A claw toe is caused by weakened muscles in your feet. You have pairs of muscles that control your digits, allowing them to both bend and straighten. If one side becomes too weak to support the toes, its opposite contracts and tightens. The little digits then bend and curl under at the middle and end joints, creating a claw effect. This condition can affect one or more of your smaller toes at one time, though it seems to typically affect a whole foot when it develops.

Several different factors can cause this condition. Too-tight shoes that squeeze your toes and trap them in a bent position are common culprits, but not the only ones. Nerve damage, particularly from diabetes, is another issue. Injuries that affect your nerves or problems like arthritis can also contribute to clawed toes.

Tight tissues and constantly bent digits are uncomfortable. The toes also tend to press into your footwear and rub against the fabric of your shoes. This can lead to blisters, corns, and calluses. They can also make it difficult to fit into and wear many types of shoes.

The difference between claw toe and hammertoe has to do with the joints that are affected by each condition.

Claw toe

Clawtoe develops when the two end joints in your little digits bend and curl under, while the joint at the ball of the foot bends upward slightly, creating the claw-like look. It can affect any or all of the smaller toes, and often impacts all four at once.

Hammertoe

Hammertoe occurs when the middle joint of any of the small digits becomes fixed in a bent position. The second toe is the most commonly affected, and usually only one or two digits have the problem at once.

Because these are different problems, they have slightly different causes and treatments. However, they share the same risk.

Both need to be treated before they progress too far; otherwise, the conditions may become permanent issues.