Learn about specific foot and lower limb conditions, injuries, footwear and orthotic facts on the blog...

Peroneal Tendonitis

Peroneal Tendonitis

The peroneal muscles (peroneus brevis and peroneus longus) lay on the outside of the lower leg; the two peroneal tendons travel side by side behind the outer ankle bone and down into the foot. The main function of the peroneal tendons is to stabilize the foot and ankle. The tendons also act in together to evert your foot (roll it outwards) and also help assist your calf muscles in plantarflexing your ankle (pointing your toes). Peroneal tendon injuries often cause pain on the

Arthritis

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis; it affects more Canadians than all others forms of arthritis combined. 1 in 5 Canadians are affected, and these numbers are increasing. OA is a progressive disease and can be described as a result of the bodies failed attempt to repair damaged joint tissue. Bones come together to form a joint; cartilage at the ends of the bones act to cushion against impact. Gradually, as cartilage breaks down, it becomes rough and fra

Pain in the Ball of Your Foot? Metatarsalgia.

Pain in the Ball of Your Foot? Metatarsalgia.

Metatarsalgia is a term used to describe a group of painful condition in the forefoot, typically under the ball of the foot. Metatarsalgia is commonly characterized by pain and inflammation. The metatarsals are the long bones right behind the toes - each foot has five metatarsal bones that run from the arch of your foot to the toe joints (or ball of the foot). (Typical) Symptoms: Pain and/or burning sensation in the ball of your foot when standing, walking or running, which i

Hallux Rigidus. Stiff Big Toe?

Hallux Rigidus. Stiff Big Toe?

The most common site of arthritis in the foot is at the base of the big toe, and its incidence is increasing as the population ages. Having mobility in our big toe joint is especially important because it needs to bend with every step we take; a stiff big toe can lead to pain and difficulty walking. Those who repetitively and excessively load the big toe joint may be at a heightened risk for joint degeneration. Hallux limitus is the gradual loss of joint range of motion in co

Posterior tibialis tendonitis

Posterior tibialis tendonitis

Posterior tibialis tendonitis occurs when the posterior tibialis tendon becomes overloaded and irritated. The posterior tibialis tendon starts in the calf muscle, winds under the inside ankle bone and inserts into the arch of the foot. The posterior tibialis tendon has a few key function: it helps maintain the arch of the foot, it helps invert the ankle (rotate the foot in) and it helps plantarflex the ankle (or point your toes). (Typical) Symptoms: The hallmark sign of poste

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

The patella, or kneecap, sits within with the trochlear groove at the end of the femur; our knee is a hinge joint so it's really only designed to move and bend in a single direction. Several forces act on the kneecap to provide stability and keep your knee tracking properly. But when pain is felt around and underneath the kneecap, and exacerbated with activity often times it's a case of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or "runner's knee". What exactly causes PFPS? When the

Calluses - Why do we get them?

Calluses - Why do we get them?

Our bodies are pretty good at communicating; calluses are hard areas of skin that often develop in response to pressure or friction. Calluses indicate where we tend to bear our weight. Callus formation is the body's way of protecting the foot's underlying tissue against excessive pressure; a built in defence mechanism. Pressure can be due to an underlying cause such as abnormal foot mechanics, including bunions or hammertoes, or caused by mechanical stress, such as poor fitti

Morton's Neuroma? Suffering From Numb & Tingling Toes

Morton's Neuroma? Suffering From Numb & Tingling Toes

If you are experiencing forefoot pain, numbness, tingling or have the sensation like you are walking on a marble or a pea a Morton's Neuroma may be the culprit. The common plantar digital nerves run between the metatarsal (long) bones in the foot. They are responsible for giving sensation to the toes. A Morton's Neuroma most commonly affects the nerve between the third and fourth metatarsal bones, causing pain and numbness in the third and fourth toes. It can also affect the

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis

Do you have pain in your heels and through the arches of your feet first thing in the morning and after you have been sitting for a while? Or increasing heel pain as the day goes on? The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot with the main responsibility of the plantar fascia being to support the arch and absorb shock. So what exactly is going-on to cause plantar fasciitis? The pain experienced with plantar fasciitis is tensile strain on th

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles Tendinopathy

The Achilles tendon is the strongest and largest tendon in the body! But it is often a sore spot. The Achilles tendon is a connective tissue structure that attaches the calf muscle complex to the calcaneous bone (the heel); it's responsible for lifting your heel off the ground. Achilles tendinopathy (which encompasses both Achilles tendinitis (inflammation) and tendinosis (degeneration)) occurs when the Achilles tendon is repeatedly strained and excessively overloaded. It is

Shin Splints

Shin Splints

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS) or what most of us call "shin splints" is a musculoskeletal overuse injury that produces generalized pain along the inside bottom two-thirds of the shin bone (tibia). It is different from other injuries such as stress fractures, tendonopathies and compartment syndrome that affect the tibia. Classified as an overuse injury, shin splints are common to runners but can also be present in other populations, often affecting beginner runners and

The Bane of Bunions

The Bane of Bunions

A bunion is a prominent bump (bony enlargement) on the inside of the big toe joint due to increased pressure on the joint. A shift of the big toe toward the smaller toes often co-exists with a bunion. Bunions are progressive - they usually get worse over time, although some grow faster than others - often causing pain and impacting mobility. Bunions often come with inflammation, swelling and redness on the inside of the big toe joint - & shoes often aggregate the problem. Cau

Sever's Syndrome - Kids Heel Pain

Sever's Syndrome - Kids Heel Pain

Calcaneal Apophysitis, commonly called Sever's Syndrome is a heel injury common to youth. Those affected are often active in sports such as running, basketball and soccer and between the ages of 7 and 15. Sever's syndrome is a bone injury associated with repetitive microtrauma resulting in inflammation of the growth plate in the heel (the calcaneal apophysis). Sever's syndrome is self limiting - eventually it will resolve on its own over time. The growth plate in the heel wil

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