Taping the big toe for hallux valgus

Taping the big toe

The toes enable people to stand firmly on the ground, move, run and perform all kinds of motor activities. Each of them is a support for the entire body, a place in contact with the surface. These parts of the body are very important, without them a person simply would not be able to live normally. In a game like football, fractures and dislocations of the thumb in particular are a very common problem. Kinesio taping is a common method for its elimination and prevention. In addition, thumb taping is used to mechanically correct a crooked finger.

Toe deformity

Not all patients perceive the pursed shape of their fingers as a sign of some kind of disease. However, this is not true. Chronic tightness and curling of the toes requires serious attention and special treatment, because... Over time, the situation can seriously deteriorate. And treatment of an advanced case is conservative.

Kovtun Yuri Vadimovich
Neurologist, chiropractor, podiatrist, kinesiologist, kinesiotaping specialist

27.02.2018

The most common types of foot deformities, colloquially called “hammer toes”, “claw toes”, etc.

Deformation of the toes can be congenital, but most often the deformation is affected by the incorrect selection of shoes, when the toes rest on the toes.

Let us separately highlight the classification of toe deformities by stage of development:

• the first stage – the violation is minor, does not cause any inconvenience to the person;
• second stage – the curvature can reach up to 30 degrees, pain occurs when walking;
• third stage – the deformation reaches 50 degrees, the pain is constant and chronic;
• stage four – displacement of more than 50 degrees, severe pain, difficulty choosing shoes.

You can exclude the development of complications if you start treatment at the first or second stage.
Wearing tight, high-heeled or uncomfortable shoes for a long time causes the joints to harden in the wrong position.

The lesion may affect fingers two to four, sometimes separately or two or three at a time, and sometimes all together.

Later, instabilization of the main joints of the affected fingers develops. A podiatrist (or orthopedist) diagnoses transversal (transverse) deformity of the toes. An accurate diagnosis is necessary to select a treatment method.

DEFORMITY OF TOES - TREATMENT Treatment of deformed toes usually begins with conservative measures. These include:

• special orthoses (splints) worn at night
• straightening bandages, taping
• physiotherapy
• orthopedic insoles
• orthopedic or roomy shoes in the toes, eliminating pressure on the convex areas of the toes

For minor curvatures, conservative treatment is sufficient.
It soothes pain and prevents further curvature, but does not completely eliminate joint deformation. Unfortunately, in advanced cases, surgery is required to completely straighten the joints. Methods of surgical treatment of deformed toes are effective and low-traumatic. The deformed joint(s) are straightened, sometimes for this it is necessary to remove the articular head if it has become very hard. The phalanges of the affected fingers are placed in line with the metatarsal bone and fixed with a hard wire, threaded through it. The wire is removed after 2-4 weeks. The postoperative process is painful. After the operation, the patient is prescribed preventive procedures.

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Center services as part of treatment

• Neurology
• Manual therapy
• Kinesiology
• Treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in athletes
• Custom orthopedic insoles
• Kinesio taping
• Neurologist
• Podiatrist
• Exercise therapy room
• Massotherapy

Comprehensive treatment in the center

• Flat feet

Method and technique for gluing tapes to the big toe

Taping is carried out in the following sequence:

1. The middle of the foot needs to be wrapped with tape to create a base for taping. The bandage should not compress the leg. However, you need to make sure that the tape adheres closely to the leg and does not come off.
2. In a similar way, you need to make several windings around the phalanx of the thumb.
3. A strip of tape is laid from the big toe to the base in the middle of the foot. The tape should be close to the skin, but should not tighten it.
4. Slightly closer to the inside of the foot, you need to lay another tape in a similar way, overlapping the first by approximately 2/3. The tape should be applied with tension, but not tighten the skin of the foot.
5. Continue applying tapes around the big toe in the same way.
6. Once again, bandage the middle of the foot and big toe with tape to strengthen the fastening of the tapes on the toe.
7. An elastic bandage is applied on top of the tapes.

Features of use

As with any other technique, taping has its own nuances:

• Do not use if there is damage to the skin. We are talking about scratches, abrasions, open wounds, eczema, dermatitis.
• It is not recommended to use blood thinning medications while wearing tapes.
• The skin must be prepared. If there is strong hair, it must be removed. Before applying the tapes, degrease the skin with any alcohol solution.

Taping the big toe for hallux valgus

Taping is most often used specifically for hallux valgus, which is usually accompanied by other problems: flat feet and pinched nerve of the big toe.

Before starting the procedure, you need to make some preparations:

• you need to thoroughly rinse the foot and all places where taping will be carried out;
• if there is hair, it needs to be shaved;
• the surface must first be treated with an antiseptic solution or an alcohol wipe.

When the foot is prepared, you can begin taping the big toe:

• take the tape and tear off the bottom layer;
• The tape is glued and part of the edge of the foot and the inside are tacked. In this case, the thumb bends slightly and takes the correct position;
• the next patch secures the entire structure and is applied to the back of the foot. Rigid fastening of the upper tape is undesirable, it can lead to inconvenience;
• The patches are rubbed, after which they begin to have a therapeutic effect.

Tapes: what is it?

In the description of the technique you can find the term “kinesio taping”. What is this and how does it differ from the procedure already described? In fact, these are synonymous for the concept and define elastic fixation that preserves the range of muscle motion.

Tapes are special patches made of natural cotton in the form of ribbons of different lengths, widths and shapes. The elasticity of the material is compared to human skin, the patch is hypoallergenic, does not lose its properties even in water and is perfectly breathable. The dense and durable structure can withstand even quite strong tension.

