Total Care Podiatry

plantar fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is an injury causing heel pain and pain along the arch of the foot. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of tissue in the bottom of the foot, which runs from the heel to the base of the toes. When placed under too much stress, the plantar fascia stretches too far and frays, or tears, resulting in inflammation of the fascia and the surrounding tissues. The tears are soon covered with scar tissue, which is less flexible than the fascia and only aggravates the problem.

Symptoms

Typically symptoms are worst first thing in the morning or with activity after a period of rest and may include: pain at the base of the heel, pain at the origin of the arch when weight is put on the foot, pain at the arch if standing on tip toes, tenderness and swelling under the heel, numbness along the outside of the sole of the foot.  

Causes

 It is caused by stress, tension and pulling on the plantar fascia due to muscular imbalance (typically inflexible calf muscles and weakness of the foot supporting muscles). Also, poor mechanical structure (either excessively flat or too high arched) of the foot placing more stress onto the plantar fascia can cause this injury. Over activity may also lead to plantar fasciitis.

Treatment

The treatment involves rest and icing to alleviate inflammation.

Seek professional assistance from a podiatrist for:

• Strapping to control and prevent further straining to the fascial structure.
• Stretching, strengthening and massage to address muscular imbalance.

Assessment & control of abnormalities in leg and foot structure.

WARNING : This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional podiatric advice. Treatment will vary between individuals depending upon your diagnosis and presenting complaint. An accurate diagnosis can only be made following personal consultation with a Podiatrist.

What are they?

There are 3 types of toe deformities that are very similar – hammer toe, mallet toe, and claw toe. Additionally, there can be occasions where the lesser toes may overlap. These conditions can either be flexible (your joint has the ability to move) or rigid (your joint has very limited and/or no ability to move). Each of these conditions has unique characteristics in relation to how the toes bend and the degree of deformity; however they share similar symptoms and treatment methods.

Toe deformities are among the most common toe problems. Although both men and women are at risk, women are 5 times more likely to experience a toe deformity than men (often a result of improper footwear). Also, the chance of suffering from a toe deformity increases by 2 – 20% with age.

What causes toe deformities?

There are many, many causes but some of the most common include:

• Weakness in a muscle near the arch of the foot. This results in the long toe muscles on the top of the foot helping to do its job.
• Shoes shorter than your toes, making them bunch up.
• Shoes too loose around the instep. Clawing the toes will make the foot thicken up and hold on to the shoe better.
• Strokes or any disorder causing weakness in muscles.
• A bunion encroaching into the space of the 2nd toe.
• Arthritis affecting the body as a whole

How is it treated?

No matter what the cause of the toe deformation, shoe fit is important for comfort. Shoes that cover only the toes and leave the instep bare are the worst style as the shoe has nowhere to hang onto except the toes. A shoe that fits well around the instep will stop the foot from sliding into the end of the shoe when you are walking downhill or downstairs and makes it possible for the shoe to stay on easily without relying on being tight around the toes.

Often there is a mechanical reason for the toes clawing that the podiatrist can address directly. The podiatrist can remove any corns or callus forming from the toe deformity. Protective devices are available and have variable success depending on the cause of the problem. More can be done to help a toe that can still be straightened out rather than one that is locked into a clawed position so don’t delay in seeking help.

WARNING : This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional podiatric advice. Treatment will vary between individuals depending upon your diagnosis and presenting complaint. An accurate diagnosis can only be made following personal consultation with a Podiatrist.

What Is It?

This condition is defined as: “a plug or clot in a deep blood vessel, formed by coagulation of the blood, and remaining at the point of its formation”. This condition is not life-threatening UNLESS a small piece of the clot (called an embolus) travels in the bloodstream to become lodged in a vital blood vessel, blocking the blood supply. Death can then result.

What Causes It?

Swollen ankles and thrombosis can develop during long periods of sitting — in particular long plane flights, as well as bus and train excursions. This inactivity of the legs causes the blood circulation to slow to a minimum. The blood stagnates due to the effect of gravity. You may be more prone to develop deep vein thrombosis if you:

• are overweight;
• have a history of heart failure;
• are of advanced age;
• have varicose veins;
• have an occupation where you sit for long periods of time;
• are unfit;
• take oral contraceptives;
• have high levels of cholesterol; and/or
• smoke

How do I treat it?

