Pain at or beneath your toes can make it difficult to walk, wear shoes and live comfortably. Yet it is common because our feet take on a large amount of weight and pressure when we walk, especially when that pressure moves to the ball of the foot and our toes right before our foot leaves the ground during gait. Paired with the trauma, our toes can suffer from stubbing our toes, having our feet stepped on or dropping something on our toes, and there is a lot that can go wrong and cause pain for our toes and forefoot.
Toe pain is a problem our podiatrists take seriously because we know its painful and damaging effects on your life – particularly if it involves toe deformities like hammertoes or bunions. As such, our experienced podiatrists take extreme care to promptly assess and diagnose your source of foot pain and then implement a tailored treatment plan to optimise your recovery.
Common Causes of Toe Pain
As a bit of background, the most common causes of toe pain that our podiatrists see include:
- Acute injuries such as stubbing your toe, kicking a ball, or dropping an object on your foot can cause immediate pain and discomfort.
- Activities that involve repetitive motions, like running or climbing, can lead to stress fractures or tendinitis in the toes.
- Wearing shoes that are too tight, loose, or unsuitable for certain activities can lead to pain and deformities such as bunions and hammertoes.
- Medical conditions such as arthritis, gout, and diabetes can also affect the toes, leading to chronic pain and complications.
Symptoms To Watch For
We recommend seeing your podiatrist if you notice:
- Sharp, aching, or burning pain in one or more toes
- Swelling, redness, or warmth around the affected area
- Difficulty walking or discomfort when wearing shoes
- Changes in toe shape or the development of corns and calluses
Diagnosing Toe Pain
At our clinic, understanding the root cause of your toe pain is a very important first step in your treatment. Our podiatrists use a combination of physical examinations, medical history, and gait analysis, and if needed, we can refer you for imaging.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
Our podiatrists here at Masterton Foot Clinic always strive to give our patients the very best experience from the moment you walk in the door. This goes well beyond using evidence-based treatments – we always make sure each patient leaves our clinic feeling fully heard and understood, and with no questions unanswered.
Treatment Options for Toe Pain
We have an extensive range of treatment options for toe pain, and are regularly looking at new research to see what we can add to our ‘toolbelt’ to help you get the best results and treatment outcomes. Many of our services you may not expect – such as the Lunula laser for anti-fungal care, shockwave treatment for pain relief, our hands-on foot mobilisation therapy – and many more. We welcome you to explore our service range through our services tab above.
Surgical Treatment For Toe Pain
For our clinic, surgery is not a ‘first line’ treatment option (unless we’re talking about ingrown toenail surgery or verruca wart removal), as we are able to achieve excellent results in most cases without surgery, and surgery can take a notable toll on the body.
In cases where conservative treatments are not able to produce the desired results, such as in the cases of severe bunions or stiff hammertoes, we have our trusted local orthopaedic surgeons that we are happy to refer you to.
Preventing Toe Pain
While we’re proud of the care we provide and services we offer, we are the biggest advocates of prevention to avoid toe pain in the first place. Here are some tips:
- Choose good footwear: select shoes with a wide toe box and adequate arch support to minimise pressure on the toes.
- Keep toenails trimmed straight across to reduce the likelihood of issues like ingrown toenails
- When needed (like when you’re having a big active day out on your feet), apply pads or cushions to protect areas that are known to be prone to corns, bunions, or blisters.
- Wash your feet daily, dry them thoroughly, and change socks regularly to maintain good foot hygiene and minimise the risk of infections
- Limit wearing high heels or pointy-toed shoes that can compress toes and cause deformities or discomfort.
- Strengthen and stretch toe muscles regularly to improve flexibility and reduce injury risk.
- Give your feet a break if they feel sore or swollen, especially after long periods of standing or walking.
- Rotate your shoes – don’t wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row to allow them to air out and reduce wear patterns that can affect your gait.
To learn more about the common causes of toe pain that we see or treat, click on the conditions below or hover over the ‘toe pain’ section on our services menu.