Tapes of different formats are used for taping the face and body. In the first case the following applies:

• narrow correction tapes from 1 to 2.5 centimeters;
• tapes for improving lymphatic drainage, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, stimulating lymph circulation;
• cross-tapes with a more rigid fixation – in case traditional taping does not bring the expected results;
• shaped tapes that help to correctly fix areas with pronounced relief.

Tapes with the highest possible fixing characteristics are used for the body. They are larger and wider, and can be semicircular or fan-shaped. Such patches are applied in the following cases:

• with manifestations of early cellulite;
• to reduce stretch marks after rapid weight loss or childbirth;
• to increase the firmness and elasticity of loose skin.

It is important to remember when choosing taping that this is a procedure that must be performed by a specialist. Using patches on your own can lead to allergic reactions (there are many low-quality tapes on the market). In addition, only a cosmetologist can correctly assess the condition of the skin and muscles, choosing the desired tension force and direction of application of the patch.

The effect of taping on valgus

Correctly applied tape gives the deformed finger a physiological position. Thanks to this, the load of the total body weight is redistributed to the correct points, reducing the pressure on the metatarsophalangeal joint.

Effect of tape Immobilization of a diseased joint gives time to rest from constant loads and displacements, and restore damaged structures.

Within 2 weeks, the joint rests, and the new way of distributing body weight on the foot becomes familiar. After removing the tape, the main support point will remain the same.

Pain and signs of inflammation arise due to constant friction of the structures of the metatarsophalangeal joint and microtrauma of the joint capsule. After the disappearance of the provoking factor during taping, the clinical picture goes away on its own without the use of medications.

The effectiveness of physical exercise in the prevention of Hallus Valgus/Hallus Valgus.

To prevent the development of hallux valgus, orthopedists recommend a number of physical exercises as an effective method of preventing the disease and getting rid of pathology in the early stages of development. Gymnastics for the prevention and treatment of hallux valgus in the early stages is aimed at achieving the following results:

• increasing muscle tone and strengthening ligaments;
• increased joint mobility;
• reduction of pain during movement;
• returning a crooked joint to its natural position.

Causes of plantar fasciitis

Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:

• tight calf muscles or Achilles tendons (tight tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone);
• prolonged walking, standing or running, especially on hard surfaces;
• wearing shoes that don't fit;
• wearing shoes that do not provide the necessary support for the foot;
• weakening of foot tissues with age;
• flat feet, high arches, or uneven gait;
• overweight;
• pregnancy or hormonal changes; under the influence of hormones, ligaments and tissues may become more mobile than usual.

to come back to the beginning

Popular overlay schemes

Taping is effective only if a suitable kinesio tape application scheme and high-quality materials for the procedure are selected. There are 3 types of application of elastic band applications:

• Sports is a method that is used in martial arts and other sports. It is necessary for protection during training and competition. The idea is to gently stabilize the knuckles and wrists while still maintaining sensitivity in the hands. This ensures protection against increased loads.
• Therapeutic taping helps to recover from injuries, relieve pain during exacerbation of chronic diseases (carpal tunnel syndrome, gamer's finger, etc.). Various muscle sprains, complete and partial ruptures of ligaments and tendons cause severe pain, accompanied by bruising and swelling. It should be taken into account that in cases where strong immobilization is needed, tapes will not help.
• Rehabilitation taping is an aid in recovery after plaster removal or surgery.

If you are using the technique for the first time, it is better to contact a specialist - he will select a suitable scheme, teach you how to use the tapes, and in the future it will be easier to use them yourself. Please note that in case of serious injuries or chronic joint diseases, you cannot rely only on kinesio taping. In this situation, it is important to undergo an appropriate course of treatment, and use tapes only as an auxiliary measure.

Indications for wrist taping

In appearance, kinesio tape resembles regular patches. These are wide and narrow strips with a hypoallergenic adhesive layer on the inside. But unlike a regular patch, tapes act due to a physiological effect on the body. They are glued in the direction of muscle movement, so the tapes partially relieve the load on the joints and skin, without limiting a person’s mobility. When used, the following effects are observed:

• At the site of damage, blood circulation increases and lymph outflow improves. Due to this, the inflammatory process is relieved, pain is relieved, bruises and swelling resolve faster.
• When used during training, you can increase your performance while protecting your hands from primary or repeated injury. For example, boxers can increase their punching power by taping.

General rules

Regardless of whether taping is performed on the knee or wrist joint, before applying the tape you must ensure that:

1. The area of ​​skin on which the tape will be applied is clean, dry and undamaged.
2. The tape must be applied without pressure, loops, folds or bends.
3. Taping should not be carried out in case of severe swelling, pain, or on wet or damaged skin.
4. If there are abrasions at the site where the tape was applied, they must first be covered with a bactericidal plaster.
5. Correctly applied tape should not cause any discomfort.

There are various ways to fix joints and it is better if kinesio taping is carried out by a qualified specialist with the necessary skills.

Help from Garant Clinic specialists

Therapeutic exercises are a fairly effective way to combat a bunion on the toe in the first stages of the formation of pathology, but in the second and third stages of the disease, physical exercise will not help. In such a situation, surgical intervention is necessary.

Modern medical practice performs operations to remove hallux valgus using laser technology. Qualified specialists will quickly, carefully and painlessly get rid of bunions using modern medical equipment. Only specialists of the highest category operate modern devices for laser surgery, and the procedure itself is absolutely painless and does not require specific training.

Removing bunions is an innovative technology that has many advantages: no need for general anesthesia, minimal incisions and blood loss, excellent results from an aesthetic point of view. Another advantage of the method is the short rehabilitation period, during which our specialists will also monitor and support the patient.