Hallux Rigidus running shoes should they be hard or soft

This episode comes from a discussion I just had with a runner during a telemedicine visit where I was helping her figure out a second opinion and what to do about her hallux rigidus. So she was very confused because she's been diagnosed with hallux rigidus. She's been told that that's what's causing the pain in her big toe joint when she runs and she was a little confused because she said the doctor explained to her that she might want to get some kind of plate to put in her shoe to make it stiffer. But at the same time said that she has high arches and because she has high arches and what we call a neutral foot type that have in part, led to her hallux rigidus, that she needs to have more cushioning in her running shoes. Today on The Doc on the Run Podcast we're talking about running shoes for hallux rigidus. Should they be hard or soft?

[@HughDWallace]

Thanks to this video (backed up by a few similar one on UA-cam) I have bought both running and walking shoes from Hoka. What a difference! I can now run and walk with almost no pain in my left big toe.

[@conradburdekin722]

I have tried 6 different pairs of running shoes in the last month and ALL hurt my big toe. But I’ve not tried Hoka. Which do you recommend?

[@HughDWallace]

@@conradburdekin722 I just bought the cheapest pair I could find to try them out. They ended up being the Rincon 3 model & seem to work for me.

[@conradburdekin722]

@@HughDWallace thanks

[@johnsommo2452]

Thanks for the video-very clear. I have Hallux Rigid and flat feet. I was looking at Altra shoes with such a great wide toebox-but not sure if these would make sense as compared to Hoka. Thanks for any insight!

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thank you watching! Maybe. Altras are wider, but the width is not usually the issue with Hallux Rigidus. Have you tried both? We could jump on web-cam call and discuss your situation in detail with a one hour web-cam consultation. You can book it and block my calendar for your call here: www.docontherun.com/talk-to-the-expert/

[@teuf505el]

I never had any issues until I switched to Altra. After a year+ of Altra I was just diagnosed with mild arthritis/hallux limitus stage 1. It may not be the shoes per say, but most Altra models are very flexible. They are more minimal than you think. Good luck

[@dariushfooladivanda8159]

Thanks for the information. I am suffering from the problem that you mentioned in the video. Which one of the HOKA shoes do you recommend for someone with Hallux Rigidus and neutral foot type?

[@DocOnTheRun]

Hi Dariush, Glad you enjoyed the video. You have to try them on to see which feel best, and which have the most stiffness at the ball of the foot coupled with steep rocker. It really helps to look at them and try them on.

[@KickinChick06]

Thank you for this info. I had nondisplaced fractures at the base of my first, second and third metatarsal bones from a hard fall at Taekwondo over 2 months ago. My MRI showed my tendons and ligaments are all intact, so my ortho told me I could begin weight bearing at around 3 weeks post injury. I'm 9 weeks now and I am about 90% back to normal except for my big toe. My toe was not injured from the fall, but I was in a boot for 3 weeks, so my ortho said it may be caused by stiffness and weakness due to atrophy when I was in the boot. I am doing toe stretching and strengthening exercises, but my toe still bothers me when I exercise. Will a carbon fiber shoe insert help when running? I will start going back to Taekwondo training gradually next week and was thinking of adding rigid shoe inserts in my martial arts shoes to help with the toe. Thank you. 🙂

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thank you so much for watching, and for your comments. However I cannot make a recommendation of whether or not you need carbon fiber in your running shoes based on the amount of information provided. However we could get on a call to discuss in detail if needed.

[@sl2608]

Would slipping a carbon fiber insert inside the shoe to stiffen it and keep it from bending work also? I already have a semi-rigid RTP carbon fiber insert. And I would wear Powerstep Pinnacle orthotics on top of it. Rather than buying a whole new expensive pair of running shoes, would this work?

[@ErinM-2024]

I was just diagnosed with hallux rigidus but no big toe pain. I have 2nd metatarsal pain from top of foot down to the bottom of the foot. So, I’m confused

[@DocOnTheRun]

Thank you for watching and I hope you found the video helpful. Quick question... if you saw a doctor and a doctor diagnosed you with the condition, why are you still confused. Did your doctor not fully explain it to you? It certainly seems like any doctor who makes a diagnosis should not leave you confused.

[@ErinM-2024]

He explained it to me. I am one that has to look up what hallux rigidus is and when I was watching it on UA-cam, I started thinking, I don’t have any pain in the first toe/metatarsal

[@guardiandog2445]

barefoot running

[@maryus707]

guaranteed metatarsalgia

[@mizzchuz.6413]

If you have stage 4 hallux rigidus like myself, you would understand barefoot running is mechanically impossible.

[@illuminaticat4861]

@@mizzchuz.6413 Yeah but these comments are written by the few which had a mild stiffness that probably isn't even cartilage related