Hip Pain

Hip Pain

The hip is a weight bearing joint and everything above the waistline is must be supported by the hips. A lot of us forget this simple fact but when you think about it it’s amazing that most people do not suffer more hip pain. When we are active, all of our weight bearing joints are hit with extra stress and strain. With some activities the body must endure excessive force on the joints and injury often occurs. Our bodies are built for this but any structural imbalance can cause problems if not treated properly.

For many, it is the structural imbalance which makes them prone to hip, lower back, knee, ankle and foot pain. Often these are a result of poor posture over time or injury. For instance if for some reason you suffer from a “fallen hip”, even though both hips are theoretically carrying the same amount of load, one may hurt because it is no longer aligned with the other. Also, it is not uncommon for people to have a misaligned foot or one leg slightly shorter than the other. With the hip things start from the bottom up and believe it or not a minor foot condition can lead to major hip pain.

Our feet support us much like the foundation of a home. If the foundation is not built properly the house may lean or suffer progressive structural damage over time. In this regard, the foundation is really the most important part of the home. If it isn’t right nothing will be. The same holds true with our bodies and structurally our feet may be they most important part of our bodies when it comes pain free activity. Any foot condition can cause pain up through the ankle, knee, hip and lower back.

Foot Problems can be natural or due to injury but your physician will need to rule out foot problems as a cause of hip pain first. You will be surprised to find that bringing the foot back into proper alignment through treatment may solve all your hip pain. The use of custom foot orthotics or arch supports is a very effective treatment for structure foot problems.

Regardless of the origin of hip pain, treatment will be similar to the treatment of other joint problems. A proper diagnosis must be made and a treatment plan developed. Treatment may be as simple as rest to reduce inflammation or a surgical may be required as a last resort. A common sense approach for prevention is also recommended. Make sure you are allowing your body to rest, exercise to keep the muscles strong and use properly fitted footwear while active. If you are feeling pain, avoid the activity and seek medical advice and do not be surprised if your podiatrist holds the solution for your hip pain.

High Arch Feet

High Arch Feet

Most people have an arch along the inner side of the foot, leaving a gap between the ground and the foot. Some feet have a higher arch than average. This is the opposite of a flatfoot. In combination with a higher arch, the ankle may be “rolled” outwards slightly – this is the opposite of a pronated foot. Often this gets referred to as pes cavus.

What does a high arch foot look like?

When standing with weight on the foot, the arch will appear higher. The heel often tilted inwards at the ankle (but not always). In many the toes will appeared clawed. When not standing the front half of the foot (forefoot) will appear to be dropped below the level of the rearfoot.

What causes high arch feet?

High arch feet may just be a normal variant (ie some people just have higher arches), some may be hereditary (ie runs in the family) and in some cases there may be an underlying neurological problem that is causing it.

What are the symptoms of a high arch foot?

The symptoms of a high arch foot will vary depending on how severe the condition is and the activity levels of the person with it. Most will have no pain or any other symptoms. Symptoms may vary from a mild problem with shoe fitting to significant disability
Some of the symptoms can include:

• there may be corns and calluses under the bases of the first and fifth toes.
• Shoe may not fit very well because of the high arch and the clawed toes.
• There may be some pain in the arch area, because of the pressure that it is under.
• The feet will feel stiffer and less mobile than a foot that does not have a high arch.
• Ankle sprains are more common in those with a high arched foot.

How is the high arched foot treated?

This will depend on what is causing the pain, if anything. Initially a careful investigation is needed to rule out any neurological condition is causing the high arched foot.

Generally, treatment can involve:

• The use of foot orthotics or insoles to support and protect the foot and relieve pressure areas.
• Different sorts of pads made from silicone or felt can be used to get pressure off the painful areas
• If corns and callus are present, they can be treated by a Podiatrist.
• Proper fitting of footwear is important.
• In very sever cases, especially if pain is present and the height of the arch is progressively increasing in height, surgery may be considered.

What is a Heel Spur?

Heel Spurs

Patients and doctors often confuse the terms heel spur and plantar fasciitis. While these two diagnoses are related, they are not the same. Plantar fasciitis refers to the inflammation of the plantar fascia–the tissue that forms the arch of the foot. A heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on the heel bone (calcaneus) and is associated with plantar fasciitis.

About 70 percent of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that can be seen on an X-ray. However, many patients without symptoms of pain can have a heel spur. The exact relationship between plantar fasciitis and heel spurs is not entirely understood. For more information about plantar fasciitis.

Who gets heel spurs?

Heel spurs are common in patients who have a history of foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis. In the setting of plantar fasciitis, heel spurs are most often seen in middle-aged men and women, but can be found in all age groups. The heel spur itself is not thought to be the primary cause of pain, rather inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia is thought to be the primary problem. A heel spur diagnosis is made when an X-ray shows a hook of bone protruding from the bottom of the foot at the point where the plantar fascia is attached to the heel bone.

