flat foot pronation

A CT scan is a quick form of diagnosis that can be performed in 2-3 minutes. Therefore, the CT examination is used more in emergencies.

Foot surgery - surgical treatment of transverse flatfoot

This foot disease with a significant widening and flattening of the forefoot is referred to as transverse flatfoot. It is characterized by a crooked first toe, heavy feet, corns, and occasional pain in the metatarsophalangeal joints. Transverse flatfoot is often typical for women over 40 years of age, while it is rare in men (about 20 times less common than in women) and only occurs at an older age. Cases of transverse flat feet in adolescents and children are considered exceptions.

• Wearing uncomfortable narrow or high-heeled shoes;
• Regular standing on your feet for a long time;
• overweight;
• Previous trauma to the lower limbs.

Metabolic disorders such as abnormal calcium and phosphorus metabolism also contribute to the development of transverse flatfoot.

Symptoms of transverse flatfoot

In those affected, transverse flatfoot manifests itself through pronounced pain in the legs. The pain increases in the area of the first and second toe. After standing on your feet for a long time, there is swelling of the limbs, a feeling of heaviness and a burning pain in the muscles.

The foot is visually widened, a spherical proliferation (valgus deformity) forms on the outside of the big toe, stubborn corns and calluses appear on the forefoot and the phalanxes of the toes are difficult to move. Inadequate treatment contributes to hammer toe curvature of the second and third toes.

Palpation of the affected area causes pain.

Fill out the form and we will contact you.

Complications of flat feet

A leg malfunction causes problems at all levels: joints, muscles, ligaments and neurological disorders. Some joints become pinched and blocked, some muscles become overstretched or tire easily, and some ligaments become stretched, affecting proprioception.

Since the feet are the foundation of posture, misalignment affects everything else. The ankles follow the feet and twist inward, leading to excessive internal rotation of the shins and therefore the knees. Because the knees are bound by the femurs, this causes internal rotation of the entire pelvis, causing the back to sag and causing instability throughout the lower body.

There are three different directions in which the vault expands:

1. Transverse Flatfoot – flattening of the forefoot due to increased loading. With this form of deformity, the foot shortens and widens as the metatarsal bones splay to the sides. The thumb is strongly angled laterally and the trailing toes have a hammer toe appearance.

(2) Longitudinal flatfoot is a flattening of the longitudinal arch of the foot. It occurs more often in young people. Age (15-26 years), mainly in women. This type of deformity results from excessive stress on the outside and inside of the foot.

3. Longitudinal Transverse Anomaly - This is often referred to as a combined anomaly as it combines the symptoms of the first two types of the disease.

How to prevent flat feet

If you suspect that you have a foot and posture defect, you should definitely see an orthopedist who can assess the condition appropriately. The best way to avoid the pain and joint wear and tear that can accompany flat feet is to take preventive measures.

In addition to recognizing the symptoms, the first thing you need to know is how to recognize flat feet. A clinical examination is sufficient to make the diagnosis. Typical features can be seen with the naked eye: a dropped or missing arch, an outward deviation of the heel and an outward deviation of the forefoot.

With a simple tiptoe test, two degrees can be distinguished here, which are crucial for the treatment of flat feet. In flexible flatfoot, the heel rotates inward when lifted. With a fixed flatfoot, the heel stays in its original position.

– Avoid one-sided loading of the feet;

– regularly walk barefoot on uneven ground;

– Perform special exercises for flat feet that work the muscles and ligaments;

– choose shoes with a special insole;

To prevent pain, choose insoles that correct the position of the foot. This helps prevent or relieve pain and restore postural balance. Thanks to the flexible and durable material, they are ideal for protecting your feet from impact and adapting to your body structure.

You can always order custom Kazan insoles, which can be tailored and shaped specifically for each client to correct foot deformities and eliminate knee or back discomfort.

causes

Transverse flatfoot is a polypoid condition caused by a variety of factors, such as: B. by uncomfortable tight shoes, high heels, standing for too long, overweight, previous foot injuries, etc. However, the main cause of transverse flatfoot is a congenital weakness of the ligaments of the feet. Today, this pathology is considered an irreversible deformity that cannot be corrected with conservative methods, since there are no drugs or orthopedic devices that can restore the tone and strength of the connective tissue structures of the foot.

