Do you suffer from big toe joint pain?
Did the pain develop gradually or suddenly?
Is your big toe changing shape or direction?
Do you have difficulty finding shoes that fit?
Is your pain affecting your daily life and activity levels?
You may be developing a 'bunion'. Medically termed as Hallux Abducto Valgus, this is the deviation of the big toe joint. Over time, this may result in a bony protrusion, and a toe that is pointing towards or overlapping the lesser digits. There are many reasons why this may develop. An example is a genetic predisposition resulting in a weakness around the first metatarsal phalangeal joint (big toe joint!), possibly due to your foot shape/type and the pressure through your feet and legs as you weight bear.
Bunions aren't the only condition that may be causing pain in your big toe joint!
Hallux Limitus and Hallux Rigidus are two common conditions that affect the big toe joint. These reduce the range of motion of the joint and can affect the way you walk. These two conditions may affect your 'normal' foot function throughout the gait cycle, resulting in compensation that may cause associated pains and injuries (including knee, hip and back pain).
The above conditions tend to develop over time. It is therefore important to spot the signs and symptoms and intervene as early as possible.
Other conditions may cause acute big toe pain. Examples of this can be Turf toe (a sprain of the big toe often experienced by sporting persons) or fractured sesamoids (two very small bones that lie within a tendon on the bottom of the big toe joint). Amongst many other issues!
Don't ignore your big toe pain! Book an appointment now!
At Henley Podiatry and Health Therapies we recommend booking in for a Biomechanical assessment if you are suffering from big toe joint pain. During this appointment we will take a full history of the issue, assess the pain and movement of the affected area, and assess your gait and mechanics of your movement.
Everybody is different, which means they may have developed the conditions for differing reasons. However; we are likely to recommend a mixture of exercise therapy, mobilisation techniques and orthotic therapy (specific to each injury/condition). On occasion we may also recommend imaging such as x-rays to assess the extent of damage to the area, and where appropriate a surgical consultation.
We always take a holistic approach to treatment plans and ensure they are suitable for our clients abilities, requirements and needs.
So don't be afraid to get in touch! We promise to make you feel at ease and take YOU in to consideration when developing an individualised treatment plan!