Expert Foot & Ankle Treatment from Michigan’s #1 Podiatrist - Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist
Board Certified Podiatrists
Expert Foot & Ankle Care
Big Toe Pain When Walking
I Fix Your Big Toe That Hurts When Walking
Many people experience discomfort or even sharp pain in the big toe joint when walking, running, or even standing for long periods. This pain can be caused by a number of conditions, including hallux limitus or rigidus (stiff big toe joint), gout, bunions, or turf toe. If the pain is under the big toe joint, it could be due to sesamoiditis — inflammation of the small bones under the joint. Identifying the exact source of pain is the first step to getting effective treatment.
We’ll show you how to reduce inflammation, improve joint movement, and choose the best footwear or orthotics to relieve pressure on the joint. Don’t let big toe joint pain slow you down — let us help you take the next step toward healing and comfort!
Big Toe Joint, Hammer Toe & Bunionette Problems
Look:
- Big toe joint pain when walking can be improved with a few simple treatment changes.
- We are foot doctors & we see this problem get better almost every day.
- The goal is to solve this problem without medication or surgery if possible.
So, let’s GO!
Big Toe Pain When Walking Treatment Video:
This video goes over big toe pain when walking treatment
My Big Toe Hurts When I Walk Video Summary:
🦶Do you have Sprained Big Toe Joint When Walking? We go over how toe sprains happen and why they can cause your big toe joint to hurt when walking!🦶
If you have a big toe joint sprain, toe sprain, or just want turf toe explained, we’ve got you covered for your turf toe diagnosis & turf toe rehab!
00:00 Turf Toe Home Treatment
0:44 What is Turf Toe & Turf Toe Causes
0:56 Turf Toe Symptoms & Turf Toe Anatomy
1:00 Turf Toe Sprain, Turf Toe Rupture, Turf Toe Dislocation (dislocated toe or dislocated big toe joint)
1:50 Turf Toe Recovery Time
2:15 Turf Toe Diagnosis
3:09 Turf Toe Pain Relief
3:28 Turf Toe Medication & Sprained Big Toe Joint Medications
4:37 Turf Toe Massage
4:42 Turf Toe Injection
4:49 Turf Toe Cast & Turf Toe Boot
5:12 Turf Toe Taping & Sprained Big Toe Joint Taping
10:00 Best Turf Toe Shoes
11:00 Best Turf Toe Orthotics
11:50 Turf Toe Exercises & Turf Toe Stretches
12:10 Turf Toe Rehab
Why does my big toe hurt when I walk?
These are the top 5 causes of big toe joint pain when walking.
Top 5 Big Toe Joint Causes Picture & Photo Gallery:
Look:
- A bunion is a pre-dislocation of the big toe joint.
- Big toe joint arthritis is also known as hallux rigidus and can form a very large toe joint spur.
- A turf toe is the hyperextension and bending of the big toe joint. This can cause ligament and tendon damage.
- Sesamoiditis of the big toe joint is the inflammation and possible fracture of the two bones underneath your big toe joint.
- Gout in the big toe joint is the buildup of the crystal substance called uric acid.
So, check out the big toe diseases by clicking on the photo gallery for descriptions!
Causes of Big Toe Joint Pain
Bunion:
- A bunion is the beginning of the dislocation of the big toe joint.
- The official term is subluxation, this is when the first metatarsal phalangeal joint starts to come out of the joint.
- This usually means the big toe joint is starting to point towards the second toe, this forces the second toe to rise over the big toe if it gets bad enough.
- This can contribute to forming a second toe hammer toe, as well as making the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes spread towards the outside of the foot.
- You can also develop a bunion to your fifth toe, this is called a tailor’s bunion, or a tailor’s bunionette.
Turf Toe:
- A turf toe injury is the hyperextension of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint, also known as a big toe joint sprain.
- There are many tendons and ligaments and bones on the bottom of your big toe joint.
- If you strain the tendons and ligaments, these can take many weeks or many months to heal.
- If you ever watch professional football, or soccer, this is a very common sports injury when the big toe plants into the ground and all your body weight transfers over.
Sesamoiditis:
- There are two bones underneath your big toe joint called your sesamoids bones. These are the tibial sesamoid and the fibular sesamoid.
- If the big toe joint becomes disrupted, such as in a bunion these can become dislocated sesamoids.
