Hallux Limitus, Hallux Rigidus or Big Toe Arthritis are all essentially the same condition. The condition arises when arthritis build up within the 1st MTP or Big Toe joint which limits the motion of the big toe joint, causing painful motion in the big toe joint. This is a very common condition and very treatable. Big Toe arthritis is caused generally just by wear and tear on the big toe joint. There is also a genetic factor too, as certain people are prone to the condition more than others.
Here is a video of what hallux limitus looks like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq39yJwWo0s
Best Five Treatments for Hallux Limitus, Hallux Rigidus or Big Toe Arthritis:
5. Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory or Tylenol. After all this is arthritis, so naturally anti arthritic medication would grant the person some relief from the condition. Now, you would have to take the medication semi regularly for it to be effective and should be combined with some of the other treatments that will be listed below. But anti inflammatory meds are a cheap and effective way of treating arthritis as long as they are combined with other methods of treatment.
4. Cortisone injections into the Big Toe joint– When the joint becomes inflamed as with the knee joint, cortisone can be injected into the 1st MTP to offer relief from the pain. However, the steroid relief will only be temporary; a couple of months or a couple of days. Also, the steroid does actually have negative effects on the joints as it will precipitate within the joint causing further destruction of the cartilage. There has been some new research similar to Supartz injections being done in the 1st MTP and that offers a little more hope than cartilage shots within the joint.
Video of what a cortisone shot into the Big Toe Joint looks like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hmk_Qpf38s
3. Change the shoes– One of the treatments is to change from a flatbottom shoe into a rocker bottom shoe. By wearing a rocker bottom shoe, the stress is taken off the first MPJ during gait allowing a more normal and painless propulsion. This is the ideal treatment for the person who is over 60 and has no interest in surgey or orthotics. There are many different shoes and models avaialbe with a rocker bottom. Below is an article on the best shoes to wear for the Hallux Limitus or Big Toe arthritis sufferer:
2. Orthotics– Orthotics help by being able to change insert from shoe to shoe. They function similar to the shoes as by wearing the orthotic you can take stress off of the first MTP and make a more natural gait. There are two types of orthotics. The best kind are custom orthotics made by Podiatrists. These orthotics can be expensive running as high as five hundred dollars, but they can be covered by insurance in some cases. The other kind of orthotic is an over the counter orthotic similar to orthotics seen in drug stores. There are certain types of orthotics that are over the counter that are more effective for hallux rigidus than others. I have provided an example of these orthotics here:
1. Have the surgery. Everyone knows the person who had bunion surgery and now can no longer walk again. But, hallux limitus surgery tends to be extremely successful. A lot of the big toe arthritis surgery is technically easy to perform. There are multiple different procedures that can be performed depending on the degree of arthritis in person’s joint, their age and other factors. See a Podiatrist, as they do this surgery all the time and have more experience. Typically the surgery will last under an hour and you will be back on your feet in no time. Here is a quality video to explain, the different types of hallux limitus or rigidus surgery:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzLLa0IEgVU
I hope this article has been helpful in assisting you on making your decisions about your hallux limitus or rigidus treatment.
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