3 Breakthrough Medical Procedures for Over-pronation and Low Foot Arches
Posted in Fly Fishing Gear on the March 25, 2010
A large number of people who experience heel pain assume that it’s nothing to worry about and will go away with rest and less activity. Nevertheless, in some cases the heel pain is a red flag for something that the doctor may need to treat. Abnormal foot issues such as foot overpronation or flat feet can lead to more acute conditions such as plantar fasciitis. This often disabling pain in the heel area of the foot can be treated in a sterile back office as an outpatient.
Fallen Arches Can Be a Biomechanical Issue
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), plantar fasciitis can be caused by congenital malformations and step patterns. These issues can include foot overpronation and fallen arches, just to name a few. In cases when the lower leg biomechanics are out of sync with the entire body, undue impact and jarring are put on structures of the foot that are not meant to absorb those pressures. One manifestation of this, jumping or even being heavier than recommended can all be contributing causes for heel pain.
Treatment For Plantar Fasciitis Sometimes Requires Surgery
A surgical option called Instep Plantar Fasciotomy is one plantar fasciitis therapy that is done under ankle block anesthesia (patient is awake but the foot is numbed). The plantar fascia is a ligament of tissue to blame for the excruciating discomfort caused by this condition. The doctor makes an incision in the heel across the length of the heel. The fluid-filled area and damaged tissue is released from the inflamed heel tissues. Once the opening is sutured, a walking shoe is required for an estimated 4-6 weeks, depending upon the healing time for the patient.
Treatment For Plantar Fasciitis Doesn’t Have to Mean Surgery
A type of cutting edge technology being used today to heal foot conditions is with waves of low level sound. Denominated ESWT (extracorporeal shock wave therapy), this solution aims to use small levels of sound waves to eliminate the affected tissues. It Is apparently counterintuitive, but it isn’t. The damaging of these tissues in small amounts actually evokes the body’s healing response and cures the body of the painful issue. In a study done in 2004, it took nearly 1000 study participants about 8 weeks to heal completely with about eighty-five percent success.
Cut Healing Time Dramatically with this Treatment For Plantar Fasciitis
The final medical procedure that is becoming more popular simply because it requires less recovery time is an endoscopic plantar fasciotomy. In this procedure, the foot is numbed with an ankle block while the patient is conscious. Given that some doctors may prefer to have the patient unconscious, that is also a sensible way to perform the procedure with reduced stress to the individual. Quarter-inch incisions are made in the lateral and anterior angles of the heel to access the affected areas. A tiny camera is used to assist the physician to find the plantar fascia ligament. The surgeon sews the incision closed once the problem tissues have been identified and fixed.
Excess Pronation and Fallen Arches Don’t Have to Hurt as Much
Statistics show that surgery is needed in about five percent of plantar fasciitis cases, it’s recommended to be alert about the procedures that doctors are using today. Following up after surgery with physical therapy is one of the best things people can do after undergoing any of these procedures. Massages, exercises, and whirlpool therapy are just some of the many tools in the physical therapist’s toolbox that can make a difference. For people with walking gait deformities and biomechanics problems such as over-pronation or fallen arches, supportive orthotics insoles are advised to stop reappearance of this painful condition.