- In sports such as basketball where there is a lot of pressure put on the big toe joint, this can lead to inflammation of the sesamoid bones. This is called the sesamoiditis.
- If your sesamoiditis gets really bad, it is also possible to get a broken sesamoid, or sesamoid fracture.
- It can be a good idea to see a podiatrist if you do have a broken or fractured sesamoid bone.
Big Toe Joint Arthritis (AKA Hallux Rigidus):
- Arthritis means that the cartilage is missing from your joint, this then prevents normal joint motion. Eventually as the damage keeps getting worse, the bone starts to crack, cause severe pain and eventually develop bone spurs and uneven bone at the site.
- In your big toe joint when you start to lose some motion, this is called hallux limitus. Eventually this starts to lose complete motion and this is now called hallux rigidus. This means that your big toe joint is rigid and unable to move.
- There are four stages to hallux rigidus,progressing from no arthritis to complete fused arthritis.
- Hallux rigidus and big toe joint arthritis essentially mean the same thing.
- This is a very common problem that we see especially in people who are on their feet all day, or have broken their toe in the past.
Flat Foot:
- Flat feet can be caused by many different things, and flat feet result in many different problems.
- The more your foot flattens, the more abnormal pressure is put onto your big toe joint. This can lead to abnormal pressure causing a dislocation also known as a bunion, or jamming of the cartilage which can lead to big toe joint arthritis or hallux rigidus.
- Flat fee are very complicated topic, as you can have a bunion in a high arched foot as well, but generally it is the act of over pronation that causes your big toe joint to receive pressure and become agitated.
- Controlling flat fee with more support has more pros than cons for sure.
Pain Under the Big Toe Joint When Walking Treatment Video:
This video goes over pain under the big toe joint when walking treatment.
- It also covers pain in the big toe and ball of the foot when walking.
- It also answers the question Why do I have pain under my big toe when I walk?”
Pain under the Big Toe When I Walk Video Summary:
🦶Do you have BOTTOM of the big toe joint pain? This is called SESAMOIDITIS & we will show you the BEST 13 Sesamoiditis Home Treatments & Big Toe Joint Pain Treatments!🦶
We go over sesamoiditis exercises, sesamoiditis massage, sesamoiditis pain relief, sesamoiditis stretches & the best sesamoiditis home treatment!
The sesamoid bones are one of the major causes of the bottom of the big toe joint pain. So get bottom of the big toe joint pain relief now!
00:00 Sesamoiditis home treatment.
0:40 Sesamoid bone anatomy, sesamoiditis signs & sesamoiditis symptoms.
1:47 Sesamoiditis causes.
2:35 Sesamoiditis doctor treatment.
2:59 Sesamoiditis taping & big toe joint taping.
3:42 Big toe joint pain relief.
4:04 Big toe joint pain injection.
4:31 Big toe joint pain treatment.
5:58 Sesamoiditis cast & Sesamoiditis boot.
6:30 Best Sesamoiditis Shoes.
7:30 Best Sesamoiditis Orthotics & Sesamoiditis Insoles.
8:25 Sesamoiditis Rehab & Sesamoiditis Recovery Time.
8:55 Sesamoiditis Running & Big toe joint pain from running.
9:15 Sesamoiditis Stretching and Sesamoiditis Exercises.
9:30 Sesamoiditis Stretches.
10:35 Sesamoiditis Massage.
12:18 Sesamoiditis Exercises & Sesamoiditis Stretches.
What is a Bunion?
- A bunion is not always arthritis in the big toe joint; it dislocates the big toe joint.
- It is better to think of the joint as being dislocated, and every time he puts weight on it, it is dislocating rather than arthritis jamming.
- A better way to think about arthritis is that the bone has cracked and that you have microscopic little breaks that have destroyed the cartilage.
- Because now you don’t have smooth cartilage, the bone is rubbing against the. Arthritis is just about as simple as that.
Symptoms:
- Big toe pain when walking usually presents with increased pressure on your foot.
- This can result in more of a tender, aching, or throbbing big toe.
- It usually hurts more when you are putting pressure on it.
- The pain is usually not as bad when you are off your feet and resting.
Big Toe Pain When Walking Treatment:
- Some of the best options are usually a good pair of shoes and a great pair of inserts for your foot.
- Common sense things that everybody already knows include getting in much better shape and weight loss.
- But that’s not why you’re here; you’re here to get quick and effective advice.
