Several different types of arthritis can affect the feet and toes and cause toe joint pain and stiffness, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical damage to the joints over time; it does not usually cause joint pain and stiffness symmetrically in the body. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is caused by an autoimmune disease; the joints of the feet and ankles are usually affected symmetrically, and the smaller joints of the fingers and toes are usually affected before the larger joints of the body. Claw toes result from an inherent muscle imbalance. It is common for patients to develop claw toes as they get older. It is particularly common if there is a family history of the condition. Patients develop claw toes when the long muscles originating from the lower leg overpower the smaller muscles in the foot. This imbalance leads to flexion at the proximal interphalangeal joint and extension at the metatarsal phalangeal joint, creating the clawing effect. This condition can also occur in post-traumatic situations, when there is an injury to one of the tendons or if there is a compartment syndrome affecting the small muscles of the foot. The goal of hammertoe surgery is to correct the deformity in order to relieve pain and/or restore function to the digit. The degree of surgical intervention will depend on the severity of the deformity. Flexible deformities often require less aggressive surgery. Surgery that decreases the pull of the muscles responsible for the deformity may be used alone or in combination with other procedures at the joint to correct the position of the toes. If the deformity is only partially flexible, or completely rigid, then surgery on the bone structures as well as muscles and joints may be necessary. Treatment of hammer toes ranges from simple shoe modifications to sophisticated surgical repair. Logic dictates that our initial attempts at treating hammer toes would include softer and wider shoes. Shoes such as clogs or Birkenstocks offer a wide toe box that in many instances may be enough of a change to allow pain free walking. Hammer toe pads are often used to control the motion of the toe to hold it or bind it in place so that it doesnt rub on the shoe. Many variations of pads are available for use. The right pad really depends upon the individual toe location and problem.
Getting into pointe shoes may not be a dream you feel you can fulfill if you have hammer, claw , or mallet toes. Misshapen toes may or may not hurt. They may be related to arthritis, or not. These kinds of toes indicate that the toe muscles have somehow become unbalanced. A common reason is from you wearing shoes that are too tight. However, home care and stretching and exercises can be performed, gradually alleviating these conditions, to some degree if not altogether. If you are ready to dance on pointe, improving your toes shapes and functions can be done while you take pointe classes. I am often asked what bunions actually are. A bunion normally develops below the big toe (technically called the hallux). They can occasionally develop below the little toe when they are given the delightful name of a "bunionette". The bunion will have caused the bones of the big toe to have changed - normally the big toe will be seen to be bending towards or over the second toe Technically the bunion is a bursitis. This is a lump of fluid that has developed as a form of protection against the bony changes in the toe Bursitis can develop in other areas of the body too. A review of the YogaToes by MSNBC noted that the item was extremely easy to use and very relaxing for painful feet. The reviewer did not see improvement in her foot issues after several weeks of use, though she enjoyed using YogaToes and would continue using the product. The article quotes Dr. Carol Frey, assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at UCLA, as saying that she likes YogaToes and that they are useful for strengthening the feet. She often uses them on her patients after surgery. The doctor also noted YogaToes can be used chilled or warmed, depending on the temperature needed for different injuries or the patients preference. Precautions The podiatrists were earlier known as chiropodists. Lewis Durlacher was one of the notable chiropodists who provided treatment to Queen Victoria and many other important personalities. Podiatrists are doctors who deal with problems related to the feet and ankle. It is a general belief that problems associated with feet and ankle hardly turn serious and dont need special treatment. However, there are instances when it becomes necessary to consult a podiatrist for treatment. Pain, swelling, wounds and other such problems cannot be neglected and require medical treatment. Let us understand more about when to see a podiatrist and obtain information about the nature of work of these medical practitioners.
Some dinosaurs, such as Microraptor , had claws that might have been suited to climbing. However, dinosaurs that we might regard as behaviorally similar showed differences� Velociraptor seemed to best fit the ground-dweller category, while the larger Deinonychus seemed to have claws more akin to those of predatory birds. This doesn�t mean that Microraptor was definitely a climber, or that Velociraptor wasn�t a predator. As the authors show, the different behavioral categories are not so easily distinguishable as previously thought, and saying that an animal definitely engaged in a particular behavior because of claw shape alone tempts oversimplification.
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