The Passive Treatment of Hallux Limitus

The big toe is essential to your body’s walking mechanism as it propels you during gait and provides stability. This is why any type of injury or abnormality to this area can greatly affect your walking and cause severe pain and discomfort. This condition affects the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP, joint which links the first metatarsal bone and the big toe, or hallux, and is characterized by  a loss of range of motion and degenerative arthritis.

Ideally, the big toe joint should have between 50 and 90 degrees of dorsiflexion to be considered healthy. Hallux Limitus slowly decreases your range of motion and can ultimately lead to a dorsiflexion range below 20 degrees. This loss of range of motion becomes a problem as dorsiflexion is a major phase of walking. Patient’s suffering from Hallux Limitus experience a dull ache to the affected area as the joint jams and a great torsional load is placed on it.

Hallux Dorsiflexion

Fortunately, proper passive treatment can greatly decrease pain associated with this debilitating condition and keeps patient’s away from expensive surgery and long recovery times. The first component of treatment is a condition specific over-the-counter orthotic proprietary to SLO Motion Shoes. Our condition specific orthotic for Hallux Limitus directly targets the big toe joint and reduces torsional forces with the use of a metatarsal bar and reverse Morton’s cut out. The metbar reduces pressure to the entire forefoot region by shifting pressure behind the metatarsal heads to a region where it can easily be handled after a short period of adjustment. The reverse Morton’s extension further reduces pressure and torsional stress to the first MTP joint by allowing it to float and shifts pressure and stress to the 2nd through 5th metatarsal which are the unaffected region of the foot. The reverse Morton’s extension also allows for greater range of plantar flexion to the 1st metatarsal which allows for optimum dorsiflexion of the first affected MTP joint.

Internal View of Hallux Limitus Orthotic

Finished Hallux Limitus Orthotic

Footwear is the first line of defense for any type of lower extremity condition and has a great impact in recovery. The wrong shoe can not only keep you from seeing results, but make symptoms worse and increase the rate of degeneration of the cartilage in the MTP joint. Wearing footwear with a high density midsole and a toe rocker will have a significant reduction in the torsional stress experienced by the MTP joint. A strong forefoot rocker can be thought of as a shield which protects the joint cartilage from further erosion as it limits the foot’s dorsiflexion and allows a smooth propulsion phase of gait. Footwear with high density midsoles and forefoot rockers come in many styles and you are not only limited for athletic footwear. Hiking, casual, and even sandals can have these immensely helpful features.

hallux limitus shoe

Passive treatment of Hallux Limitus can have a huge impact on quality of life and can be the difference between walking comfortably and limping painfully during your daily activities. Be advised that it is essential to have both an adequate orthotic and an adequate shoe to experience the full benefits of the treatment. One can not work to its full potential without the other. Treatment of any type of lower extremity condition is complicated and not always one-size-fits-all. Visit us at SLO Motion Shoes were a specialist will work to find the right footwear and orthotic combination for your specific needs.