Under normal conditions, the metatarsal bones are held in an anatomically normal position by the intercondylar fascia and plantar aponeurosis. When these connective tissue structures are weak, in 30 % of the cases all the metatarsals are fan-shaped. In 27 % of the cases, the 1st metatarsal is displaced medially while the other metatarsal bones maintain their normal position. In 5-6 % cases, the cross section of the foot is increased due to the deviation of the V and IV metatarsal bones. In the remaining cases, combinations of these deviations are observed.

Deviation of the metatarsal bones is not the only pathological change that occurs in transverse flatfoot. The 1st metatarsal often rotates on its axis and becomes elevated. The load is redistributed: the metatarsal joint is poorly supported and the outside of the foot is permanently overloaded. By changing the normal relationship between the components of the foot and by muscle traction, the I toe is externalized. The metatarsophalangeal joint I of the big toe is deformed.

A bursa forms on the inside of the foot, which can be an exostosis (bony and cartilaginous outgrowth) or a combination of an exostosis and a protruding, curved 1st metatarsophalangeal joint. The bursitis is caused by excessive pressure of the shoes on the first metatarsophalangeal joint in the area of the joint and is accompanied by local swelling and reddening of the skin. Osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint develops, which leads to increased pain. The mobility of the joint decreases.

Symptoms of Transverse Flatfoot

The patients complain of a nagging, pulling, stabbing or burning pain in the feet, especially in the metatarsophalangeal joints I-II. The pain increases after standing for a long time and can be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the foot and a burning sensation in the muscles. Feet and ankles may swell in the evening. Patients report significant difficulty walking in heels and problems with shoe choice because the foot is too wide and does not fit in normal shoes.

A valgus deformity of the first toe (Hallux valgus) can be seen visually. The forefoot is wide. In advanced cases, hammer toe curvature of toes II-III is noted. The skin around the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint is thickened and congested. Corns and calluses can be seen on the inner and plantar surfaces of the forefoot. The range of motion of the metatarsophalangeal joints is limited. There may be pain on palpation.

CONTACT

For comprehensive information on the treatment and prevention of orthopedic, rheumatological or neurological diseases, please contact us:

Tel. +7(495)120-46-92
Email: [email protected]
return form
Send us a message on Telegram
Contact us on WhatsApp

Our address is 11 Trifonovskaya St., Moscow, Russia.

Prevention of flat feet

Treatment is the responsibility of the doctor. But prevention is in your hands. First and foremost, the person who is on their feet all day needs to choose their shoes carefully. It's doubtful that some pharmacists wear dizzying stilettos to work. But it's not just high heels that cause foot problems. The danger lies in pumps with too narrow a nose and flat shoes that are not very shapely. Unfortunately, fashion and manufacturers pay little heed to the opinion of podiatrists. We, on the other hand, should only wear these shoes in moderation (and certainly not at work) if we want to stay healthy. Even the same sabots of a well-known brand, well known in the world and so often worn by pharmacy workers, are questioned by experts…. Undoubtedly, they are easy to keep clean. But from a podiatrist's perspective, these shoes don't allow the foot to roll naturally during movement. Also, these shoes do not lock the ankle, causing the toes to involuntarily tense up while holding the footbed - the muscles and tendons are under constant tension.

Criteria for choosing shoes:

• Leather upper, preferably also leather sole;
• true to size, not too tight; the insole is wide enough;
• low heel, 3 cm is ideal, up to 6 cm is acceptable. Every higher heel puts a strain on the entire musculoskeletal system: a 10 cm high stiletto heel increases the pressure on the forefoot by almost 30%;
• Flexible sole.

Appropriate, comfortable footwear provides comfort to the feet but does not correct foot deformities. This problem is solved by orthoses. Buying insoles off the shelf is easier. But easier - not better. Because no two feet have exactly the same problem, a foot orthotic custom-made by a podiatrist has a therapeutic effect. The material used plays an important role. The rigid insoles keep the foot in the 'right' position and don't allow it to flatten out. During active movement, the foot no longer works effectively, the muscles and ligaments are not sufficiently stressed and virtually atrophy. In other words, if you go without the deposits, you will find that the situation has only gotten worse.

