The great toe as a clinical problem in rheumatoid arthritis.

Two hundred consecutive in-patients with rheumatoid arthritis were examined for pain or deformity of the feet, and of the great toe in particular. Some abnormality occured in 196 feet and the deformities observed are presented. The symptoms that arise from these deformities are mainly derived from ill-fitting shoes, and the need for suitable foot-wear is emphasized. Two hitherto un-named entities are described namely Hallux tortus and chisel toe, since they give rise to their own shoe-fitting problems.