FOOT PAIN

The foot is another of those complicated joints with many bones and tendons crossing over and into the region. It also has to bear the weight of the whole body and is many times smaller than the rest of the skeleton, hardly surprising it encounters a few problems.

Possible pathologies include:

• Heel spurs;
• Planterfacitis;
• Fracture;
• Ligament sprain;
• Bunions;
• Dropped arches - weakness/structural;
• Tendon sprain/degeneration.

Causes:

• Poorly Fitting trainers/shoes
• Ankle sprain
• Poor posture
• Hip weakness

Symptoms:

Pain associated with a foot abnormality may be characterized by: Pain at the base of the foot, on the sole of the foot, heel pain when getting out of bed in the morning or when walking though the day, pain over the toes when mobilizing the joint, discomfort with certain shoe types.

Treatment:

Footwear assessment and modification is very important in resolving pain, particularly where the problem occurred during normal activity without obvious injury. Strapping is very useful particularly when considering orthotics (modified and prescribed in-soles) are indicated.

Electrotherapy and manual techniques where the soft tissue are mobilised can be helpful in reducing pain and helping to establish a sound healing process.