- There are great gel pads and orthotics available. These do work well, but they don’t actually fix your problem when people, the problem with bunions is that people try and sell products and convince you that this will actually solve the problem.
- You must understand that gel pads will never fix the problem! What they can do is make it feel better while you are wearing it.
Orthotics for walking and big toe joint pain:
- In our clinic, we find that approximately 75-90% of people feel good enough with orthotics and bracing that they never require surgery or any medication.
- The main downside of orthotics is that you need the right type of shoe to fit this orthotic.
- A common misconception for orthotics is that you need to pay a lot of money; that is not the case! Orthotics can be a modified shell off the shelf, and they do help dramatically.
Evidence for orthotics in walking foot pain:
- Orthotics are now very proven devices with extensive studies supporting their effectiveness.
- There are many different modifications and adjustments throughout the process that need to be made; this depends greatly on what exactly is hurting you first. See one of our podiatrists like Dr. Biernacki, to get evaluated for your inserts!
- The most important part is making sure they fit and function for you.
Lesser causes of big toe pain when walking are:
Big Toe Joint Home Treatment Infographic
What if my big toe pops when walking?
2 types of conditions can make your big toe pop:
2 types of big toe clicking when walking:
These are the most common causes of big toe joint clicking when walking.
Severe Bunion Dislocation:
1) This is a fairly significant bunion that is causing subluxation pain (subluxation means popping).
- Popping and clicking means that there is some dislocation developing with a loose capsule stretched out.
- If this is bothering you, you can come to see us in Michigan. We can perform in-office procedures.
- But otherwise, there are ways to treat your bunion pain without performing surgery.
Big Toe Joint Arthritis:
2) Big toe joint arthritis can cause spur formation that can click and pop while walking.
- Hallux rigidus means that there are 4 stages of arthritis development.
- As you get into a grade 3 or 4, fairly significant arthritis develops in the big toe joint, which can cause clicking and popping of the big toe joint when walking.
- Big toe joint arthritis can feel like a big lump on top of your big toe joint, and there is an inability to bend the big toe joint up or down.
- If this is a problem, we can help with minimally invasive in-office surgery and procedures for hallux rigidus in the office.
Big Toe Joint, Hammer Toe & Bunionette Problems
Walk This Way: Trusted Foot & Ankle Information
Learn what’s hurting and how to fix it.
Why Choose Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist in Howell and Bloomfield Hills?
Our experienced podiatric surgeons combine precision, care, and innovation to deliver successful outcomes in flatfoot reconstruction. With modern facilities, patient education, and compassionate care, we’ve become the trusted choice for foot and ankle surgery in Southeast Michigan. We’re committed to restoring your stride—comfortably and confidently.
The Best Podiatrist Approved Shoes:
Listed by condition:
- Complete Best List of Podiatrist Recommended Shoes.
- Best Shoes for Achilles Tendonitis.
- Best Men’s Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis.
- Best Women’s Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis.
- Best Shoes for Top of the Foot Pain.
- Best Shoes for Supination.
- Best Shoes for Ball of the Foot Pain.
- Best Shoes for a Plantar Fibroma.
- The Best Sandals for Arthritic feet.
- Podiatrist Recommended Orthotics.
- Ankle Support Running Shoes, Walking Shoes.
- Birkenstock sandals for flat feet.
- Best Dress Shoes for Flat Foot & Plantar fasciitis.
- Podiatrist Recommended Shoes for Toddlers.
- Best Shoes for Metatarsalgia.
- Best Running Shoes for Morton’s Neuroma.
Walk This Way: Trusted Foot & Ankle Information
Learn what’s hurting and how to fix it.
Why Choose Balance Foot & Ankle Specialist in Howell and Bloomfield Hills?
Our experienced podiatric surgeons combine precision, care, and innovation to deliver successful outcomes in flatfoot reconstruction. With modern facilities, patient education, and compassionate care, we’ve become the trusted choice for foot and ankle surgery in Southeast Michigan. We’re committed to restoring your stride—comfortably and confidently.
FAQ: Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot – Causes, Diagnosis, and Relief Options
Pain at the base of the big toe is usually a condition called sesamoiditis.
Just like the bone on the front of your knee, sesamoid pain can result in bone pain underneath the big toe joint while walking.
Sesamoiditis can take a long time to get better, and it creates pressure right underneath the base of the big toe joint pain.
