Aurora Dean

Diabetic Foot Problems

What Are Fallen Arches

Overview

Acquired Flat Foot

Flexible flatfeet are considered normal in young children because babies are not born with a normal arch. The arch may not form fully until sometime between ages 7 and 10. Even in adulthood, 15% to 25% of people have flexible flatfeet. Most of these people never develop symptoms. In many adults who have had flexible flatfeet since childhood, the missing arch is an inherited condition related to a general looseness of ligaments. These people usually have extremely flexible, very mobile joints throughout the body, not only in the feet. Flatfeet also can develop during adulthood. Causes include joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and disorders of nerve function (neuropathy). Unlike a flexible flatfoot, a rigid flatfoot is often the result of a significant problem affecting the structure or alignment of the bones that make up the foot's arch. Some common causes of rigid flatfeet include. Congenital vertical talus. In this condition, there is no arch because the foot bones are not aligned properly. In some cases, there is a reverse curve (rocker-bottom foot, in which the shape is like the bottom rails of a rocking chair) in place of the normal arch. Congenital vertical talus is a rare condition present at birth. It often is associated with a genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome, or other congenital disorders. The cause is unknown in up to half of cases. Tarsal coalition (peroneal spastic flatfoot). In this inherited condition, two or more of the foot bones are fused together, interfering with the flexibility of the foot and eliminating the normal arch. A rare condition, it often affects several generations of the same family. Lateral subtalar dislocation. Sometimes called an acquired flatfoot, it occurs in someone who originally had a normal foot arch. In a lateral subtalar dislocation, there is a dislocation of the talus bone, located within the arch of the foot. The dislocated talus bone slips out of place, drops downward and sideways and collapses the arch. It usually occurs suddenly because of a high-impact injury related to a fall from a height, a motor vehicle accident or participation in sports, and it may be associated with fractures or other injuries.

Causes

Family history, experts say fallen arches can run in families. Weak arch, the arch of the foot may be there when no weight is placed on it, for example, when the person is sitting. But as soon as they stand up the foot flattens (falls) onto the ground. Injury, arthritis, tibialis posterior (ruptured tendon), pregnancy, nervous system or muscle diseases, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or spina bifida. Tarsal Coalition, the bones of the foot fuse together in an unusual way, resulting in stiff and flat feet. Most commonly diagnosed during childhood. Diabetes. Age and wear and tear, years of using your feet to walk, run, and jump eventually may take its toll. One of the eventual consequences could be fallen arches. The posterior tibial tendon may become weakened after long-term wear a tear. The postario tibial tendon is the main support structure of the arch of our feet. The tendon can become inflamed (tendinitis) after overuse - sometimes it can even become torn. Once the tendon is damaged, the arch shape of the foot may flatten.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of flatfeet is the absence of an arch upon standing. Additional signs of flatfeet include the following. Foot pain. Pain or weakness in the lower legs. Pain or swelling on the inside of the ankle. Uneven shoe wear. While most cases of flatfeet do not cause problems, complications can sometimes occur. Complications include the following, bunions and calluses, inability to walk or run normally, inflammation and pain in the bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis), tendonitis in the Achilles heel and other ligaments, pain in the ankles, knees, and hips due to improper alignment, shin splints, stress fractures in the lower legs.

Diagnosis

Runners are often advised to get a gait analysis to determine what type of foot they have and so what kind of running shoe they require. This shouldn?t stop at runners. Anyone that plays sports could benefit from this assessment. Sports shoes such as football boots, astro trainers and squash trainers often have very poor arch support and so for the 60-80% of us who do overpronate or have flat feet they are left unsupported. A change of footwear or the insertion of arch support insoles or orthotics can make a massive difference to your risk of injury, to general aches and pains and even to your performance.

deelsonheels

Non Surgical Treatment

Fallen arches lead to flat feet, where the arch of your foot collapses and may even touch the ground. This condition is common in infants and young children because your arches are still developing during childhood, says the Instep Foot Clinic. If your flat feet persist into adulthood, or the condition causes pain, a doctor or podiatrist may prescribe strengthening exercises as part of your treatment.

Surgical Treatment

Acquired Flat Feet

This is rare and usually only offered if patients have significant abnormalities in their bones or muscles. Treatments include joint fusion, reshaping the bones in the foot, and occasionally moving around tendons in the foot to help balance out the stresses (called tendon transfer).

