| Description:
Overlapping toes can occur in any of the toes and can cause extreme irritation if not corrected. Many disorders can affect the joints in the toes, causing pain and preventing the foot from functioning as it should. People of all ages can experience forefoot problems
What causes it:
The main cause of overlapping toes is bunions. As a bunion progresses it can cause the big toe to start to rest under the second toe. Other causes of overlapping toes are improper footwear, rheumatoid arthritis, hereditary factors and injury to the toes. Many additional disorders can affect the joints in the toes including arthritis, autoimmune diseases, trauma, congenital deviations, hammertoes, etc.
How to help the pain:
Any problems that cause pain or discomfort in the toes should be given prompt attention. Ignoring the symptoms can aggravate the condition, and lead to infection or a breakdown of tissue.
Conservative, non-surgical treatment of overlapping toes begins with accommodating the disorder with extra depth shoes. Shoes with a high, broad toe box (toe area) are recommended to keep the top of the toes from rubbing against the shoe.
Forefoot supports such as gel toe straighteners, gel toe caps and toe combs are often recommended to keep overlapping toes apart. These effective devices are designed to reduce friction to help relieve the discomfort.
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