If your child says that his or her foot or ankle hurts, that is a sure reason for concern. Oftentimes, however, children are not so direct. By being observant, however, you will still be able to detect clues that something is not right.
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Most of us spend a good portion of our time each week at work. Depending on the type of job you have, your feet may be at risk for chronic foot conditions or injury. At Long Island Foot & Ankle Group, PC, we encourage patients to pay attention to the warning signs your feet may be giving you and take steps to prevent foot problems.
Dancer’s Heel Injury - Long Island Foot and Ankle Group
Dancer’s Heel Injury - Symptoms
- Swelling and tenderness at the back of the heel
- Pain when the foot points downward
- Pain felt at the back of the ankle
Dancer’s Heel - Management and Treatment
Dancer’s heel or posterior Impingement is a foot condition which develops when the tissues at the back of the ankle is compressed. As the name implies, this is often seen in dancers who repeatedly place huge pressure on their heels with their dance movements. Compression of tissues is due to the development of a bone formation at the ankle’s back. Dance movements that put pressure on the heels triggers the compression of tissues between the ankle and heel bone which in turn causes pain.
A podiatrist may recommend a variety of treatment and management options for those suffering from dancer’s heel. People suffering from this foot condition are advised to rest the ankle and avoid placing too much pressure on the area. Dancers may take a few days off for example to prevent aggravating injury.
Anti-inflammatory and pain medications can be used to provide short term relief from pain. An ice pack could also be placed over the ankle to reduce swelling and pain. This could also help you get back on your feet much quicker.
To help reduce inflammation and further worsening of the medical condition, a podiatrist may also recommend the use of a special walking boot or foot cast. This is to incapacitate the ankle and prevent it from moving. Dance feet sufferers are advised to use this for up to a month. Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specialize in helping people suffering from dancer’s heel.
Those with more advanced dancer’s heels, a podiatrist may recommend the use of steroid injections to immediately reduce pain and inflammation. A steroid injection reduces compression on the tissues. This reduces the pressure from the ankle bone pressing on the tissues.
Long term treatment includes physical therapy to help dance heel sufferers regain use of their ankles. Functionality in the ankles is restored through a series of exercises that promote better range of movement and to improve strength in the ankles.
Surgery is recommended for dancer’s heel sufferers who don’t respond to non-surgical treatments. This will attempt to restore functioning and range of movement in the ankle.
At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success, we specialize in helping people suffering with foot injuries. To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.
Heel Pain and Foot Injuries - Long Island Foot and Ankle Group
Are you currently experiencing heel pain? It wouldn’t come as a surprise as a study conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), found that this was one of the most common foot ailments affecting 16% of the American population.
Heel pain can be caused by your feet coming into contact against hard surfaces when playing sports or simply wearing poor fitting shoes. While most of us might shrug off heel pain as something trivial, this could also be a symptom of a serious foot injury. And if left untreated, we could quickly aggravate the injury.
Heel pain can be caused by many factors or foot injuries. When pain becomes chronic or intensifies, consult a podiatrist. The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specializes in helping people with bunions and other foot conditions.
Plantar fasciitis – this foot condition occurs when the ligament (plantar fascia) that supports the arch of your foot becomes strained. The pain is usually located under your heel. Pain starts as something mild but eventually worsens especially when you take your first steps in the morning or after a long period of rest.
If left untreated, plantar fasciitis can become difficult to treat. Treatment options include pain medications, orthotics, injections, immobilization and physical therapy.
Achilles Tendinitis – this can be the result of excessive use of your Achilles tendon. This tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Other causes include tightening of the calf muscles, age, injury, bone spurs and basic tendonitis. Achilles Tendinitis should be treated as quickly as possible. This can result to a ruptured tendon or tendonosis which is a chronic condition and produce scar tissue formation.
Fat Pad Thinning – your fat pad thins through walking or running on hard surfaces, age and obesity. This condition occurs on the fleshy ball of the heel of your feet. This can be caused by aging and when this happens it is best to consult your podiatrist. Treatment and management of fat pad thinning includes the use of special foot wear or wearing supportive insoles.
At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success,, we specialize in helping people suffering from foot injuries. To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.