Splayfeet pain

introduction

Splayfeet is the most common orthopedic deformity on the foot in Germany and also the most common with Pain goes hand in hand. In many cases splayfeet occurs only in mild form without any disease value. However, pain in the foot can occur if people tend to splay feet or if they have already been diagnosed without treatment or prevention of progression having been initiated. Often times the pain is through wrong load and overload conditionally, it can also be a rare neurological cause behind it.

Causes of pain

The basic causes of the pain that can arise with splayfoot are caused by the special position of the foot bones and nerves. There is a holding apparatus in the foot made up of ligaments, tendons and muscles that hold the metatarsal bones together, so that the load when walking and standing is borne by the 1st and 5th metatarsal bones. Splayfeet has a damaged transverse arch so that the bones in the metatarsal separate, spread, and sink. The big toe can also move outwards and form what is known as hallux valgus. Overall, the foot flattens out and with every step, bones come into contact with the ground that are normally not involved in carrying the main load - the metatarsal bones 2-4. As a result of this incorrect strain, unpleasant calluses develop under the feet due to cornification, which cause pain.

Here you can find out more about the causes of splayfeet: Cause of splayfeet

The causes for these processes are usually wrong and too tight shoes, particularly high-heeled shoes are problematic in this regard. Congenital connective tissue weaknesses can also increase the risk of splayfeet. The pain then comes about through chronic stress in normally unloaded regions. Above all, the second and third metatarsal bones are incorrectly loaded and overloaded in this way. Standing for long periods of time also causes pain in the affected areas. In addition, there may be a neurological problem with splayfeet that causes further pain. This is what is known as Morton's neuralgia. Several nerves run between the toe bones, which are exposed to little or no stress when walking and standing in a normal foot position. Due to the anatomical shifts in splayfeet, these nerves are narrowed and are further irritated and compressed with every step. This cause of splayefoot pain is mainly localized between metatarsal 3 and 4.

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Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by diseases of the foot. In some cases, the cause of the foot discomfort cannot be identified at first.
Therefore, the treatment of the foot (e.g. Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
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Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

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Symptoms

The Main symptom is pain shows some Characteristics with splayfeet. The main characteristic is that the pain load-dependent are. They are noticeable when walking and running in the affected areas that show calluses and can vary in thickness. The pain typical of splayfeet usually subside when you are calm.

Is the Morton's neuralgia the cause of the pain, a characteristic neuropathic pain emerges. Due to the direct nerve stimulation, the pain occurs acutely with every step, sometimes accompanied by abnormal sensations. You can also move on to other areas of the foot, Main location however is the Metatarsus. Splayfeet pain can usually also be triggered by manual pressure.

In addition to the pain, splayfeet can also be seen through the obvious misalignment of the toes as well as the Calluses and corneal deposits under the foot. Furthermore, the pain when you step on leads to a instinctive misalignment of the foot, which is used to try to avoid discomfort. As a result, splayfeet can also cause problems in the ankle.

diagnosis

The diagnosis of splayfeet can easily be made by a trained doctor. At the beginning there is the exact one inspection of the foot with which the Flattening of the arch of the foot as well as the deformity and the Widening of the forefoot can be recognized. A splayed big toe (hallux valgus) is also noticeable. These examinations should be done while standing.

The examination is supplemented by imaging procedures, in some cases an X-ray of the feet is taken. It is crucial to determine the extent of the splayfeet in order to adapt the therapy accordingly.

In addition, the Pain inquired exactly. It is important to know when the pain occurs, how severe it is and what character it has (pointed, dull, stabbing, tingling). Then the sole of the foot is scanned for a Tenderness to be able to determine and localize. If it is suspected that the pain is caused by Morton's neuralgia, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is performed to find constrictions and thickening of nerves.

therapy

In many cases, light splayfeet are not subjected to any special therapy. However, if pain and significant restrictions occur, treatment must be given, and various methods are available.

The focus is on conservative measures. In addition to changing to suitable, wide footwear, orthopedic insoles make sense. These support the arch of the foot from below and reduce pain and pressure sensations. They help to bring splayfeet back into a physiological position. Another important method to relieve the pain in splayfeet are specific exercises to strengthen the foot muscles in the sense of foot gymnastics. In this way, under the guidance of a physiotherapist, a long-term improvement of the symptoms can be achieved, as insoles support but do not fight the cause. The simplest form of foot gymnastics, which helps against splayfeet and strengthens the muscles and vision, is running barefoot. However, if the pain is too severe and no activity is possible, moist compresses and a resting position will help. Pain medication also relieves pain. Sometimes it can make sense to have the calluses removed by a podiatrist, and weight reduction also helps to reduce the strain on the splayfeet.

You can find more information on the subject of insoles here: Splayfoot insoles

Usually these conservative measures are sufficient to get the pain under control. However, they do not completely eliminate the deformity. Therefore, in severe, uncontrollable cases, an operation must be carried out. The surgery on splayfeet, called the Weil osteotomy, aims to straighten the length of the foot. This is achieved by shortening the metatarsal bones involved by a small amount and thus spatially separating them from the calluses that cause the pain when they occur. A misalignment of the big toe is also corrected here. In the case of Morton's neuralgia, pain can be relieved by relieving the nerves by removing tissue. The pain then quickly subsides. Whether conservative or invasive therapy should be used must always be weighed up in each individual case.

forecast

The forecast with splayfeet that causes pain good for the most part. The above-mentioned treatment options can help a large number of patients without leaving any pain. Untreated splayfeet can one worse course take, the calluses get bigger and corns and so-called hammer toes develop. The persistent pain then also leads to further orthopedic misalignments on the foot.

prophylaxis

The main form of prophylaxis is suitable footwear. It should be noted that tight and especially high heels with great Forefoot loading are the main risk factor for splayefeet. People who are prone to splayfeet should take particular care to wear suitable footwear. Also frequent barefoot running Significantly reduces the risk of splayfeet by strengthening the tissue on the foot. In addition, it is recommended to go to one healthy body weight with a BMI under 25 to reduce the load on the foot.