Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Home remedies
• Method 2 of 3: Severe nodule toes
• Method 3 of 3: Lifestyle changes
• Tips

A lump toe (in Latin: hallux valgus) is a crooked big toe that results in a protrusion at the joint of your big toe. A crooked big toe is mainly caused by wearing shoes that are too small and heredity, whereby the big toe is pushed in the direction of the other foot toes. Eventually, the protrusion swells and starts to hurt. This can lead to problems when walking or exercising. This article describes lifestyle changes, home remedies, and medical procedures you can use to get rid of your lump toe.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Home remedies

1. Train your foot. Exercise can slow or even stop the growth of a lump toe, which could prevent surgery. Try to do the following exercises every day, especially after taking off your shoes.
   • Stretch your big toe. Use your fingers to get your big toe next to your other toes.
   • Stretch your other toes too. Make sure your toes are straight forward (10 seconds), then curl your toes (also 10 seconds) and repeat this exercise several times.
   • Strain your toes. Press your toes against a floor or wall until they are bent. Keep your toes like this for 10 seconds and then relax them again. Then repeat this exercise a number of times.
   • Pick up something with your toes. Try to pick up a piece of clothing or a towel with your toes, then drop it again and pick it up again.
2. Wear insoled shoes or a lump toe pillow to straighten your lump toe. If you detect a lump toe early enough, you can buy a lump toe pillow to relieve the pain and make the toe grow straight again. It is also possible that your lump toe will grow straight again due to an insole.
   • Lumpy toes are caused by a genetic abnormality in your foot where the first long bone slides inward. However, this can be exacerbated and accelerated by things like wearing shoes or heels that are too tight.
3. Wear a lump toe pad or shoe inserts to realign the toes. If you catch your lump toe early on, a lump toe pad that you buy at a pharmacy or drugstore can help relieve the pain and get your toe back in the right direction. Shoe inserts can also help realign your toes when wearing shoes.
   • You can use prefabricated inserts or a custom orthosis fitted by a foot specialist.
   • Also consider using inserts to give your shoes adequate arch support. If your arch collapses, your lump toe will get better over time.
4. Tape your foot and toes so they can grow straight again. Your toes should be in their natural position after two weeks. Ask your doctor for help if you want to get rid of your lump toe this way.
5. Relieve the pain. Exercising your foot and toes is good, but the pain caused by a lump toe needs to be treated. You can use these methods to relieve the pain:
   • Soak your feet in warm water. Fill a bowl with warm water and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes. The heat will ease the pain in your joints.
   • Use an ice pack. You can use an ice pack on particularly painful days. Fill a plastic bag with ice and wrap it in a thin towel. Hold the ice pack against the sore spot for 20 minutes every day.
   • Take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen to relieve pain.
6. For light to medium lump toes you can also use a Bunion-Aid (flexible splint). These are designed to correct nodule toes and relieve pain.
7. Try a nodule toe split. For mild to moderate lump toe splints, a flexible lump toe splint such as "Bunion-Aid" has been scientifically proven to be effective against Hallux valgus and relieve lump toe pain.

Method 2 of 3: Severe nodule toes

1. Consult a doctor. If you are experiencing extreme pain that seems to be getting worse, or if your foot no longer fits in your shoe, see a doctor right away. It is possible to slow the growth of nodule toes, but you cannot cure them without help.
2. Take your painkillers. In some cases, doctors recommend that you change your lifestyle and give you a prescription for painkillers. To prevent the lump toe from getting worse, always follow your doctor's advice.
3. Consider surgery. As a last resort, surgery is often needed. During an operation, a piece of bone is scraped from your big toe joint and your big toe is put straight again. These types of surgery are common enough and are seen as the only real solution to nodule toes.
   • Several surgeries are available to get rid of a lump toe. Talk to your doctor about the best option for your lump toe.
   • Surgery is usually an effective way to get rid of a lump toe, but this does not guarantee that you will not feel pain in the future or that your toe will look straight.
   • After surgery, you should also adjust your lifestyle and continue to exercise to prevent pain and inflammation in the future.
   • Surgery has potential downsides, such as wound infection, lump toe recurrence, or decreased sensation in your big toe, so it's often considered a last resort. A doctor can discuss these potential complications with you so that you can make an informed decision.

Method 3 of 3: Lifestyle changes

1. It doesn't matter whether your lump toe is inherited or the result of wearing shoes that are too small, moving around barefoot as much as possible can help. This can remedy and prevent nodule toes. Walking barefoot strengthens the muscles in your feet and allows the bones to return to their natural position instead of conforming to the shoe.
   • If your nodule toes are already too advanced and hurt a lot, it can be more painful to walk around barefoot. In that case, it is better to only walk around barefoot in rooms with a thick carpet. It also helps to wear thick socks while walking around the house during your daily activities.
   • Another option to relieve the pain is to wear thick, comfortable slippers. This will reduce the pressure on your lump toes that wearing shoes would cause.
2. Find out if wearing shoes makes your lumpy toes worse. You may think your shoes fit well, but even your tennis or athletic shoes can aggravate your lumpy toes. In particular, wear supportive shoes with padding and arches. If you do not know what kind of shoes are suitable, you should consult a doctor.
   • Make sure you only wear shoes in your size. Shoes that are too small will aggravate your nodule toes. If your shoes fit, your big toe should never touch the end of the shoe. The rule of thumb is: make sure there is one more inch between the end of the shoe and your big toe.
   • Fits shoes at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen to ensure you get the most comfortable fit. Also, use a Brannock device to measure your feet every time you buy shoes, as your shoe size can change over time.
   • Do not wear high heels or pointed shoes. These shoes are beautiful, but heels and pointed shoes are very bad for knuckle toes. They cause extra pain and prevent your lump toe from healing. Wear sandals if possible.
3. Avoid activities that can trigger nodule toes. Ballet and other activities that require wearing tight shoes can cause lumpy toes. If it is not possible to perform these types of activities in shoes that are more suitable for your feet, you should avoid the activity altogether.

Tips

• Flexible bump-toe splints (Bunion-Aid) give the foot some more mobility by keeping the big toe in the right place. Bunion splints are also used after surgery to keep the big toe in place and protect the tissue.
• Night splints, these splints should be worn by children during the night to prevent nodule toes from forming. Since adult feet are already fully grown, it makes no sense for them to wear night splints.