General Foot Conditions

Heel Pain

This is a very common problem in the general population affecting people of all ages. In some case in the elderly it may be as simple as the lack of the fibrofatty pad under the heel. This results in trauma to the heel and possibly heel bursitis. Treatment may require padding in the heel a simple solution is to use products such as Tulis heel pads, or soft insoles to restore natural cushioning in the heel area.

Severs disease can occur in children this is where the growth plate can be damaged, it responds well to orthotic therapy and stretching exercises.

Plantar fasciitis (heel spurs) is a very common complaint especially in tennis players and other sports, and symptoms include pain with first step in the morning or when getting up from a chair after rest. The pain may then decrease after a few steps. The attachments of the plantar fascia cause the pain not the heel spur itself. Treatment can include taping, ultrasound, orthotic therapy, stretching exercises. In very resistant cases injection therapy may be used.

Ball of the foot pain

This is commonly termed metatarsalgia and can be caused by Morton’s neuroma, hammer toes, bursitis, callus and corns, dropped metatarsal bones. Morton’s neuroma is due to entrapment of the plantar digital nerve and presents as pain, numbness, or tingling often between the 3rd and 4th toes. Treatment using metatarsal padding or orthotic therapy can redirect pressure from the painful area and reduce the symptoms associated with metatarsalgia. Custom orthoses with a metatarsal dome can be used very effectively to treat these problems.

Achilles Pain

Footwear can play a role look for shoes with good ‘toe break’ flexibility in the ball of the foot. Orthotic therapy is also useful especially with pronated feet (flat feet) as the heel everts or rolls in and twists the tendon leading to tendon damage. Physical therapy, and stretching, also plays a roll in treatment of this condition.

Hammer Toes

These can lead to painful corns on the top and end of the toes. They are caused by muscle imbalance in the feet leading to crooked toes. Painful corns can be painlessly removed and various toe pads such as foam or silicone pads can be used to treat painful toes.  Good fitting footwear is essential, as is the use of orthoses to re-establish normal foot function to help prevent further development of this problem.

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