Bone Joint Muscle - Foot & Ankle Problems: Overlapping second toes (2024)

Silvia09

Junior Member

Overlapping second toes

Hi to all, i've overlapping second toes on both feet,....sometimes i wanted to cut!!!!!!They overlapp becase there isn't space between the big and 3th toes,and i've to wiggle my toes pushing under the second toes,but they flip up immediately!I feel toes unconfortable....and now the big toes starting to move inward, because i've also a little bunions!!I don't know what to do......someone else like me???

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi there! It seems we are having same feet problems. A slight difference is that on my left foot my second toe overlaps more the third toe than the big one. On my right foot my second toe completely overlaps my big toe. Only when applying pressure the second toe tends to overlap the third toe as well. Well, i haven't had to many difficulties in wearing different kind of shoes, even pointed ones, i can't say why but my toes find their place in any kind of shoes. Bunions are always a problem for me though my boyfriend finds them sexy. My big toes move inward as well with slight bunions. So if you take a look at my soles you'll only find 4 toes. I'm "glad" i found someone with the same foot problems. This makes me feel more relaxed when talking about my toes. How bad is it your problem? Do they hurt? Tell me more...

Silvia09

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Suzana,i'm glad too find someone that have second toes like mine!!Yesterday on the beach i sow anoter girls 25/30 y.o,witht her second toes in left foot overlapping completely on a big toe,and sometimes she wiggle her toes pushing down second toe!!Like me,i wanted to ask abaut her feet ,but she was with her family and i didn't want !The other toes was normal!
I've pain when i walk too much or in tight shoes,because the pressure of the second toes against other toes cause irritation in the skin,and i've to put between the toes cotton or band aid!!The bunions are little,and momentanely cause me pain only in hight heel shoes!

Silvia09

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Dear Suzana,but your toes aren't painfull in tight shoes walking a lot?Don't you have a sensation to be uncorfontable trying to wiggles second toes and push under in a right position ?Sometimes do you've try to spread with toes spacer??

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Silvia! I'm glad you post a reply. Well,i don't remember the moment when my toes started to overlap but i know for sure that it happened sometime in my childhood. What about yours? So i got used to have my toes overlapping and i believe this is one of the reasons why my toes don't usually hurt. I feel a bit unconfortable when wearing tight shoes & closed high heels but i take them off from time to time when i sit. I sometimes try to wiggle my toes and push them in the right position but without luck,especially on my left foot where my second toe overlaps my third one. There is just not enough space for my second toes. And toes spacers are not good for my toes. I can wear toes spacers for only 15-20 minutes 'cause it becomes very unconfortable. I feel very confortable when wearing peep toe shoes or open toe sandals. Please try to describe your toes a little bit more 'cause i am trying to figure out how your toes look like, in what manner they overlap or how bad they overlap. What kind of shoes do you prefer to wear? How long do you keep your toenails?

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Almost forgot to ask: what is your age? It may be important for your overlapping toes.

Silvia09

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi,i'm 33 yo and my toes are overlapping since i was child,and sometimes i had to fix cotton between the big and second toes also when i was teenager,but over the years at 26/27 y.o. the situation become to be worse because the big toes starting to be anglend inward more than before!
Now i'm whearing toes spacer during the night.

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Silvia! Do theses toe spacers work? How long can you bare them? Can you keep them all night long because i have tried without luck. Do your second toes on both feet completely overlap the big ones, like completely covering the big toenail? In my case, on my right foot my second toe overlaps the big one covering almost 70% of the toenail and without touching the third toe. On my left foot the second toe overlaps more the third toe than the big one and when applying pressure or wearing tight shoes it completely overlaps the third toe. I can wear toe spacers on my left foot easily, separating the second toe from the big but even though it will still overlap the third toe. On my right foot is different 'cause toe spacers are unconfortable. I have tried to put the second toe in the right position and noticed that pushed my third toe towards the fouth one, overlapping it. To be honest i prefer to have my third toe overlapping the fourth toe than the present situation. I sometimes put my big toe over the second toe and it feels ok, i simply swap the toes. Try to keep them like this for a while and try to walk a little bit. In any case it'll hurt a bit at the very begining but it worths trying. We can start trying toghether. If you feel confortable you can try sending me a snapshot of your toes. Now you really make me curious about your toes & about the difference between our feet. How do you do your pedicure? I'm having big difficulties on my right foot especially!!!

