If you have pain in your big toe, especially if there’s a strange bump at the base, it can be easy to assume you have a bunion. However, that may not be the case. Another foot condition called hallux rigidus can also impact the big toe.
What both conditions do have in common is they can cause serious pain and make it hard to spend time on your feet. However, what both conditions involve is completely different.
Our talented podiatrists at Advanced Care Foot and Ankle in Corona and Ontario, California, are very experienced in diagnosing and treating painful foot conditions. In this blog, they explain what hallux rigidus is and some of its treatment options.
There’s a reason why people confuse hallux rigidus with bunions, because both conditions impact the big toe where it connects to your foot. And the similarities don’t stop there. They also cause symptoms that include:
However, bunions and hallux rigidus have some big differences. A bunion causes a visual distortion on the side of the joint of the big toe. Bunions develop because the bones that form the joint become misaligned, which leads to a pronounced deformity at the base of the big toe.
However, with hallux rigidus, the bump forms on top of the toe. Hallux rigidus develops due to cartilage degeneration at the base of the big toe. As space within the joint narrows, it can lead to pain and stiffness along with bony growths (bone spurs) on top of the joint.
Hallux rigidus can occur for numerous reasons. For example, having a bunion can lead to the development of hallux rigidus. In general, anything that can cause cartilage damage and degeneration in the joint of the big toe can cause the condition, such as:
Like many foot problems, hallux rigidus is easiest to treat in the earliest stages. So, if you have pain in your big toe that causes you to avoid walking on it, don’t wait to schedule an appointment.
Our team can often diagnose hallux rigidus during a physical examination. However, we could also perform X-rays to assess the extent of your condition and look for any other issues.
After reaching a diagnosis, we could suggest several treatments to ease your symptoms. Fortunately, when detected early, conservative solutions can offer significant relief, such as:
If your symptoms don’t respond to conservative therapies, we could suggest surgery. There are several surgical methods to treat hallux rigidus.
For mild or moderate conditions, we might remove some bone and bone spurs in the area to create more room for the toe to bend. However, more severe cases of hallux rigidus could require fusing the big toe joint into a permanent position or replacing the joint entirely.
Recovering from these surgical procedures can take up to six months, depending on your treatment.
Do you have pain in your big toe? To get the help you need, book an appointment online or over the phone with Advanced Care Foot and Ankle today.