An Overview of Arthritis in Toes

• Updated on: 2019-12-06
• Read original article here

Arthritis does not affect the toe joints as commonly as some of the other joints in the body, but when it does, it can be a significant issue. For some people, every step they take is uncomfortable because of arthritis of the toes. Joint damage in this part of the body can limit your ability to perform athletic activities, and when severe, it may even limit comfortable walking.

When arthritis occurs in the toe joints, swelling, stiffness, and pain are all common characteristics of this condition. Often, simple treatments can be effective at controlling the symptoms associated with arthritis of the toes. It is unusual to require surgical intervention, although there are several surgical procedures that can be considered when simpler treatments are no longer effective at managing the symptoms of arthritis of the toes.
Symptoms

The typical symptoms of arthritis in the toes are the result of chronic inflammation around the small joints. There are many common symptoms of this condition.
Pain

Pain is the most common complaint of people who have arthritis of their toes. Usually, the pain is worse with activity and weight bearing, and relieved by rest. Pain is typically worse as activities progress and may take hours, or even days, to subside when the symptoms are exacerbated by activity.
Swelling

Swelling around the joints of the toes may give a sensation of fullness and difficulty bending at the joints. Even a small amount of extra fluid within these tiny joints can cause significant symptoms.
Restricted Movement

Range of motion of the joints of the toes can become restricted as a result of swelling, but also a result of damage to the normal cartilage surface of the joints. Often bone spurs will develop around the joint restricting the movement. When people have stiffness of the toes, activities become more difficult as the normal foot mechanics and movements will not function properly.
Redness

Redness is a sign of inflammation that can occur in a variety of conditions. In addition, because of deformities around an arthritic joint, people often develop pressure sores around their arthritic toes causing redness and even calluses and blisters to form.
Deformities

Deformities of the toes are common in people who develop arthritis. Since there is little soft tissue surrounding the joints of the toes, even small abnormalities are easily detected. Bone spurs are a common cause of deformity around the arthritic toes.

In addition, people with arthritis can develop altered mechanics of the feet causing common toe deformities including bunions, mallet toes, hammer toes, and other common toe deformities.
Numbness

Often when there is significant swelling or bone spurs around a toe joint, irritation of the nerves can occur leading to sensations of numbness, burning, or tingling. When these nerves are pressed on or irritated, they can function abnormally. Typically when the swelling or bone spurs are no longer pressing on the nerve, the function of the nerve is likely to return to normal.
Causes

There are several different types of arthritis that can occur in the joints of the toes, and the causes of these different types of arthritis can vary.

The most common types of arthritis that occur in the toes are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as "wear and tear" arthritis. It is the most common type of arthritis. This condition is characterized by the gradual wearing away of the smooth cartilage surface of the joints, often to a point where people develop typical end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where people develop chronic inflammation of joints that can lead to the destruction of the normal tissues through an autoimmune response.

When people develop symptoms of toe arthritis, it is typically the result of inflammation around their joints. This inflammation can lead to typical symptoms (described below). Over time, joint damage can lead to restricted movement causing activities such as sports, or even normal walking, to become difficult. Osteoarthritis in the big toe (the great toe) has a special name called hallux rigidus.

This is the most common type of arthritis of the toes, although the treatments are similar to other types of arthritis in other toes. When arthritis occurs in one of the toes other than the big toe, it is called arthritis of the lesser toes. Arthritis in the toes can occur in both men and women and tends to increase in frequency as people get older.

Previous injuries, such as fractures and dislocations of the toes, can make it more likely that you will develop arthritis down the road. Increased body weight is also thought to be a risk factor for the development of arthritis in the toe joints.


Arthritis does not affect the toe joints as commonly as some of the other joints in the body, but when it does, it can be a significant issue. For some people, every step they take is uncomfortable because of arthritis of the toes. Joint damage in this part of the body can limit your ability to perform athletic activities, and when severe, it may even limit comfortable walking.

When arthritis occurs in the toe joints, swelling, stiffness, and pain are all common characteristics of this condition. Often, simple treatments can be effective at controlling the symptoms associated with arthritis of the toes. It is unusual to require surgical intervention, although there are several surgical procedures that can be considered when simpler treatments are no longer effective at managing the symptoms of arthritis of the toes.
Symptoms

The typical symptoms of arthritis in the toes are the result of chronic inflammation around the small joints. There are many common symptoms of this condition.
Pain

Pain is the most common complaint of people who have arthritis of their toes. Usually, the pain is worse with activity and weight bearing, and relieved by rest. Pain is typically worse as activities progress and may take hours, or even days, to subside when the symptoms are exacerbated by activity.
Swelling

Swelling around the joints of the toes may give a sensation of fullness and difficulty bending at the joints. Even a small amount of extra fluid within these tiny joints can cause significant symptoms.
Restricted Movement

Range of motion of the joints of the toes can become restricted as a result of swelling, but also a result of damage to the normal cartilage surface of the joints. Often bone spurs will develop around the joint restricting the movement. When people have stiffness of the toes, activities become more difficult as the normal foot mechanics and movements will not function properly.
Redness

Redness is a sign of inflammation that can occur in a variety of conditions. In addition, because of deformities around an arthritic joint, people often develop pressure sores around their arthritic toes causing redness and even calluses and blisters to form.
Deformities

Deformities of the toes are common in people who develop arthritis. Since there is little soft tissue surrounding the joints of the toes, even small abnormalities are easily detected. Bone spurs are a common cause of deformity around the arthritic toes.

In addition, people with arthritis can develop altered mechanics of the feet causing common toe deformities including bunions, mallet toes, hammer toes, and other common toe deformities.
Numbness

Often when there is significant swelling or bone spurs around a toe joint, irritation of the nerves can occur leading to sensations of numbness, burning, or tingling. When these nerves are pressed on or irritated, they can function abnormally. Typically when the swelling or bone spurs are no longer pressing on the nerve, the function of the nerve is likely to return to normal.
Causes

There are several different types of arthritis that can occur in the joints of the toes, and the causes of these different types of arthritis can vary.

The most common types of arthritis that occur in the toes are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as "wear and tear" arthritis. It is the most common type of arthritis. This condition is characterized by the gradual wearing away of the smooth cartilage surface of the joints, often to a point where people develop typical end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where people develop chronic inflammation of joints that can lead to the destruction of the normal tissues through an autoimmune response.

When people develop symptoms of toe arthritis, it is typically the result of inflammation around their joints. This inflammation can lead to typical symptoms (described below). Over time, joint damage can lead to restricted movement causing activities such as sports, or even normal walking, to become difficult. Osteoarthritis in the big toe (the great toe) has a special name called hallux rigidus.

This is the most common type of arthritis of the toes, although the treatments are similar to other types of arthritis in other toes. When arthritis occurs in one of the toes other than the big toe, it is called arthritis of the lesser toes. Arthritis in the toes can occur in both men and women and tends to increase in frequency as people get older.

Previous injuries, such as fractures and dislocations of the toes, can make it more likely that you will develop arthritis down the road. Increased body weight is also thought to be a risk factor for the development of arthritis in the toe joints.