Other factors can cause excessive pressure in the ball-of-foot area that can result in metatarsalgia. These include shoes with heels that are too high or participating in high impact activities without proper footwear and/or orthotics. Also as we get older, the fat pad in our foot tends to thin out, making us much more susceptible to pain in the ball-of-the-foot. Bunions are readily apparent-you can see the prominence at the base of the big toe or side of the foot. However, to fully evaluate your condition, the foot and ankle surgeon may take x-rays to determine the degree of the deformity and assess the changes that have occurred. As the name rightly suggests, the condition refers to the growth of toenail into the skin. The most common causes are constant use of ill-fitting footwear, improper trimming of the nails and nail infections. The big toe is found to be commonly affected by this condition. The symptoms include toe pain, redness, and swelling of the affected area. When a cause cannot be determined, any pain on the ball of the foot is generally referred to as metatarsalgia It is most likely caused by improper footwear, particularly high heels, or by high-impact activities. People with a high arched foot are prone to develop metatarsalgia. Midfoot If the patient's first point of call is a GP (general practitioner, primary care physician), they may be referred to a podiatrist (specialist foot doctor). It is important to accurately assess and diagnose the condition right from the start so that the patient can receive effective treatment. the patient may be asked to walk on a treadmill or pressure plate so that his/her gait can be assessed. This helps identify which parts of the foot are receiving pressure. Steroid injections to reduce pain and swelling. The patient may initially experience some pain and swelling at the injection site, which should go away within a few days. Foot pain is often caused by improper foot function. Improperly fitted shoes can worsen and, in some cases, cause foot problems. Shoes that fit properly and give good arch support can prevent irritation to the foot joints and skin. There are many types of foot problems that affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is more common in women, people who are overweight, people with occupations that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces, people with flat feet, and people with high arches. Walking or running, especially with tight calf muscles, may also cause the condition. Post-Tib Tendonitis is a strain placed on the posterior tibial tendon. The posterior tibial tendon runs along the inside of the ankle and the foot. When there is post-tibial tendon disfunction, the tendon does not function to hold up the arch, resulting in flat feet. This can lead to heel pain, arch pain, plantar fasciitis and/or heel spurs. With post-tib tendonitis, pain will be more severe upon weight bearing, especially while walking or running. It is first very important to properly understand what the different ball of foot pain causes are, understand metatarsalgia symptoms (ball of foot pain) & metatarsalgia treatment options? Freiberg disease is tissue death (necrosis) of parts of the bones in the ball of the foot, usually the digit next to the big toe (the second metatarsal head). The cause is injury to the bone, usually in girls who are going through puberty and who are growing rapidly or people in whom the bone connected to the base of the big toe is short. In both cases, the second metatarsal head can be subjected to repeated stresses. Metatarsal joint pain commonly results from misalignment of the joint surfaces, which puts pressure on the joint lining and destroys cartilage in the joints. Mild heat and swelling may be present. If you participate in high-impact sports, you are at high risk of foot injuries. Runners usually experience the most trauma to the feet, but many others who are physically active can also be exposed to foot injuries. References Pain in the bottom of the foot is not uncommon and generally occurs in one foot at a time. According to the Mayo Clinic, most foot pain is due to poorly fitting shoes, injuries and overuse, but structural defects and conditions such as diabetes and arthritis also can lead to foot problems. Treatment is usually conservative and involves activity modification and shoe inserts. Plantar Fasciitis One of the most commonly used, and well-accepted methods to treat the aforementioned injuries is orthotics. Several research studies have provided credible evidence that some type of supportive foot bed will significantly reduce the pain associated with these, and other, overuse foot and ankle problems.9,11 However, when the underlying problem is muscle weakness, an orthotic device should only be considered a temporary fix to relieve pain and discomfort until sufficient gains in muscle strength can be achieved through appropriate therapeutic exercise. REFERENCES Notice that you feel your center of gravity in the center (midline?not to the left side or to the right side) of your body.
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July 2017
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