Area Residents Urged to Exercise Extreme Caution

San Diego County health officials may soon issue a medical alert for a condition that seems to be occurring with an increasingly alarming frequency.

It's not yet as widespread as the West Nile Virus or the Avian Bird Flu, but this latest ailment is gaining momentum and is notorious for its ability to afflict some of San Diego's most prominent citizens.

As health officials continue to gather information and statistics, this much seems to be clear: There is a growing epidemic of serious toe injuries among San Diego's elite athletes.

The latest victim is Chargers star running back LaDainian Tomlinson [whose toe is pictured at right]. LT missed two days of practice this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Denver.

And LT's teammate, tight end Antonio Gates, still hasn't fully recovered from a toe injury suffered in the playoffs last season.

But bad toes aren't limited to just football players. Less than two years ago, former Padres pitcher David Wells was sidelined because of a swollen big toe from a case of gout. 

So what does all this toe jam mean for local residents? Well, those who are especially susceptible to toe injuries -- such as small children and the elderly -- should be very careful, particularly if they choose to wear sandals, flip-flops or any other open-toe footwear.

There's that, and of course, we were just dying to get in another David Wells reference. It's been too long since we mentioned old tubby, with his flabby left arm and swollen big toe.