Our busy lives often lead us to pay no attention to our overall health. Usually, we seek a quick fix to our health problems.

Pain is a way that the body reacts to the strain that we put on it. Our feet carry the whole weight, literally, and it’s not until they hurt that we realize they need care.

We need to understand better the things that can affect our feet. Some conditions specifically affect the big toe joint. The pain in your overall toe joints can also be due to various controllable and uncontrollable factors like:

• Capsulitis
• Arthritis
• Toe injuries
• Deformities in your toes

Joint Pain in the Big Toe

The big toe is the main target for conditions that affect your toe joints. Bunions develop when the big toe starts to move inward and creates a bump on the side of your foot.

Sesamoiditis is a condition that affects the Sesamoid bones that are located beneath the Metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, which connect your toes to the rest of your foot, of the big toe. Overusing the feet can lead to inflammation in these bones and the tendons that surround them.

Other conditions that can cause pain to this toe joint include:

• Hallux Rigdus. A type of Degenerative Arthritis.
• Turf Toe. A sprain to the main big toe joint.
• Gout. A type of Metabolic Arthritis.

Capsulitis

Capsulitis is when the capsule of the toe joints, formed by the ligaments surrounding them, becomes inflamed. This can be caused by excessive weight-bearing pressure being placed on the ball of your foot.

Factors that can lead to developing Capsulitis include:

• A Bunion Deformity
• The second toe is longer than the big toe
• Lack of a stable arch in your foot

Capsulitis can affect various of the toes in your foot but usually affects the second toe joint.

Arthritis

Although some Arthritis types affect mainly the big toe, the other toe joints can suffer from this disease. Arthritis can develop in any of the joints throughout the body.

Degenerative Arthritis is when the cartilage between these joints wears away. The bones will rub up against each other, causing pain in any of the toe joints affected.

There are also different kinds of Inflammatory Arthritis, like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis. In these cases, the body’s immune system malfunctions and attacks the joints with inflammation.

Toe Injuries

Pain in the toe joints sometimes can be the result of spraining or breaking a toe. Before treating an injury, it’s essential to know whether the toe joint pain is due to one or the other.

A sprain happens when the ligaments around the toes are torn or overstretched. Breaking a toe affects the bone itself and will cause bruising, swelling, and throbbing pain.

Conditions That Deform Your Toes

Some conditions that cause toe joint pain are the result of wearing improper footwear. If your shoes are too tight or force your toes to be in a weird position for a long time, the muscles around the toes start to tighten up and change your toes’ form.

The different conditions you can end up with include:

• Hammertoes
• Mallet toes
• Claw toes

Reliable Fresno Podiatrist

The path to healthier and pain-free feet starts with a visit to your Fresno podiatrist. At Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle, we pride ourselves on providing the best service possible with our 30+ years of experience.

Not in the Fresno area? You can also find us in Visalia and Porterville so contact us today!