This video by Aaron Gustafson of Transcent Bodywork does a great job of explaining how the medial longitudinal arch of the foot is stabilized and maintained by the Flexor Hallucis Longus and Abductor Hallucis. The video is a great visual of how having good big toe alignment is crucial to maintaining a medial arch.
As the video showed, big toe adduction (think of what happens when you have a bunion) changes the line of pull of the flexor hallucis longus and abductor hallucis and causes further adduction of the big toe and a collapsing of the medial arch.
Now the question becomes: What causes big toe adduction?
Many people like to point to shoes, which can obviously cause big toe alignment issues as seen in the images below, but that doesn't explain why one foot is almost always different than the other foot.
Now the question becomes: What causes big toe adduction?
Many people like to point to shoes, which can obviously cause big toe alignment issues as seen in the images below, but that doesn't explain why one foot is almost always different than the other foot.
Uneven foot abduction, caused by posture imbalances further up the body, is one of the major causes of big toe adduction. When a foot is abducted at heel strike, the outside of the heel makes first contact rather than the center back of the heel. This then causes an inward rolling the foot causing push-off to come off the inside edge of the first metatarsal and big toe (rather than straight through the middle of the foot and off all five toes). This type of push-off literally pushes the big toe into adduction and the excessive friction on the first metatarsal causes bunion formation over time. --This can be seen in the larger bunion on the left foot in the picture above and the hole in the sole of the left shoe. Learn more about foot position, gait patterns, and bunion formation in this previous article I wrote.
Products like Correct Toes (which we carry) can help improve big toe alignment...
Products like Correct Toes (which we carry) can help improve big toe alignment...
...but without addressing the postural imbalances throughout the body you are fighting a losing battle.
Schedule a free posture evaluation with Matt today to learn what is causing your flat feet, collapsing arches, and bunions today.
Related articles/videos:
Bunions - overlooking the obvious
Foot problems uncovered
Pete Egoscue on infants and alignment
Form follows function in the human body and movement
Schedule a free posture evaluation with Matt today to learn what is causing your flat feet, collapsing arches, and bunions today.
Related articles/videos:
Bunions - overlooking the obvious
Foot problems uncovered
Pete Egoscue on infants and alignment
Form follows function in the human body and movement
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