Educational Articles: Toes

Arthritis, which literally means “joint pain,” is one of the leading causes of disability among Americans. Arthritis, including arthritis in the foot, toe, and ankle joints, can occur at any age, though certain types of arthritis may be more common in older or younger individuals. There is no cure for this health problem, though there are many treatment options available. Treating arthritis in its early stages may... Read more

Athlete’s foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the feet. In most cases, the fungal infection develops on the bottom of the foot and between the toes. Athlete’s foot is a common health problem that may last for a long time if the proper care and attention is not applied. This condition can be difficult to treat and may recur following treatment. It's... Read more

In this informative video, Dr. Ray McClanahan—a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes—discusses (and demonstrates!) a helpful manual technique for stretching and releasing the soft tissues associated with a bunion deformity. This technique can be used by healthcare providers for their patients, or it can be used by patients as a self-care technique at home. Here’s a quote from Dr. Ray... Read more

Foot blisters are a problem that most people experience at some point during their lives. Blisters are usually caused by friction from shoes or socks rubbing repeatedly against the skin, causing friction burns. Friction blisters occur when the outer layer of skin separates from the inner layer of skin and the space between these layers fills with lymph fluid. Friction blisters can cause significant pain or discomfort... Read more

Using Correct Toes in combination with men's and women's foot-healthy footwear is one of the best strategies to help reverse or prevent bunions, but what else can you do in terms of tactics, techniques, and exercises to assist this process? This video takes a closer look at exactly this question and includes the following demonstrations: 1. How to manually straighten the big toe; 2. How to... Read more

Bunionettes are less common than regular bunions (bumps or prominences that develop on the inside part of the base of the big toe), though they are similar to a true bunion in their appearance and symptoms. Bunionettes are often called tailor’s bunions because they frequently occur in tailors who sit cross-legged on hard surfaces for prolonged periods. The outside aspect of the feet, when sitting in this... Read more

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses how bunionettes are treated using conventional and natural approaches. A bunionette, also known as a tailor's bunion, is a bump or prominence on the fifth metatarsal bone, at the base of the little toe. A bunionette is not a growth of bone, as is commonly... Read more

Bunions are NOT a growth of bone that forms on the side of the big toe. They ARE a dislocation of the big toe's MTP joint. The first MTP joint is located at the base of the big toe, where one of the big toe's bones (the proximal phalanx) meets the foot's first long bone (the first metatarsal). This joint should be straight, or almost straight, and... Read more

In a lot of cases, people assume they are predisposed to developing bunions because their older relatives developed bunions. But it's impossible to state that bunions are hereditary if all the members of one's family have worn shoes with tapering toe boxes. Shoes with this injurious design element hold the big toe in a bunion configuration for prolonged periods and are the... Read more

In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses how bunions are treated using conventional and natural approaches. This video takes a closer look at the effects of footwear on foot and toe anatomy and function and the role of conventional footwear (especially the design element called toe box taper) on bunion formation. Dr. Ray... Read more