Many avid golfers are affected by a condition known as Hallux Limitus, which causes pain and stiffness in the joint located at the base of the big toe. The pivot requires repetitive motion and, therefore, places undue stress and strain on the joint of the big toe, which is easy to overextend. Over time, the cartilage begins to dissipate and the toe will lose some range of motion. Too many golfers ignore this symptom and it eventually becomes a much bigger problem known as Hallux Rigidus. When this stage sets in, the toe becomes completely stiff and unable to move. As soon as pain is felt in the big toe, a golfer should visit a podiatrist.

Hallux Subungual Hematoma is another condition associated with the big toe. It results from the jamming of the toe at the end of the Golf Swing follow-through. With repetitive stress, blood forms underneath the toenail and results in pressure and pain to the affected area. The toenail may become discolored and very sensitive to the touch. It is easy to avoid this by simply tweaking the Golf Swing. When following through, try to pull the rear foot away from the target. This will prevent the “jamming effect” that occurs and will place the stress on the forefoot instead