Pay Attention to Your Arch Pain Before Things Get Worse
Foot arch pain and foot over-pronation can cause difficulties for people in every stage of life and can even affect an athlete's performance during every type of activity. Three causes of this type of pain may be surprising to some who aren't aware of them. Most of the causes are preventable, while some can be hereditary. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 3 of the preventable causes for arch pain include poor selection of shoe style, improper fit, and deficient foot arch support. These ill-decided actions can all bring on painful foot conditions like bunions, hammertoes, and plantar fasciitis. The Mayo Clinic has found that 2 of the inherited foot problems that can bring on foot over-pronation and arch pain include flat feet or arches that are excessively high. Below are some common foot procedures that remedy these conditions and how each of them can be resolved.
Arch Pain Can Be the First Sign of Bunion Formation
Removal of a bunion, or a bunionectomy, is the process whereby the bony bump just above the arch is severed to obtain a more norma foot form and width. In critical cases where the big toe has turned under the other toes, the surgeon cuts a triangle-shaped wedge out of the straight bone in the big toe to reset it to its original state. One screw is used to hold the bone's new position. After about half a year, the screw is taken out of the bone. Though this problem can be caused by pointed shoes, sometimes people are born with the tendency to form bunions. Foot specialists warn that shoes with little space force the toes into an abnormal position can cause bunions.
Serious Foot Issues Can Occur Without Proper foot arch support
Some of the hereditary foot conditions include either fallen arches or abnormally raised arches. Both types of arch disorders can affect the average person as well as an active athlete. The result of a fallen arch can be arch pain and foot over-pronation because this flattened part of the foot is not performing as it should. When this part of the foot malfunctions, foot overpronation occurs which can bring on a heel spur, a bony protuberance in the heel. Surgery is sometimes necessary to remove the boneoutgrowth and relieve the dicomfort. The podiatrist will use a bone saw to cut away the extra spur of bone to take away the inflammation and pain it had been causing. The best solution for treating both types of arch issues so heel spurs can be avertws is by giving the foot with appropriate arch support through athletic insoles.
Without Proper Shoes, Painful Hammertoes Can Occur
Hammertoes can be brought on by pointy shoes or footwear that is snug. This problem can affect walkers and runners that wear snug shoes during activity as well. Hammertoes are, sadly, difficult to treat without a corrective operation. First, a surgeon can try to tape the affected toe to try and coax it into a more appropriate position. In order for this method to work, wider shoes must be worn form that point on. Hammertoes can recur if ill-fitting shoes are worn again. If taping the toe straight does not work, surgery is the lone alternative. The malformed toe must have a part of the bone surgically removed to minimize its bend. The recovery period is crucial, as patients who do not remain off the affected foot as prescribed will not restore correctly. The way to prevent this condition is to wear properly-fitting shoes.
Regardless of type of activity level, age, or heredity, foot disorders can happen to a wide range of patients. Though foot procedures can surgically alleviate these problems, most of the time they are avoidable by wearing appropriate footwear and appropriate foot arch support.