ankle pain

When you tell your doctor that your ankle hurts one of the first questions he will ask is if you remember any injury that you may have done, for instance stepping in a hole or twisting your ankle.

This article is dealing with ankle pain that is the result of nothing more than abnormal biomechanics of the foot. Biomechanics is defined as the study of the mechanics of a living body, especially of the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on the skeletal structure.

The ankle joint is considered a hinge joint where the talus bone of the foot sits directly under the tibia bone and is anchored on the side by the end of the fibula bone to form the ankle joint.

One of the biomechanical faults that many people exhibit is over-pronation. This is where the foot "rolls in" The problem with this is that the excessive pronation forces the talus bone to abnormally sit in the joint space. Over time this will cause a premature erosion of the joint.

Treatment is simple. reduce the over-pronation. This can be done with an orthotic. Within a day or so of wearing the orthotics the patient will begin to notice improvement. Sometimes an Arizona brace may be prescribed. It just depends on the patients degree of pain and pronation.

If you are experiencing ankle pain just give our office a call at 419-423-1888 to find out what can be done for your situation

You can also check our website http://www.vailfoot.com/ for powerstep insoles. They are not custom made for you but they will help til you are able to get the custom made orthotics.

Swollen feet/ankles

Swollen feet/ankles is a condition also known as edema is due to excessive buildup of fluids. It can lead to increase in weight.

Slight swelling is common warm summer months and if your job involves a lot of standing or walking. But if you experience persistent swelling, or swelling that damages your skin causing ulcers then is when you need to see a podiatrist. If you have swelling with shortness of breath then you need to contact your family doctor.

CAUSES: gravity pulls fluids to feet and ankles causing swelling. A serious condition of swelling can be caused by kidney or heart or liver problems. A poor diet with high content of sodium can cause swelling. Also if you are taking birth control pills or hormone replacement medication, if you are pregnant, experiencing PMS or varicose veins, laxative abuse or diuretic abuse can all contribute to swelling.

Can swelling in your feet be treated? Yes but it depends on the cause of the swelling. To help with the swelling you should try elevating your legs above the level of heart and wear support stockings.

TIPS to decrease the swelling- cut back on sodium, drink lots of water, elevate your feet, do not abuse laxatives, exercise and avoid standing in one place, and avoid long periods of sitting. So if you do much international flying it is very important to get up and exercise legs and ankles.

Excessive swelling can cause ulcerations in feet or ankles. If you have ulcerations in feet then is when a podiatrist should be visited.

At our website http://www.vailfoot.com/ we offer support stockings that can help with mild swelling.

hallux rigidus

Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the joint and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe. Hallux means the big toe and rigidus indicates the toe is rigid and cannot move. It is a form of degenerative arthritis.

It can be very troubling and even disabling since we use the big toe whenever we walk, stoop down, climb up or even stand.

Common causes of hallux rigidus comes from structural abnormalities of the foot that can lead to osteoarthritis in the big toe joint. This type of arthritis often develops in people who have defects that change the way their foot and big toe functions.

Those with fallen arches or excessive pronation of the ankles are susceptible to developing hallux rigidus.

People who do a lot of squatting or stooping put a lot of stress on the big toe and can develop hallux rigidus. Also can be the result from an injury such as stubbing your toe .

Symptoms: Pain and stiffness in the big toe during use. (2) pain and stiffness aggravated by cold damp weather. (3) difficulty with certain activities like running or squatting.

Diagnosis: The sooner this is diagnosed the easier it is to treat. So the best time to see a podiatrist is when you first notice symptoms. If you wait til a bone spur develops your condition will likely be harder to manage.

The podiatrist will examine your feet and move the toe to determine its range of motion and x-rays will help determine how much arthritis is present as well as to evaluate any bone spurs.

Non-surgical treatment: Shoe modifications: Shoes with a large toe box puts less pressure on your toe. Stiff or rocker-bottom soles may also be recommended

(2) Orthotics will improve foot function

(3) Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.

(4) Injection of corticosteriods may reduce inflammation and pain.

If you have a big toe that is causing you problems give Dr. Thomas F. Vail's office a call at 419-423-1888 to set up an appointment to see if your pain is due to hallux rigidus

You can try powersteps from our website store that would help to control your foot and take pressure off the area of pain. http://www.vailfoot.com/