Morton’s Toe versus Morton’s Neuroma

There are two Dr Morton’s who are unrelated: Dr Thomas George Morton (1835–1903) and Dr Dudley Joy Morton (1884–1960). They both are well known for two different foot conditions, but as they have the same surname it does lead to some confusion.

Thomas George Morton (1835–1903) was an American surgeon from Philadelphia who first described what we now call ‘Morton’s Neuroma’ in 1876, He identified it as a painful swelling of the interdigital nerve, most often between the third and fourth toes.

Dudley Joy Morton (1884–1960) was an American orthopedic surgeon and anatomist from Washington University in St. Louis, who specialized in the structure and evolution of the human foot. In the 1920s–1930s, he studied variations in foot anatomy and described a condition where the second metatarsal is longer than the first, giving the appearance that the second toe is longer than the big toe. This became known as Morton’s Toe (or Morton’s foot).

There is no connection between a Morton’s neuroma and Morton’s Toe other than them being eponymously named after a different Morton.

Where the confusion happens here at FootStore.au is that we have the Morton’s Extension Carbon Fibre Plate which is named after Dudley J. Morton. This insole is mistakenly thought to be a possible treatment for Morton’s Neuroma (named after T.G. Morton) when its not a treatment.

The Morton’s extension insole is used to stiffen the shoe to restrict motion in the big toe joint. When it comes to a Morton’s neuroma (see this for more) the aim is to separate the metatarsal bones pinching on the nerve.