People often blame the common foot deformity claw toe on wearing shoes that squeeze your toes, such as shoes that are too short or high heels. However, Claw Toe is actually a toe that is contracted at the PIP and DIP joints (middle and end joints in the toe). Often the result of nerve damage caused by diseases like diabetes or alcoholism, it can which can weaken the muscles in your foot and lead to severe pressure and pain.
Claw toes can occur in any toe, except the big toe. They are classified based on the mobility of the toe joints. There are two types – flexible and rigid. In a flexible claw toe, the joint has the ability to move. This type of claw toe can be straightened manually. A rigid claw toe does not have that same ability to move. Movement is very limited and can be extremely painful.
Occasionally Claw Toe can be related to neurological problems. Therefore, a trip to the doctor will be time well spent.
Treatment and Prevention
Changing the type of footwear worn is a very important step in the treatment of claw toes. As with most feet and toe problems, choosing a well fitting shoe can make a lot of difference. Always make sure the toe box (toe area) is high and broad, and can accommodate the claw toes. A shoe with a high, broad toe box will provide enough room in the forefoot area so that there is less friction against the toes.
Other conservative treatments include using forefoot products designed to relieve claw toes, such as toe crests and hammer toe splints. These devices will help hold down the claw toe and provide relief to the forefoot. Gel toe shields and gel toe caps are also recommended to eliminate friction between the shoe and the toe, while providing comfort and lubrication.
If the pain is too much or your daily activities are limited by the pain, surgery may be considered. Unfortunately surgery may not help or the claw toe may come back. Talk to your doctor about the options available.
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A neuroma is a benign tumor of a nerve. Morton’s neuroma isn’t really a tumor, but just a thickening of the tissue that surrounds the digital nerve which leads to the toes. It usually happens between the third and fourth toes because of an irritation, injury or a lot of pressure.
Most of the time you can’t see anything by just looking at your foot. But you may feel a burning pain in the ball of your foot that may radiate into the toes. The pain generally worsens when walking, running and also wearing your shoes. In fact, you usually can’t feel it at all when not on your feet.
You should have a doctor diagnose your pain. During the exam, your doctor will usually be able to feel the mass between your bones. He will also try to replicate the pain and look for calluses or evidence of stress fractures in the bones that might be the cause of the pain.
Initially you will need to change your shoes. Avoid high heels or tight shoes, and wear wider shoes with lower heels and a soft sole. This lets the bones spread out and might reduce pressure on the nerve, giving it time to heal. Your doctor might also recommend shoe inserts and pads to relieve irritation and the pressure the nerve. In some cases, your doctor may want to use an injection of a corticosteroid medication to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerve, bringing some relief. If all else fails, surgery can resect a small portion of the nerve or release the tissue around the nerve, and generally involves a short recovery period.
Interestingly, Morton’s neuroma is 8 times greater in women than in men.
Over-pronation, or flat feet, is a common bio-mechanical problem that occurs in the walking process when a person’s arch collapses upon weight bearing. Normal pronation, or “turning inward” of the foot is necessary as the foot adapts to the ground. With excessive pronation/ over pronation, the arch flattens, collapses, and soft tissues stretch. When this happens, joints that should be stable now become very loose and flexible.This motion can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, potentially causing severe discomfort and leading to other foot problems.
Over-pronation is very prominent in people who have flexible, flat feet. At first, excess pronation may cause fatigue. As the problem gets worse, strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and lower leg can cause permanent problems and deformities.
There are many causes of flat feet. Obesity, pregnancy or repetitive pounding on a hard surface can weaken the arch leading to over-pronation. Often people with flat feet do not experience discomfort immediately, and some never suffer from any discomfort at all. However, when symptoms develop and become painful, walking becomes awkward and causes increased strain on the feet and calves.
Orthotics can be used and should be designed with appropriate arch support and medial rearfoot posting to prevent the over-pronation.
Footwear should also be examined to ensure there is a proper fit. Footwear with a firm heel counter is often recommended for extra support and stability. Improperly fitting footwear can lead to additional foot problems.
Over pronation is linked to just about every foot condition, including but not limited to bunions, metatarsalgia, osteochondrosis, corns, calluses and hammer toes.
Plantar Fasciitis is more than just a pair of “tired dogs”.
If you have aching or painful arches you may have plantar fasciitis. The most common symptom would be painful feet when first getting out of bed until you “walk it off”. This comes from the muscles tightening on you as you sleep. It could be from aging, from an injury or from poorly fitted shoes, among other things. See a podiatrist to at least obtain a clear diagnosis. He/she will provide you with many options. Here are some of them:
Your first option would be to stretch your calf and feet muscles a few times a day, don’t overdo activities that aggravate your feet and apply ice after exercise. There are devices that you can attach to your feet that apply a gentle stretch as you sleep. They are called “night splints”. Though some people find it hard to fall asleep while wearing them.
A second option would be to buy a better pair of shoes. Buy shoes with good arches and stable support. Ladies, it’s time to give up those high heels that probably caused the problem in the first place. It would be no fun to wear that great pair of Farragamo’s if you’re sitting in a wheelchair. There are plenty of comfortable, fashionable and supportive shoes available these days, especially the ones from Europe where they believe in health and style.
Another option would be to use a high quality insole found in high-end shoe stores or outdoor stores. Better yet, a podiatrist can fit you for custom-made insoles. Expensive, yes, but so are motorized scooters. You need not purchase orthopedic shoes. The insoles are designed to fit into a variety of shoes from dress shoes to hiking boots.
The best thing you can do is to not walk barefoot even if you are at the beach. It just makes matters worse. So find a good pair of water shoes with built-in arch supports, not just a pair of flip-flops.
An option that makes me cringe would be foot surgery. Please make this your last option. It comes with many risks, which should be clearly discussed with your doctor.
Don’t ignore your feet, because if you do, the condition will worsen.
For those interested, the calcaneocuboid joint is found in the foot between the heel bone (the calcaneus bone) and the cuboid bone (bone shaped and found in front of the heel bone).
The calcaneocuboid joint is a gliding joint, supported and strengthened by ligaments. They are the capsular ligament, bifurcated ligament, dorsal calcaneocuboid ligament, long plantar ligament, and plantar calcaneocuboid ligament.
The calcaneocuboid joint is important for lateral foot stability. This joint is susceptible to sudden injury or chronic strain, can can cause this joint to partially dislocate (subluxate).
When the dislocation is in the downward direction, a dull ache may be noticed. The long calcaneocuboid ligament may become strained, feeling similar to the pain of a heel spur. Applying direct pressure to the calcaneocuboid joint causes the pain symptoms……discomfort when standing on toes or rolling the arches toward the outside.
This joint allows the foot to lock for strength during the walking cycle. Any instability or dysfunction around the cuboid inhibits functional stability in the foot during the propulsive phase of gait. Lateral sports, such as tennis or racquetball, are responsible for the greatest strain. Stair climbing also can exacerbate the condition.
Treatment:
Treatment consists of manipulations of the joint and strapping to reduce the subluxation, and should be done by a professional, a chiropractor, or osteopath. Prevention is accomplished through foot supports, or orthotics, and it may be necessary to stabilize the foot and prevent re-injury. Orthotics can be obtained from a chiropractor or podiatrist.