Plenty of things can go wrong with your toes. Some of them are deformities or growths that you can clearly see from the outside: ingrown toenails, bunions, and plantar warts come to mind.
Our focus today is on some “invisible” reasons for pain or discomfort in your big toe – injuries that you can’t see and are hard to figure out without professional evaluation. We treat patients afflicted with these conditions throughout the year at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists.
Dr. Heidi M. Christie and Dr. Michael L. Rosenberg are the two expert podiatrists at our Montgomery, AL practice who can see you through these hidden ailments from diagnosis to treatment:
Athletes who play on artificial turf are most likely to experience turf toe. It’s essentially a sprain of the big toe that occurs when the big toe becomes overextended or is suddenly bent in the wrong direction, tearing the tissues that surround the bone. At the moment of injury, you might hear a popping sound, and you will definitely feel a lot of pain. Your big toe will swell and you will have difficulty moving it.
Sesamoiditis The sesamoids are two small, round bones in the ball of your foot just below your big toe. They can become inflamed through overuse, especially among dancers and athletes. The inflammation causes bruising, swelling, and a dull pain.
This is a form of “wear-and-tear” arthritis. The big toe becomes stiff or unmovable due to age, overuse, or injury. You can suspect hallux rigidus (or its earlier manifestation, hallux limitus) if you feel stiffness in your big toe as you try to walk or run, if you have trouble bending it, or if you have pain in your toe when you squat down.
Fractures “Fracture” is just another word for “break.” If you have pain, have it checked out even if you can still walk. If you neglect a broken toe, it may not heal properly and could cause you problems later on.
Even if you’ve done something pretty common, such as badly stubbing your toe or dropping something heavy on it, never assume that it’ll get better on its own. Before your big toe gives you a huge problem, call us for an appointment at (334) 296-3668. We offer a comfortable atmosphere, friendly and expert service, and a full array of cutting-edge podiatric services to the tri-county area. If you prefer, make an appointment with us online.