Sural nerve pain is debilitating pain in the lower outer calf and foot. Usually, it comes from trauma to, or entrapment of, the sural nerve as it passes down the calf into the foot. So what is sural nerve pain, how do we diagnose it, and what's the best sural nerve entrapment treatment? Sural [...]
We use walking boots to treat ankle and foot injuries, such as stress fractures — the boot allows the injury to heal. But the transition from a walking boot back to a shoe is just as important. You can't expect to return to regular shoes overnight. This guide outlines how to transition from a [...]
Effective foot pain management involves getting the proper diagnosis and starting the correct treatment early. One of the simplest ways to reach the right diagnosis is to think about the precise location of the pain. So a foot pain diagnosis chart can help you work out the cause of your pain. Why location matters [...]
The tibialis anterior tendon is a large tendon that starts at the front of the shin, crosses the ankle, and attaches to the inner mid-foot. It lifts the foot up and inwards, and during walking, it's a pivotal tendon that helps prevent us from tripping over. Overuse of this tendon is known as anterior [...]
A tarsal coalition is an abnormal connection between two bones at the back of the foot, towards the ankle. This connection creates irregular forces on the bones, leading to pain and other problems. So what is a tarsal coalition, and what can you do about it? The tarsal bones The tarsal bones are [...]
Pain in the outer part of the midfoot is common among runners and other athletes. One rare but important cause of lateral mid-foot pain is os peroneum syndrome. So how do we diagnose os peroneum syndrome, and what can we do about it? Os peroneum syndrome is one of several peroneal tendon problems — [...]
A foot sprain is common in sport, but it can be more serious than it looks. The midfoot connects the front of the ankle to the forefoot, and an injury here — a midfoot sprain — can damage the joints, ligaments, and tendons. One injury in particular, the Lisfranc injury, is potentially serious and [...]
Pain in the second toe is a common complaint among runners and active people. There are many possible causes of second toe pain, with different treatments, so an early diagnosis matters. Anatomy of the second toe The second toe is made of bones and joints. The 2nd metatarsal links your midfoot to the toe, [...]
Sesamoiditis — inflammation of the sesamoid bones of the big toe — is a common cause of big toe pain in runners. It's important to distinguish it from other problems affecting the big toe, such as big toe arthritis or gout, as well as from a sesamoid stress fracture or a bipartite sesamoid. So [...]
Midfoot arthritis is a common cause of foot pain in middle-aged and older people. The midfoot connects the heel to the front of the foot, so arthritis here can be particularly disabling for active people. So how do we diagnose midfoot arthritis, and what can be done about it? What is the midfoot? [...]
