Question
Hello. Let me first tell you that my occupation is a patient transporter. I push patients on stretchers and wheel chairs for 12 hours consecutively on Saturday and Sunday up until 2 weeks ago (Jan 16). I work 8 hour shifts instead of 12 hours shifts now. I have been doing this for 2.5 years now.

My problem is when I walk (heel to toe motion). When I put pressure on my heel (calcaneal), I get a tingly, numb, tight sensation only on the medial portion of my hallux (great toe). It does not occur on the lateral, proximal, or distal portion of the hallux (great toe). It does not occur when I put pressure on the sole of my foot either. Just the heel (calcaneal). If I am sitting down and lift my toes and sole off the ground so only my heel (calcaneal bone) is recieving the pressure and I press down on it, I get the tight, numb, tingly sensation in the medial portion of my hallux(great toe).

What could be causing this sensation? It just started less than 24 hours of me writing this 1/31. It has never happened before.

Answer
Jennifer,

I can't provide you with a diagnosis via the Internet, but in general, numbness and tingling (paresthesias) almost always are symptoms of nerve entrapment or compression.

For example, entrapment or compression of the medial plantar nerve may produce numbness/tingling in the medial aspect of the great toe.

Alternatively, hallus limitus or hallus rigiditus syndrome is a shortening of the joint capsule of the great toe. Symptoms include pain in the great toe and the first metatarsal phalangeal joint in the push-off phase of walking.

Your best course of action is to see a podiatrist to determine the actual cause of the problem, so that you can then decide upon an appropriate course of treatment, if any is needed.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.