Editing What Is Causing Arch Pain
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Overview<br>Flexible flatfeet are considered normal in young children because babies are not born with a normal arch. The arch may not form fully until sometime between ages 7 and 10. Even in adulthood, 15% to 25% of people have flexible flatfeet. Most of these people never develop symptoms. In many adults who have had flexible flatfeet since childhood, the missing arch is an inherited condition related to a general looseness of ligaments. These people usually have extremely flexible, very mobile joints throughout the body, not only in the feet. Flatfeet also can develop during adulthood. Causes include joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and disorders of nerve function (neuropathy).<br><br><br>Causes<br>The arch of the foot is the concaved, mid-section of the sole. While it only spans an inch or two in most adults, this one small area of the foot bears nearly all of your weight when you walk, and helps to transfer this weight from heel to ball. Just beneath the skin on the sole of the foot, a tough, elastic ligament called the plantar fascia extends from your heel bone to the metatarsal area of the foot. This ligament is designed to bounce gently with the spring of your step, but a number of factors can cause it to become unhealthy. These include. An abnormal walking gait. Vigorous high-impact exercise such as running, playing tennis or basketball. Being overweight. Wearing shoes that slant or cramp any part of the foot. Wearing shoes that have worn down in the heel or sole. A traumatic injury to the foot, including cuts, bruises, strains and fractures. The presence of arthritis or other inflammatory conditions. The normal aging process. In the presence of any of the above factors, the plantar fascia ligament can begin to flex beyond its normal range of motion. Small tears may develop in the tissue and inflammation is commonly present. You may describe your arch pain as sore, sharp, tender, intermittent, constant, burning, tingling or aching. All of these adjectives may be signs that you are experiencing a condition called Plantar Fasciitis.<br><br>Symptoms<br>Typically, the sufferer of plantar fasciitis experiences pain upon rising after sleep, particularly the first step out of bed. Such pain is tightly localized at the bony landmark on the anterior medial tubercle of the calcaneus. In some cases, pain may prevent the athlete from walking in a normal heel-toe gait, causing an irregular walk as means of compensation. Less common areas of pain include the forefoot, Achilles tendon, or subtalar joint. After a brief period of walking, the pain usually subsides, but returns again either with vigorous activity or prolonged standing or walking. On the field, an altered gait or abnormal stride pattern, along with pain during running or jumping activities are tell-tale signs of plantar fasciitis and should be given prompt attention. Further indications of the injury include poor dorsiflexion (lifting the forefoot off the ground) due to a shortened gastroc complex, (muscles of the calf). Crouching in a full squat position with the sole of the foot flat on the ground can be used as a test, as pain will preclude it for the athlete suffering from plantar fasciitis, causing an elevation of the heel due to tension in the gastroc complex.<br><br>Diagnosis<br>A professional therapist may use tinels test to diagnose tarsal tunnel syndrome. This involves tapping the nerve just behind the medial malleolus or bony bit of the ankle with a rubber hammer. Pain indicates a positive test. Sometimes it is initially mistaken for plantar fasciitis which also causes pain from the inside heel and throughout the arch of the foot. Neural symptoms (such as tingling or numbness) as well as the location of tenderness when touching the area should help to easily distinguish between the conditions.<br><br>Non Surgical Treatment<br>The right kind of self treatment can help you knock out Plantar Fasciitis, a common and annoying injury. Experiencing persistent pain and stiffness in the bottom of the heel or foot? The cause of this either sharp or dull discomfort could be plantar fasciitis, inflammation of the thick tissue, or fascia, that runs along the bottom of the foot. Common among distance runners with chronically tight hamstrings, back, calves and Achilles tendons, or those who run in shoes without proper arch support, the condition may also be caused by a muscular imbalance in the hips or pelvis. This imbalance can cause slight compensations in the stride that place more stress on one leg than the other, according to San Diego-based running coach Jon Clemens, who has a master?s degree in exercise physiology. While correcting the imbalance permanently requires a strength program that focuses on balance, calf- and pelvis-strengthening drills, said Clemens, treatment to temporarily relieve the inflammation can be performed easily at home.<br><br><br>Surgical Treatment<br>If pain or foot damage is severe, your doctor may recommend surgery. Procedures may include the following. Fusing foot or ankle bones together (arthrodesis). Removing bones or bony growths also called spurs (excision). Cutting or changing the shape of the bone (osteotomy). Cleaning the tendons' protective coverings (synovectomy). Adding tendon from other parts of your body to tendons in your foot to help balance the "pull" of the tendons and form an arch (tendon transfer). Grafting bone to your foot to make the arch rise more naturally (lateral column lengthening).<br><br><br>Prevention<br>There are several things you can do to prevent pain on the bottom of the foot. Here are some tips to help you avoid this condition. [http://illinoisbay.com/user/profile/4685 What do you do for a strained Achilles tendon?] simple stretches each day (See Plantar Fasciitis Exercises for a list of all exercises). Wear good shoes that fit properly and are appropriate for the activity you are participating in. Lose excess weight if possible. Build your stamina slowly, especially with new exercises. Rest and elevate your feet, whenever possible, keeping them at least twelve inches above your heart. Always follow your doctor?s instructions for treatment. Each day do a different activity. For example: one day ride your bike, and swim the next day.<br><br>Stretching Exercises<br>Ankle evert or strengthening. Lie on your side with your feet hanging off the end of your bed or a weight bench. Bend the toes of the foot that is closer to the ceiling slightly toward your head. This is the starting position. Now raise your toes toward the ceiling while keeping the rest of your leg stationary. Return to the starting position. Reps. 10-15. Now point your toes slightly away from your head. This is the starting position. Raise your toes toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position. Reps. 10-15. Ankle invertor strengthening. Same as above, but do the exercises with the foot that is closer to the floor. Dorsiflexor strengthening. Sit on a desk, table, or counter so that your feet don?t touch the ground. Let your feet dangle comfortably. Bend your foot upward as far as you can comfortably go. Do not let your foot pull inward or outward. Return to the starting position. Reps. 10-15.
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