Have you noticed swelling and pain when moving your big toe joint? Have you noticed a lump on top of the toe joint that gets irritated in shoes? You may have arthritis in your big toe joint otherwise known as hallux limitus. "Hallux" is the big toe and "Limitus" means limitation. Hallux Limitus is a condition where the movement of the big toe is restricted and reduced. The big toe joint is very important when we walk, squat, walk uphill, or even stand. If you have pain, swelling or stiffness in your big toe, you may have this condition.
As time goes on the cartilage gets increasingly more damaged and you lose mobility in the joint. The joint becomes extremely stiff and will develop spurs, a lump on the top of the joint. Loss of big toe joint function is disabling. We need to be able to use our big toe joint to propel our body forward as we walk. Ignoring the condition will cause problems up the kinetic chain in the ankle, knees, and hips
What causes hallux limitus or arthritis in the big toe joint?
1. Faulty biomechanics in your foot and leg - If you have swelling and stiffness in both big toe joints most likely it is due to one tendon overpowering another tendon. The tendon on the outside of your ankle joint, the peroneal longus tendon stabilizes the base of the first metatarsal, the long bone in your big toe joint. If the tendon is weak and the posterior tibial tendon on the inside of your ankle is too strong the metatarsal pops up. If the metatarsal is not stable the joint jambs every time you take a step, causing spurs to develop over time. The pain will cause you to walk on the outside of your foot, further weakening the peroneal tendon.
2. Injury or Trauma Bumping or stubbing the toe injures the cartilage in the big toe joint - Cartilage is not able to repair itself. Though it is made of cells and tissues, cartilage cannot repair itself due to the lack of blood vessels and enough blood supply to create and make new cells. If left untreated the condition worsens over time causing arthritis in the joint.
3. Excessive Pronation or Flat Feet - Pronation is not bad necessarily. You need to roll in at the joint underneath your ankle to walk properly. It helps load the foot to prepare for the toe off and move your body forward. Like anything else too much of a good thing is bad. When you pronate too much it puts excess pressure on the big toe joint causing increased wear and tear of the joint.
4. Overuse - Patients with jobs that require squatting or stooping can cause injury to the joint. This repetitive motion day after day can cause stress and strain on the joint. Taking regular breaks and wearing custom-molded orthotics can help.
5. Wearing the wrong shoes - This is not a true cause but wearing unsupportive flexible shoes can accelerate and worsen the condition. Avoid shoes like ballet flats and boat shoes. They do not offer much support and are too flexible. Choose a shoe with a stiffer sole that does not easily bend under the ball of the foot.
If you are suffering from pain in your big toe joint, we can help! We have shockwave, laser, in-house x-ray, and same-day custom-molded orthotics to get you better faster. Call us today to schedule an appointment.