By following some simple rules, you may reduce the risk considerably if you:

• wear knee high, low compression stockings/socks;
• do leg exercises such as knee raises, bending the feet up and down and exercise the toes by flexing;
• drink plenty of water (not alcohol);
• carry out deep breathing exercises;
• wear loose, non-constricting clothing; and
• sit with legs straight, not crossed.

If travelling, seek medical advice before taking anti-coagulants (blood thinners), such as aspirin.

Support socks

For active people, travelling by plane, train and bus, special socks are advisable. These are a support sock graded to give firmer pressure at the ankle and lighter pressure at the top. The socks must be soft, have no elastic tops and be fitted by a podiatrist or doctor.

WARNING : This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional podiatric advice. Treatment will vary between individuals depending upon your diagnosis and presenting complaint. An accurate diagnosis can only be made following personal consultation with a Podiatrist.

What is it?

Sesamoiditis is a common ailment that affects the forefoot, typically in young people who engage in physical activity like running or dancing. Its most common symptom is pain in the ball-of-the-foot, especially on the medial or inner side. The term is a general description for any irritation of the sesamoid bones, which are tiny bones within the tendons that run to the big toe. Like the kneecap, the sesamoids function as a pulley, increasing the leverage of the tendons controlling the toe. Every time you push off against the toe the sesamoids are involved, and eventually they can become irritated, even fractured. Because the bones are actually within the tendons, sesamoiditis is really a kind of tendinitis – the tendons around the bones become inflamed as well.

What causes it?

One of the major causes of sesamoiditis is increased activity. You’ve probably stepped up your activity level lately, which has forced you to put more pressure on the balls of your feet. Speedwork, hillwork, or even increased mileage can cause this. If you have a bony foot, you simply may not have enough fat on your foot to protect your tender sesamoids. Also, if you have a high arched foot, you will naturally run on the balls-of-your-feet, adding even more pressure. Sesamoiditis typically can be distinguished from other forefoot conditions by its gradual onset. The pain usually begins as a mild ache and increases gradually as the aggravating activity is continued. It may build to an intense throbbing. In most cases there is little or no bruising or redness.

How can it be treated?

Treatment for sesamoiditis is almost always noninvasive. Minor cases call for a strict period of rest, along with the use of a modified shoe or a shoe pad to reduce pressure on the affected area. In addition, the big toe may be bound with tape or athletic strapping to immobilize the joint as much as possible and allow for healing to occur. It is recommended to decrease or stop activity for awhile. This will give your sesamoids time to heal. You should apply ice to the area for 10 to 15 minutes after exercise, or after any activity that aggravates the area. While the injury is healing, women should wear flat shoes on a daily basis. If home remedies do not work, see your podiatrist for a correct diagnosis.

WARNING : This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional podiatric advice. Treatment will vary between individuals depending upon your diagnosis and presenting complaint. An accurate diagnosis can only be made following personal consultation with a Podiatrist.

What is Turf Toe?

Turf toe is a sprain to the ligaments around the big toe joint, which works primarily as a hinge to permit up and down motion. An excessive upward motion called hyperextension can — either over time or, if forceful enough, all at once — cause a sprain in the ligaments that surround the joint. The most common symptom of turf toe is pain at the base of one big toe that started suddenly as a result of an injury. There may also be swelling. Sometimes when the injury occurs, a “pop” can be felt. Usually the entire joint is involved, and toe movement is limited.

What causes Turf Toe?

Typically with turf toe, the injury is sudden. It is most commonly seen in athletes playing on artificial surfaces, which are harder than grass surfaces and to which cleats are more likely to stick. It can also happen on a grass surface, especially if the shoe being worn doesn’t provide adequate support for the foot. Often the injury occurs in athletes wearing flexible soccer-style shoes that let the foot bend too far forward.

How Is Turf Toe Treated?

The basic approach to treating turf toe is to give the injury ample time to heal, which means the foot will need to be rested. The big toe may be taped or strapped to the toe next to it to relieve the stress on it; the toe may be immobilized by putting the foot in a cast or special walking boot that keeps it from moving. The podiatrist may also ask you to use crutches so that no weight is placed on the injured joint.

It typically takes two to three weeks for the pain to subside. After the immobilization of the joint ends, some patients require physical therapy in order to re-establish range of motion, strength, and conditioning of the injured toe.

Your podiatrist can also work with you on correcting any problems in your gait that can lead to injury and on developing training techniques to help reduce the chance of injury.

WARNING : This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional podiatric advice. Treatment will vary between individuals depending upon your diagnosis and presenting complaint. An accurate diagnosis can only be made following personal consultation with a Podiatrist.