types of flat feet

Flat feet are divided into longitudinal and transverse, depending on which arch of the foot is lowered. There are also cases of combined flat feet. Transverse flatfoot is the most commonly diagnosed. The disease can be congenital or acquired. In the first case, which accounts for only a small percentage, it is believed to be due to a fetal tissue malformation. Essentially, the problem occurs throughout life. Specialists consider these variants of flat feet:

Fractures, muscle and ligament injuries cause a traumatic flat foot. Paralytic flat foot is associated with poliomyelitis, tibial plateau and other muscle palsies. The rickety type is caused by brittle bones that deform under stress. The static form of the disease is diagnosed in 80 percent of cases. The reasons for this are multifactorial.

symptoms

The symptoms are quite characteristic, so confirmation of the diagnosis by a specialist doctor is easy. The patient can suspect a problem at an early stage. Common symptoms are:

General fatigue, sometimes called chronic fatigue syndrome, can occur as the disease progresses. Patients often complain of pain in the lower back when standing and walking. It's difficult to find shoes that are comfortable and don't cause pain. Thickened and rather rough patches of skin appear, especially on the big toe. External symptoms of the disease include:

The patient often suffers from poor posture and the development of clubfoot. The gait becomes heavy and unnatural. As a result, the patient is forced to place the foot in the wrong position to minimize discomfort. The pain is the main indicator of the problem. It is mainly localized:

In the later stages, the hip and knee joints, as well as the local muscles, hurt. The sacral and lumbar spine are damaged. The pain worsens towards the end of the work shift and is particularly severe in patients who walk or stand all day, carry heavy loads, and do other physical labor.

Causes of flat feet

The factors provoking a pathological condition of the musculoskeletal system are divided into internal and external factors. The former include all kinds of abnormalities and defects of the musculoskeletal system, including:

• connective tissue weaknesses;
• hereditary diseases;
• family predisposition;
• Weakness due to hypodynamia.

Even with the external causes there are a sufficient number. Most often, an acquired disease is provoked:

Flat feet are caused by both total inactivity and excessive physical activity. Office and factory workers, injured athletes and overweight people often suffer from flat feet.

Symptoms of Flat Feet

Most people don't have symptoms associated with flat feet. However, some experience pain in the foot, particularly in the heel or arch. The pain may worsen with movement. There is also swelling on the inside of the ankle.

Flat feet are normal in infants and young children because the arch of the foot has not yet formed. Many children develop an arch during childhood, but some do not. Some children have flexible feet, where the arch of the foot is visible when the child is sitting or standing on their toes, but disappears when the child is standing. Most children outgrow their flexible flat feet with no problem. The arch of the foot can also sag over time. As children get older, the tendons that run down the inside of the ankle and support the arch of the foot weaken.

risk factors

To assess the structure of the foot, the podiatrist examines your feet from the front and back and asks you to stand on your toes. He or she may also examine the wear pattern on your shoes. For severe foot pain, your doctor may order an X-ray of the foot to take pictures of the bones and joints of the foot. X-rays of the foot should be taken under weight bearing.

CT scans of the foot provide more accurate and detailed images of the bones. X-rays are usually sufficient to diagnose a flat foot. In the case of complex flat feet, a CT examination may be necessary as an additional examination. Magnetic resonance imaging of the foot is rarely used to diagnose a flat foot because an unloaded flat foot may not be visible on a CT scan.

Signs of flat feet on x-rays:

• Displacement of the heel bone (eversion)
• Elevation of the forefoot relative to the rearfoot
• Flattening of the inner arch of the foot
• Temporary deformation of the foot due to its flexibility

Clubfoot can be a bone disorder in the hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot. Bone disorder in the hindfoot:

• Reduced heel bone angle (normal 20-30°)
• Walgus Rearfoot Alignment:
• Increased lateral talo-phalangeal angle >50°.

Abnormal bone alignment in the metatarsal:

• Sagging of the metatarsal bone.
• Flattening of the medial lateral arch of the foot
• Subluxation of the ankle in the anteroposterior view
• Tear of the Lisfranc ligament in the metatarsal bone
• Abnormal bone alignment at the tarsometatarsal joints.

Bone abnormalities in the forefoot area:

• Pronation, valgus alignment, abduction
• Superposition of the tarsal bones
• Reduced tarsal angle of 1-4 tarsal bones.