elaine2

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Boy am I glad to see a problem with overlapping toes on this site. I had a total right foot reconstruction in April 08. I still am dealing with some pain where there is hardware ()plate and screws)...now I have noticed that my right foot 2nd toe is starting to overlap the big toe since the surgery. It feels like it gets stuck when I wake up from sleeping. I also toe wiggle in my shoes to coax the toe back (it seems slightly raised) . It does not hurt, but I am returning to the surgeon next week to see what is up? It also seemed to press on the toenail and cause part of it to turn black. Has anyone else experienced this?

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Elaine! Welcome to the club of the overlapping toe girls! Well, it seems you don't have such a big problem with your toes as they overlap a little. I'm sorry for the surgery of your foot! What happened to you! I have a friend and her left second toe overlaps the big toe but just a little and only when she sits. Otherwise her toes look quite straight. I do not believe you should worry about your toes. Do they hurt or something? Do you feel unconfortable in any way? My second toes on both feet are completely overlapping the big and third toes (look at my previous posts). Look fwd to receiving your post.

elaine2

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Suzana.....thanks for the reply.
Well, I had a complete right foot reconstruction in 4-08. It involved 6 procedures and incisions....PTTD stuff. I never noticed the toe thing until after the surgery. It doesn't hurt, but is annoying at times. I am not vain with my feet especially after over 100 stitches on that foot already. I was still having pain on the surgery foot and saw the orthopedic surgeon yesterday about it and asked about the toe. He said they had to borrow a tendon from my other toes to help make my arch and the different position of my big toe may be causing the 2nd toe to cross over.
Anyway, he said if I have no pain to leave it alone, and if the joint eventually dislocates I will deal with it then. I trust him, and appreciate his not wanting to cut somemore.
In regard to the pain in my foot around my ankle it is due to a screw that can be removed. It is supposed to be relatively simple to remove in out patient procedure. I plan on doing that sometime in the fall or late summer. He actually said that the overlapping toe is like a hammer toe. So I am glad I know.

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Elaine. So i understand that your 2 toe overlaps your big toe just a little. i mean it doesn't look that obvious. You may try using a toe separator but i do believe it's not necessary. It's important to feel confortable. In my previous posts i was telling silvia that i do sometimes feel unconfortable when wearing different kind of shoes and i'm having difficulties doing my pedicure.

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Silvia09

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Elaine and Suzana,my second toes in summer are lucky,because i'm wearing sandals and open toe shoes,and i can wiggle!I've try like you to walk pushing down the second toes,are confortable, but thy're in unnatural position, and immediately they flip up again!
In the night i'm whearing now toes spacer,the situation is the same!I don't know how many times need to see a better situation!!
I try to post you a picture of my toes!

suzana81

Junior Member

Re: Overlapping second toes

Hi Silvia! Glad to see you back! My toes are lucky too for the same reason. i feel much more confortable wearing open toe sandals. Sometimes people stare at my feet but i don't care, they're mine. Better have overlapping toes than big, flat soles with huge, straight and unshaped piggies. But even though i try to correct my toe problems or at least to change their appearance. If i wear open toe sandals than i can put my big toe over the second toe and walk like that (have you tried the same way?) and it's ok if i only put some pressure on my toes, otherwise they flip back again. I believe that keeping my toes overlapped this way, on long term, may slightly correct the problem. In the evening, when i take off my shoes and i let my toes flip back, they tend to overlap less but just for a while. In the morning my toes look the way they usually do. So i have to swap my toes regularly and perhaps it works better. I tried using the toe separators again but without luck, it's a bit painful. I wake up during the night and take them off. Now i have to get my pedicure done and it is quite difficult. How about you? You can send the pics of your toes on my email * email address and/or contact information removed by hb-mod, moderator * . Once again, i'm glad that i can have my toe problems discussed with you. Look forward to seeing your reply!