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Toe and Forefoot Conditions
Conditions of the toes and forefoot are a common presentation to our clinic.
Whilst it may seem like a small part of the body, there are a number of things that can go wrong. In the forefoot alone there are 19 bones and dozens of small muscles, tendons and ligaments!
Injuries to the forefoot and toes can occur due to a number of reasons and can affect any population group.
They can be caused by acute trauma such as a tripping or stubbing injury, an underlying health condition such as arthritis or an overuse injury such as a plantar plate injury.
The forefoot and gait cycle:
The toes and forefoot are responsible for the propulsion phase of gait – that is, when your toes are flexed and your heels are off the ground to allow you to move forward to the next step. This is also when the forefoot is under the most amount of pressure, meaning that an injury to this area can begin to affect the way in which you walk. The big toe is the main driving force to allows your foot to propel you forward.
If it cannot do its job properly due to injury or degeneration, the rest of the forefoot must pick up the load, which it is not designed to do. Luckily, there are a variety of treatment options available to help with forefoot pain!
Our podiatrists commonly assess and treat the following conditions:
- Clawed/hammer toes
- Morton’s neuromas
- Bursitis
- Synovitis
- Plantar plate tears
- Turf toe
- Bunions (HAV – hallux abductovalgus)
- Talors bunions
- Freiberg’s disease
- Gout
- Sesamoiditis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Hallux limitus/rigidus
- Polydactyly
- Tendinopathies of the muscles that flex and extend the toes.
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