Beauty is Pain: “Toe Deformities” could be a Silent Threat to working People

Did you know that women tend to have a higher risk of “toe deformities” than men by 13 times? The majority of the working women wear leather shoes to work for 6-8 hours per day, developing pain in the inner part of the toes. Notice the painful toe from a round swollen bump on one side. For some people, it can be noticed that the big toe has been visibly deformed.

The primary cause of the disease is “wearing improper shoes”. Footwear that compresses the toes and has a pointed head could be contributing factor to toe deformity. This can often be seen in older adults who tend to wear high heels. When such shoes are worn for a long time, they can permanently deform the structure of the feet. Apart from this common shoe-related factor, toe deformities can also be caused by many other reasons, such as:

• Foot deformities – Include flat feet, loose toe joints, deformed toe bones, having an unusually long toe, or crooked toes.
• Muscle and ligament disorders – Mixed and loose connective tissues in the toe joints or rheumatoid arthritis could lead to muscle and ligament abnormalities.
• Genetics

If patients suffer from pain that worsens when wearing the shoes, walking, running or putting pressure on the feet, seeing a doctor immediately is recommended.

If the symptoms are not too severe, they can be treated with a non-surgical procedure. For instance, wearing shoes that have a wider head to fit the width of the feet, shoes that are not tight and do not squeeze the toes. It is also recommended to avoid wearing high heels. In case they cannot be avoided, the doctor may advise wearing silicone toe separators to prevent the disease from getting worse. Toe separators may be used along with medications to reduce inflammation.

However, if the aforementioned treatment does not improve the condition and still affects everyday life, the doctor will assess a surgical plan to correct the toe deformities.

For more information, please contact

Orthopedics Center, 2nd Floor, King of Bones Building, Vejthani Hospital
Call +66 (0) 2734-0000 ext. 2298,2299
+66(0)85-223-8888 (English Hotline)