Chronic pressure and stress can cause crooked toes if you wear narrow-toed, high-heel shoes.The joints get warped, causing toes to become damaged.The big toe is vulnerable to this kind of injury.If they have trauma, toes can become crooked.The alignment of your toes can be impacted by other malformations.If you're caught early enough, you might be able to fix the crooked toes with non surgical treatments, but if the problem continues for too long you may need corrective surgery.
Step 1: You should make an appointment with your doctor.
If you have noticed that one or more of your toes are crooked, you should make an appointment to see your doctor.It's important to remember that your family doctor isn't a foot or joint specialist, so you may need to see a more specialized health professional.If you have a problem with your foot, your doctor may want to take an X-ray.People with diabetes are more likely to have foot problems than other people.
Step 2: You can get a referral to an orthodontist.
Joint specialists called orthopods use braces, splints, surgery or other methods to correct joint problems.If you have a crooked toe, you probably won't need surgery, but you may need anti-inflammatories or pain killers.Your orthopedist may want to take an X-ray, bone scans, or diagnostic scans to diagnose your foot condition.
Step 3: Go to the doctor.
A doctor who deals with feet is called a podiatric doctor.Minor surgeries of the foot can be performed, but they usually focus on foot/arch supports for your shoes, braces and custom made shoes.The most appropriate shoes for your feet can be found in a podiatrist's office.Natural, non-invasive treatments for foot/toe conditions may be offered by physical therapists, chiropractors and naturopaths.
Step 4: Take care of the pain.
A bunion is caused when the big toe is pushed towards the smaller toes by wearing shoes that are too narrow.Flat feet can contribute to bunion formation because of the inflammation, redness and dull, achy pain involved.As bunions progress, the big toe becomes more crooked and causes more pain, which may lead to joint problems in the ankle or knee.Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can help combat the swelling and pain caused by bunions.If the pain is severe, stronger drugs may be prescribed by your family doctor.Steroids can be used to fight pain and inflammation.
Step 5: Change your shoes.
Women who wear shoes that are too narrow are more likely to have bunions.Changing to shoes that have a wider toe box and better arch support can stop the progression and pain of a bunion, but it probably won't fix the problem.If the bunion is still painful and limits activity after giving up high-fashion shoes, then surgery should be considered.While your shoes are on, you should be able to wiggle your toes.There should be at least 1/2 inch of space between your big toes and the end of your shoes while standing up.Good choices are athletic shoes and walking sandals.
Step 6: Get a cast.
Depending on how long you've had the bunion, a plastic, wooden or metal splint can help reduce the pain and realign the joint.It depends on the degree of joint damage, but Silicone or felt pads can be used to relieve bunion pain.There are a lot of people who could help with splints or shoe orthotics.Balance and weight distribution throughout the muscles of your feet and toes can be corrected with arch supports and orthotics.Ice baths, massage and stretching can help reduce the pain of bunions.
Step 7: Consider surgery on the big toe.
Bunion surgery often involves shaving the bone and breaking it to set it straight.The toe bones are usually held in place with surgical pins and wires.For severely damaged joints, the joint may be fused together or completely removed and replaced with an artificial joint.The goal of surgery is pain relief and increased mobility, not to create a "prettier" foot or make it possible to wear high-heel shoes again.The bunion will come back if the shoes worn after the surgery are tight.Bunion correction is an outpatient procedure.The foot is covered with a bandage after the surgery.Wearing a protective boot for a minimum of six weeks after surgery is a common practice.Don't walk too much during this time.
Step 8: Get your toe realigned.
Toe dislocations are a common consequence of foot trauma, whether it's accidental or intentional.A dislocation of a toe can be painful, but it doesn't usually involve a break.The most appropriate treatment for a dislocating toe is to have a manual procedure done.Immediately after treatment, there is pain relief.Dislocations often need intervention from a health professional.It's important to get treatment soon after an injury so that you don't end up with permanent damage.
Step 9: Until it heals, support your toe.
When your toe joint is realigned again, it's important to support it with a strong medical tape because the ligaments and tendons that keep the joint straight may be temporarily stretched or weakened.The newly straightened toe may be unstable for a few days.You could use popsicle sticks and trainer's tape.
Step 10: You can strengthen your toe with exercises.
You should strengthen your toe after it has been realigned.If you want to strengthen your toes and foot, you can use towel curls and marble pick-ups.If you have other medical conditions such as arthritis or diabetes, talk to your doctor before starting a toe exercise routine.If these exercises don't work well or are painful to perform, you should see a physical therapist.
Step 11: Fix your hammertoe.
Hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toe caused by a contraction at the most proximal joint, which results in a hammer-like appearance.Hammertoes are usually flexible in the beginning but can become rigid if not treated correctly.Hammertoes can be caused by wearing shoes that are too small or wearing high heels that put too much pressure on the toe.Hammertoe can be fixed by cutting and stretching the contracted tendon, placing a metal pin/wire next to the joint, or stretching on a daily basis.Supporting hammertoe can also be effective.Use your fingers to massage the toe, then manually pull the hammertoe, holding each stretch for several seconds.If you see improvement, continue this routine multiple times daily.
Step 12: The claw toe needs to be fixed.
The end of the toe is forced to dig into the shoe's sole when it becomes hooked in appearance.There are corns at the end of the toe.It is possible to cause claw toes by wearing shoes that are too small.The same surgical methods used for hammertoe can be used to fix claw toes.Try walking on the tips of your toes, which will cause extension and stretching of the contracted joints.
Step 13: The mallet toe needs to be fixed.
It is similar to claw toe but only involves abnormal positioning at the most distal joint.It is caused by shoes that are too tight in the toe box.The unnatural bending of your toes is caused by the forces placed on your feet.Both hammertoes and claw toes can be fixed by cutting and stretching the contracted tendons.While barefoot, every attempt should be made to spread your toes.A toe-spacing product can be used to realign your toes.