at the flexible stage — and what rigid looks like — chooses intervention sooner. The poster does the persuasion; you do the procedure.
Complete the forefoot wall with our biomechanics, deformity & orthotics collection.
Placement
Exam rooms where toe deformities are evaluated, plus waiting areas. Three sizes, printed on demand.