A big welcome to our update page! This is where we will keep you informed about any news within the practice; give insightful information that we feel could be of interest or help for specific conditions, that our visitors may wish to learn more about!
So what can we tell you first of all?
Our feet have 26 bones in each foot, that is one more than the hands, having only 25. As babies the bones of the foot are very soft and flexible with a high density of cartilage, which gradually gets harder as we grow. Our big toe joint is the main flexor of the foot and approximately 80% of our body weight is supported through the big toe whilst walking. We alternate from one foot to the other, striking down through our heel on one side, whilst the other foot's toes push off propelling us forward with 7 movements in total between each stride of both feet known as the 'gait cycle'. So it is hardly surprising that as time goes on through our years of growth and development that our big toe joint (or great toe) can sometimes start to complain a little! Hallux limitus ( a Latin phrase, for limited movement of the big toe joint), is a condition where the movement is restricted but the joint is trying hard to work and this can give rise to pain on and off. This can also lead to arthritis, the joint sometimes becoming a rigid lever, where there is little or no movement at all. As such the other toes of the foot have to take over to help whilst walking and this in turn can lead to changes in the foot's shape or overall function.
If you have painful big toes, help is at hand! We can alleviate joint pain with sometimes just simple taping techniques, strapping or padding in the shoe(s). We can also make chair side 'simple insoles', or adapt the insoles in your shoes or even make a cast of your feet to provide a device, to offload that joint to improve your comfort, to make walking a joy again. No problem is too small for our team of practitioners, here to help you every step of the way! Sometimes the simplest solution is all that it takes...
So if you would like some help or advice about painful feet or toe joints, get in touch and take your first step in the right direction for comfortable feet to last you a lifetime....
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