History
The name derives from American orthopedic surgeon Dudley Joy Morton (1884–1960), who originally described it as part of Morton's triad (a.k.a. Morton's syndrome or Morton's foot syndrome): a congenital short first metatarsal bone, a hypermobile first metatarsal segment, and calluses under the second and third metatarsals.
Although commonly described as a disorder, it is sufficiently common to be considered a normal variant of foot shape (its prevalence varies with different populations). The main symptom experienced due to Morton's toe is discomfort and callusing of the second metatarsal head. This is because the first metatarsal head would normally bear the majority of a person's body weight during the propulsive phases of gait, but these forces are transferred to the second (smaller) metatarsal head because of its anterior positioning. In shoe-wearing cultures, it can be problematic. For instance, it may cause nail problems from wearing shoes with a profile that does not accommodate the longer second toe.
Confusion has arisen from the term also sometimes being used for a different condition, Morton's neuroma, a term coined by Thomas George Morton (1835–1903) for a syndrome involving pain caused by neuroma between the third and fourth toes.
Read more about this topic: Morton's Toe
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