The following is the first installment of our five-part series on why each of your toes may be in pain. To kick things off, we’re looking at a common source of foot pain, which is pain in the big toe region. Below, we take a closer look at what might be causing pain in your big toe.
Your big toe handles a significant amount of stress with every step you take. While all of your toes play a role in handling the stress of your body weight as you stand and propelling you forward as you walk and run, the largest of your toes ends up taking on a larger portion of this stress. But it’s not just this regular stress that could be causing the discomfort in your big toe. Let’s look at some of the most common causes of big toe pain:
Causes Of Big Toe Pain
Toe Fracture/Bruise – If you stub your toe on a chair or you drop a heavy box on it, there’s a chance you’re dealing with a fractured or bruised toe. Even if you’re unsure of the extent of your injuries, it likely won’t come as a surprise as to why you’re dealing with discomfort. You suffered trauma to the toe, and a bruise or fracture has occurred.
Bunion – A bunion occurs when the joint at the base of your big toe shifts out of its natural position. This typically occurs slowly over time, so you don’t need to fear one forming overnight. That said, their slow onset also means that people aren’t always aware that a bunion is progressing. Oftentimes caused by shoes that are overly tight that put pressure on the front and side of the big toe joint, a bunion that isn’t caught early enough will require surgery to fix.
Hallux rigidus – Hallux rigidus is the term that describes degenerative arthritis in the big toe joint. As protective cartilage decreases, bone spurs can form as the body attempts to protect the area from painful movement. This can lead to stiffness, weakness and pain with pressure or movement. Changing to a shoe that has a stiffer toe or something more protective of the big toe as a whole can help manage discomfort from big toe arthritis.
Gout – Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that is caused by a build up of uric acid in the body and the big toe. This leads to the formation of crystal deposits that irritate the soft tissues in the area, causing painful movement, stiffness and swelling. Exercise and an improved diet are two ways to decrease uric acid buildup in your body.
Sesamoiditis – There are two small bones at the bottom part of your big toe called sesamoid bones. These bones aren’t found in your other toes, and they are there to provide additional support to the big toe and facilitate normal movement. They attach to a tendon the powers the big toe joint, and if the sesamoid bones are damaged or the tendon is strained or torn, symptoms can develop. Protecting the area from additional stress and performing some simple physical therapy exercises to improve the function of the tendon can help you overcome pain from sesamoiditis.
Ingrown Toenail – Finally, the most common location for an ingrown toenail to develop is on your big toe. Caused by poor nail trimming habits or ill-fitting shoes, an ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows incorrectly into the surrounding soft flesh on your toe. It can lead to pain, difficultly walking, redness, swelling and discharge. You can learn more about treating an ingrown toenail here.
If you want to get to the bottom of your toe pain, connect with a specialist in your area or reach out to Dr. Silverman for more information! And stay tuned to our blog for information about injuries and ailments that affect the other toes on your feet!