Splayed Toes

I saw my third patient today with space between their second and third toes (counting from the big to to the small toe).  It seems to be related to a shift in weight bearing from the great (big) toe (where it belongs) to the second or third toe.  It seems that the body will then “group” the big and second toe together, then make those two toes function as one.   This is what seems to be the mechanism behind the second and third toes moving apart.  I made no progress when I diagnosed this issue with the patient laying on their back, but if I made them stand up and tested them, I noticed the weight shift from the great toe to the great/second toe “group”.  I then treated what I found and have been getting pretty good results by approaching the feet in this manner.  Physical manipulation and prolo therapy (injections of sugar water to stimulate ligament growth) may be used to get your foot to come back to where it started.