Prevention

Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Scrunch up the toes of one foot as if you are trying to grab hold of the floor then use your toes to drag your foot a small distance forwards. Do this a couple of times on each foot, but don?t use your leg muscles to push your foot forward -- the movement should come solely from the muscles in your feet. Sit in a chair and place a cleaning cloth, towel or small ball on the floor at your feet. Use the toes of one foot to grasp the object and lift it off the floor. This action will require you to clench your toes and contract your arch. Once you have lifted the object a little way off the floor, try to throw it in the air and catch it by stretching your toes and arch out and upwards. Repeat the exercise several times on both feet. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you then bend your knees out to either side and place the soles of your feet together so your legs form a diamond. Hold on to your ankles and, keeping your heels together at all times, separate your feet so your toes point out to either side. Open and close your feet in this way several times, making sure your little toes stay in contact with the floor throughout the exercise. Starting in the same position, try separating your heels, keeping your toes together at all times.

True Leg Length Discrepancy Tests

Overview

If one of your child's legs is longer than the other leg, he or she has a common problem known as leg length discrepancy. A typical difference in leg length can be anywhere from one centimeter, which usually does not cause any problems, to more than six centimeters. The greater the discrepancy, the more your child must compensate his or her normal posture and walking pattern in day to day life, which can lead to a variety of symptoms, such as functional scoliosis, hip, knee and ankle problems.Leg Length Discrepancy

Causes

Leg length discrepancies can be caused by: hip and knee replacements, lower limb injuries, bone diseases, neuromuscular issues and congenital problems. Although discrepancies of 2 cm or less are most common, discrepancies can be greater than 6 cm. People who have LLD tend to make up for the difference by over bending their longer leg or standing on the toes of their shorter leg. This compensation leads to an inefficient, up and down gait, which is quite tiring and over time can result in posture problems as well as pain in the back, hips, knees and ankles.

Symptoms

As patients develop LLD, they will naturally and even unknowingly attempt to compensate for the difference between their two legs by either bending the longer leg excessively or standing on the toes of the short leg. When walking, they are forced to step down on one side and thrust upwards on the other side, which leads to a gait pattern with an abnormal up and down motion. For many patients, especially adolescents, the appearance of their gait may be more personally troublesome than any symptoms that arise or any true functional deficiency. Over time, standing on one's toes can create a contracture at the ankle, in which the calf muscle becomes abnormally contracted, a condition that can help an LLD patient with walking, but may later require surgical repair. If substantial enough, LLD left untreated can contribute to other serious orthopaedic problems, such as degenerative arthritis, scoliosis, or lower back pain. However, with proper treatment, children with leg length discrepancy generally do quite well, without lingering functional or cosmetic deficiencies.

Diagnosis

A qualified musculoskeletal expert will first take a medical history and conduct a physical exam. Other tests may include X-rays, MRI, or CT scan to diagnose the root cause.

Non Surgical Treatment

In an adult, we find that we can add a non compressive silicone heel lift to a shoe in increments of 3-4 mm maximum per week. Were we to give a patient with a 20 mm short leg, 20 mm of lift all at once, their entire body would rebel. The various compensations that the body has made, such as curvatures and shortening of muscles on the convex side of the curve, would make such a dramatic change not just noticeable, but painful. When we get close to balancing a patient by lifting a leg with heel inserts, then we perform another gait analysis and follow up xray. At that point, we can typically write them a final prescription to have their shoe modified. A heel lift is typically fine up to 7 mm. When it gets higher than that, the entire shoe must be modified. There are two reasons for this. The back of the shoe is generally too short to accommodate more than 7-8 mm inserted inside the shoes and a heel lift greater than 7 mm will lead to Achilles tendon shortening, which then creates it?s own panoply of problems.

LLL Shoe Insoles

leg length discrepancy measurement

Surgical Treatment

In growing children, legs can be made equal or nearly equal in length with a relatively simple surgical procedure. This procedure slows down the growth of the longer leg at one or two growth sites. Your physician can tell you how much equalization can be gained by this procedure. The procedure is performed under X-ray control through very small incisions in the knee area. This procedure will not cause an immediate correction in length. Instead, the limb length discrepancy will gradually decrease as the opposite extremity continues to grow and "catch up." Timing of the procedure is critical. The goal is to reach equal leg length by the time growth normally ends. This is usually in the mid-to-late teenage years. Disadvantages of this option include the possibility of slight over-correction or under-correction of the limb length discrepancy. In addition, the patient's adult height will be less than if the shorter leg had been lengthened. Correction of significant limb length discrepancy by this method may make a patient's body look slightly disproportionate because of the shorter leg. In some cases the longer leg can be shortened, but a major shortening may weaken the muscles of the leg. In the thighbone (femur), a maximum of 3 inches can be shortened. In the shinbone, a maximum of 2 inches can be shortened.

