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Home Tag: "Plantar fasciitis" (Page 8)

Tag: Plantar fasciitis

foot pain
4Feb

What Causes Running Injuries?

More than fifty percent of runners suffer from an injury every year. Every elite runner knows that being sidelined for running injuries, especially heel pain, Achilles tendon pain, and the plantar fasciitis, is disappointing. People think running injuries occur because they increased the distance or intensity, or they did not stretch before and after running among other reasons. Some of these reasons aggravate an already underlying problem.

Most injuries are due to biochemical imbalance which causes the breakdown of the body due to subjective repetitive load causes. Biochemical imbalances cause muscle weakness and other imbalances that cause running injuries include

foot pain

Muscle Flexibility Imbalances

A tight muscle is a common reason for a running injury. It is very possible to do a few stretches and get back running without pain. Simple, right! No, it’s not because the stretches help you re-align a muscle or tissue and you are back running again. The main question is what was the cause of the tight muscle? First, you need to find out why the muscle is overworking or tightening because stretching is a temporal solution. A tight hamstring may be as a result of weak abdominal muscles or glute muscle. These might be forcing the hamstring to compensate and with a few stretches you do not solve the weak abs or glutes and the problem might recur.

Soft Tissue Imbalances

This is complex, but changes in muscle tension can trigger points of fascia tightness. Muscle tension affects how the body functions, but with regular massage, the muscles relax.

Structural Imbalances

The body is not perfectly symmetrical; that is the right side of the body is not the same as the left side. People who cope well have minor asymmetries of the body depending on the number of differences. Others have severe structural imbalances that need more attention to avoid overstraining causing injuries from time to time.  

Muscle Strength Imbalances

For optimal functioning of the body, a balance between the inside and outside, the right and left side, the bottom and top, and the front and back of the body should be maintained. If the muscles of the right leg are weaker the muscles of the left leg will have difficulties. Unfortunately, there is never enough exercise to strengthen your muscles as you would expect. It is important to note that every joint in your body is affected when you work on one muscle. Effective muscle exercises need to be tailored individually for running purposes.

Some common running injuries include

Plantar fasciitis

This is an irritation of the fibrous tissue at the base of the heel due to forced strain on the plantar fascia. One experiences an arch pain or heel pain and the foot hurts with every step making running very difficult. This injury is common with runners who have very low or very high arches because the plantar fascia is forced to stretch. The pain caused by plantar fasciitis can continue for months and even years before completely healing so it should be treated as soon as possible.

Achilles tendon pain

The Achilles tendon is the strongest and thickest tendon connecting the back of the heel and calf muscles. The Achilles tendon injury is the painful inflammation of the tendon. The pain is common in the morning or with activity. Avoid training amidst this injury because the pain will eventually hinder the ability to jog lightly. Runners who have tight, weak calves are vulnerable to this injury.

Choosing the right running shoe is one of the protective ways in which runners can safeguard themselves from injuries. Correct your biomechanics to decrease the probability of injuries.

hammertoe
20Jan

Hammertoe: Insight

Hammer toe can be defined as a condition of foot deformity meaning a painful foot condition in which the toes curl and arch up that leads to heavy pain when wearing footwear. Hammer toe usually affects the second and third toe of the feet. Hammer toe can be diagnosed by doing a set of physical examination of the feet.

hammertoe

Cause of Hammer Toe

Most commonly a hammer toe occurs when the middle joint of the toe becomes bent or flexed downwards.

General Causes include

  • Pressure from bunion
  • Tightened ligaments
  • Arthritis
  • Traumatic toe injury
  • Damage in the spinal cord or peripheral nerve

 

Symptoms of hammer toe

Hammer toe is bound to give an uneasy discomfort while walking. It causes unbearable pain if intended to stretch the toe.

  • Bending toe
  • Calluses or corns
  • Toe looking like claw
  • Inability to flex the toe
  • Adapting difficulty in walking

 

hammer

Is surgery required for hammer toe?

Hammer toe surgery can never be the primary option. Hammer can be of different categories it may cause mild or severe. If there is severe hammer toe then hammer toe surgery is required. The best way to judge is to visit a doctor as soon as you feel uneasy.

Hammer toe surgery should be opted out in these basic following options

  • Active infection
  • Poor health condition
  • Poor blood circulation in the feet.

Doctors prescribe Hammer toe surgery in severe conditions such as joint toe fusion and joint resection or even if you have swollen toes.

Hammer toe surgery is considered to be the least choice left for any hammer toe patient. Therefore it is of utmost importance to meet a doctor as soon as possible because a mild hammer toe condition can also lead to serious mishaps. In case the doctors recommend doing a Hammer toe surgery then it may be simply out of a failure in responding to treatments.

How can hammer toe be treated?

Hammer toe can be cured by wearing appropriate footwear and wearing properly fitting shoes. Mainly the high arch toe condition is caused by wearing toe pads that do not fit better. Correct toe pads shift the toe position that relieves the toe for getting overlapped from pressure.

Hammer toe treatment can be done using over the counter cushions, bunions, corns, and medications. Applying over the counter creams provides relief to blistering infections, and an ice pack can be used as Hammer toe treatment as well.

Preventive measures for hammer toe

Hammer toe problems in most cases have found out to be either from family history or chronically using tight pointed shoes. 

Eventually, a hammer toe can be avoided by taking certain stringent changes in your daily routine.