Flat feet: symptoms, consequences of a neglected condition

Flatfoot is a foot deformity with a characteristic drop in the arch of the foot. Flat feet can be congenital or acquired, in both cases ignoring the problem leads to unpleasant health consequences: the inner edge of the foot sags, leading to a stretching and weakening of the musculoskeletal system of the foot, which in turn changes the position of the bones changes.

People who have been diagnosed with flat feet often complain of pain in the calf and foot muscles after walking and fatigue at the end of the day. Reduced elastic function of the foot (flexibility) eventually leads to headaches. As the disease progresses, the foot widens, flattens, and swelling and foot pain become constant complications: patients regularly complain of headaches and lower back discomfort. The gait loses elasticity and flexibility, becomes heavy and difficult, and the ability to work is impaired. People with flat feet cannot exercise. They are forced to buy special orthopedic shoes or, if they are too expensive for them, regular shoes that are several sizes larger.

Prevention of flat feet: how to get out of the risk group

It is important to understand that the best treatment for any disease is its prevention. And flat feet are no exception in this regard. Prophylactic measures to prevent flat feet should be taken by the age of three: at this age it is necessary to observe the musculoskeletal system of the lower legs and feet in order to prevent possible problems with exercises to strengthen flat feet.

The prevention of pathology, of course, is carried out not only through exercises to correct transverse or longitudinal flat feet, but also through proper physical education and local and general hardening. Choosing the right shoes is also important: they should fit snugly but not pinch, and be as flexible and supple as necessary. It is better to choose shoes with a small heel and laces.

Among the activities that can be very useful for preventing flat feet is walking barefoot on uneven ground: a ribbed board, sand, pebbles. Walking on grass has a very positive effect on the whole body. An important point in both the prevention and treatment of flat feet is daily water treatments for the feet: these can be herbal or salt foot baths. Contrasting water applications - alternating warm and cold water on the feet - are very useful. The advantages of swimming should also not be underestimated: swimming, especially front crawl, is excellent for the development of children's musculoskeletal system.

All of the above measures are very good when it comes to preventing flat feet. However, when the condition begins to manifest, these measures are not enough to bring it under control. In this case, regular exercises are required to get rid of flat feet: to strengthen the musculoskeletal system, it is necessary to do exercises for the lower limbs every day.

Consequences of flat feet

Flat feet impair the shock-absorbing function of the foot, so all of the impact load when walking is transmitted through the skeleton to the head. This has a traumatic effect on the brain, since the shock load in this case far exceeds the brain's capacity.

The sufferer begins to suffer from constant headaches and the brain forms an arcuate spring from the spine as an additional protection against the increased shock. The result is a curvature of the spine and thus a bad posture. Spinal curvature occurs in children with the development of flat feet. In orthopedics, this is referred to as scoliosis and kyphoscoliosis.

When a patient comes to a neurologist with a headache, the doctor cannot always conclude that flat feet are the cause.

Diseases caused by flat feet

There are many other diseases caused by flat feet. For example, flat feet can cause diseases of the entire musculoskeletal system.

Flat feet themselves are most often the result of an acquired condition, which can be a consequence not only of foot diseases, but also of disorders of other important systems of the human body.

To prevent and correct flat feet, it is advisable to wear shoes with special corrective elements that provide maximum relief to the heads of the metatarsal bones and the heel bone, the main support areas of the foot.

The knee and hip joints are also more heavily loaded with a flat foot. Arthrosis and coxarthrosis symptoms (hip arthrosis) occur, e.g. B. Pain in the knees.

If the patient does nothing about the flat foot, even the slightest stress on the joints will eventually lead to pain. The load then shifts to the spine, and the consequences are osteochondrosis, intervertebral fractures, etc.

In the NEARMEDIC hospital network, it is easy to diagnose flat feet and prevent the development of its consequences in adults and children. Thanks to their experience and modern diagnostic equipment, our qualified orthopedic surgeons are able to diagnose the pathology without fail. NIARMEDIC has extensive positive experience in the treatment of flat feet in children and adults and their consequences (postural defects, scoliosis, etc.).

• Which ligaments strengthen the transverse arch of the foot?.
• Which doctor treats flat feet?.
• flat feet (valgus foot).
• Longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot.
• Valgus flatfoot (valgus flatfoot).
• Transverse orthopedic insoles.
• arch of foot.
• The longitudinal arch of the foot is.