Hallux valgus is one of the most common causes of forefoot pain as a result of the foot deformities and ill-fitting shoes. Women are more commonly affected than men.1 In the evaluation of forefoot pain, apart from hallux valgus, causes such as rheumatological diseases, trauma, infection, tumour, tendinopathy or even inappropriate shoe wear should be considered. Most of the time, the diagnosis can be made from history or physical examination. Appropriate blood investigations and radiological evaluations will help to confirm the diagnosis and assess the severity of the disease. In this issue of the journal, Ho et al talk about the “radiological approach to forefoot pain”.2 Indeed, proper radiological assessment plays a significant role in determining the cause of the forefoot pain and in surgical planning if surgeries are indicated. X-rays remain the most commonly used investigation for the evaluation of hallux valgus: it helps to delineate the bony alignment of the foot and in the evaluation of the joint condition of the big toe, and aids in determining the choice of surgery.
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