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Health & Fitness

Follow simple measures to get rid of overlapping toes

There are foot conditions which are not only painful but look really awkward too. You can’t wear fashionable footwear fearing the deformity may show off. Overlapping toes is one such disorder which can cause pain, skin irritation and disrupt normal functioning of the foot. Often other problems arise like blister and calluses on the top of toes.

Definition of overlapping toes:-

This is one affliction that mainly affects joints in the toes. Though any of your toes may face this disorder but the 2nd and 5th toes are more likely to get affected. Sometimes overlapping toes may happen as a result of other foot conditions.

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What causes overlapping toes:-

Your grandmother or great grandmother may have suffered from this foot condition. Then there remain the risk of next generation getting affected. Yes, this is sad indeed! Then, the problem sometimes has its root in high or low arches. Many children having high arches and flat feet end up distributing their body weight unevenly on their feet. These types of foot affect the biomechanics thus causing toes to shift and overlap each other. Women suffering from Bunions are most likely to get affected with overlapping toes. It happens more with older women.

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Ill-fitting shoes are to be blamed too. If you have this habit of wearing shoes with too narrow toe boxes, then this result in toes getting squeezed together and overlap on one another. Very pointed shoes, with little room to properly accommodate all the five toes comfortably, can certainly contribute to development of overlaps. After some time, the foot condition becomes permanent. So, even while going barefoot you will feel frozenness of toes which is not at all natural.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a common problem from which many are suffering these days. Because of Arthritis, joints may become twisted thus resulting in malfunctioning of toes.

Complications related to overlapping toes:-

For fashion conscious women such toe is definitely a stumbling block to wearing stylish footwear. While the problem may appear insignificant at the beginning but if left unattended for long it may result in some other afflictions. You may observe thickening of skin and tissues in the toe region. Many having such toes suffer from extreme pain caused by the abnormality that happens with bone structures of adjacent toes. If the overlapping turns severe, then it may result in athlete’s foot and/or cuts on the underside of toes, and sometimes inflammation too. Such situations can be real challenge for elders and those who can’t take proper care of their feet. Because of toe overlapping soft calluses start appearing between toes which if untreated become hard and turn into corns on top, where the shoe gets rubbed. Wearing shoes then become quite a painful affair.

Treatment course

Mostly podiatrists suggest non-surgical course of treatments. The first step is to take care of the deformity which in turn means opting for shoes with wide and deep toe boxes. This helps reduce pressure and friction on the toe portion. For children the treatment should be started at an early stage. This ensures faster and accurate recovery while the child is still at a stage of development.

Simple and specially designed orthotics can offer great relief from pain, irritation and also help restore normal position of overlapping toes. You need to consult a podiatrist physician to know which kind of orthotics best suits you. Besides, a detailed checkup is also advisable from time to time so as to prevent any severe foot condition.

Proper functioning of your feet is the key to sound health. So, don’t ignore foot problems and don’t take any measure based on presumptions only. Get in touch with an expert to know what is ailing your feet.

Read the original article here:
http://www.footpainreliefproducts.com/Blogs/2013/July/follow_simple_measures_to_get_rid_of_overlapping_toes.htm
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