Space between 2nd and 3rd toes, L foot, is widening for no apparent reason. When I walk, I have pain in those toes and it feels as if gross swelling is taking place, but it isn't. What is this - circulation or something else?

I am a private practice integrative gp and this issue occurs quietly separately from neuroma and is painless in all cases I know including myself. ...... The curious common denominator in all cases including me is hypothyroid activity longstanding so let's all look out for a more deep seated issue because in addition all women including me have tendon and tendon sheath inflammation issues)/fascisites/arthrites probably related to inflammatory cause of neuromas) . There is likely nutritional/hormonal root cause and I will now check other medical traditions for answers. Yours is the only site I even see this raised! Well done

Last spring I started having a toe separation problem on my left foot between my second and 3rd toes. My second toe was beginning to rub up against my big toe. I work standing up and like to walk alot and found myself wearing fit flops 90% of the time because they are soooo comfortable. I used to have AA narrow feet and now I have between and A and a B width. I think its because my foot has begun to spread, widen, due to wearing open shoes that do not contain the foot. When I wore the shoes, my toes tended to fan out. It probably would have happened in any other opened shoe, but the fit flops were so comfortable, I wore them when I went to France and walked all over Paris in them.
I went to an orthopedic doctor this week and he said that the ligament that holds the toes together is rupturing, making it swollen under the toes, (the ball of the foot), and causing pain, burning sensation or numbness. My toes began to hammer, so there was pressure on the tips of those toes. The doctor gave me a pad with two straps on it to hold my toes together. It was uncomfortable.
Today I just wrapped the 2nd and 3rd toes together and did alot of walking in flats, and it was ok. The doctor said that I could have surgery, that might or might not work and that I'd have to be off of it for 6 wks. He also said that it might just heal itself if I tape the toes together. That's what I plan to do. Hope that happens. L.S. Dallas, TX

In the last year or so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th toe on right foot appear to be collapsing and folding to the right. Sometimes it feels like my foot is pulling apart between 1st and 2nd toe. After an hour or so, it becomes uncomfortable to walk. I have had an xray and MRI. The results do not indicate a Mortons Neuroma. I am scheduled to have surgery Feb 2013 to straighten my toes. Dont know if this will correct the problem since no cause has been determined. Years ago I would get a severe pain on the outside edge of my right foot. It was like someone was over tightening the muscle or ligament. I would also describe it as a labor pain.