  • Must avoid wearing shoes that are tight and narrow or don’t fit well. An especially woman who wears heels up to 6 inches must cut it down to 2 inches.
  • Choose shoes that are much wider from the tip that gives you ½ inch between the end of the longest toe and inside the tip of the show.
running shoes
26Nov

running shoes

Searching for the right running shoes can feel daunting if you are not sure what the things that you should look for are. There are so many different choices on offer for you, with each claiming to have some or other technology to offer you the maximum comfort. So, here is a brief rundown on the things that you should keep in mind when trying to choose the best running shoes for yourself.

Choose shoes that are specifically made for running

Running shoes look a lot like sneakers, but they have special designs and features that make them remarkably different. While running, your foot is hitting the ground in the same way repeatedly. Running shoes help in shock absorption during this time, so that you do not suffer from troubles, like heel pain, later on.

Getting the fit absolutely right

If the shoes do not fit right, you are just setting yourself up for foot diseases, such as plantar fasciitis, in future. Keep in mind that your feet swell a slight bit through the day and they also spread as you run. So, it is better to try out the shoes in the evening or afternoon to get a more accurate estimate of the fit. There has to be about a thumb width of gap between the end of your shoe and the foot to account for the foot spread.

Select the right kind of running shoes

The kind of running shoes you get should also depend on the intensity of running that you plan to do. So, you need to opt for trail running shoes if you practice on dirt tracks more. Lightweight shoes would work well for races or faster workouts. Finally, you can also opt for daily running shoes, which are the most durable option. It can handle any kind of running that you want to do.

Consider what you are paying for

The price tag of running shoes usually relates to the kind of technology or comfort that the shoes are supposed to offer you. Now, this means getting inexpensive shoes would not really work in giving you the comfort you need to run. On the other hand, it is not like only the most expensive pair is your best bet when aiming to enjoy a run.

Understand a few terms

  • Stack height

Stack height is the amount of material placed between the ground and your feet. The ones who look for high impact protection, opt for higher stack height. On the other hand, those who are looking for a more natural experience of feeling the ground while running can go for low stack height.

  • Pronation

Pronation refers to the rolling of your foot from the heel to the toe by the foot strike. A neutral strike pattern is when you strike with the outer part of the heel and move up to the ball of the foot. If you have flat foot, then you might have over-pronation, which is rolling too much inside of the foot during the strike cycle. The opposite of this is under-pronation, which happens when your feet have high arches.

  • Heel-toe drop

Heel-toe drop is the difference in the amount of material under the forefoot and that under the heel. You should check that there’s more material under the heel to go with your normal stride while running where the heel hits the ground with the maximum impact.

Lastly, keep in mind that it’s not like the shoes that are perfect for your friend would even be right for you. So, keep these points in mind and choose the running shoes that fit your feet the best.

plantar
13Oct

Plantar fasciitis- symptoms and causes

Plantar fasciitis is basically a deformity of an inflamed thick band of tissues that connects the heel bone to the toes. It is commonly known as policeman’s heel. Our foot has a thick, fibrous band of tissues running from our heels to our toes. When these tissues are overly stretched, tiny tears occur in the tissue surface, which results in pain and inflammation. Traditionally foot doctors in Houston and Podiatrists Houston thought that heel spurs were the cause of plantar fasciitis. But modern treatment and research at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center proves that Heel spurs are the result and not the cause. They often prescribe heel spur pain relief in case of such a situation.

plantar

Causes of plantar fasciitis:

There are several reasons that contribute to the occurrence of plantar fasciitis. Generally, women are more prone to plantar fasciitis than men. The possibility of the occurrence of the disease increases with age. It also occurs when you are overweight or you stress your feet to the point of fatigue throughout the day.

 The risk of causing plantar fasciitis also increases if:

  • Your shoes are uncomfortable, worn out with thin soles.
  • You have flat feet or a very high arch.
  • You wear ill-fitting footwear such as high heeled sandals.
  • You have tight Achilles tendons pain or those known as ‘heel cords’.
  • You have an unusual posture and walk or foot position.
  • You are suffering from obesity.

If you bore such habits, then you should visit a foot and ankle specialist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center in Houston TX. Ignoring plantar fasciitis can lead to chronic heel pain which will cause obstruction to our regular pace in life activities.

plantar2

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis include the following:

  • Pain in heel and tenderness in your foot sole.
  • The affected heel would cause pain which will lead to difficulty in bearing weight or any activity involved with the foot.
  • It is difficult to walk, especially while taking the first few steps after waking up.
  • The heel pain is more like a burning pain and sharp, which can become severe.
  • Swelling of the bottom of the foot.
  • You will gradually realize while working out any athletic activities.
  • Swelling and tenderness at the insertion of the plantar fascia or the band of the tissue to the heel, on the bottom of the foot.

 You can start by preventing any stressful athletic activities. Visit for physical therapy from time to time. In severe cases, surgery is recommended. Treatment involves injections of cortisone in the foot which works as a pain reliever. Orthotic devices or shoe inserts are worn to take off the pressure from the plantar fascia. Heel lifts reduce pressure on Achilles tendon to relieve heel spur pain. Use sports running shoes with soft and cushioned insoles to reduce irritation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries. Visit your nearest podiatrists in Houston or a foot doctor Houston, as soon as getting the symptoms.