Heel Aches Everything You Should Understand Heel Painfulness

Overview

Heel Discomfort

Your foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons. The heel is the largest bone in your foot. If you overuse or injure your heel, you may experience heel pain. This can range from mild to disabling. In many cases, if you have heel pain, you will need a doctor to diagnose the cause.

Causes

some heel pain can be caused by rheumatological diseases, and these pains can do a real good impersonation of plantar fasciitis symptoms. Seronegative Arthropathies such as Psoriatic Arthritis, Reactive Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylisis are the most common types to cause heel pain by producing an inflammatory reaction where the fascia attaches to the heel. This is called an enthesitis. If you have a history of Psoriasis or a family history of other arthritic conditions listed above we recommend you see a clinician about your heel pain to confirm the diagnosis. Another occasional cause of heel pain is loss of the cushioning fat pad of the heel, which can result in a bruised heel bone (calcaneus). If you can easily feel your heel bone through your skin on the bottom of your foot you may well have poor fatty tissue on your heel. Pressing on the centre of your heel should feel like pushing into firm rubber, and your skin should not move easily. If you can pinch the skin under your heel and feel a very hard lump when you press the bottom of your heel then it is likely you have a heel fat pad problem. One simple final test is to walk on a hard floor. If you feel the pain only when your heel hits the ground a fat pad problem is most likely. If the pain mainly occurs as you lift the heel off the ground it is more likely to be plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms

Pain typically comes on gradually, with no injury to the affected area. It is frequently triggered by wearing a flat shoe, such as flip-flop sandals. Flat footwear may stretch the plantar fascia to such an extent that the area becomes swollen (inflamed). In most cases, the pain is under the foot, toward the front of the heel. Post-static dyskinesia (pain after rest) symptoms tend to be worse just after getting out of bed in the morning, and after a period of rest during the day. After a bit of activity symptoms often improve a bit. However, they may worsen again toward the end of the day.

Diagnosis

To arrive at a diagnosis, the foot and ankle surgeon will obtain your medical history and examine your foot. Throughout this process the surgeon rules out all the possible causes for your heel pain other than plantar fasciitis. In addition, diagnostic imaging studies such as x-rays or other imaging modalities may be used to distinguish the different types of heel pain. Sometimes heel spurs are found in patients with plantar fasciitis, but these are rarely a source of pain. When they are present, the condition may be diagnosed as plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome.

Non Surgical Treatment

If you develop heel pain, you can try several methods at home to ease your discomfort. For example rest as much as possible, apply ice to the heel for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day, use over-the-counter pain medications, wear shoes that fit properly, wear night splints, a special device that stretches the foot while you sleep, use heel cups or shoe inserts to reduce pain, If these home care strategies do not ease your pain, you will need to see your doctor. He or she will perform a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms and when they began. Your doctor may also take an X-ray to determine the cause of your heel pain. Once your doctor knows what is causing your pain, he or she will be able to provide you with the appropriate treatment. In many cases, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy. This can help to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your foot, which helps to prevent further injury. If your pain is severe, your doctor may provide you with anti-inflammatory medications. These medications can be injected into the foot or taken by mouth. Your doctor may also recommend that you support your foot as much as possible-either by taping the foot or by using special footwear devices. In very rare cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the problem. However, heel surgery often requires a long recovery time and may not always relieve your foot pain.

Surgical Treatment

Although most patients with plantar fasciitis respond to non-surgical treatment, a small percentage of patients may require surgery. If, after several months of non-surgical treatment, you continue to have heel pain, surgery will be considered. Your foot and ankle surgeon will discuss the surgical options with you and determine which approach would be most beneficial for you. No matter what kind of treatment you undergo for plantar fasciitis, the underlying causes that led to this condition may remain. Therefore, you will need to continue with preventive measures. Wearing supportive shoes, stretching, and using custom orthotic devices are the mainstay of long-term treatment for plantar fasciitis.

