Do you suffer from pain due to Osteoarthritis in your big toe joint?
Osteoarthritis is a very common cause of pain for many people. We see a lot of people with osteoarthritis in the big toe joint.
There isn’t anything that can change Osteoarthritis, but you can help to reduce pain. Read through to the end for 3 great tips to help reduce pain from osteoarthritis in the big toe joint.
If you don’t look after osteoarthritic joints early, you can suffer from pain and reduced movement. Generally, the pain and decreased movement will continue to get worse and worse over time.
If you look after osteoarthritic joint as early as possible you can help prevent pain, keep good movement, stay active and wear the shoes you want.
Many people get told there is nothing they can do until it gets bad enough to warrant surgery. The reality is there are things that you can do to help with pain and reduced range of movement.
Follow these 3 great tips and you can be on the path to a pain free life.
- Big toe rotations
With this easy exercise you can help to improve and maintain the movement in your big toe. When this movement is limited it can make simple things like walking painful. It can be difficult to find shoes that are comfortable and can hinder exercise. Start in a seated position and bring your foot up onto your other leg. Hold your foot with one hand to create stability. With the other hand gently pull on your big toe to increase the joint space, then move your toe clockwise for 20 rotations and counter-clockwise for 20 rotations. Try to do this at least 3 times a day, but you can do it more often.
- Dowel exercise
Using the dowel to loosen the muscles on the bottom of your foot can help to take pressure away from the big toe joint. This will take some of the stress and strain off the joint and therefore help to reduce pain. Start with your feet on the dowel, but make sure you are not right on the big toe joint as this will be painful. Walk over the dowel, ensuring it touches all of your foot from where you start to the back of your heel. Anytime it feels sore you’ve found a tight spot, so stop and hold on that spot for 4-5 seconds. Stop as many times as you need to. Repeat this a further 2 times and do this as often you can through out the day. Keep in mind this exercise can be sore initially, but as you do it more and more it will get less painful.
- Shaft pad
A shaft pad is a piece of padding that is inserted in your shoe. It runs along the bottom of the big toe and then across to the other side of the big toe joint. This pad can help to take away some of the pressure that is put through the big toe joint when you are walking or being active and therefore help reduce pain. Using a shaft pad can help you stay more active. You can try this at home, but it is generally recommended to have a professional do it for you.
Hopefully if you try these tips you can reduce your pain from osteoarthritis in your big toe joint. If, however pain persists, you should get yourself assessed by a professional. At Sydney Foot Solutions we see and treat people with osteoarthritis of the big toe joint all the time. To book an assessment today call (02) 9907 0144 for our Manly Vale clinic or (02) 8072 7278 for our City clinic.
