Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of inferior heel pain. The pain and discomfort associated with this condition can have a dramatic impact on physical mobility. The etiology of this condition is not clearly understood and is probably multi-factorial in nature. Weight gain, occupation-related activity, anatomical variations, poor biomechanics, overexertion, and inadequate footwear are c...

BACKGROUND Measurement of foot pressure distribution (FPD) is clinically useful for evaluation of foot and gait pathologies. The effects of healthy aging on FPD during walking are not well known. This study evaluated FPD during normal walking in healthy young and elderly subjects. METHODS We studied 9 young (30 +/- 5.2 years), and 6 elderly subjects (68.7 +/- 4.8 years). FPD was measured duri...

Midfoot arthritis is a common cause of significant pain and disability. Although the medial tarsometatarsal (TMT) joints provide < 7 degrees of sagittal plane motion, the more mobile lateral fourth and fifth TMT joints provide balance and accommodation on uneven ground. These small constrained TMT joints also provide stability and translate the forward propulsion motion of the hindfoot and ankl...

Background Patients with knee OA usually present with major involvement in the medial compartment characterized by joint inflammation, loss of cartilage and joint space and experience increased loads across this compartment. These contribute to pain, changes in muscle control and may interfere with balance and postural control [1,2]. Laterally wedged insoles or footwear components have been use...

The patient was a 35-year-old man who worked as a pipe fitter. He was referred to a physical therapist by an orthopaedic surgeon for a chief complaint of progressively worsening pain in the medial aspect of the right distal Achilles tendon and heel that began insidiously 12 months earlier, which was consistent with a diagnosis of insertional Achilles tendonitis. Prior radiographs revealed mild ...

Coverage of soft tissue defects of the sole has been one of the major challenges of reconstructive surgery. The sole is a specialized structure, with thick skin and septae in the subcutaneous tissues which make it especially resistant to damage from shear forces and high pressures typical of the sole. Replacement by non-sole skin such as by dorsalis pedis, reverse sural and free flaps will be m...

A 28 year old woman of Asian origin presented with a seven year history of intermittent right heel pain. She had no history of trauma. She had suffered from intestinal tuberculosis in childhood, which was confirmed after a histological examination of the appendix. There were no other musculoskeletal sites involved. Systemic examination was unremarkable, but examination of the foot and ankle dis...

Plantar fasciitis, a chronic degenerative process that causes medial plantar heel pain, is responsible for approximately 1 million physician visits each year. Individuals with plantar fasciitis experience pain that is most intense during their first few steps of the day or after prolonged standing. The authors provide an overview of the diagnosis and management of a common problem encountered i...