Morton’s Toe

Morton’s Toe is a condition named after Dr. Dudley Morton where the second toe is longer than the big toe. This causes pressure on the head of the metatarsal of the second toe, which results in pain and inflammation. A callus often forms on the ball of the foot under the metatarsal head as well. Cause The condition is usually congenital. Treatment & Prevention Replacing the insoles of the shoes with orthotic insoles or ¾ length orthotics that support the feet to take pressure off the second metatarsal head is the answer for Morton’s Toe. Shoes must be wide enough and tall enough in the toe area to accommodate the toes. Arch supports may be included in orthotic insoles and will keep the foot bones aligned. If the foot bones become misaligned, other foot disorders will result. Since the head of the metatarsal is felt on the bottom of the foot in the area of the ball of the foot, a metatarsal pad may alleviate the pain by reducing some of the stress on the foot.