Why Toes Overlap

When a toes starts to cross over and overlap with other toes, it can cause issues. If you are able to identify an issue that can lead to this situation early, you might have a chance at preventing it from happening. Although we can provide care for overlapping toes at Premier Podiatry & Orthopedics, wouldn’t you rather avoid the problem in the first place? Understanding why toes overlap can help you do exactly that!

Some overlapping toes are genetic and present at birth, but toes usually overlap because of either a muscular or a tendon imbalance that develops within a joint. More specifically, they can result from conditions like:

• Bunions – This common foot issue stems from imbalance in the joint at the base of the big toe. The result is that the toe starts drifting inwards while the affected joint juts out along the inner edge of the foot. Left untreated, the big toe will eventually overlap with the second toe, which can create an abundance of difficulties.
• Hammertoes – this deformity can create an overlapping situation when the toe is abnormally bent upward, which creates room for a neighboring toe to sneak under.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of wearing comfortable, well-constructed shoes that fit properly. The right footwear plays a pivotal role in helping to protect your feet and provide much needed support. That said, there is somewhat of a misconception that shoes can cause issues like bunions or hammertoes. We certainly agree that poorly-fitting footwear can exacerbate a foot problem and make it more painful, but the condition often has roots in a different area. Of course, you can remove any doubt from the matter by always picking out shoes that fit well!

No matter which of the potential reasons for overlapping toes is causing the problem for you, Premier Podiatry & Orthopedics will find a treatment plan to help. In some cases, this can be done with conservative treatment, but our medical staff is also able to perform successful surgical procedures to correct a condition as well. That said, our goal is always to avoid surgery as much as possible and we have a variety of tools and techniques that can be rather effective.