Bunions, hammer toes, neuromas, and other forefoot problems aren’t just uncomfortable—they can cause persistent pain that negatively impacts your quality of life, causing you to miss out on the activities you love. Fortunately, you don’t have to let forefoot pain hold you from fully participating in work, family activities, and the outdoor adventures that make life in the Umpqua Valley special.
At Wilks Advanced Foot Care, our Roseburg podiatrist, Dr. Jason Wilks, offers comprehensive care, including innovative therapies and personalized treatment plans that prioritize non-surgical options whenever possible. Since 1999, we’ve helped countless southern Oregon patients overcome uncomfortable forefoot conditions and get back to the activities they love with less pain and limitations. Discover why our family-owned practice is Douglas County’s top choice for top-notch podiatric care.
Offering Complete Care for Common Forefoot Conditions
The front of the foot, the forefoot, consists of long metatarsal bones and shorter phalanges, or toe bones. Painful problems in this area often develop gradually due to inherited structural issues, improper footwear, and injury. At our Roseburg office, we address the full range of forefoot issues, including:
- Bunions. This progressive foot condition occurs when the big toe joint becomes misaligned, creating a painful bump on the side of the foot. Without proper treatment, bunions typically worsen over time and can make standing, walking, and wearing normal shoes difficult.
- Hammer toes. Trauma, muscle imbalances, nerve damage, or wearing poorly fitting shoes can cause a toe’s middle joint to permanently bend downward, creating a hammer-like appearance that gives this condition its name. Hammer toes usually affect the second, third, or fourth toes and can cause pain, corns, and discomfort when wearing shoes.
- Claw toes and mallet toes. Similar to hammer toes, claw toes involve abnormal bending of the middle and furthest toe joints, giving the foot a claw-left appearance. Mallet toe affects the furthest toe joint—the one nearest the tip—of typically the second toe.
- Morton’s neuroma. The thickening of the tissue around a nerve between the third and fourth toes can cause burning, numbness, and tingling in the ball of the foot, which makes it feel like you’re standing on a pebble. Morton’s neuroma can develop due to structural issues, high-impact sports, and activities that put repeated stress on the forefoot or wearing shoes with high heels or narrow toe boxes.
Examining Conservative Treatments for Forefoot Pain
Dr. Wilks believes in taking advantage of conservative therapies for forefoot pain whenever possible. Your personalized care plan may include:
- Ice. Applying ice to the painful part of your forefoot for up to 15 minutes at a time can help reduce pain and inflammation. Write the ice in a thin, soft cloth or towel to avoid placing it directly on your skin.
- Medication. Our experienced podiatrist can also recommend over-the-counter medications, as needed, to help control forefoot pain and inflammation.
- Padding and strapping. Special pads, toe spacers, and night splints can help improve toe alignment and decrease pain and swelling.
- Footwear modification. We can recommend special shoes for your condition and offer suggestions for modifying existing footwear to improve comfort.
- Custom orthotics. These prescription shoe inserts help redistribute pressure away from painful parts of the forefoot while providing precise support and cushioning for your unique foot structure.
Exploring Our Options for Advanced Care
While our practice prioritizes conservative treatments whenever possible, some forefoot conditions may require a more intensive approach. Wilks Advanced Foot Care offers:
- Imaging. We use state-of-the-art X-ray and ultrasound technology as diagnostic tools to thoroughly evaluate your feet.
- Specialized treatment protocols. Our Roseburg podiatrist stays current with the latest, most effective non-surgical treatments to provide pain relief for our patients. Currently, Shockwave Therapy, a non-invasive, regenerative medicine procedure, is one of our most advanced weapons for reducing pain and inflammation in the forefoot.
- Surgery. When conservative therapies don’t provide adequate relief, Dr. Wilks offers a range of surgical procedures to relieve painful symptoms and correct structural forefoot problems.