Common conditions affecting the toes, joints and ball of the foot.
Toes come in all shapes and sizes. There are curly toes, clawed toes, hammer toes and even mallet toes. Some toes are long, and some are short and stumpy. Whatever your toe shape, you can be sure that we've seen it (and the problems associated with it) before!
A common misconception is that a Bunion is a hard lump of skin that sits just behind your big toe, but "bunion" is a term that describes osteo-arthritic changes that have occurred in the 1st metatarso-phalangeal joint (MPJ). Bunions are genetic, but can be exacerbated by footwear. We see bunions frequently at Foot Right Podiatry and they vary in size and the level of discomfort. Suprisingly, it is often smaller bunions that are more painful than larger ones!
Toe deformities are a common problem that are caused by genetic factors, osteoarthritis or incorrectly fitting footwear. Pain can be due the joint becoming inflamed over time, or could be due to callus or corn growth caused by increased pressure from footwear. While toe deformities occur in men and women, it is women who will have more problems due to tighter footwear.
Did you know that you have two little bones that sit under your big toe joint? You probably do if you have sesamoiditis! This condition occurs due to increased pressure on the sesamoids and it becomes painful when there inflammation around the bones and the capsule of the big toe joint (1st MPJ).
Morton’s Neuroma is a condition caused by thickening of the tissue around the nerve that leads to the toes. The pain can be mild to intense and is located in the ball of the foot (forefoot) and can radiate to the toes. It commonly occurs in women who wear tight and/or high heel shoes, but is also seen in runners, and cyclists.
Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot, usually felt beneath the joints at the base of the toes.
