The sesamoids of the hallux.

The seemingly innocuous tiny sesamoids play an important role in the function and pathomechanics of the hallux. The recent active participation of people of all ages in jogging and long-distance running, activities introducing repetitive stressful forces on the forefoot, induces sesamoiditis. Bones normally asymptomatic, such as the sesamoids, require renewed interest in embryology, anatomy, congenital variations, infection, osteochondritis, trauma and effective treatment.