FOOT CONDITIONS

Acute Inflammation

Description: Swelling, pain, increased warmth and redness of the skin.

Treatment: Can be treated with ice,rest, compression, elevation, and anti-inflammatory medication. Chronic pain or any swelling should be professionally evaluated. Ankle Fracture Description: Pain, swelling, blisters, inability to walk, change in the appearance of ankle, bone protruding through skin.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Ankle fractures can be treated with ice,rest, immobilization, elevation, anti-inflammatory medication and surgery. Chronic pain or any swelling should be professionally evaluated.

Cavus Foot (High Arched Foot)

Description: The arch of a cavus foot will appear high even when standing.In additon, one or more of the following signs or symptoms may be present: Hammertoes, Calluses, Pain when standing or walking, an unstable foot due to the heel tilting inward.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Ankle Sprains can be treated with ice, physical therapy, compression wraps, anti-inflammatory medication and surgery. Chronic pain or any swelling should be professionally evaluated.

Charcot Foot

Description: A sudden softening of the bones in the foot that can occur in people who have significant nerve damage (neuropathy). Charcot foot symptoms may include: warmth to the touch, redness, swelling, pain or soreness in the foot.

Treatment: It is extremely importatnt to follow the surgeon’s treatment plan for Charcot Foot. Failure to do so can lead to the loss of a toe, foot, leg, or life. Treatment consists of: Immobilization, custom shoes and bracing activity modification and or surgery

Chronic Ankle Instability

Description: A condition characterized by a recurring “giving way” of the outer (lateral) side of the ankle. People with chronic ankle instability often complain of: a repeated turning of the ankle, persistant (chronic) discomfort and swelling, pain or tenderness.

Treatment: Is based on the results of the examination and tests, as well as the patients’s level of activity. Non-surgical treatments may include: Physical therapy, bracing, antiinflamitory medications. In some cases, a surgeon may recommend surgery based on the degree of instability or lack or response to non-surgical approaches.

Crossover Toe

Description: A condition in which the second toe drifts toward the big toe and eventually crosses over and lies on top of the big toe. Symptoms may include: pain, swelling, difficulty wearing shoes.

Treatment: The best tie to treat crossover toe is in it’s early stages. The surgeon may select one of the following options for early treatment of crossover toe: rest and ice, antiinflamitory medications,immobilization, taping/splinting, stretching and orthotic devices.

Equinus

Description: A condition in which the upward bending motion of the ankleis limited. Someone with equinus lacks the flexibility to bring the top of the foot toward the front of the leg. Equinus can occur in one of both feet.

Treatment: Calf-stretching excerises, night splints, heel lifts, arch supports or orthotic devices.

Fifth Metatarsal Fracture

Description: A fracture (breaks) of the long bone outside of the foot that connects to the little toe. RTypes of fractures that often occur in the fifth metatarsal are: Avulsion fracture - the result of an inversion injury in which the ankle rolls inward. Often over looked, they often occur with an ankle sprain. Jones fracture - occurs in the samll area fo the fifth metatarsal that recieve less blook and is therefor more prone to injury. Jones fracture are caused by overuse, repetative stress or trauma. Symptoms may include: pain, swelling, tenderness, difficulty walking, and bruising.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Fifth Metatarsal fractures can be treated with rest, ice, compression wraps, anti-inflammatory medication, immobilization, elevation. and surgery.

Flexible Flatfoot

Description: A complex disorder, with diverse symptoms and varying degree of deformity and disability. There are several types of flatfoot, all of which have one characteristic in common — partial or total collapse (loss) of the arch.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Flexible flat foot can be treated with the following options: activity modifications, weight loss, orthotic devices, immobilization, antiinflammatory medications, physical therapy, shoe modifications and surgery.

Ganglion Cyst

Description: A mass of tissue that is filled with a jellylike fluid. The word “ganglion” means “knot” and is used to describe the knot -like mass or lump of cells that forms below the surface of the skin. Symptoms may include: a noticeable lump, tingling or buring, dull pain or ache, difficulty wearing shoes.

Treatment: There are various options for treating a ganglioon cyst on the foot: Monitoring, shoe modifications, aspiration and injection, and surgery.

Gout

Description: A disorder that results from the build-up of uric acid in the tissues or a joint — most often the joint of the big toe. An attack of gout can be miserable, marked by the following symptoms: intense pain that comes on suddenly and redness, swelling warmth over the joint.

Treatment: Initial treatment of an attack of gout typically includes the folliowing: medications, dietary restrictions, immobilization, elevation and plenty of fluids.

Haglund’s Deformity

Description: A bony enlargement on the back of the heel that most often leads to painful bursitis, which is an inflammation of the burse (a fluid- filled sac between the tendon and bone). In Haglund’s deformity, the soft tissue near the Achilles tendon becomes irritated when the bony enlargement rubs against shoes. Haglund’s deformity can occur in one or both feet. The signs and symptoms include: a noticeable bump on the back of the heel, pain, swelling and redness near the inflamed tissue.

Treatment: Non-surgical treatments: medication, ice, exercises, heel lifts, heel pads, shoe modifications, physical therapy and orthotic devices can resolve the bursitis, they will not shrink the bony protrusion. If the non- surgical treatments fails to provide adequate pain relief, surgery may be needed. The foot and ankle surgeon will determine the procedure that is best suited to your case.

