FOOT DEFORMITIES

Many people suffer from foot deformities. These not only cause symptoms in the feet, but they can also lead to problems in the hips, back or knees. The foundations for this are often laid in childhood.

Our feet take about 5,000 steps every day on average. They have a very complex construction to enable them to do this. Numerous bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons guarantee perfect function – as long as our feet are healthy

Main Deformities occurs in foot

FLAT FOOT

In flat foot – fallen arches, the foot’s longitudinal arch is flattened. If left untreated, flat foot can develop into pes transversovalgus. Besides congenital deformities, weak ligaments and muscles are primarily responsible for this clinical picture. Even if there are no symptoms at first, higher loads can lead to pain in the sole of the foot as well as problems in the knee, back or intervertebral discs.

CLAW FOOT

Claw foot is the opposite of flat foot. In this case, the inside and outside longitudinal arches are considerably more prominent, which leads to overloading of the forefoot and heel. Pressure zones, calluses and so-called claw toes (pathological hyperextension at the metatarsophalangeal joint and hyperflexion in the two interphalangeal joints) may develop. A claw foot can be hereditary or it can develop following paralysis or nerve damage in the muscles of the feet.

PES TRANSVERSOVALGUS

Pes transversovalgus is a congenital or acquired foot deformity that is also known colloquially as “flat foot”. Obesity, overstrain in sports and poorly trained muscles of the feet favour the onset of pes transversovalgus. This is a combination of deformities that occur together: the calf and the heel no longer form a straight line. Fatigued muscles and tendons can no longer hold the arch of the foot in its original position. The foot rotates inward (pes valgus).

SPLAY FOOT

If the front transverse arch of the foot has sunk, this is called splay foot. This means that the main load presses here when walking and leads to pain in the balls of the feet and the toes. Pressure areas or calluses are a typical feature of this. Weak muscles and ligaments, standing for long periods of time, heavy lifting, obesity and shoes that are too tight or too high favour splayfoot.

CALCANEUS SPUR/ HEEL SPUR

A heel spur is a usually painful disorder of the heel bone in the region of the tendon origins. In many cases, there is bony deposition that favours inflammation. If a heel spur is left untreated, normal walking is only possible under great pain. The causes include the wrong footwear, obesity, excessive loading during sports or long periods of standing.

HALLUX RIGIDUS

If the big toe is stiff and painful, experts talk about hallux rigidus – an arthrotic condition caused by wear and tear. This makes rollover more difficult when walking, which can lead to a complete stiffening of the joint and painful bone proliferation. The disorder can be inherited or caused by injuries and harmful stresses.

HALLUX VALGUS

Hallux valgus is also known as a bunion. Hallux valgus is a malalignment of the forefoot: the first metatarsal bone deviates outwards towards the outside of the foot. This widens the area around the ball of the foot (splayfoot). However, the tendon is too short for this and pulls the big toe to the side. This then points towards the small toes.

CUSTOM MADE INSOLES

AL REHAB Medical provide custom-made foot orthotics, which is a professionally made devices inserted into the shoe to correct an abnormal or irregular gait by realigning the foot and ankle joints. Commonly prescribed to reduce certain types of foot and heel conditions. They are significantly helpful in heel pain, arch pain, metatarsal pain, plantar fasciitis and other foot conditions, they also widely prescribed to reduce lower back pain, knee pain and shin splints.