When you look down at your feet, do your toes lay straight and flat on the ground, or are they a little crooked and bent? It’s not uncommon to have toes that are a bit cattywompus, and if they aren’t causing you any pain, you may assume that you can just ignore them.
But is this really the optimal plan, or should you be a little more proactive in treating your crooked toes? In today’s blog, we explain what you should do if you have crooked but not painful toes.
Crooked Toe Treatment
After years of stress and strain, it’s not unusual for our toes take on a bit of a bent or crooked appearance. You may notice this when you’re taking a shower or putting on your socks, but if they aren’t painful, you may assume that it’s nothing to be concerned about. These crooked toes aren’t a major health issue, but at the same time, you probably don’t want to just ignore them.
Oftentimes crooked toes are caused by a gradual shift or degeneration of the toe joint, or due to damage to the ligaments that help our toe lay flat. Left untreated, your big toe joint can continue to shift, leading to an eventual bunion, and unaddressed ligament damage can lead to soft or stiff hammertoes, which can make wearing shoes difficult and painful. So what should you do if you notice that your toe are crooked, even if they aren’t yet painful? Here’s our advice:
1. Consult With A Doctor – We’re not saying that you need to set up an appointment with a foot specialist over some asymptomatic crooked toes, but it doesn’t hurt to talk about them with your doctor at your annual physical. They can give you some advice and make sure there is nothing major going on. Odds are they’ll mentioned some of the techniques listed below, but it’s a good idea to at least have a professional give your toes a look.
2. Change Your Shoes – Problems like bunions and hammertoes are typically caused and worsened by ill-fitting shoes. If your shoes are too tight or you have a very narrow toe box, excessive pressure will be put on your toes, and that can slowly lead to crooked, bent and shifted toes. Make sure that your toes have room to lay flat within your shoes.
3. Toe Spacers – Toe spacers are a simple tool that can help with your toe alignment. They aren’t going to be able to reverse years of degeneration, but they can help to take stress off your toes and prevent further shifting. Some people like to wear these toe spacers at night when they are sleeping for hours of passive treatment.
4. Orthotic Inserts – Orthotic inserts can change how stress is dispersed on your feet, and you can find inserts that place less stress on your toe box, helping to slow or prevent toe shifting issues. You can find over-the-counter options that help treat bunions, or you can work with a specialist to have a specific set custom made to your exact foot shape for maximum benefit.
5. Watchful Waiting – Finally, if you follow a few of the above tips, the only other thing you may want to do is be a little more proactive in watching your toes. If shifting gets worse, you may want to connect with a foot specialist. If alignment stays the same or even improves, you may just want to keep following the above tips and continue monitoring the situation. You shouldn’t wait until crooked toes become painful, so if you notice that a visual deformity is getting more exaggerated, even if it’s not yet painful, set up an appointment with a doctor.