Hallux Rigidus

Description: A disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. Symptoms may include: pain, stiffness in the big toe, difficulty wearing shoes, difficulty running or squating, dull pain in the hip, knee or lower `back and or limping.

Treatment: Non-surgical treatments: medication, shoe modifications, orthotic devices, injection therapy and physical therapy. If the non- surgical treatments fails to provide adequate pain relief, surgery may be needed. The foot and ankle surgeon will determine the procedure that is best suited to your case.

Osteoarthritis

Description: a condition characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Symptions may include: pain and stiffness in the joint, swelling in or near the joint, difficulty walking or bending the joint.

Treatment: Non-surgical treatments: medication, shoe modifications, orthotic devices, bracing, immobilization, injection therapy and physical therapy. If the non-surgical treatments fails to provide adequate pain relief, surgery may be needed. The foot and ankle surgeon will determine the procedure that is best suited to your case.

Plantar Fasciitis

Description: Plantar fasciitis (or heel pain) is commonly traced to an inflammation on the bottom of the foot.

Treatment: A podiatric physician can evaluate arch pain and may prescribe customized shoe inserts called orthoses to help alleviate the pain.

Pediatric Flatfoot

Description: A complex disorder,— common in children and adults, with diverse symptoms and varying degree of deformity and disability. Most children with flatfoot have no symptoms. Some signs and symptoms may include: pain, tenderness, cramping in the foot, outward tilting of the heel, awkwardness or changes in walking, difficulty with shoes, reduced energy and voluntary withdrawl from physical activites.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Pediatric flat foot can be treated with the following options: activity modifications, orthotic devices, antiinflammatory medications, physical therapy, shoe modifications and surgery.

Pediatric Heel Pain

Description: A common childhood complaint that should not be ignored. Heel pain is a symptom, not a disease. Heel pain problems in children are often associated with these signs and symptoms: pain in the back, limping, walking on toes, difficulty participating in usual activites.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Pediatric heel pain can be treated with the following options: activity modifications, orthotic devices, antiinflammatory medications, immobilizations, physical therapy, shoe modifications and surgery.

Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction - PTTD

Description: an inflammation and /or overstretching of the posterior tibial tendon in the foot. The posterior tibial tendon is to help support the arch. But in PTTD, the tendon’s ability to perform is impaired, often resulting in a flattening of the foot.

Treatment: Because of the progressive nature of PTTD, it’s best to see your foot and ankle surgeon as soon as possible. If treated early, your symptoms may resolve may resolve without the need for surgery. Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. PTTD, can be treated with the following options: orthotic devices, antiinflammatory medications, immobilizations, physical therapy, shoe modifications and surgery.

Puncture Wound

Description: a small hole caused by a pointed object. Getting proper treatment within the first 24 hours is especially important with puncture wounds because they carry the danger of embedding the piercing object (’foreign body”) under the skin.

Treatment: The key to proper treatment is this: A puncture would must be cleaned properly and monitored throughout the healing process to avoid complications.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Description: a disease in which certain cells of the immune system malfunction and attack healthy joints.RA causes inflammation in the lining (synovium) of joints, most often in the hands and feet.Deformities and conditions associated with RA may include: Rheumatoid nodules (lumps), dislocated toes, hammertoes, bunions, heel pain, achilles tendon pain, flatfoot, and ankle pain.

Treatment: Rheumatoid Arthritis can be treated with the following options: orthotic devices, accommodative shoes, aspiration of fluid, steriod injections,and surgery.

Sesamoiditis

Description: Sometimes knownas the “ball bearings of the foot,” the sesamoids are two small bones found beneath the first metatarsal bones. They can inflame or ruptureunder the stress of exercise.

Treatment: Sesamoiditis can be relieved with proper shoe selection and orthoses.

Shin Splints

Description: Pain to either side of the leg bone, caused by muscle or tendon inflamation. It is commonly related to excessive foot pronation (collapsing arch) but may be related to a muscle imbalance between opposing muscle.

Treatment: Proper stretching and corrective orthoses (shoe inserts) for pronation can help prevent shin splints.

Stress Fractures

Description: One of the various types of fractures, stress fractures require vastly different treatment. Stress fractures are incomplete cracks in bone cause by overuse.

Treatment: With complete rest, stress fractures heal quickly. Extra padding in shoes helps prevent the condition. Note: Stress fractures left untreated may become complete fractures, which require casting and immobilization.

Tailor’s Bunion

Description: Tailor’s Bunion, also called a bunionette, is an enlargement of the fifth metatarsal bone at the bone of the little toe.

Treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of the injury. Tailor’s Bunion can be treated with the following options: shoe modifications, antiinflammatory medications, injection therapy, Padding, Icing, and surgery.

Toe and Metatarsal Fractures

Description: Fractures of the toe and metatarsal bones are common and require evaluation by a specialist. Fractures are divided into two catagories: Traumatic fractures: (also called acute fractures) are caused by a direct blow or impact. Symptoms include: sound at time of break, pinpoint pain, Deviation (abnormal appearance), Bruising and swelling the next day.

Stress Fractures: tiny hairline breaks that are usually caused by repetitive stress. Stress fractures often aflict athletes. Symptoms include: Pain with normal activity, pain that goes away when resting, “pinpoint pain, swelling but no bruising.

Treatment of Toe fractures: rest, splinting, rigid or stiff-solid shoe, surgery. Treatment of Metatarsal fractures: rest, avoid the offending activity, immobilization, surgery, and follow-up care.