Posts for: May, 2010
Children at a young age will get heel pain; it is usually caused by an interruption or a change in what we call a growth plate in the bones of the foot. A growth plate is an area of a bone that matures as a child grows older. This growth plate is an area where two seperate bones exist when we are born, and as we mature the plate or the interfaces between both bones join and the two bones fuse to become one bone.
When patients that are young get heel pain; the diagnosis for this problem is calcaneal (heel bone) apophysitis. Treatment for this usually starts off with an x-ray. Once the diagnosis is established, a heel cup usually helps, but many times we recommend a conservative approach such as icing and biofreeze to be applied several times a day. If simple treatments do not provide relief, a custom made orthotic device in sneakers is recommended.
Mitchell Wachtel, DPM is a podiatrist with offices located in Lowell, Methuen, Bradford and North Andover in Massachusetts
My foot looks like a pancake but my pain is on my shin!
Many patients that are young come into the office complaining that there shins hurt. After evaluation it is noted that the foot usually is everted or the arch is very flattened throughout the entire foot. This is what we refer to as referred pain. The muscle bellies of the foot attach to the shins and the tendons that they control travel to the foot and attach there. Unfortunately for people with flatfoot deformity the foot is flat and pulls the tendons of the foot for very long periods of time and there is pain in the shin area called shin splints.
Many other long term problems such as knee, back and hip pain can occur if flatfoot deformity goes untreated. Patients that are runners cannot run for long periods of time because of the pain in the shin area and the arch area. In addition patients that are runners overpronate and cause excessive strain on the arch and increase tendonitis like pain in the foot. We have a multitude of bracing devices that are slimlined and fit in the shoe and or sneaker. There are a multitude of new styles of sneakers that can be used to help patients both walk and run comfortably. Besides bracing here are a multitude of stretching exercises and physical therapy that can help to decrease many of the painful scenarios that occur in the foot and ankle.
Please feel free to visit our shoe store in the office as well as get a physical evaluation with our new physical therapist Suzanne Pierri, PT.
Dr. Mitchell Wachtel is a podiatrist in Lowell, Bradford, Methuen and North Andover - all located in North Andover, MA
When we are more active during the warmer months we notice the bottoms of the natural pads of our feet begin to hurt. Aching and or burning sensation at the padded areas of our feet is not a normal sensation and should be evaluated. Many times the pain is due to a condition called metatarsagia and signifies a soreness or inflammation of the pads of the foot and is due to irritation. Other times a patient may have a nerve that is entrapped. Lastly sometimes as we age the pads on the bottom of our feet breakdown just like the soles of our shoes. Pain in this area can be quite problematic in the foot and should be evaluated and treated by a foot specialist. There are many ways to treat all of these problems ranging from minor treatment with a strapping with certain types of padding to shoegear. Don't let a painful foot stop you from enjoying the best days of the year.