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Claw foot

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Claw foot

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Claw foot

Definition:

Claw foot is a deformity of the toes in which the toe joint nearest the foot is bent upward (from contracture) and the other toe joints bend downward (also from contracture). See also claw hand.

Alternative Names:
Claw toes

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Considerations:

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

Claw toes in and of themselves are not usually dangerous, but sometimes they are the first symptoms of a more serious disease of the nervous system.

Common Causes:

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• rheumatoid arthritis
• cerebral palsy

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