What is that pain under my big toe?
Our big toe joint plays an important role in helping us balance, stabilise and propels us into the next step when we walk. So it’s understandable that having pain underneath our big toe can be very irritating. One possible cause of this pain could be an irritation of two small bones under your big toe joint that we call sesamoid bones. The sesamoids are responsible for guiding and protecting the tendons that run into the big toe, as well as dispersing force as we walk and run. Because of the important role they play in our feet, they are susceptible to overuse injuries such as sesamoid stress fractures or sesamoiditis.
Sesamoiditis is the chronic inflammation of the tendons attached to the sesamoid bones. It is quite a common diagnosis, accounting for up to 9% of all foot injuries.
Who is susceptible to Sesamoiditis?
- Runners
- Dancers (particularly ballet dancers)
- People that wear high heels often
- People with poor-fitting shoes
- People who have experienced trauma to the area
- People with high or low foot arches
What can podiatrists do about sesamoiditis?
Thankfully, there’s plenty your podiatrist can do to help you manage your sesamoiditis as quickly as possible. If RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) has not improved your pain, it is best to see a podiatrist for a more serious solution. Podiatrists can apply specific sesamoiditis taping and padding to the joint to reduce load here. We can recommend shoes that will help to decrease the pressure on the sesamoids and assure adequate stability around the joint. We can perform standing, walking and running assessments and look at which risk factors are predisposing you to sesamoiditis. Podiatrists can also create customised orthotics to reduce load through your sesamoids and minimise your risk of developing a sesamoid stress fracture.
If you think you have sesamoiditis, it is important to visit a podiatrist and have them assess and diagnose your pain appropriately. We are experts at managing foot pain, so make sure you call The Movement Centre or book your appointment online now.
