Reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the big toe

Prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker-sole footwear (in which the sole of the shoe is curved) are effective at reducing peak pressure under the big toe in people with a condition called first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis, but new research shows that they achieve this through different mechanisms. Also, rocker-sole shoes exhibited lower peak pressure under the lesser toes and midfoot, while orthoses increased peak pressure in these areas.