With the recent Winter Olympics, everyone gets excited about their favorite ski-resort activity. Whether you enjoy the adrendaline rush of skiing down the slopes or a more relaxed cross-country ski, it is a great way to stay active. Before you hit the slopes during your vacation, there are a few Olympic-quality tips to keep you and your feet happy.
1. Be sure to stretch thoroughly before you venture into the cold whether.
2. Wear the right shoes for your activity. Make sure ski boots are the proper size to allow good blood flow and nerve sensation to the feet. If you wear orthotics, be sure to have enough room to accomodate those as well.
3. Wear the right socks. You want to keep moisture away from your feet to prevent any blisters. This can be done with moisture-wicking socks made of smart wool, polypropylene, or acrylic fibers.
While cross-country skiing is an excellent aerobic activity there are a few foot risks to watch out for if this is a regular activity. The repeated stress of pushing off the skiis in a straight inline motion causes the big toe to stay bent at its hinge. Over a long period of time, this can lead to a condition called Hallux Rigidus, where a bone spur forms on top of the big toe joint and there is a slow destruction of the joint. Instead, change your technique by using a V-style glide and edge motion, similar to ice skates or roller blades. This puts less stress on the big toe. Hallux Limitus/Rigidus is a form of arthritis, an inflammation of the joint. This comes along with swelling and tenderness during and after skiing. If you have any foot conditions bothering you before or after, you may want to check in with Dr. Grimm or Dr. Pattison for an evaluation to get you back to going for the gold.
Showing posts with label hallux rigidus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hallux rigidus. Show all posts
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tackle Troublesome Big Toe Pain
New year equals new you! This is a very general resolution. A lot of people make them, and 2010 is unique since we’ve just begun a new decade. Resolving to change our behavior in one of the areas that will improve our health in the pursuit of increased vitality and longevity is universal. Have you ever made goals in the past to lose weight, walk more, or run a certain number of races and been hindered by a big pain in the toe?
Big toe (hallux) pain can be attributed to many things such as gout, bunions, stress fractures and ingrown toenails; however, one of the most frequent causes is a condition called hallux limitus. Essentially, it is limited range of motion of the hallux characterized by pain, stiffness, an enlarged toe joint in later stages, and occasionally swelling with heightened activity levels. It’s caused by biomechanical and structural abnormalities such as a dorsiflexed first metatarsal secondary to excessive pronation and hypermobility of the first ray or a long first metatarsal relative to the second metatarsal. Muscle imbalances including a weak peroneus longus, overpowering of the tibialis anterior, and contracture of plantar fascia and intrinsic foot muscles may also contribute to decreased hallux range of motion.
Conservative treatment ranges from casting the feet for orthotics in order to minimize some of the excess of pronation to prescribing a plate fitted for shoes that may not be rigid enough to counter the hallux hypermobility. Hallux limitus left untreated may eventually progress to hallux rigidus. Hallux rigidus is characterized by an even greater restriction of motion in the hallux and is a sign of degenerative arthritis in the big toe joint. Surgical treatment to decrease the pain is often necessary when the big toe deformity has progressed to hallux rigidus. Surgical treatment options include cleaning out the joint space, implanting a joint, and fusing the first metatarsalphalangeal joint.
Runners are generally are more susceptible to developing hallux limitus since the foot endures stronger forces when pronating during running as opposed to walking. Therefore, it’s important to see your podiatrist sooner rather than later so that conservative measures can be taken to preserve the joint. Don’t let a pain in the big toe prevent you from achieving your resolutions!
Big toe (hallux) pain can be attributed to many things such as gout, bunions, stress fractures and ingrown toenails; however, one of the most frequent causes is a condition called hallux limitus. Essentially, it is limited range of motion of the hallux characterized by pain, stiffness, an enlarged toe joint in later stages, and occasionally swelling with heightened activity levels. It’s caused by biomechanical and structural abnormalities such as a dorsiflexed first metatarsal secondary to excessive pronation and hypermobility of the first ray or a long first metatarsal relative to the second metatarsal. Muscle imbalances including a weak peroneus longus, overpowering of the tibialis anterior, and contracture of plantar fascia and intrinsic foot muscles may also contribute to decreased hallux range of motion.
Conservative treatment ranges from casting the feet for orthotics in order to minimize some of the excess of pronation to prescribing a plate fitted for shoes that may not be rigid enough to counter the hallux hypermobility. Hallux limitus left untreated may eventually progress to hallux rigidus. Hallux rigidus is characterized by an even greater restriction of motion in the hallux and is a sign of degenerative arthritis in the big toe joint. Surgical treatment to decrease the pain is often necessary when the big toe deformity has progressed to hallux rigidus. Surgical treatment options include cleaning out the joint space, implanting a joint, and fusing the first metatarsalphalangeal joint.
Runners are generally are more susceptible to developing hallux limitus since the foot endures stronger forces when pronating during running as opposed to walking. Therefore, it’s important to see your podiatrist sooner rather than later so that conservative measures can be taken to preserve the joint. Don’t let a pain in the big toe prevent you from achieving your resolutions!
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