Do you have a freakishly long second toe? Does the ball of
your foot or your second toe hurt after running? Is the toenail on your second
toe deformed or black? You may have what has been coined as “Morton’s toe”. Really this is a condition that is usually
characterized by a cosmetically long second toe; but really it’s a short,
hypermobile 1st ray (that’s your big toe and the metatarsal behind
it) and a long second metatarsal (often the same length as the 1st
metatarsal).
This foot structure is known to cause lower extremity pain
due to hypermobility. Examples of problems associated with this foot type are:
Metatarsalgia
(ball of foot pain)
Morton’s
neuroma
Capsulitis
of the 2nd MPJ
Hallux
Valgus or Limitis
Metatarsal
stress fractures
Plantar
fasciitis
Calluses
Hammertoes
Posterior
tibial tendonitis
Shin
splints
IT Band
Syndrome
Chondromalacia
Calf
strains
Lower Back
Pain, Piriformis syndrome and even neck pain!
Wow! Lots of problems due to an inherited foot type! Morton’s toe can really affect your posture
and change the way you run and walk. The
most common thing that we see is an excessive adductory twist on toe off (also
called late-stage pronation). This is when you barely pronate in your rearfoot
but wear away the forefoot of your running shoe with a twisting motion when you
push off.
There are no running shoes that are fabricated to stop late
stage pronation or an adductory twist, but a simple functional orthotic can
really change the function of the inherited unstable foot and allow you to run,
jump and play with all the other kids without pain.
So, if you do have a freakishly long 2nd toe and have had a myriad of postural symptoms, give us a call and let’s see what we can do to straighten that wobbly tire with a functional orthotic prior to contemplating surgical correction!
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