Cause of splayfeet

introduction

Splayfoot is caused by incorrect loading of the foot. This can have many different causes. In order to better understand this, it makes sense to understand the origin of the deformity:

The front part of the normal foot is attached to the 1st and 5th metatarsal heads (Metatarsal head) loaded, while the other metatarsals viewed on the cross-section one towards the back of the foot (dorsal) form the vault. The second to fourth metatarsal heads are practically in the air. The transverse arch of the normal foot is formed by this and also by the tarsal bones in connection with the ligamentous apparatus.

In contrast, the transverse arching of the forefoot disappears with splayfoot. This places increased stress on the 2nd to 4th metatarsal bones. The main load on the foot is no longer loaded via the pressure-accustomed areas of the 1st and 5th metatarsal heads, but the pressure-unused 2nd to 4th metatarsal heads have to withstand the pressure.

As a result, it comes to splayfoot to a widening of the forefoot with the disappearance of the transverse arch. Due to the increased pressure on the 2nd to 4th metatarsal head, there is an increased pressure Corneal formation on the sole of the foot above the head, which is very painful to pressure.
Further consequences are that not only the metatarsal head, but the entire metatarsal bone subsides. The danger of Metatarsal fractures increases, the load on the tarsal bones continues to increase. Sometimes it can lead to a splayfoot Arthrosis come in the tarsal joints.
Due to this pain, the normal rolling mechanism of the foot is disturbed and the patient instinctively brings the foot into a slight internal rotation position (Supination), so it loads the outside of the foot, which warps the shoe outwards and becomes crooked.

The causes of splay feet are different:

  1. Through innate predisposition.
  2. By overloading the foot:
    • by long standing and walking without getting used to,
    • through rapid increase in body weight (obesity, pregnancy, etc.)
    • due to certain professions with long periods of standing on hard, smooth floors (e.g. cooks, salespeople, doctors)
    • by carrying and lifting heavy loads. These overstressing of the foot listed under 1 a - d are possible causes of all types of foot sagging.
  3. Through fashionable shoe variants; splayfoot is much more common in women than in men due to the unnaturally steep position of the foot in high-heeled shoes. On the other hand, the pointed toe of this footwear explains the toe deformities that often occur in splayfoot.
  4. From injuries; this can also include the so-called march fracture. Due to long-term overstressing of the foot, it sinks in and thus often breaks (fracture) or only to a collapse (infraction) of one, rarely several metatarsal bones. The name comes from the fact that the march fracture was observed by inexperienced soldiers especially in the military after long marches.
  5. Due to a later weakness of the ligamentous apparatus.
  6. From paralysis.
  7. Due to bone disease.

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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.
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