The foot and its relationship to the rest of the body are often not well understood. Yet many problems of the knees and back that people suffer from have their origins in flat and pronated (slanted in) feet.
Flat feet, and other foot problems, can lead to degeneration and pain in the feet, knees, back, and other parts of the body.
See more: > Flat feet and foot pain are not normal! > What is spinal degeneration? > Flat feet and knee pain > Low back pain treatment
1. Common Foot Problems
1.1. Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick filamentous/ fibrous band on the bottom of the foot that attaches to the heel and runs forward to insert into the ball of the foot. The inflammation and pain of plantar fasciitis can occur anywhere on the bottom of the foot; however, the common area is at the heel.
1.2. Heel spur
A heel spur is a piece of calcium or bone that sticks out from the bottom of the heel bone and lies within the fibers of the plantar fascia. When walking, the spur digs into the plantar fascia and causes small micro-tears in the plantar fascia. This produces inflammation and pain in the heel. At times, this pain may radiate into the arch.
1.3. Bunion
A bunion is a deformity that occurs in the big toe. The primary cause of bunions is the pronation of the foot, which shifts the bones in the big toe’s joints and pushes it over toward the second toe. When flat feet occur along with pronation, the foot becomes even more flexible and susceptible to bunion formation. Bunions are unsightly and often very painful, but sometimes they do not cause pain at all. In the early stages, bunions can be addressed with foot orthotics and physiotherapy. Surgery is only necessary in more severe cases.
1.4. Hammertoe
The delicate bones of your toes are connected to the muscles by tendons and ligaments. If those soft tissues contract, they can pull on the toes and create a deformity. A toe might rise up and out of line with the others, curl and refuse to straighten, or even straighten permanently without the ability to curl when necessary. A hammertoe typically occurs on one of the smaller toes.
1.5. Morton’s neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a painful condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly the area between your third and fourth toes. Morton’s neuroma seems to occur in response to irritation, pressure or injury to one of the nerves that lead to your toes.
1.6. Achilles tendonitis
Symptoms of Achilles tendonitis include inflammation of the Achilles tendon accompanied by a sharp pain behind the heel. This pain occurs due to micro-tears in the Achilles tendon from excessive and repetitive stretching or overtraining the calf muscles.
1.7. Diabetic foot
Care of the diabetic foot is very important. Diabetes affects the nerves of the feet, causing peripheral neuropathy, which can produce anything from strange feelings in the feet, such as burning, tingling, numbness, to a complete loss of sensation. For people with diabetes, the lack of sensation makes them more likely to injure their feet without knowing. This can lead to infection and serious complications. Diabetes can lead to foot ulcers and amputations. Control of blood sugar is essential to stay healthy.
2. How can ACC help with foot problems?
The services offered at ACC provide comprehensive care of the highest quality for patients. Treatment varies depending on location and severity
ACC operates the first and only medical-grade foot orthotics lab in Vietnam. Applying Swiss Cad-Cam technology, we make a wide variety of foot orthotics and effectively treat nearly all common foot problems. Contact us for more information.
