The following is the third installment of our five-part series on why each of your toes may be in pain. You can learn more about why your big toe and second toe hurt by clicking the links to the blogs. Below, we take a closer look at what might be causing pain in your third toe.
Your third toe is pretty well protected. It’s rarely your longest toe and it’s nestled in the middle of your foot with two toes providing some protection on each side, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune from injury. Let’s take a closer look at some of the causes of pain in you third toe.
Causes Of Third Toe Pain
Fracture/Bruise – All of your toes can end up broken and bruised, and that’s certainly true about the third toe even though it has some more natural protection than others. If you get stepped on during sports or you take a hard fall off a ladder, it’s possible that your third toe could end up broken and bruised. However, given its position, it’s likely that other toes will also show signs of trauma since it’s difficult to have a traumatic injury isolated to just the third toe.
Morton’s Neuroma – Although we discussed Morton’s neuromas on our post about pain in the second toe, the most common location for a Morton’s neuroma to develop is closer to the third toe, meaning symptoms tend to be more noticeable near the base of the third toe. They develop when the tissue that envelops nerves in your feet thickens, giving you the sensation that you’re stepping on a pebble. Protecting the area from trauma and following other conservative care techniques can help a neuroma resolve.
Hammertoes/Claw Toes – Hammer toes and claw toes develop as a result of chronic pressure on the front of your toes. Athletes and exercise enthusiasts who wear shoes that are overly tight for their activities may progressively develop toes that are bent at the joint or curved downward. Physical therapy can help strengthen supportive soft tissues in the area, while switching to a roomier shoe is a must.
Metatarsalgia – Metatarsalgia involves pain in the metatarsal heads of the foot. This is the area where you push off from when walking or running. Pain tends to be most common in the second and third toe, and oftentimes involves more than one toe. Overstress coupled with poor gait mechanics or ill-supporting footwear can lead to metatarsalgia, which is oftentimes treated with basic conservative care techniques.
This list is a little shorter because the third toe doesn’t face as many challenges as other toes, but it’s still a source of pain for many patients. If you’re dealing with pain in your third toe or in another area of your foot, connect with Dr. Silverman and his team today!