| Ever wonder why the big toe joint is so achy? Does | | | | joint. This bump is called a bone spur. This will cause |
| it feel stiff, sore, or swollen? Your big toe joint can | | | | the joint to be more painful and it will eventually lose |
| go through a lot of abuse over years. It gets | | | | complete motion or become rigid. |
| stubbed, jammed, and squeezed into shoes. All of | | | | Patients often confuse this disease with a bunion |
| this microtrauma can lead to long term damage. Who | | | | because they both form a bump by the big toe. |
| would have thought your big toe could be such a | | | | Though a bunion is also very painful, it is a completely |
| pain. | | | | different problem. Bunions are formed when your |
| Hallux is another name for you big toe. Like any joint, | | | | bones get displaced off to the side. Thus, the bump |
| your hallux joint consists of two bones with a layer | | | | is on the inside of your foot. With hallux Limitus and |
| of cartilage on both ends. The cartilage provides for | | | | Rigidus, the bump is on top. |
| a sleeker surface and absorbs shock to protect the | | | | The treatment for Hallux Limitus/Rigidus depends on |
| bones from damage. When one suffers from arthritis | | | | how far along the disease has progressed. At early |
| it is due to a breakdown or damage to the cartilage | | | | stages, it is important to promote motion at the joint. |
| that causes the bone to run up against bone. This | | | | The more the joint is exercised, the better the |
| rough friction causes swelling and pain. | | | | outcome will be. This can be customized with |
| Over the years your big toe joint can suffer damage | | | | orthotics and physical therapy. In cases of a more |
| from simple accidents like stubbing your toe in the | | | | severe hallux limitus, surgery might be needed to |
| middle of the right, dropping an object on your toe, | | | | remove the bump or sometimes the joint is replaced |
| and so many other things. Eventually, the cartilage | | | | with a metallic joint implant. If the disease progresses |
| gets damaged and is slowly destroyed. The first | | | | to Hallux Rigidus, the therapy is surrounded around |
| symptom of this destruction is limited joint motion. | | | | minimizing joint movement to decrease the pain. This |
| When we walk, our big toe joint should have about | | | | can often be done with orthotics, but in most cases |
| 65 degrees of motion. With joint damage, the | | | | surgery is necessary. |
| amount of motion gets smaller and smaller and BAM! | | | | Sometimes, the lack of motion at the big toe joint is |
| The pain hits you out of nowhere! All of a sudden | | | | asymptomatic. However, the person's gait is altered |
| you notice your big toe is stiff or rigid and oh so | | | | and is suffering from knee or lower back pain or |
| painful. | | | | even pain on the outside of the foot. When you |
| Hallux Limitus refers to a decrease in big toe joint | | | | can't push off with the big toe joint, you will need to |
| motion and Hallux Rigidus is when there is complete | | | | apply more pressure on the outside of that foot. |
| loss of big toe joint movement. The early symptoms | | | | This can lead to pain in other areas of the body. |
| of hallux limitus consist of pain and stiffness in the | | | | So, if you are suffering from pain along the big toe |
| joint when walking, standing, and especially squatting. | | | | joint, do not hesitate to see a podiatrist. In the early |
| There may be an increase in pain in colder | | | | stages of these deformities, surgery can possibly be |
| temperatures and damp weather. There is often | | | | prevented. If you are having back or knee pain, |
| swelling at the joint. Over time the jamming of bone | | | | make sure your doctor checks your feet. |
| up against one another can cause new bone | | | | Remember, if the ground floor is broken, then the |
| formation that forms a bump on the top of your | | | | other floors will crumble as well. |