Surfer toe is a condition called acquired acro-osteolysis that affects the toes, typically the second and third toes, due to repeated trauma from dragging them across a surfboard. It's essentially the breakdown of the bone at the tips of the toes.
Here's a breakdown:
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The Cause: Repeated micro-trauma. Surfers often drag their toes to maintain balance or control their board, leading to tiny injuries. The body attempts to repair this damage, but over time, the increased blood flow and bone remodeling can lead to bone loss (acro-osteolysis).
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What Happens: The ends of the toes can become shortened and blunted due to bone resorption.
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Where it Occurs: Most commonly affects the second and third toes, which are often used for gripping and steering the board.
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How it Develops: Habitual dragging of the toes across the surfboard is the primary contributing factor.
In essence, surfer toe is a repetitive stress injury resulting in the gradual disintegration of the bones at the tips of the toes.
