Should You See A Podiatrist About An Overlapping Toe?
Posted on: 2 December 2021
An overlapping toe is a type of toe condition usually present at birth. Any toe can overlap on another, with the fifth toe being the one that is usually the culprit, overlapping over the toe next to it.
An overlapping toe is something that can be treated by a podiatrist and is potentially curable with surgery, though a podiatrist will want to medically correct or treat the situation before they do anything surgical. Also, it should be noted that an overlapping toe by itself is not usually dangerous or threatening, but can be uncomfortable or even painful in certain circumstances.
Should you see a podiatrist about an overlapping toe? Here's a sign that you should, and your podiatrist can help you feel better about your feet in general and your toe situation in particular.
Your overlapping toe keeps you from certain footwear
Are you unable to wear certain shoes because your overlapping toe sticks up and irritates you? Certain shoes can make your toes uncomfortable, including those with smaller toe boxes or higher heels.
See your foot doctor if you are having issues finding proper shoes for your feet. Your podiatrist can help you choose brands of shoes that will give your feet plenty of room to wiggle your toes.
Your overlapping toe keeps you from walking normally
An overlapping toe, particularly if it occurs on both feet, can cause people to walk abnormally. You may not even know it's happening to you, but if you have heel pain or swelling under your big toe, you may indeed have a walking or balancing issue caused by your overlapping toe.
The reason for this varies but can be due to the weight distribution being uneven because of an overlapping toe. After an x-ray and physical examination of your feet, your podiatrist can determine how severe your crooked toe problem is and can recommend a treatment from there.
Depending on how bad your overlapping toe problem is and how long you've had it, surgery may be your best option. However, taping or bracing your toe may be tried first to help correct your situation.
You may need a referral to a podiatrist from your general doctor, but some podiatrists take patients as they need their care. Your health insurance may be accepted, so check with your foot doctor to see if they accept the insurance you have. Have your medical information ready to share with your podiatrist at your appointment.
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