Toe deformities such as hammertoes, claw toes, mallet toes, and overlapping and underlapping toes can be congenital, inherited, or develop over time as a result of an injury, recurring pressure, or degenerative disease. Deformities to toe joints can cause pain and impaired function.

Individuals with foot and toe structure abnormalities, such as long toes and arch problems are more prone to subsequent toe deformities because the foot is imbalanced. Injuries that do not heal properly and ill-fitting footwear can also lead to toe deformities.