Podiatry issues don’t just have to happen to your foot or ankle. Toes can cause many issues. We may not realize during our day-to-day lives how much they impact our balance and just being able to walk normally. Newtown Foot and Ankle Specialists, a podiatrist in Newtown, PA, highlights the many issues you can experience with your toes.
Common Toe Problems
Bunions and sprained or broken toes are probably the most common toe problems you may have heard of. But there are many other things that can happen to your toes. Turf toe is a sprain of the big toe joint that commonly occurs when you’re playing sports. Your toes may overlap when they shouldn’t and digital deformities can occur with genetics.
Hammertoe occurs when you have an imbalance in the structures that normally keep your toe straight. This causes the middle joint to bend downward, with the appearance of a hammer. Claw toes also have an abnormal bend in the middle joint. While intoeing is technically a foot issue, this is another name for being pigeon-toed, or when your feet turn inward when you walk.
Other toe problems include common complications that occur after you have bunion surgery, having a stiff big toe joint or a fully rigid big toe, and a bone spur that forms under your toenail. All of these things can impact the way you walk every day.
The Toes’ Impact
Your toes, particularly the big ones, are more important than you may think for your daily life. Having an injury can impact the ability you have to bear weight on the foot where the injury has occurred. This can lead to you favoring that foot and causing problems with an uneven gait. If you’re using one side more heavily, that can lead to various foot or joint issues in the side taking on more.
In particular, toe problems are an issue if you’re an athlete or even someone that’s on their feet a lot during the day. It’s essential for balance that all of your toes are carrying your weight properly. If you’re a woman that regularly wears heels, it’s crucial for that as well. They impact how you walk and move in these types of shoes.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Toe problems can be caused by anything from genetics to use injuries and everywhere in between. It can be hard to know the cause immediately. At our office, we can perform various diagnostic tests and podiatry services to get to the source of what’s causing you pain.
Once we have the cause, we’re able to specify a personalized treatment plan for your recovery. We want to address any issues with your pain and mobility and get you back to the everyday activities you love without pain.
Your Podiatrist in Newtown, Pennsylvania
Get quality care to get your feet back to normal. Call us or schedule an appointment online.