Merced Chiropractor

Arch pain and foot pronation can cause issues for people of all ages and can even affect an athlete’s performance during every type of activity. For many people who experience pain like this, they may not be aware of the 3 common triggers. Most of the causes are preventable, whereas many can be genetic. Reported by the Cleveland Clinic, 3 of the preventable causes for arch pain include pointed-toe heels, shoes that are too snug, and insufficient arch support. These bad choices can all lead to painful foot conditions like bunions, hammertoes, and plantar fasciitis. The Mayo Clinic has found that 2 of the inherited foot problems that can lead to foot pronation and arch pain include fallen arches or arches that are too high. Below we explain some foot procedures that remedy these conditions and how each of them can be helped.

Arch Pain Can Be the First Sign of Bunion Formation

Removal of a bunion, or a bunionectomy, is the process whereby the bony bump just above the arch is detached to obtain a more standard foot shape and width. In critical cases where the big toe has situated itself under the other toes, the surgeon cuts a triangle-shaped wedge out of the big toe’s bone to reset it to its original state. One screw is used to hold the bone’s new position. After about half a year, the screw can be taken out. Despite the fact that this problem can be brought on by pointed shoes, some bunion cases are inherited. Foot specialists warn that shoes with little space force the toes into an abnormal position can lead to bunions.

Serious Foot Issues Can Occur Without Proper arch support

Some of the genetic foot conditions include either fallen arches or excessively high arches. Arch malformations such as these affect normal and active people alike. The result of a fallen arch can be arch pain and foot pronation because this flattened part of the foot is not performing as it should. When this structure is not formed properly, foot pronation occurs which can lead to a heelspur, a bony outgrowth in the heel. Surgery is sometimes required to remove the bonespur and relieve the pain. The podiatrist will use a bone saw to cut away the bony protrusion to relieve the discomfort and ripped muscle tissue it had been causing. The best answer for treating both types of arch problems so heel spurs can be avertws is by giving the foot with normal arch support through orthotics.

Overview of Hammertoe Treatment and Prevention

Pointed-toe shoes and shoes that are too tight can also cause hammertoes. This problem can affect active people that wear ill-fitting shoes during training as well. Hammertoes are, sadly, difficult to treat without surgical intervention. First, a surgeon can try to tape the affected toe to try to move it into a more normal shape. For this procedure to work, patients need to wear shoes with plenty of toe room. Hammertoes can return if the same type of shoes are worn again. If forcing the toe straight with a splint fails, surgery is the lone alternative. The affected toe must have a section of the bone removed to reduce its bend. The recovery period is crucial, as patients who refuse to stay off their feet as suggested will fail to mend properly. The prevention for this condition is to wear well-fitted shoes.

No matter what types of activities, age, or inherited traits, foot disorders can happen to a large percentage of patients. Though foot procedures can surgically fix these disorders, most of the time they are avoidable by wearing appropriate footwear and suitable arch support.