Take steps now to address foot pain

When you wake up in the morning, if you are like me, you turn off the alarm and reach for your glasses. You pull off the bed covers, shift your legs and put your feet on the ground to take the first steps of the day. Are those steps painful? Aside from the body stiffness sometimes associated with sleep, is foot pain keeping you up at night or interfering with your day?

Foot pain should not be a distraction from your everyday life! Foot care and wellbeing is essential to good overall physical health. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, the average person logs 75,000 miles on their feet by the time they reach the age 50.

At OrthoIllinois, we offer comprehensive foot and ankle care, treating everything from bunions and lesser toe deformities (hammertoes) to complex foot disorders, including flatfoot and diabetic foot deformity, as well as tendon, ligament, and bone injuries for patients of all ages. Treatment methods range from conservative to surgical, and we have the expertise to guide you through an individualized plan that will improve your quality of life.

My practice at OrthoIllinois is focused on the surgical treatment of foot and ankle disorders. I have a special interest in innovative, minimally invasive approaches and special techniques that allow patients to bear weight soon after surgery. I also enjoy ankle joint replacement surgery and complex reconstructive procedures. My goal is to provide patients with excellent service and compassionate, individualized patient-centered care. I provide the kind of care that I would want for my wife and children, my family, and friends.

Here are some common foot and ankle conditions that we see and treat at OrthoIllinois.

Bunions: Often a red, swollen bump at the base of the big toe that causes pain when wearing shoes and or when pressure is applied. Significant deformity and arthritis can develop, and surgery may be recommended to remove the bunion and realign the bones.

Hammer toes: A deformity where the joints of a toe become bent, causing the toe to curl under. This is primarily caused by a combination of muscle imbalance and ill-fitting shoes. This condition can be treated in the office with scalpel-free procedures that permanently straighten the toe.

Adult and pediatric flatfoot: Can be caused by arch collapse and an outward-aiming foot. This condition is progressive and can lead to significant pain and foot and ankle malformation. Some additional causes include tendon dysfunction, rheumatoid arthritis and ligamentous injury. Symptoms include loss of flexibility, inability to stand on your toes, and swelling and pain on the inside of the foot and ankle. Orthotics, bracing and reconstruction are options to treat flatfoot.

Heel pain: Can be caused by plantar fasciitis and bone spurs. Heel pain is a common symptom that develops from overuse or stress on the heel. Plantar fasciitis is associated with stiffness and sharp pain underneath the heel. Bone spurs can develop when plantar fasciitis is present. Stretching, orthotics, therapy, night splints, injection and surgery can be used to treat heel pain.

Achilles tendinitis/tendon tears: The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel and is vital to walking, running, and jumping. The Achilles can become inflamed, causing pain, swelling, and discomfort. When the Achilles tears, there are conservative and surgical treatment options.

Foot pain does not have to keep you grounded. Call us 815-398-9491 for more information, or request an appointment online. During that appointment, be as honest as possible about your symptoms, your pain level, what types of activities you do regularly, and any medications you are taking. We will design a treatment plan that is unique to you and takes the necessary steps to decrease your pain and get you back on your (healthy) feet.

Nicholas Brissey, DPM Providing podiatric appointments at OrthoIllinois’ Algonquin and McHenry, Illinois clinic locations.