update on morton's toe and Rothbardt's foot

[raffie]

I've discovered there is some confusion among many running professionals, store managers and runners about morton't foot being the same as Rothbardt's foot. The are not the same thing. Rothbardt's foot is where the big toe is smaller than the second toe, but the big toe is raised and rotated. Morton's toe is where the big toe is smaller, but the big toe is hypermobile, meaning it drops on footstrike. The lift should not go all the way up under the big toe for morton's foot, but just at the base of the first metatarsal bone. For those interested, try to read Dr. Schuler's book "Why You Really Hurt." There is a very cheap, simple solution to morton's foot which includes a pad under the first metatarsal. You might have to keep adding to the pad after a while to get it to say deep enough to keep the big toe from hyperpronating. If you have Riothbatdt's foot, the posture control insoles might help, but they don't help morton's toe (even though the website advertises that they do).

raffie

[Ryan]

Interesting update, thanks for sharing. I hope this means that your problem has been resolved.

I admit that I surely didn't know of the difference between the two. Honestly, I didn't know much about morton's toe and I'm not sure I had previously heard of Rothbardt's foot. I'm glad this explanation is now documented on here in case anyone comes looking for help in the future.

[raffie]

Yes, Ryan, I didn't know the difference either. The doctor who diagnosed morton's toe, Dr. Dudley Morton, who died in 1960, had somehow fallen out of public view. He published several articles and books on the condition. Some of his ideas were picked up by President Kennedy's personal physician, Dr. Janet Travell. Today, Dr. Schuler provides Dr. Morton's central points and notes that for a couple of dollars - a 1/8 in. pad only under the first metatarsal joint at the base of the big toe - the condition can be helped a good bit. He even provides a "real-life-dimension" picture of how to cut the pad, and where to place it.

[Rothbart]

In 1997 I reported that I thought Rothbarts Foot and Morton's foot were the same foot structure.  However, after several years of further research, this proved not to be the case.  Rothbarts Foot and Morton's foot are two entirely different foot structures, and as such, are treated entirely differently.

For more information, you can visit my research website at: http://rothbartsfoot.es/MortonsFoot.html

Prof Brian A Rothbart

[SF/John]

Those articles peer reviewed?