Halluxvalgus, how to treat it?
Hallux-valgus is a very common foot condition that consists of its deformity due to the head of the first metatarsal moving away from the others, which results in deviation of the tip of the big toe toward the other toes.
Women suffer from it more often than men
Women suffer from it more often than men, and this is probably explained by the fact that it is precisely women who wear more uncomfortable footwear that can over time lead to the onset of hallux valgus.
In fact, this pathology can be due either to causes such as genetic predisposition or congenital malformations, or precisely to wrong habits that lead the foot to “suffer” such as precisely wearing unsuitable footwear (narrow sole, narrow toe, high heel) or due to injuries to the foot or problems with weight, posture or muscle tone, or some types of arthritis.
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the situation, certainly one could detect swelling at the base of the big toe or swelling or redness around it.
Again, thickening of the skin at the base of the big toe and finally persistent or intermittent pain and limited ability to move the big toe.
To treat halluxvalgus one can undergo “conservative” non-surgical treatments or surgical treatments if the former have not been effective.
In the former case, it is mostly a matter of changing some habits that could worsen the situation or make it slightly back like:
- Wear wide, comfortable shoes that provide plenty of room for the toes
- Apply a bandage that keeps the foot in a normal position, reducing stress on the big toe and relieving pain
- apply ice to the painful area
- Using painkillers or taking cortisone injections
- Use separating toe pads and corrective orthotics to evenly distribute body weight and pressure when moving feet
From a surgical point of view, on the other hand, there is the classic surgical approach that is the opening of the skin and tissues with correction of the deformity by removing part of the bone and inserting supports aimed at restoring the big toe to its correct position; or the percutaneous surgical approach, which allows surgery directly on the bone through small holes made in the skin.
