What are the treatments for hallux rigidus?
Pain within the great toe joint in the foot is frequently because of arthritis. This frequently is termed hallux rigidus. There are various problems in the great toe joint which can cause pain, with gout pain being an additional well known one. In some cases the joint is totally stiff and other times it is not rigid, it simply has a lower range of flexibility which is lower than what is considered normal. The most frequent cause for a hallux rigidus will be osteoarthritis within the big toe joint. This particular osteoarthritis will happen after many years of wear and tear on in the hallux joint from a alignment trouble with the way the big toe joint doesn't move the way it should. One other explanation for the arthritis can be a one-time (or a couple of) trauma to the great toe joint that does certain injury to the great toe joint and result in the osteoarthritis to develop. Generally, the pain sensation from hallux rigidus starts as a slight ache, sometimes with an periodic sharp shooting pain. As time passes, it steadily becomes worse and can turn out to be very painful. It will likewise change the manner in which you walk.
The treatment options of hallux rigidus tend to be somewhat limited as there is no cure for osteoarthritis. The initial technique is management of the pain and this may call for injections into the hallux joint as well as the using of pain prescription drugs. This really is going to almost certainly work efficiently in the short term however it is not going to cure the condition. Shoes that are a lot more firm or have a rocker beneath them are helpful at reducing the motion in that great toe joint, but still permit near to normal walking. You can also get a carbon fibre insole which might be placed in the footwear to ensure they are inflexible making sure that while walking the big toe joint does not move much. Foot supports may also be often utilized and can often have a rocker or other design function that ends under the big toe or hallux joint also to help restrict movement in the joint. There's also some other type of pads which can be used and strapping on the big toe joint that can also be employed to limit action with the joint.
Surgery is an alternative that could be thought about for hallux rigidus. There are lots of distinct techniques that your surgeon could take. One of these is to simply just fuse the joint. This will likely unquestionably prevent the pain but will affect the means you walk around to some degree. It is still an excellent choice. One more surgical method is to remove some bone from round the big toe joint to permit it to move a little bit more freely. Another operative choice is to replace the big toe joint using an artificial joint or place a spacer in the hallux joint so the osteoarthritis about the joints surfaces is taken away and the two joints areas go forward on that spacer. The choice of which of these choices is something that the operating surgeon is going to have to make a decision depending on how much damage has been done to the hallux joint and exactly how worthwhile the bone throughout the big toe joint is and just how deep the osteoarthritis should go.