Big Toe Joint Pain
Facts About Big Toe Joint Pain
Big toe joint pain that gets worse as time progresses is usually a condition known as Hallux Rigidus. This is the second most common disorder of the joint in the big toe. Hallux Rigidus, also known as ‘frozen joint’ is a joint disorder on the bottom of the big toe. It is a progressive form of degenerate arthritis.
Hallux Rigidus causes stiffness and pain in the first metatarsophalanged (MTP) joint of the big toe. Often the entire toe becomes unmovable or stiff. These symptoms are often confused with bunions, but this condition has more serious effects and requires more treatment. Often this condition begins as simple stiffness in the big toes, which is a condition that is called Hallux Limitus. This is considered to be the early stages of Hallux Rigidus, and the symptoms continue to grow worse as time progresses and the joints begin to lose movement and range of motion.
Patients suffering from Hallux Rigidus will experience pain and stiffness in their big toe, especially in cold and damp weather. This big toe joint pain can lead to difficulties walking, standing, kneeling and climbing. These symptoms get worse as time passes and can lead to pain and discomfort even when the person is resting. Often people with Hallux Rigidus will limp due the pain caused by walking. Because of this, the patient may also notice changes in their posture, due to problems in their gate, which may lead to pain in the hips or back. Often bumpy growths called bone spurs will develop as well and can cause even more pain when wearing shoes.
Hallux Rigidus may be an inherited condition or acquired from overuse or injury. As conditions like gout or rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint inflammation, these conditions can also lead to Hallux Rigidus. It is caused by structural abnormalities of the foot or by improperly functioning parts if the foot, causing wear and tear on the articular cartilage. Damage to the cartilage causes the bones to rub against one another and osteoarthritis develops. Injuries to the feet that change or alter the working parts of your foot can cause this. Extreme overuse or improperly fitting shoes can contribute as well. People with foot abnormalities such as fallen arches or ankle pronations are more likely to develop Hallux Rigidus.
The earlier a doctor can diagnose Hallux Rigidus the easier and more successful the treatments will be. Once bone spurs develop the condition becomes harder to treat. A doctor will usually diagnose Hallux Rigidus by physically checking the big toe’s range of motion and by inspecting the bone’s structure using x-rays.
Some of the treatments available for Hallux Rigidus pain may include orthotic devices worn in the shoes to help remove some of the stress and improve function, as well as stiffer and more supportive shoes. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications may work as well to reduce inflammation and pain. Physical therapy, including ultrasound therapies may help reduce pain in some people, as well as injections of corticosteroids. In some cases, big toe joint pain may be severe enough to require surgery.
There are many types of surgery for Hallux Rigidus, and they are dependent on the type of deformity, the development of bone spurs and the patient’s age and activity levels. There are some joint sparing procedures such as a Cheilectomy (removing boney lumps on the foot) and the Moberg Procedure (which includes resetting the joint to improve its function). Other possible types of surgery include MT osteotomy, a joint arthroplast and joint arthrodesis. Only a doctor can determine if surgery is required and which type of surgery is best. Surgery carries certain risks, may have long recovery times and may have limited success.