Overlapping toes are somewhat common as hereditary defects in newborns, but they can also arise later in life from habitually wearing ill-fitting shoes. The earlier the condition is treated the more easily it is treated, usually noninvasively, but acupuncture is unlikely to reverse the condition. It may help relieve pain associated with walking on an overlapping toe, so it can be a temporary measure to help reduce discomfort, but acupuncture cannot correct a bone deformity. Noninvasive treatment is generally successful in babies, but adults may require surgery because full bone ossification has already taken place.
Overlapping Toes
Babies who are born with overlapping toes generally inherit it from their parents. The pinky toes usually tilt away from the foot and tuck over the fourth toe -- this doesn't cause pain in most cases, but could in the future if the child is allowed to start walking on it. In adults, any toe can be affected -- it's usually caused by consistently wearing shoes with a narrow toe box, and bunions and arthritis can exacerbate the condition. Adults frequently experience pain from the toe and alter the use of the foot to avoid putting pressure on the affected toe. This throws alignment out of whack and can lead to posture problems and pain elsewhere in the body.
NonInvasive Treatments
When babies are born with overlapping toes, a simple taping or splinting will correct the condition easily. Newborn bones are malleable and easily trained. In fact, a 2007 study in the journal Paediatrics Child Health found that simply taping the overlapping toe into the correct position reversed the condition in 94 percent of newborns treated. Adults' bones are already set and therefore difficult to correct, but if the condition develops later in life it may be less permanent. If treated early, the condition may be corrected by wearing shoes with a wider toe box and using toe separators and orthotics to hold the foot in the proper position.
Surgery
When overlapping toes are left untreated and the child is allowed to start walking on them, surgery may be the only option because the learning-to-walk process forces the child's bones to harden quickly and considerably. Similarly, adults who develop overlapping toes from improper footwear may not be able to correct it by wearing roomier shoes if the condition is complicated by arthritis or bunions-- only surgery can realign the phalanges with the metatarsal and correct the rotation.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture cannot correct bone placement, but it can stimulate the structure around the bone to help relieve pain. The inflammation that occurs from the pressure between the overlapping toes and the rotation of the affected phalanges can throw off the whole body's alignment as the patient alters his gait to relieve pressure on the area, but regular acupuncture treatments may help stimulate the muscles and nerve endings to reduce pain, allowing the patient to walk normally until a more permanent treatment is available. Although evidence regarding acupuncture's effectiveness is lacking, the risks are low unless you have a bleeding disorder. Ask your doctor's opinion about using acupuncture to treat your pain, but understand that it won't reset your toes.
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