Foot pain can wreak mechanical havoc on your joints and muscles. Foot complaints are a common cause of pain and disability for many of the patients we see at our practice. There are a variety of different sources of foot pain, luckily the vast majority are mechanical in origin and can be treated without drugs or surgery.
The foot is a very complex structure, to say the least. With two feet that means you have 52 bones, which equates to about 25% of the overall number of bones in your whole body. That’s a lot of bones and joints!
Misalignment or reduced movement between any of these bones can be responsible for a lot of foot conditions.
As an example, if the calcaneus (the heel bone) lacks mobility, the Achilles tendon has to work harder. The extra effort induces a gradual strain into the Achilles tendon and calf. Over time, as the muscle gets over-worked it can eventually develop an Achilles tendonitis.
QUESTION: Would we call this a “muscle problem” or a “joint problem?” Correct answer: Both!
The patient has the right to more than one problem. In a lot of foot complaints, it is not uncommon for several areas to be irritated. It’s only when a chiropractor inspects your foot pain in detail, symptoms can be elicited in areas you didn’t think were hurting.
Typical conditions we see in our practice are:
Plantar fasciitis (a commonly over diagnosed condition!)
Tendonitis
Bursitis
Ankle sprains
Mortons Neuroma
Cuboid fixation
Achilles tendonitis
Seasomoiditis
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Capsulitis
Our ancestors may have run round barefoot in grassy terrains chasing mammoths, but modern humans wear shoes pretty much from the day they’re born. We walk on flat surfaces, not bumpy ground. This in essence has changed the way our foot looks, and is the main theory as to why there is such a high incidence of ‘flat feet’ (also known as excessive pronation).
As with any complaint, it is necessary to determine the exact cause of the condition. It is therefore important to make an accurate diagnosis, so the chiropractor can perform specific treatment. The chiropractor could then provide the patient with all the necessary information to prevent the problem from reoccurring. This can include, for example, exercises or custom-made orthotics (shoe inserts), which our Guildford Chiropractors make on site.
The treatment varies according to the individual patient and the condition. If you would like to find out about treatment that does not involve surgery or drugs, contact clinic reception. If you would like a call back from one of our chiropractors, this can also be easily arranged.
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