Foot defects may appear in the form of … pain in the spine, head or even in the temporomandibular joint. So find out how to recognize the unusual symptoms of foot defects!
Foot defectsare often not easy to recognize - as they may cause unusual symptoms. Moreover, if they are not recognized quickly enough, they will only worsen.
- A sedentary person takes about 6,000 steps a day. Someone who walks a lot makes about 15,000. If you have any foot defect, you are putting your leg incorrectly several thousand times. This entails a chain of reactions - explains the physiotherapist Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.
Learn about 6 unusual symptoms of foot defects:
1. Backache
- The spine is a complex and delicate organ. It reacts quickly to inadequate cushioning or incorrect positioning of the pelvis. Since it is connected directly to the spine, it leads to irritation of the so-called soft tissues around the spine, such as ligaments or muscles, and as a result, the imbalance of muscle tension. Then the backbone is like a ship's mast held by ropes. If they are evenly stretched, the mast is straight, and if even one becomes loose and the other tightly stretched - the entire balance of the mast is upset - explains Dr. Stodolna-Tukendorf, MD.
2. Headaches
- Headaches, and even the so-called Cervical migraines are often caused by the tension of the subcopical muscles caused by the habitual lateral tilt of the head or the deepening of the natural curvature of the spine. It is a characteristic pain starting at the back of the head, as if someone wanted to pull our hood down - explains Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.
3. Pain in the temporomandibular joint
Few people would look for the causes of the problems of the temporomandibular joint in the feet.
- Professor Brain Rothbart, a specialist in the fight against chronic pain, proved in his 2009 research the relationship between abnormal foot biomechanics and malocclusion and temporomandibular joint defects, which are responsible for the appearance of tension headaches. The temporomandibular joint is functionally related to the upper part of the cervical spine, and the muscles supporting it are the musclesstress (just like neck muscles!) - justifies the physiotherapist.
4. Knee pain
Human knee is not physically adapted to prolonged shock. Walking for many hours on paved surfaces in shoes that do not provide proper shock absorption is the proverbial "shot in the knee".
- If the knee function is additionally disturbed by the foot defect, the injury or pain is only a matter of time. Excessive pronation, transverse and longitudinal flat feet, hallux valgus or hindfoot varus - all these abnormalities can cause a change in the foot position during walking, which will affect the improper operation of the knee joint - confirms Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.
5. Ankle pain
- The ankle joint is the most heavily loaded joint in our body. There are as many as 13 shock absorption mechanisms in the foot and ankle area for a reason! Any angular deviation in this part of the leg affects all the higher joints, explains the physiotherapist.
6. Skin lesions on the feet
- Recurring skin changes such as corns and calluses, and even ingrown toenails may indicate abnormal foot structure. They arise as a result of excessive pressure of bone elements on the skin. Excessive pronation, thinning of the fat lining of the foot or insufficient transverse arch may cause changes. We can safely remove them at a podiatrist, but it is also worth examining the feet and correcting the defect. Otherwise, we will constantly remove the symptoms and not the cause - explains Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf.
How to prevent foot defects?
If you have at least one of the above conditions, it's time to take a look at your feet. What can you do?
Foot examination
The first steps should be directed to the office of a physiotherapist or orthopodologist who will perform a comprehensive examination using both manual methods and specialized equipment connected to a computer. During the examination, the specialist will check which muscles are contracted and which are too weakened. It also checks the way the patient rolls the foot while walking, and analyzes the distribution of pressure forces of individual parts of the feet on the ground while standing and while walking. Based on the obtained results, he recommends appropriate measures, e.g. a set of exercises, orthopedic insoles, kinesiotaping.
Physiotherapy
As part of the therapy, the specialist selects an appropriate set of exercises tailored to the patient's abilities and foot defects. Usually the exercises are aimed at strengthening or relaxing, restoringthe correct length and flexibility of the foot and leg muscles and reduction of the defect. These can be exercises such as: "spreading" the toes or stretching the back of the calf.
Individual orthopedic insoles
If necessary, the physiotherapist will recommend individual orthopedic insoles. Orthopedic insoles can be done within an hour of the examination. They are made for each foot separately. Worn daily, they support and stimulate the individual functions of the foot. They make it possible to relieve the workplaces that work too intensively and to add weight to those whose work needs to be strengthened. They improve cushioning and, most importantly, correct the defect, and not just passively support the foot, as is the case with ready-to-buy insoles. What is important, they are made of thermoplastic materials, thanks to which, when the slightest changes are observed, they can be corrected or reformed to fulfill their function in 100%.
Kinesiotaping
In case of severe pain a physiotherapist may use kinesiotaping. It is a method of therapy that involves sticking flexible plasters to relieve pain and reduce swelling or inflammation.
Visit to the podiatrist
If you suffer from changes to the skin or toenails, it is worth contacting a podiatrist. When performing a podiatry pedicure, a specialist removes corns, calluses, and callous epidermis, using specialized sterile tools such as a scalpel, chisel or appropriately selected cutters. A podiatry can take up to 1.5 hours.
- The feet are the foundation of the musculoskeletal system. We should check them regularly, just like we check our eyesight or teeth. Foot abnormalities lead to disturbances in the upper body. Knowing the cause of the pain, a specialist is able to select an effective therapy for the patient, sums up Dr. Joanna Stodolna-Tukendorf from FootMedica.
Therapeutic pedicure - what is it?
How to choose shoes to make them comfortable?
Homemade foot care - do it yourself!
