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

A bunion is a prominent bump on the inside of the big toe joint due to faulty foot mechanics and increased pressure on the joint. A shift of the big toe toward the smaller toes often co-exists with a bunion, this is called hallux valgus. Bunions are progressive - they can get worse over time without treatment. Bunions can cause pain and limit mobility, sometimes seen with inflammation, swelling and redness on the inside of the big toe joint. Improperly fitting shoes often ag

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

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 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

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

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

Do you have pain in your heels and through the arches of your feet first thing in the morning or when you get up after being seated for a while? Or increasing heel pain as the day goes on? These symptoms are typical of plantar fasciitis. 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 assist with propulsion, support the arch and absorb shock. So what exactly is going-on to cause planta

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

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

Not sure if you should get your kids feet looked at or if it's just something that they will grow out of? Here are some signs that you may want to bring them in for an appointment... Visual problems with the way they walk (i.e. in-toeing or out-toeing (walking like a duck)) They have ankles that are weak and easily give out, often resulting in general clumsiness Pain, swelling or redness that does not subside Growing pains - particularly in their heels or knees They fatigue q