Why did I get a heel spur?

The plantar fascia is a thick, ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the calcaneus (heel bone) to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue helps maintain the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. That’s why tremendous stress is placed on the plantar fascia.

When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and degenerative (worn out)–these abnormalities can make normal activities quite painful. Symptoms typically worsen early in the morning after sleep. At that time, the plantar fascia is tight so even simple movements stretch the contracted plantar fascia. As you begin to loosen the plantar fascia, the pain usually subsides, but often returns with prolonged standing or walking.
Heel spurs form in some patients who have plantar fasciitis, and tend to occur in patients who have had the problem for a prolonged period of time. While about 70 percent of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur, X-rays also show about 50 percent of patients with no symptoms of plantar fasciitis also have a heel spur.

Treatment of heel spurs is the same as treatment of plantar fasciitis. Because these problems are related, the treatment is the same. The first step in the treatment of a heel spur is short-term rest and inflammation control. Here are the steps patients should take in order to cure the symptoms of plantar fasciitis and heel spurs:

Rest

The first treatment step is avoiding activities that aggravate symptoms. For example, take a few day off jogging or prolonged standing to try to rest the painful foot. Just resting usually helps eliminate the most severe pain, and will allow the inflammation to begin to settle down.

Diabetic Foot Condition

Diabetic Foot Condition

Diabetes is a very serious chronic condition with all sorts of complications. Diabetics are extremely prone to foot problems. Just because you have Diabetes does not necessarily mean you will suffer from foot issues but being aware and preventative will allow you to spot foot problems which may or may not be related to the Diabetes itself.

Foot problems associated with Diabetes are infections, damaged nerves and blocked arteries, all which can lead to foot ulceration. With diabetics infection and/or foot ulceration can often lead to amputation. Blocked arteries in the lower extremities can lead to severe pain so it is very important to associate diabetes with the need for proper foot care.

The good news is if the Diabetes is under control and monitored regularly foot problems can be avoided. But when issues begin they are very hard to reverse so taking preventative measures is of the utmost importance. People without any evidence of foot ulceration or infection should, with a physician, determine the risk of developing these issues and then plan health maintenance regiment.  Anyone already suffering from foot problems due to diabetes should immediately consult a physician and aggressively attack the problems. This goes for people experiencing severe pain who do not believe they are in any danger of developing ulcers or infection. Doctors can help you effectively manage your foot pain.

People with Diabetes have lower defenses against infections and ability for their body to fight them once they are infected. So minor scrapes and cuts in the foot area can quickly turn into an infectious nightmare for Diabetics. In addition the the fact that Diabetics are prone to nerve damage and arterial blockages, they may not actually feel the pain associated with a minor infection until it worsens.

Localized infections which are contained in one are of the foot or toes can be effectively treated with oral antibiotics. Infections effecting the entire foot must be treated more aggressively. High doses of oral antibiotics, intravenous antibiotics and even surgery may be required to control the infection.

Diabetic Neuropathy is simply damage to the never fibers in people with Diabetes. This becomes problematic because it affects the person’s to feel pain in the foot. So, it is vital for Diabetics to examine their feet daily and practice proper foot care and common sense hygiene.

Bunions

Bunions

Bunions are one of those foot condition words that gets thrown around quite a bit yet many people claim they suffer from them without really understanding what a Bunion is. Because of this, many people suffering from Bunions and other more serious foot conditions may suffer for years without seeking proper treatment.
A Bunion, or Hallux Valgus, is basically a bump on the side of the foot. However, this bump results from a structural change in the foot. This structural change occurs when the Big Toe begins to lean toward the second toe instead of maintaining its natural position. As a result, the bones which maintain the position of the big to are pushed out of alignment and form a bump.

The condition may begin with the movement of the big toe toward the second to but Bunions are progressive meaning the condition will worsen and become more severe over time. so the bump associate with Bunions becomes larger and more painful as time goes on.

Bunions can occur due to trauma in the front section of the foot but are most often caused by a genetic structural malady of the foot. Certain types of foot structures are more likely to develop Bunions than others. It is a common misconception that wearing heels or improper fitting shoes cause Bunions but footwear seems to just take advantage of those whose feet are genetically predisposed to the condition.
Regardless of the cause, most symptoms are noticed by women who wear shoes with a tight toe box and/or high heals. Since mens shoes have wider toe boxes and lower heals, the pressure on the foot forces a structural shift in the big toe less often.

When treating Bunions early the focus is usually to reduce pain and slow the progression of the condition. This starts with changes in footwear, using padding in over the area where bunions occur, and changes in activity levels. The injection of corticosteroids can prove helpful in reducing inflammation in the joint and custom orthotic devices can be fabricated to relieve the tension on the foot.

If the pain and discomfort from Bunions inhibits normal daily activities surgical treatments are often recommended. Your podiatrist can best map out this course of treatment and while ultimately corrected, the recovery from Bunion surgery can be painful and slow.