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Claw foot - Overview

Alternative Names

Claw toes

Definition of Claw foot:

Claw foot is a deformity of the toes in which the toe joint nearest the foot is bent upward and the other toe joints bend downward.

See also: Claw hand

Considerations:

Claw toes can be something that a child is born with (congenital) or can develop later in life because of other disorders (acquired). Claw toes may result from a problem with the nerves in the leg or from a spinal cord problem. Many cases have an unknown cause.

Claw toes are not usually dangerous, but they may be the first sign of a more serious disease of the nervous system.

Common Causes:

  • Reviewed last on: 5/12/2008
  • Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.