# What did my orthopedist say is wrong with my toe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315 "2013-07-23T18:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/1 "2013-07-23T18:50:34Z")
I’ve been having pain in the ball of my foot for more than a month now and I saw a different doctor today who seemed to really know his feet but was kind of quick and mumbly. I know, I should have taken notes or had him write it down for me but I usually remember this sort of thing so well! The last guy diagnosed me with metatarsalgia, which I understand is a general term for pain usually around the metatarsal-phalangial joint. (It’s in my second toe.) He put a metatarsal pad and a carbon whatever stiffener in my shoe, which seems to have helped a little bit but 1) is uncomfortable and 2) doesn’t seem to have really knocked it out. This guy took YET MORE x-rays and said that I have tight calves and that that metatarsal is longer than the others, so that joint gets lifted up IIRC away from the plantar fascia? So he showed me a way to tape it to keep it from lifting up like that which he said should allow it to heal (and I _think_ it did feel better to walk on once it was taped.) I do that for six weeks and see him again. So he said a more specific word, I want to say it started with a c? What could that have been? I’d like to read more on it. ---
**Author:** ![Jaymosch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaymosch/32/2820_2.png) [@Jaymosch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaymosch)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/2 "2013-07-23T19:05:03Z")
Your best bet is to just call the Doc’s office. Even if he’s busy a nurse/NP/PA should be able to pull your chart and discuss with you. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/3 "2013-07-23T19:10:49Z")
calveinducedelongatedmetatarsitis. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/4 "2013-07-23T19:22:37Z")
> [@Jaymosch](#): > > Your best bet is to just call the Doc’s office. Even if he’s busy a nurse/NP/PA should be able to pull your chart and discuss with you. that should be your first step. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/5 "2013-07-23T19:30:51Z")
Chondrodysplasia. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/6 "2013-07-23T21:12:50Z")
[Morton’s toe](http://www.mortonstoe.com/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/7 "2013-07-24T05:29:39Z")
Probably capsulitis (inflammation of joint capsule) of the 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/8 "2013-07-24T06:40:59Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > Probably capsulitis (inflammation of joint capsule) of the 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint. [Agreed](http://youtu.be/E_PTAAfRovI). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/9 "2013-07-24T09:55:15Z")
If all we have to work with is the letter c, we need to eliminate “cancer” right off the bat. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/10 "2013-07-24T13:59:08Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > [Morton’s toe](http://www.mortonstoe.com/index.html) No, my TOE isn’t longer, the metatarsal is. It might not have been a c. I keep meaning to call them but haven’t yet - does anybody, additionally, have any tips for getting tape to freaking stay on the bottom of your foot? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/11 "2013-07-24T14:12:32Z")
Lupus. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/12 "2013-07-24T14:48:39Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I keep meaning to call them but haven’t yet - does anybody, additionally, have any tips for getting tape to freaking stay on the bottom of your foot? Wear a sock. (That’s not facetious, it’s the best way I’ve found to keep a bandage in place on the bottom of the foot. Fishnets work really well if your socks make you sweat, or you can buy specialty tube [bandage retainers](http://www.allegromedical.com//wound-care-c541/surgilast-tubular-elastic-bandage-retainer-25-yard-roll-stretched-white-p173330.html?gclid=COC5mfGvyLgCFcOh4Aodlh0ALw#GL704_EA?engine=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=feed&CS_003=9164468&CS_010=8ab281020bb66dff010bb671102848ef&gdftrk=gdfV21244_a_7c477_a_7c4637_a_7c173330).) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/13 "2013-07-24T15:22:41Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > No, my TOE isn’t longer, the metatarsal is. > > It might not have been a c. > > I keep meaning to call them but haven’t yet - does anybody, additionally, have any tips for getting tape to freaking stay on the bottom of your foot? duct tape. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/14 "2013-07-24T15:39:52Z")
Heh, but I was so freaking happy that I don’t have to wear my damned tennis shoes to work anymore and that I could return to cute shoes. Sigh. Socks. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-my-orthopedist-say-is-wrong-with-my-toe/664315/15 "2013-07-24T19:37:35Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Lupus. (ok, I’ll be your sock puppet.) Ahem… It’s never Lupus. 😃