Stiffness in Your Big Toe—Should You Be Concerned?

At Goldsmith Podiatry, part of the problem in helping our Manhattan patients detect developing foot problems is their progressive nature. What do we mean by that? Many foot disorders start gradually and in their early stages’ patients tend to ignore them because the discomfort is not severe. But progressive means the condition will continue to get worse. One condition where this is true is Hallux Rigidus, a form of degenerative arthritis, which affects your big toe.

How it Starts

At first, you may notice just some stiffness and pain in the joint at the base of your big toe. It might be worse when the weather is cold and damp or aggravated by certain activities such as squatting or running. As time goes on the pain and stiffness get worse, are more constant, and are accompanied by swelling and inflammation around the joint. It can become difficult to wear shoes. You may even begin to experience pain in the knee, hip, or lower back because you are altering the way you walk in an attempt to lessen the pain. Eventually, the toe will become rigid or “frozen” in one position with no range of motion.

Causes and Treatment

There are several potential causes of Hallux Rigidus:

• Biomechanical defect or structural abnormality in the foot

• Secondary condition arising from other foot problems such as flat feet or excessive pronation.

• Overuse—activities or work that put repetitive strain on the big toe such as stopping or squatting

• Previous injury to the big toe

• Inflammatory diseases such as gout or rheumatoid arthritis

• Genetics

If you are experiencing any stiffness or discomfort in your big toe it’s important to get it evaluated by our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia or Dr. Kristina Ruff. The podiatrist will take your medical history, examine your foot and most likely order x-rays to see the degree of arthritis present. There are several conservative treatment methods including shoe modifications, orthotics and physical therapy that can slow the progression but they are most effective when started in the earliest stages of hallux rigidus. When the toe is completely rigid surgery may be the only option for relief. Don’t wait. If you have symptoms of this condition contact our Upper West Side office  by calling 212-877-1002 for an appointment today.