Mortons Toe
Saving your toe with right toe box. Morton’s Toe or mortons Foot is a common forefoot disorder where the second toe is longer than the Big Toe (the Hallux). It is a particular form of metatarsalqia caused by enlargement of the digital nerve. Over 70 years ago, Dr. Dudley Morton discovered that many people had a short first metatarsal bone. He concluded that this condition impacted their gait, causing your foot to hyperpronate—a dysfunction of the foot causing your ankles to roll in when you stand, walk and run.
Morton’s toe leads to excessive pressure on the second metatarsal head. The second metatarsal head is behind the second toe at the ball- of-the-foot. The constant pressure placed on the longer second toe while walking or standing can lead to callus formation under the second metatarsal head due to this excessive pressure. The use of orthotics can align the foot by providing arch support.
Treatment of Morton’s toe includes wearing proper footwear. Choose footwear with a high and wide toe box. You might want to try to wear shoes that are large enough to accommodate the longest toe, in this case the second one.
Orthotics that feature arch support to keep the foot aligned, and a metatarsal pad to reduce stress on the ball-of-the-foot are often recommended when treating this condition. Proper footwear combined with an effective orthotic will provide relief from pain associated with Morton’s Toe. A metatarsal pad may also be used to help reduce stress on the ball of the foot. Proper shoes and orthotics help realign the feet for a proper motion and take off some of the added pressures on the forefoot.
If these conservative treatments fail, please consult your physician.
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Tagged With arch support, big toe, conservative treatments, metatarsal bone, metatarsal head, metatarsal pad, mortons foot, mortons neuroma, mortons toe, orthotic, proper footwear
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Thanks for sharing this information! The more useful and knowledgeable information out there the better. Please consider custom orthotics for treating foot pain in cases of flat feet or high arched individuals.
Dr. Michael Horowitz, Vancouver Orthotics