Conditions

Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)

When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel you may have plantar fasciitis. It is the result of tearing and/or inflammation in the heel or along the length of the arch. There are many reasons for this condition, pronation, supination, overuse. There can be a number of causes for this condition and it will be up to our experts to discuss with you the reasons and treatments.

If you don’t treat plantar fasciitis, it may become a chronic condition. You may not be able to keep up your level of activity and you may also develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems because of the way plantar fasciitis changes the way you walk.

Bunions

The condition is often quite uncomfortable. The problem is usually progressive and can make it difficult to find shoes that fit. There are several possible reasons a bunion may develop, though a biomechanical abnormality (improper function of the foot) is the most common cause.

Orthotics can address many of the mechanical causes of a bunion. While orthoses do not actually correct a bunion deformity, if properly designed and made they can slow the progression of bunions. They are also made to redistribute weight away from pain in the foot which often accompanies bunion development.

Pronation

The pronated foot is one in which the heel bone angles inward and the arch tends to collapse. This flattens the arch as the foot strikes the ground in order to absorb shock.

This can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, potentially causing severe discomfort and leading to other foot problems such as heel pain, metatarsalgia, tendonitis or bunions. If left untreated this can often make walking painful and awkward causing increased strain on the feet and calves. This can lead to foot and ankle pain, knee pain, shin splints, achilles tendonitis and lower back pain.

It is important that Orthotics should be designed with the appropriate prescription to control this condition.

Metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain)

Ball of foot pain more commonly known as Metatarsalgia, is a general term to denote a painful condition in the area just before the toes. These bones equally share the weight of a person during walking and daily activities. Pain in this area can come from dropped metatarsal heads, mortons neuromas, march fractures, callus and skin lesions.

We need to discover which of these problems is causing the discomfort and work with the patient to eliminate the problem.

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis causes inflammation and degeneration of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is the large tendon located in the back of the leg that inserts into the heel. Pain caused by the achilles can develop gradually without a history of trauma. Pain can be shooting, burning, or extremely piercing. This condition should not be left untreated. There is a danger that the tendon can become weak and ruptured.

The most common cause is over-pronation. An orthotic made with a light weight shock absorbing material can be used to control this condition and reduce the stress on the Achilles tendon.

Shin Pain

Shin splints usually involve small tears in the leg muscles where they are attached to the shin bone. There are two types of shin splints: anterior shin splints in the front portion of the tibia and posterior shin splints, occurring on the inside of the leg along the tibia.

Over-pronated (flat feet) are one of the main factors that can lead to increased stress on the lower leg muscles during exercise. People with high arched feet can also experience shin splint discomfort because this foot type is a poor shock absorber.

If a muscle imbalance, poor running form, or flat feet are causing the problem, a long term solution will involve a stretching and strengthening program and orthotics that support the foot and correct over-pronation.

Ankle Sprains

A sprained ankle is a very common injury. In many cases patients come to us with pain that has not resolved after their injury. These cases will often exhibit an imbalance in the foot after the injury which prevent the area from healing completely. We need to try to correct the balance to allow the injury to heal.

Stability

Falls in the elderly lead to a loss of freedom, self-confidence and mobility. Custom made orthotics can relieve areas of pressure and biomechanically align the foot. These will improve standing stability and hope to minimize the probability of falls in the elderly.