With as much weight bearing and movement your feet put in each day, it's easy to understand how foot and ankle injuries can happen. Our podiatrists at Clintonville Foot & Ankle Group in Columbus, Ohio, have identified three common causes of foot pain and offered some details about their symptoms and treatments in this post.
Bunions
If you're a woman who frequently wears narrow shoes, particularly high heels, you may have a bunion and not even realize it! Bunions happen when the joint at the base of the big toe begins to jut outwards in response to the toes being crowded together. Our Columbus podiatrists most often see female patients with this condition due to the styles of their popular footwear. In this case, a cushioned pad or shoe insert may help take pressure off the bunion, although rethinking your shoe choices for something roomier can also make a huge difference. Splints worn at night can also help by guiding the big toe back into a more natural position. Those whose bunions continue to be painful may need surgery to reconstruct the joint.
Plantar fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a ligament that you probably haven't thought much about... that is unless it becomes inflamed and starts to make it difficult to walk! This common foot ailment often affects people whose jobs require a lot of time on their feet and usually hurts worst in the morning upon getting out of bed. Rest, a combination of ice and heat, and a change to more supportive footwear can help relieve this condition. A few of our Columbus patients, however, may need surgery to stop the cycle of inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis.
Sprained ankle
Another common problem that podiatrists routinely treat are sprained ankles, which occur when the connective tissues inside the ankle are stretched past their capacity. Whether you're an athlete or just unlucky during icy weather, sprains, unfortunately, happen every day at random.
The degree of a sprain typically dictates the treatment, which may just require a few days of rest or even immobilization if the injury is severe. This variance of severity is why if you think you've sprained your ankle, it's important to contact your Columbus podiatrist right away.
Interested? Call today!
At Clintonville Foot & Ankle Group, we're committed to helping our patients experience comfort and function to the fullest. If you're having foot pain and aren't sure what's causing it, contact us at one of our convenient Ohio locations - Clintonville, Dublin, or Columbus - to schedule an evaluation with one of our podiatrists today!