replacement ankle straps for heels

Prevention

Painful Heel

Make sure you wear appropriate supportive shoes. Don't over-train in sports. Make sure you warm up, cool down and undertake an exercise regime that helps maintain flexibility. Manage your weight, obesity is a factor in causing plantar fasciitis. Avoid walking and running on hard surfaces if you are prone to pain. You should follow the recognized management protocol "RICED" rest, ice, compression, elevation and diagnosis. Rest, keep off the injured ankle as much as possible. Ice, applied for 20 minutes at a time every hour as long as swelling persists. Compression, support the ankle and foot with a firmly (not tightly) wrapped elastic bandage. Elevation, keep foot above heart level to minimize bruising and swelling. Diagnosis. Consult a medical professional (such as a Podiatrist or doctor) especially if you are worried about the injury, or if the pain or swelling gets worse. If the pain or swelling has not gone down significantly within 48 hours, also seek treatment. An accurate diagnosis is essential for proper rehabilitation of moderate to severe injuries.

Mortons Neuroma Treatment

Overview

intermetatarsal neuromaMorton's neuroma, also called Morton's metatarsalgia, Morton's disease, Morton's neuralgia, Morton metatarsalgia, Morton nerve entrapment, plantar neuroma, or intermetatarsal neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) growth of nerve tissue (neuroma) that develops in the foot, usually between the third and fourth toes (an intermetatarsal plantar nerve, most commonly of the third and fourth intermetatarsal spaces). It is a common, painful condition.

Causes

Morton's neuroma seems to occur in response to irritation, pressure or injury to one of the nerves that lead to your toes. Factors that appear to contribute to Morton's neuroma include. High heels. Wearing high-heeled shoes or shoes that are tight or ill fitting can place extra pressure on your toes and the ball of your foot. Certain sports. Participating in high-impact athletic activities such as jogging or running may subject your feet to repetitive trauma. Sports that feature tight shoes, such as snow skiing or rock climbing, can put pressure on your toes. Foot deformities. People who have bunions, hammertoes, high arches or flatfeet are at higher risk of developing Morton's neuroma.

Symptoms

Patients will often experience a clicking feeling in the forefoot followed by a sharp shooting pain or a sensation of numbness or pins and needles extending into ends of their toes. Tight narrow fitting shoes may often exacerbate these feelings which become worse after long periods of standing or walking. Once the Mortons nueroma progresses symptoms will become more frequent and often more intense.

Diagnosis

Plain x-rays of the foot may demonstrate that one or more of the metatarsals are long (Figure #5). Not uncommonly, the second and/or third metatarsal may be long relative to the third or fourth. This can create a situation where excessive load is occurring in and around the vicinity of the interdigital nerve.

Non Surgical Treatment

Rest. Continuing with normal training will increase pain and inflammation and prevent the injury from healing. Wear a metatarsal pad under the forefoot which will raise and spread the bones of the forefoot taking the pressure off the nerve. Wearing metatarsal pads in the shoes under the forefoot spreads the metatarsals creating more space for the nerve. See a sports injury professional who can advise on treatment and rehabilitation. Orthotic inserts may be required to correct any biomechanical dysfunction of the foot.Morton

Surgical Treatment

Recently, an increasing number of procedures are being performed at specialist centers under radiological or ultrasound guidance. Recent studies have shown excellent results for the treatment of Morton's neuroma with ultrasound guided steroid injections, ultrasound guided sclerosing alcohol injections, ultrasound guided radiofrequency ablation and ultrasound guided cryo-ablation.

Shoe Lifts The Best Solution To Leg Length Discrepancy

There are two different kinds of leg length discrepancies, congenital and acquired. Congenital means you are born with it. One leg is anatomically shorter than the other. Through developmental stages of aging, the human brain senses the walking pattern and recognizes some variation. The human body typically adapts by dipping one shoulder to the "short" side. A difference of less than a quarter inch is not blatantly irregular, require Shoe Lifts to compensate and ordinarily does not have a serious effect over a lifetime.

Shoe Lifts

Leg length inequality goes largely undiagnosed on a daily basis, however this condition is very easily fixed, and can eliminate many instances of upper back pain.

Therapy for leg length inequality typically consists of Shoe Lifts. These are typically very inexpensive, generally costing below twenty dollars, compared to a custom orthotic of $200 or higher. Differences over a quarter inch can take their toll on the spine and should probably be compensated for with a heel lift. In some cases, the shortage can be so extreme that it requires a full lift to both the heel and sole of the shoe.

Mid back pain is the most common condition afflicting men and women today. Over 80 million people experience back pain at some stage in their life. It's a problem that costs businesses huge amounts of money annually due to time lost and output. Fresh and superior treatment methods are continually sought after in the hope of lowering economic influence this issue causes.

