Is Hallux Limitus rehab possible to recover full big-toe-joint range-of-motion?

Hi Coaches,

I've been struggling with what I think to be Hallux Limitus in both of my big toes for over 10 years now. (31yo, M).

I only became aware of this problem when I began training in Aikido about 4 years ago (2012) because we sit in seiza, curled seiza and train knee walking (shikko) like breathing.

However, my big toe joint mobility just never seems to improve. I still feel INTENSE pain after 30+ seconds of having my full weight on curled big toes.

The left big toe has ~70 degrees of flexion and the right toe has ~60 degrees of flexion. The other toes never even get the chance to help support the curled seiza load.

I transitioned completely to barefoot running (skin to pavement) and started using minimalist shoes exclusively 6 years ago (2010). Although that has done WONDERS for the rest of my physiology (no more achilles tendonitis, shin splints, foot, ankle and knee pain), my big toe mobility issues persist.

I think Hallux Limitus has caused me to favor the pinky toe sides of my feet when I walk which could be causing other issues I'm now becoming aware of through the stretch series workouts (For example: weaker Soleus and Gastrocnemieus muscles causing my heels to sickle outwards when I sit seiza or raised seiza?)  

I injured each big toe separately in their own SEVERE toe stubbing accident about 10-12 years ago.

My Questions:

Is it even possible to rehab the big toes back to full mobility? (Just feeling the top of the big toe metatarsal bones, it appears that bone spurring has already occurred. Also, the cartilage in each big toe joint feels pretty much obliterated.)

Is there something more direct I can do to enhance the mobility in these big toe joints?

Thanks for your help and expertise!

HI Matthew it depends of the type of limitations, if it is concerned with bones restriction than you can't do to much. if the problem it is due to strong tissue adhesion it is possible to recover, but from behind a monitor it is impossible to say that. only a physioterapist can say something more.

Thanks for your reply Coach Alessandro.

Are there any indicators I can feel for myself that might suggest tissue adhesion over bone restriction?

I think that a physiotheapist it is able to check for it . maybe @Mark Collins can tell you something more basing on your experience.

It sounds like you would benefit from specific joint mobilisation and massage by a physio. Active big toe lifts and abduction exercises will also help.

it is great to hear you have transitioned to minimalist shoes. How often do you walk up and down hills on uneven ground? Most of our walking is on flat paved ground which limits our toe mobility.

Thanks Coach Mark.

I'm pretty good about seeking out uneven ground now purely for the novelty.

When I go barefoot running (no shoes at all), I'm able to handle virtually any surface (gravels included) as long as they're not too hot or cold. Uneven terrains are a pleasure for me because they're so much fun to maneuver.

In the last 9 months, I've lived in Budapest, Hungary, Split, Croatia and Lisbon, Portugal (all hilly, cobblestone European cities) & walking almost exclusively for transport so I've definitely been experiencing lots of good surface variety.

However, I'm not sure if I'm rolling through and pushing off of my big toe correctly when I walk. If I consciously keep the weight focused on my big toes as I walk, the joints feel tight and uncomfortable due to their reduced mobility. I often wonder if I'm favoring the pinky toe sides of my feet unconsciously when walking because of this.

Also, people often ask me now "Are you limping?" when I'm definitely not. I've always just chalked that up to having a softer and unfamiliar gait people aren't used to seeing now that I walk with a softer barefoot stride, but perhaps it's been a big toe gait issue after all.

I'll focus on the exercises you suggested for now and try to find a good physio soon to get some professional treatment.

I'm also looking in to buying a pair of Correct Toes toe separators to help restore my feet to their anatomically correct toe alignment. It seems like that could also free up the big toe to get a little more mobility as well.

19 hours ago, Matthew Totten said:

I'm also looking in to buying a pair of Correct Toes toe separators to help restore my feet to their anatomically correct toe alignment. It seems like that could also free up the big toe to get a little more mobility as well.

These are great, I use them also when I just sit around… also (but check with your physio first), hook a rubber band around your big toe, and do flexions/extensions… also still hooked on the big toe, do foot circles, nice and slow, both ways, it will also add some training/movement to the big toe. I do this with my tennis players. With strong big toe  muscles, they run faster

If you get the time post a video of you walking from back on. It could be that you just need to focus more on pushing off the big toe rather than the outside of the foot.

I also have the issue of a limited range of motion in my big toes, so all these tips seem very helpful for my situation as well.

One thing that crosseed my mind regarding the curled seiza that applies at least to my situation, not sure if relevant for you:

I think that limited ankle flexibility needs to be compensated by more toe flexibility. So while in curled seiza, I do feel some pain after a short period of time in my toes, I would assume that improving my ankle mobility would decrease the angle required for the toes to sit comfortably in curled seiza.

Hi Mathew,

Based on my experience, I would say yes, you can get full range back. Between being barefoot as much as possible,  surfing, ie, walking barefoot in surging water, rocky bottoms, and, perhaps most relevantly, having ridiculously long, skinny, ape like toes, I know your pain. Repeated jamming and stubbing the big toe on my right foot reduced it to maybe 10-15 degrees of flexion at one point, came back to maybe 30-40, I assumed I was stuck there as it manages to find something to run into on a regular basis.

The movement that worked for me, basically, moving between a seiza and a curled sieza, use the upper body assist to scale back the intensity or scale it way back, move between seal and plank with toes curled under, and many variations in between, you get the basic idea. Doing that 10X daily brought me back to full ROM in ~18 months. I use it to prep for squatted sieza. 

I think something along those lines, along with the excellent advice above and you can get it back. Oh, and stop stubbing your toe, that's my gig