While Hallux Rigidus may sound like a spell out of a Harry Potter movie, it is in fact a condition that affects the joint located at the end of the big toe. The increasing pain you are experiencing in your foot as you move through your daily activities each day could, in fact, be caused by just one digit on your foot. So what is this condition, and how do you go about fixing the problem?
Hallux Rigidis Explained
'Hallux' is the Latin term for toe, and 'rigidis' is Latin for rigid. Therefore, this condition literally translates to rigid toe or stiff toe. Having a toe that is stiff causes pain because there is a lot of pressure put onto this part of the foot whenever you walk stand, climb, and even walk. This explains why the pain in your foot progressively worsens during the course of the day, until you are in extreme pain by the end of it. …show more content…
It often occurs as a by-product of another foot condition going untreated. People who have fallen arches, for example, will often end up with hallux rigidis because of the way they walk to compensate for their arch issues. This puts extra pressure on the toe joint, which then degenerates faster than normal. As the toe joint begins to fail, at first the toe becomes limited in its function. But over time, this limited motion slows up until no motion happens. At this stage, hallux rigidis has fully taken over the toe joint.
Hallux Rigidus Diagnosed
There are a number of symptoms that will indicate you are experiencing degeneration in your toe joint. These include:
Pain in the toe area that gets progressively worse through the course of the day.
An increase in toe swelling during cold or damp weather.
Continual difficulty doing exercises that put pressure on the toe area. Running and squats are examples of these.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, a trip to your podiatrist is the first step towards professional diagnosis of your
Hallux Rigidis Explained
'Hallux' is the Latin term for toe, and 'rigidis' is Latin for rigid. Therefore, this condition literally translates to rigid toe or stiff toe. Having a toe that is stiff causes pain because there is a lot of pressure put onto this part of the foot whenever you walk stand, climb, and even walk. This explains why the pain in your foot progressively worsens during the course of the day, until you are in extreme pain by the end of it. …show more content…
It often occurs as a by-product of another foot condition going untreated. People who have fallen arches, for example, will often end up with hallux rigidis because of the way they walk to compensate for their arch issues. This puts extra pressure on the toe joint, which then degenerates faster than normal. As the toe joint begins to fail, at first the toe becomes limited in its function. But over time, this limited motion slows up until no motion happens. At this stage, hallux rigidis has fully taken over the toe joint.
Hallux Rigidus Diagnosed
There are a number of symptoms that will indicate you are experiencing degeneration in your toe joint. These include:
Pain in the toe area that gets progressively worse through the course of the day.
An increase in toe swelling during cold or damp weather.
Continual difficulty doing exercises that put pressure on the toe area. Running and squats are examples of these.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, a trip to your podiatrist is the first step towards professional diagnosis of your