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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM

pain underneath big toe from stepping on sharp rocks

by April E
(California)

Hi, I was wearing slippers and my slipper came off and I stepped on some sharp rocks and underneath my big toe started to hurt and I looked at my toe there was no puncture and later it didn't hurt that much but still a few weeks later it still hurts. Someone told me that maybe a corn has developed there. I used the corn medication and the area turned white and there is a little hole in the middle. It still hurts do you think it is a corn?


ANSWER

Hi April,

If there were a corn there you would feel a hard spot under the toe. Is there a hard spot located where the toe hurts? I am guessing probably not.
If you did not have one there before walking on stones, you probably did not do enough walking in a short period of time to create a corn.
One of two possible things come to mind. The first is that you injured the tendon under the toe. This is the tendon that allows you to bend your toe downward. It lies just under the skin, so if you stepped on a stone in a thin soled shoe it would not be so far fetched to think that you may have injured the tendon.
The second possibility is that some people have an extra bone. Actually it is cartilage and not real bone, but it lies under the big toe usually as the level where the toe bends in half.
Stepping on a stone could hit this piece of cartilage and cause pain as well.
The problem here is that once you have injured this part of the toe, it can take a while to heal as the toe is re-injured every time you continue to walk on it so it can seem to take forever.
Having said all that, if the area that hurts is red and/or swollen, I think you should seek medical attention at that might be indicative of a more severe problem. Just make sure the redness or swelling is not a result of the corn medication at that could also irritate the skin.
Assuming the toe is not red and swollen, you might try limiting your shoes to a rigid soled shoe that minimizes the bending of the toe, such as a stiff sneaker.
Wear them for a week or so, limit walking around barefoot and see what that does for you. If it does not feel better than you will need to see a doctor in your area.

Marc Mitnick DPM
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Oct 28, 2015
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by: Anonymous

I have the exact same issue. Was walking on river bed and stepped on a sharp stone. No open wound, but a small corn fomred. Used a corn removed , all the skin around the spot came off leaving a red open wound that bled when I filed it with pet filer. Not it hurts. It has been 3 months now. Went to doctor twice and I have a referral to dermatologist. waiting for 2 months to see dermatologist.

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Wonderful advice

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