“Your second toe is longer than your big toe. That indicates that you descended from savages.”
Well, that caught my attention. I was sitting in a summer school class and the professor must have looked at my feet. It was so nice of him to share his observation with the class, wasn’t it?
In case you have heard this or something similar, it is a myth. It is also a myth that because my second toe is longer that I am more dependable. I am more dependable because, well, I just am.
Isn’t it funny what people will think of? I had never noticed that my toes were any different from anyone else’s toes. I had no clue that having a longer second toe was unusual.
So, yes, in the general population, some people have a longer second toe. You can even find a longer second toe on the Statue of Liberty. There have even been studies done to see if it is a genetic trait. (If it is, it is not dependent on one gene or it is a combination of genetics and environment.)
But taking up space in the Foot Blogger Chick’s head right now is the question of whether having a longer second toe makes a difference in foot’s structure.
And it does.
Is there a name for having a longer second toe?
Having a longer second toe is officially called Morton’s Toe. The name Morton’s Toe is a bit misleading. It seems that the toe bone is not actually longer; it is the metatarsal bone (the bone inside your foot that connects to the toe bone) that is longer. So the issue is that the first metatarsal bone is shorter than the second. You can tell if you have Morton’s Toe without having to have an x-ray. Look at your foot. If the space between the first and second toe looks deeper than the space between your second and third toe, then you have Morton’s toe. The picture below shows a foot with a Morton’s Toe.
Does it matter?
It can. Morton’s Toe can lead to musculoskeletal problems. The problems start with the feet and move up the leg from there. Often times, the problem is not seen in the young because they are stronger. The syndrome can be seen in older adults. It can lead to ball of the foot pain, a Morton’s Neuroma, metatarsal stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, bunions and malformations of the toes. It is felt that the syndrome can also be the cause for some leg and knee problems.
What should I do?
If you look at your foot and you see that you have Morton’s Toe Syndrome, I suggest that you go to your friendly local podiatrist and have them check it out. It may be that you need to make a small correction that will save you in the future.
Have a great week!
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick
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