Flat Foot

Metatarsalgia causes one of metatarsal joints to become painful or inflamed. People often develop a callus under the affected joint. Metatarsalgia can also be caused by arthritis, foot injury (sports, car accidents, repeated stress), hard surfaces (cement or tile floors) and specific footwear (rigid soled work boots). Inappropriate shoes will only aggravate the condition. Wow, what an eye opener! Three-fourths of the population is walking around with foot pain, they think their feet are supposed to hurt, they potentially have other medical conditions, and neglect and lack of awareness for proper care may be the reason they have foot problems in the first place. After the child learns to walk, the foot posture and foot support should be assessed yearly to determine the individual’s needs. The foot management plan must be sensitive to the child’s weight, size and activity preferences, as well as the foot and leg posture while standing and walking. With the correct foot support, the child’s walking pattern will improve and the activity level will increase. Pronation is a natural movement that occurs in gait when the arch flattens upon weight bearing. This motion allows the foot to absorb the weight of the body without causing undo stress & shock on the foot, ankle and leg structures. Soft orthotics tend to be fairly easy to break in, since the materials from which they're made from themselves readily to your foot shape. Unfortunately, that same flexibility also makes them wear out rather quickly, so they may need more frequent replacement than rigid orthotics. They also tend to be a bit more bulky than rigid orthotics, so you may not be able to wear them with all shoe types. In general, athletes tend to work best with semi-rigid orthotics. These provide both cushioning and structural support for the athletic foot, allowing it to move without pain according to the demands of the athlete's particular sport. Other terms for over-pronation are ‘fallen arches’, ‘dropped arches’ or ‘collapsed arches’. The term ‘ flat feet ’ is also often used. However, a true ' flat foot ' is very rare. In fact, less than 5% of the population have completely flat feet (Pes Planus) with no arch present whatsoever. Most of us (90%) have a normal to low arch and only 5% have a high arch. People with a high arch (Pes Cavus) are also called ‘over-supinators’. This means that the foot stays rigid at all times and lacks its natural shock-absorbing mechanism. Dr. Oni is another new addition to Einstein’s orthopedic surgery department. He came to Einstein in August from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. The Nigerian native earned his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and completed his residency at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases. It’s been very gratifying in terms of making a significant difference in the lives of patients. With the methods that we use now a lot of patients can get back to their lives a lot quicker and faster.” Dress warm (day and night to sweat it out – sleep with fleece, scarf, hat, sweat pants and socks on)