With this blog post I’d like to address some of the most common foot and ankle problems that physical therapists and foot and ankle (podiatric) doctors encounter. The foot and the foot and ankle complex are truly amazing structures. So much so that Leonardo Da Vinci (1452–1519) wrote the following: “The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”
It truly is. There are 26 bones in the foot. Since we have 206 bones in our bodies, that means that almost 12% of all the bones in our body are in our foot. Oops, wait a minute, that’s only one foot. If we take both feet, thats 52 bones. I’ll spare you the math, but 25% of the bones in our body are in our feet. ***Let that sink in for a second.*** And all 52 are working in concert to support everything you throw at it during the day. (…and I didn’t mention all the ligaments, tendons and muscles that help support and control our feet and ankles)
No wonder podiatrists stay busy. With this much going on there are bound to be problems. In talking with podiatrists the most common issues they treat (and refer to PT) are:
Plantar Fasciitis (felt on the bottom of the foot, commonly under the heel)
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (this can mimic plantar fasciitis very closely)
Achilles Tendonitis (felt on the back of the leg/heel)
Posterior Tibial Tendonitis (felt on the inside of the ankle)
Peroneal Tendonitis (felt on the outside of the ankle)
Chronic Ankle Sprains (Rolling of the ankles)
Of course there are many more, and I intentionally left out other foot issues podiatrists treat such as nail fungus, gout, ingrown toenails, diabetic neuropathy (pain, burning and tingling of the feet) and Charcot foot.
You’ll notice most of the above issues end in “itis.” That’s medical jargon for inflamed. Most “itis’s” are caused by overuse, imbalance, inadequate range of motion or lack of strength. (Or a combo of these). Great, so what should I do about it? That will be addressed in part two.