| It happened again today in my office. A woman | | | | and then a bump that forms usually more toward the |
| came in asking for bunion surgery. She had put up | | | | top of the joint, not the side like Hallux valgus. |
| with the pain in her big toe for years and finally had | | | | Hallux valgus and Hallux limitis can occur together in a |
| had enough. Many years ago her family physician told | | | | more complex foot deformity. Usually the bunion |
| her to wait until she couldn't stand the pain in her | | | | deformity has progressed and then is injured by |
| foot before discussing surgery with a podiatrist. Like | | | | repetitive trauma or a distinctive injury. This starts |
| many physicians, they assumed any pain in the great | | | | the progression of the arthritis change. Bottom line: |
| toe accompanied by a bump was a "bunion" or Hallux | | | | don't ignore pain in your great toe joint. Treatment |
| Abducto Valgus. Unfortunately in this case, her | | | | of Hallux limitis early can save you from needed a |
| doctor was wrong. The patient actually has Hallux | | | | fusion or joint replacement! |
| Limitis also known as osteoarthritis of the great toe | | | | Why is treatment of Hallux limitis so important in the |
| joint. If she had sought treatment many years ago, | | | | early stages? Once you have destroyed the cartilage |
| her joint may have been salvaged. Now her joint was | | | | in your joint, there is nothing a physician or surgeon |
| so destroyed that she needed a joint replacement or | | | | can do to make more cartilage. Research is |
| fusion. Not what she wanted to hear! In her mind, | | | | underway trying to replace or regrow cartilage, but |
| she came in the office asking for a simple | | | | we are many years from a solution. Hallux limitis in |
| bunionectomy and left needing a joint replacement. | | | | the early stages can be controlled with a functional |
| She regretted not seeking the advice of a podiatrist | | | | shoe orthotic to control the biomechanics. A clean up |
| earlier. | | | | procedure known as a cheilectomy can help remove |
| So what's the difference between Hallux valgus and | | | | all the debris from the joint and get rid of much of |
| Hallux limitis? | | | | the crunching. This will slow down the progression. |
| Hallux valgus is a crooked big toe joint. Over a period | | | | Some patients can really benefit from a surgical |
| of years, the great toe becomes much friendlier with | | | | procedure to realign and shorten the metatarsal to |
| the second toe and drifts toward and eventually | | | | give the joint better biomechanics and more joint |
| under or over the second toe. At the same time, the | | | | space. Unaddressed Hallux limitis leads to complete |
| first metatarsal (long bone connected to the great | | | | joint destruction and the need for a fusion or joint |
| toe) drifts towards the center of your body making | | | | replacement. |
| the distinctive bump. This starts out as a minor | | | | The flip side to this story is that patients with Hallux |
| annoyance, but then quickly becomes a shoe problem | | | | valgus or your tradition bunion can often delay |
| with rubbing on the bump. Most people seek the | | | | treatment until they start to have pain. Bunions in the |
| attention of a podiatrist when the bump is rubbing in | | | | early stages are a cosmetic concern, but the joint is |
| their shoe and becomes painful. If the deformity is | | | | usually not damaged until the later stages. It is |
| allowed to progress, the great toe joint can actually | | | | important to address Hallux valgus when it starts to |
| start to dislocate and you will start to experience | | | | hurt so the joint is not permanently injured, but a |
| joint pain and degeneration. | | | | bump, in the absence, of pain can wait. |
| Hallux limitis is wear and tear arthritis or osteoarthritis | | | | The take home message is to have your great toe |
| of the great toe joint. Many people are predisposed | | | | pain examined by a podiatrist. A full examination |
| to have this problem by the underlying biomechanical | | | | including functional biomechanics and x-rays can |
| function of their joint. It becomes much worse after | | | | determine whether your pain is from Hallux valgus, |
| an injury or repetitive trauma from things like high | | | | Hallux limitis or a combination. Only then can you |
| heeled shoes, ballet or some sports. The symptoms | | | | make an informed decision on treatments for your |
| are different than Hallux valgus. Hallux limitis usually | | | | foot deformity and pain. Waiting until you can't stand |
| starts with a feeling of stiffness of the joint. It can | | | | it anymore is a recipe for unhappy outcomes! If you |
| be accompanied by swelling and redness. This usually | | | | have great toe pain with or without a bump, don't |
| progresses to a decrease in range of motion, a | | | | delay. See your podiatrist today! |
| distinctive crunching feeling when moving the joint | | | | |