Adults
We want to help manage your foot or ankle condition so that you can recover and move forward in life. There are a number of conditions affecting the foot and ankle common to adults. This information is not intended to cover the entire spectrum for foot and ankle conditions, but provide extra information to those who want it.
- HEEL PAIN
Heel pain in adults, also known as plantar fasciitis.
Have you ever wondered why your heel hurts when you first get up in the morning?
Or the first few steps you take really hurt your heel especially after you’ve been sitting down for a while?
You are probably suffering from a condition called plantar fasciitis, or you may have a heel spur.
This very common problem can be effectively treated by our Podiatrists using a range of current modalities to subside the inflammatory process. If your foot function is one of the causes of your heel pain, then it can be addressed. Our Podiatrists may use a computerised gait analysis system to assist in this process.
We also have a Swiss Doloclast shockwave machine which enables this therapy to be used in conjunction with other measures specifically targeted at resuming function.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Heel pain and Plantar fasciitis which are available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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- HALLUX LIMITUS
Stiff and painful first toe joint (hallux limitus or hallux rigidus)
Does your big toe joint feel stiff and painful?
If it does, then you may be suffering from a condition known as hallux limitus or hallux rigidus.
Literally meaning limited or restricted upward and downward motion of your first toe joint, hallux limitus is a progressive osteoarthritic degenerative process affecting this very important joint in your foot.
For normal walking or gait to occur, we need an adequate quality and amount of upward and downward motion at the first toe joint. When this motion is painful or limited, we compensate by altering our gait, which can result in other lower limb and sometimes back pain to develop.
Treatment for hallux limitus involves both non-surgical and surgical approaches, depending on the individual and the stage of the deformity. Non-surgical techniques include addressing the functional aspect of hallux limitus using orthotics to improve foot position and function, which is a contributing cause of the hallux limitus in the first place. Appropriate footwear advice and pain relief with suitable medication and supplements are also effective non-surgical options. Surgical correction for your hallux limitus, using techniques which have proven successful over the years, provides you with further options.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Hallux limitus and Selecting the proper shoe which are available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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- HAMMER TOES
Have you noticed your toes are getting less and less straight with time?
Do you often get corns, pain or irritation of your toe joints when in footwear?
You could have claw or hammer toe deformities.
These are caused by a complex interaction of your foot type and function. Our feet have a complex network of muscles and tendons that make it move, just like a puppet has strings.
If an imbalance of the action of some of these muscles and tendons which attach in the toes occurs, then they can become buckled and deformed. Over time, if this poor position is maintained, the joints in the toe can become arthritic and can be set in that position, causing many problems, especially with footwear and irritation.
Treatment for these claw and hammer toes can include non-surgical techniques such as addressing the corns and protecting them with various paddings and strappings to footwear advice and orthotics. Surgical correction represents a very successful approach to this common problem.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Lesser Toe Deformities which is available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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- NEUROMA
DO YOUR TOES FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE GONE TO SLEEP OR TINGLE WHEN YOU ARE IN A PARTICULAR PAIR OF SHOES?
Do you feel like there is a pea sized lump deep in the front of your foot that you need to massage out when you take your shoes off? You could have what we call a neuroma.
Simply speaking, a neuroma is like a pinched nerve in your foot. Just as you can have a pinched nerve in your back from a bulging disc, you can have a small fluid filled sack which lies between the long metatarsal bones in your foot that can become irritated and inflamed.
When this occurs, the fluid filled sack or bursa expands and compresses the nerve which lies below it, causing the nerve to become pinched and irritated. Often this process occurs because of excessive motion or instability of the metatarsal bones causing a mechanical rubbing or friction which causes irritation of the bursa.
Treatment for a neuroma can include specialized shoe orthotics to reduce the mechanical irritation of the bursa, footwear advice or the use of anti-inflammatory agents. Surgical excision of the neuroma is another treatment option available to the patient.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Morton’s Neuroma which is available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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- FLAT FEET
Have you noticed that your or your child’s feet are flat?
Or have you been told the same thing by a shoe sales assistant?
Flat feet are often an indication that the foot’s architecture and hence function are not correct.
Just as engineers construct bridges and buildings with arch structures incorporated in the design to support weight, your feet have anatomical arches to perform the same task, seeing as your entire body weight rests and is supported by your feet.
When your arches are collapsed, your foot becomes flat and unable to perform its task efficiently. The bone, tendon and ligament structures that compose this natural arch fatigue and you can subsequently get pain and discomfort in your feet. These symptoms can also be experienced in the ankles, legs, knees, hips and lower back as they are all structures that lie above the foundation being your feet.
Treatment for this problem often involves a comprehensive assessment of your individual biomechanical structure and function. There are a range of modalities that may be used to assist in the process, for example, a computerised gait analysis system.
At Junction Podiatry, we can help tailor a treatment plan specific to your problem and activity needs. This may involve the use of customized foot othrotics, appropriate footwear advice and exercises.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Flat Feet and Accessory Navicular which are available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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- BUNIONS
Do you have a bump on the side of your big toe joint?
OR DO YOU GET PAIN AND FIND IT DIFFICULT FITTING SHOES BECAUSE OF THIS?
You may have a bunion.
This is a progressive condition that eventually leads to a partial dislocation of the joint and eventual osteoarthritis.
The first toe joint is very important in how we function when walking and running. If this joint is in an incorrect position it can then lead to further disturbance of the foot and leg, causing pain, discomfort and even instability. Poor footwear was once thought as the main cause of bunions, however we currently understand that bunions are caused by many factors, of which foot type and function is one of the main causes.
Treatment for bunions involves both non-surgical and surgical approaches, depending on the individual and the stage of the deformity. Non-surgical techniques include addressing the functional aspect of bunions using orthotics to improve foot position and function, which causes the bunion in the first place. Appropriate footwear advice and pain relief with suitable medication and supplements are also effective non-surgical options. Surgical correction of your bunion, using techniques that have proven successful over the years, provides you with further options.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Bunions and Selecting the proper shoe which are available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
Related Information Sheets:
- KNEE PAIN
Do you often experience pain at the back of your knee cap?
Or do you or your child complain of pain on the sides of the knee cap and joint?
You may be suffering from a common condition called patello-femoral joint syndrome.
If you think of your knee cap as a train traveling in a track. Just as if the train is tracking on an angle in its track, you will get sparks flying. Similarly, if your knee cap tracks on an angle in its anatomical track, you will get inflammation around and behind the knee which causes pain. Often this is the result of an imbalance of muscle strength around the knee, which needs to be addressed with the appropriate attention, usually with the help of correct exercises and expert help form a physiotherapist.
A Podiatry assessment is also important because very often, your foot position can be a significant contributing factor to ongoing knee pain. Remember that your feet represent the foundation of your body, and if they are in an incorrect position then usually things above will be in an incorrect position too! By using appropriate orthotic devices, footwear and associated supplementary advice, along with the correct exercise regimen, your Podiatrist can assist with your recovery.
For more detailed information, see our Acrobat pdf Information sheets on Patellofemoral Pain which is available on our website.
Please remember that the information in these documents should not be used as a substitute for podiatric or medical attention.
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