When you visited your doctor with pain in your big toe, it was diagnosed as hallux rigidus. Hallux rigidus is a form of degenerative arthritis (also called osteoarthritis) specific to the first metatarsophalangeal joint—the joint at the base of the big toe. Similar to osteoarthritis, the root cause of the pain is aContinue Reading »
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Category: Ankle/Foot
Fighting Arthritis? Strengthen Your Muscles
Arthritis may be a joint disease, but strengthening the muscles is an important component in its treatment. That is because a leading cause of limited movement in people with arthritis—especially, for instance, knee arthritis—is the weakening of surrounding muscles, rather than pain, dysfunction or abnormalities in the joint itself. This raises an important question: IsContinue Reading »
Tread Carefully with Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
If you experience a burning or tingling pain in the sole of your foot, you might have tarsal tunnel syndrome. This condition can mean your foot “gives out” when performing certain physical activities. Tarsal tunnel syndrome occurs when there is abnormal pressure on the posterior tibial nerve in the foot. Pain worsens from activity, especiallyContinue Reading »
Ankle pain and shoelaces—an unexpected connection
We recently had a patient with chronic insertional achilles tendinopathy and anterior distal tibiofibular joint sprain. We looked at his footwear and all seemed to fit well. After trying many types of taping techniques (ie mulligan and kinesio taping) with no decrease in his pain. Finally we had him bring in his boots again andContinue Reading »
Can weak calves and glutes contribute to foot and ankle pain?
YES! For women with pain caused by posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, there does appear to be a link. A study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy in September 2011 found that middle-aged women with mild posterior tibial tendon dysfunction have weakness in the hip extensors, hip abductors and calf muscles which mayContinue Reading »
Alleviating Heel Pain with Physical Therapy
Heel pain can be a complex problem, but many times it results just from overuse of the foot. Heel pain can also result from running, especially with poor form, shoes with insufficient support, a sudden injury to the heel, and physical conditions, such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, a pinched nerve at the back ofContinue Reading »
Does the Right Footwear Prevent Injuries?
Because your feet are subjected to nearly a million pounds of pressure during an hour of strenuous exercise, proper footwear is important to cushion these loads. For this reason, shoe companies and medical professionals have recommended wearing specific types of footwear to prevent injuries. It would be nice if the right shoe could really protectContinue Reading »
Get Back on Your Toes After a Dancer’s Fracture
Rotating or twisting an ankle or foot or incurring a crush injury by dropping a heavy object on the foot may cause a fracture of the fifth metatarsal, a bone at the base of the small toe. This injury, also known as dancer’s fracture, is similar to a sprained ankle in that it can makeContinue Reading »
Relieving Ankle Pain with Joint Fusion
If you suffer from a painful arthritic ankle joint and your physician has suggested a procedure called arthrodesis, you may be confused. Simply put, an arthrodesis fuses the bones that form a joint, making it one continuous bone and permanently stiffening the joint. The procedure is used when pain, disability or instability from a diseasedContinue Reading »
Working Your Way Through Shin Splints
Occurring in the front of the outer leg, shin splints result from inflammation to the posterior tibial tendon and related tissues. They commonly happen to runners or those who walk vigorously. Symptoms include pain in the front of the outer leg below the knee, ranging from dull discomfort to significant pain that increases with activity.Continue Reading »