Exercises
1.) The most important exercise in a beginning hallux valgus is the active spreading of the big toe away from the other toes. The patient can do this in a sitting position.
If the patient has good control and mobility in the toes, the toe can simply be tried to be moved several times as far away as possible from the other toes. The toe should not be bent or stretched, but should remain level with the other toes. 2.)
In most cases, however, the mobility of the foot is limited in hallux valgus and it is difficult for the patient to actively control his muscles and perform the movement. In this case, light passive support can help. The patient moves his toe with his hands into the desired position and tries to support the movement with the foot muscles and to hold the final position independently.
After repeated practice, coordination improves and a slight guide resistance is achieved, so just touching the inner side of the big toe is sufficient. 3.) In order to reduce the load on the forefoot and thus the progression of the hallux valgus, exercises that train the arch of the foot are helpful. For this purpose, gripping exercises, walking barefoot or coordination exercises on uneven or moving ground are suitable. More exercises can be found in the articles:
- Exercises Hallux valgus
- Exercises for metatarsophalangeal joint arthrosis
- Coordination and balance exercises
Shoes
There are splints that support the hallux valgus and bring the big toe into the right position. Wearing these splints can relieve pain and prevent the hallux valgus from progressing, but it is a purely passive measure that does not strengthen the muscles. If the splint is removed, the toe can no longer be held in the improved position. The Hallux valgus splint is only suitable for patients in whom the joint is still mobile enough to be mobilized into the appropriate position.