Shoe Lift

People from all corners of the world suffer from foot ache as a result of leg length discrepancy. In most of these cases Shoe Lifts might be of immense help. The lifts are capable of decreasing any discomfort in the feet. Shoe Lifts are recommended by countless skilled orthopaedic orthopedists.

To be able to support the body in a balanced fashion, your feet have a critical job to play. Despite that, it can be the most neglected area of the body. Some people have flat-feet meaning there may be unequal force placed on the feet. This will cause other body parts such as knees, ankles and backs to be affected too. Shoe Lifts ensure that ideal posture and balance are restored.

The Answer To Leg Length Difference Is Shoe Lifts

There are not one but two unique variations of leg length discrepancies, congenital and acquired. Congenital indicates you are born with it. One leg is anatomically shorter than the other. As a result of developmental periods of aging, the human brain senses the walking pattern and recognizes some difference. Your body typically adapts by dipping one shoulder to the "short" side. A difference of under a quarter inch is not blatantly excessive, doesn't need Shoe Lifts to compensate and mostly doesn't have a serious effect over a lifetime.

Leg Length Discrepancy Shoe Lifts

Leg length inequality goes mainly undiscovered on a daily basis, yet this problem is easily solved, and can eliminate quite a few instances of back problems.

Therapy for leg length inequality commonly consists of Shoe Lifts. Most are economical, ordinarily priced at less than twenty dollars, compared to a custom orthotic of $200 or maybe more. When the amount of leg length inequality begins to exceed half an inch, a whole sole lift is generally the better choice than a heel lift. This prevents the foot from being unnecessarily stressed in an abnormal position.

Mid back pain is easily the most common condition afflicting men and women today. Around 80 million men and women are affected by back pain at some point in their life. It's a problem that costs businesses huge amounts of money annually because of time lost and productivity. Innovative and superior treatment methods are constantly sought after in the hope of minimizing the economical influence this condition causes.

Leg Length Discrepancy Shoe Lift

People from all corners of the world experience foot ache as a result of leg length discrepancy. In a lot of these situations Shoe Lifts might be of immense help. The lifts are capable of alleviating any pain and discomfort in the feet. Shoe Lifts are recommended by numerous expert orthopaedic physicians.

So that you can support the body in a nicely balanced fashion, feet have got a significant function to play. Despite that, it's often the most overlooked area in the human body. Some people have flat-feet which means there may be unequal force placed on the feet. This will cause other parts of the body including knees, ankles and backs to be impacted too. Shoe Lifts guarantee that correct posture and balance are restored.

Are Shoe Lifts The Answer To Leg Length Imbalances

There are not one but two different kinds of leg length discrepancies, congenital and acquired. Congenital indicates that you are born with it. One leg is structurally shorter in comparison to the other. As a result of developmental periods of aging, the brain picks up on the stride pattern and recognizes some variation. The entire body typically adapts by tilting one shoulder over to the "short" side. A difference of under a quarter inch isn't very irregular, require Shoe Lifts to compensate and in most cases won't have a serious effect over a lifetime.

Shoe Lift

Leg length inequality goes typically undiagnosed on a daily basis, yet this issue is simply solved, and can reduce a number of cases of back ache.

Treatment for leg length inequality commonly involves Shoe Lifts. Most are very reasonably priced, usually being below twenty dollars, compared to a custom orthotic of $200 plus. Differences over a quarter inch can take their toll on the spine and should probably be compensated for with a heel lift. In some cases, the shortage can be so extreme that it requires a full lift to both the heel and sole of the shoe.

Lumbar pain is easily the most widespread condition affecting men and women today. Over 80 million men and women are afflicted by back pain at some point in their life. It's a problem that costs businesses millions of dollars every year because of lost time and productivity. Fresh and better treatment solutions are always sought after in the hope of lowering economic influence this issue causes.

Leg Length Discrepancy Shoe Lift

People from all corners of the world experience foot ache due to leg length discrepancy. In most of these cases Shoe Lifts are usually of immense help. The lifts are capable of reducing any discomfort and pain in the feet. Shoe Lifts are recommended by many skilled orthopaedic physicians.

So as to support the human body in a well balanced manner, the feet have got a very important function to play. Irrespective of that, it is sometimes the most overlooked zone in the human body. Many people have flat-feet which means there may be unequal force placed on the feet. This will cause other body parts like knees, ankles and backs to be affected too. Shoe Lifts ensure that the right posture and balance are restored.