Question
For a long time my pinky toes have not touched the ground. They've sat maybe 1/8 of an inch off the ground since my teens or so. Occasionally, if I shift my right foot a certain way, the pinky toe will lift up and go over onto the next toe. Again, it's done this for quite some time. The left one does it too but not nearly as much. Recently, however, I've noticed that whenever I wear flip flops my right little toe keeps going up and overlapping the next toe. I can try to make it go back down but as soon as I walk it goes back up again. I've also noticed that my right little toe is now sitting about 1/4 of an inch off the ground. Again, if I try to make it go down it just goes back up where it was. What would be causing this? I don't have any pain or anything, I just wonder what's making my toe want to ride up so much. Thank you for any info you can give me.
Jay

Answer
Jay,

Typically this type of toe problem is inherited or developed at an early age. Worsening occurs as the tendons over pull in a certain direction and cause the toe to ride up or overlap.  Some people may actually have a different bony structure of the toe which would be seen on x-ray.

If not painful or bothersome I would just not worry.

If it does become painful there are surgeries available to fix the problem.

Sincerely,

Marc Katz
Advanced Podiatry
Tampa, FL
http://www.theTampaPodiatrist.com