Vote with your feet, podiatry at Phyathai Sri Racha Hospital

Doctors who focus solely on the feet and ankles are called podiatrists or doctors of podiatric medicine. Podiatrists do many of the same procedures as other medical doctors, such as performing surgery, taking X-rays, and prescribing drugs. They also consult on issues that your primary doctor might not, such as analyzing the way you walk and prescribing special inserts for your shoes.

You have Flatfeet when the arches on the inside of your feet are flattened, allowing the entire soles of your feet to touch the floor when you stand up. A common and usually painless condition, flatfeet can occur when the arches don’t develop during childhood. In other cases, flatfeet develop after an injury or from the simple wear-and-tear stresses of age.

Flatfeet can sometimes contribute to problems in your ankles and knees because the condition can alter the alignment of your legs. Most people have no signs or symptoms associated with flatfeet, but some people can experience foot pain, particularly in the heel or arch area. Pain may worsen with activity. Swelling along the inside of the ankle can also occur. If left untreated, this will lead to a completely collapsed foot which cannot function as a shock absorber at all. This, in turn, will cause constant pain in the foot and, eventually, the knee, hip and lower back.

Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot), is a condition in which the foot has a very high arch. Because of this, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball and heel of the foot when walking or standing. Cavus foot can lead to a variety of symptoms, such as pain and instability.

Wear or bring your usual shoes. It’s helpful for the doctor to see the shoes you normally wear, especially if you’re having heel pain or other problems involving structures within your foot. “The way we walk is as unique to each of us as our fingerprints. The shoes can often provide good input and good clues as to what the source or the cause of the problem is.”

Heel pain is a very common foot problem. The sufferer usually feels pain either under the heel (plantar fasciitis) or just behind it (Achilles tendinitis), where the Achilles tendon connects to the heel bone. Even though heel pain can be severe and sometimes disabling, it is rarely a health threat.

Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.

Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. These can lead to pain and swelling. This is more likely to happen if your feet roll inward too much when you walk; have high arches or flat feet; walk, stand, or run for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces; are overweight; wear shoes that don’t fit well or are worn out or you have tight Achilles tendon or calf muscles.

Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. You may have less stiffness and pain after you take a few steps. But your foot may hurt more as the day goes on. It may hurt the most when you climb stairs or after you stand for a long time.

If you have foot pain at night, you may have a different problem, such as arthritis, or a nerve problem such as tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Your doctor will check your feet and watch you stand and walk. He or she will also ask questions about your past health, including what illnesses or injuries you have had; symptoms, such as where the pain is and what time of day your foot hurts most and how active you are and what types of physical activity you do.

Your doctor may take an X-ray of your foot if he or she suspects a problem with the bones of your foot, such as a stress fracture.

No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:

• Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces.

• To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen.

• Do toe stretches, calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. (For towel stretches, you pull on both ends of a rolled towel that you place under the ball of your foot.)

• Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics)

The most common types of shoe inserts (orthotics) are:

• Arch supports: Some people have high arches. Others have low arches or flat feet. Arch supports generally have a “bumped-up” appearance and are designed to support the foot’s natural arch.

• Insoles: Insoles slip into your shoe to provide extra cushioning and support. Insoles are often made of gel, foam, or plastic.  

• Heel liners: Heel liners, sometimes called heel pads or heel cups, provide extra cushioning in the heel region. They may be especially useful for patients who have foot pain caused by age-related thinning of the heels’ natural fat pads.

• Foot cushions: Do your shoes rub against your heel or your toes? Foot cushions come in many different shapes and sizes and can be used as a barrier between you and your shoe.

Dr. Arthithat Kirinpanu Orthopedic foot & ankle specialist at Phyathai Sriracha Hospital specializes in treatment of the many of the problems listed above. If you would like to make a consultation appointment to speak to him regarding any foot & ankle problems then contact Phyathai Sriracha Orthopedic Department on Telephone 087 – 1000990 Email [email protected] www.phyathai-sriracha.com