Modifying the right pair of orthotics or a good supportive shoe can make all the difference.
The second thing that needs to be done is utilizing the proper foot stretches in the proper foot exercises to get pressure off the foot and ankle.
We also go over sesamoiditis and big toe joint taping for foot pain relief.
Like numbness and cramping, this is likely related to over pronation and tightness to that side of the foot.
If you have pain in the big toe joint after a long walk, consider our over-pronation and flatfoot treatment guide.
If your big toe lifts while walking, this might mean that you have a spasm to the extensor tendons.
The extensor hallucis longus can cause your big toe to lift while walking.
You are big toe lifting while walking is also related to overpronation and flat foot pain.
If you have sudden pain in the big toe joint when walking, it is getting jammed.
This jamming or pressure could mean that you are getting a nerve or muscle spasm.
This sudden pain in the big toe when walking is likely not any permanent damage or injury.
If you have a sharp pain on the bottom of the big toe when walking, this can lead to swelling, bruising, and nerve irritation.
This sharp pain on the bottom of the big toe when walking means too much pressure on the bottom of your big toe.
Yes, it is possible to walk without a big toe. This scenario is especially true if you have an amputated big toe or an injured big toe.
They have performed lots of studies, and while it does slow down your athletic ability, people can walk 6 city blocks with a minimal loss of function.
You can walk without a big toe, but this does mean all your other joints like your ankle, knee, and hip do have to pick up the increased workload.
Obviously, walking would be better assist this with a good orthotic and a good pair of podiatrist recommended shoes.
In our experience, a person’s letter is more likely to have an amputated big toe joint than requiring significant athletic levels.
When we talk about walking, we talk about things like going on a vacation or going on a long walk to the grocery store.
The second toe hurting is a prevalent condition when the toe next to the big toe hurts when walking.
This second toe pain is something called the second metatarsal phalangeal joint capsulitis.
There could be a few different causes, but most commonly, this is due to a long second metatarsal.
We have a very long guide, including videos and treatment guides to show how to fix the second toe capsulitis problem.
We also go over taping and home treatment.
Ball of the foot pain in the toe joint pain is prevalent.
This ball of the foot pain is called metatarsalgia, and we see these problems extremely commonly.
Click this following link, and we will go over our complete video guide and treatment page for metatarsalgia and the ball of the foot pain, and big toe joint pain.
It is also possible to have fat pad atrophy in the ball of the foot (decreased fat cushioning.
Pain in the big toe joint when walking and no swelling can be fairly common.
Most people think that trauma or significant injury needs to occur to get big toe joint pain.
The more common scenario is usually that there is simply an uneven amount of pressure being put into that big toe joint.
For example, that ankle, calf muscle, knee, hip, and hamstring might all be tighter on that side.
We frequently see patients compensating an uneven amount of pressure onto an otherwise healthy big toe joint causing the pain.
Big toe pain when walking with no swelling is why we recommend good orthotics and good shoes above.
Severe pain would be a little bit unusual.
If you develop severe pain, this may be a developing stress fracture, a broken toe, or even a gout attack in the big toe joint.
If you have severe pain in your big toe joint when walking or anywhere else in the foot, we recommend contacting the podiatrist immediately.
Podiatrists are trained to evaluate and treat these problems quickly, and we treat these problems like an emergency, and we will get you in immediately.
If your big toe joint goes numb when walking after a long period of time, this is a sign that there is too much pressure on your big toe joint.
Your big toe going numb is likely not nerve damage but continuous bruising due to pressure.
We see this commonly when someone has a tighter plantar fascia, a tighter ankle, a tighter calf, and a hamstring knee or hip on that side.
A tight foot forces more pressure to be placed on that foot and ankle.
Consider overpronation as a source of your big toe going numb when walking.
Would you please take a look at our overpronation and flat foot treatment guide to feeling better?
A cramp in the big toe when walking can be very similar to numbness in the big toe.
When walking, a cramp in the big toe is unlikely to be nerve damage, but it is likely increased pressure on the big toe.
If you have peripheral arterial disease, this can be a cause.
If you have medical conditions such as diabetes or are a chronic smoker, this might be something to look out for.
If you have significant health conditions and are developing cramping, see a podiatrist immediately and let us help!
If you are a young and healthy person, consider flatfoot and overpronation as a cause.
