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Deformities of the toes are common in the pediatric
population. Generally they are congenital in nature
with both or one of the parents having the same or similar
condition. Many of these deformities are present at
birth and can become worse with time. Rarely do children
outgrow these deformities although rare instances of
spontaneous resolution of some deformities have been
reported.
Underlapping toes are commonly seen in the adult and
pediatric population. The toes most often involved are
the fourth and fifth toes. A special form of underlapping
toes is called clinodactyly or congenital curly toes.
Clinodactyly is fairly common and follows a familial
pattern. One or more toes may be involved with toes
three, four, and five of both feet being most commonly
affected.
The exact cause of the deformity is unclear. A possible
etiology is an imbalance in muscle strength of the small
muscles of the foot. This is aggravated by a subtle
abnormality in the orientation on the joints in the
foot just below the ankle joint called the subtalar
joint. This results in an abnormal pull of the ligaments
in the toes causing them to curl. With weight bearing
the deformity is increased and a folding or curling
of the toes results in the formation of callous on the
outside margin of the end of the toe. Tight fitting
shoes can aggravate the condition.
Forefoot supports such as gel toe straighteners, gel
toe caps and toe combs are often recommended to keep
overlapping toes apart. These effective devices are
designed to reduce friction to help relieve the discomfort.
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Silicone Toe Spreader
(pair)
Reduce friction and irritation between your toes
Relief has arrived for soft corns, overlapping
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oil, comfortably relieve between-toe friction
and irritation caused by soft corns, rubbing and
chafing. Dermatologist tested. Hypoallergenic
Overlapping
toe products
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