8: Ankle and foot Flashcards
What is pes planus?
Flat foot
What is pes cavus?
High arched foot
What is the medical name for bunions?
Hallux valgus
What surface of the foot can become inflamed?
What is this condition called?
Plantar surface
Plantar fasciitis
Which strong tendon can become diseased?
Achilles tendon
When assessing a patient’s gait, you should look from where?
In front
The sides
Is pes planus normal?
Yes, 20% of people have it
The feet get (flatter / more concave) and (broader / thinner) with time.
flatter
broader
What is a common cause of pes planus?
Hypermobility
When flat, the heel is ___. When you go on your tip toes, it goes ___.
(varus, valgus)
valgus
varus
What is the main cause of acquired pes planus?
Tibialis posterior dysfunction
What do people with tibialis posterior dysfunction complain of?
Pain posterior to medial malleolus
Difficulty walking
How is acquired pes planus treated?
Physiotherapy
Most people with tibialis posterior dysfunction are (male / female) and ___.
female
overweight
What happens to the foot over time in people with tibialis posterior dysfunction?
Change in shape
What other foot condition can be exacerbated by tibialis posterior dysfunction?
Hallux valgus
If foot/ankle joints are arthritic in late stage TPD, how can they be treated?
Fusion
Stabilisation
What is pes cavus?
High arched feet
Most cases of pes cavus are idiopathic - what are some neurological causes?
Spina bifida
Stroke
Cerebral palsy
Polio …
What spinal pathology, causing nerve root compression, may be implicated in patients with pes cavus?
Spinal tumours
Where is the pain of plantar fasciitis felt?
Sole of the foot
Achilles tendon
Heel
What are some causes of plantar fasciitis?
Physical overload - overexercise, obesity
Seronegative arthritis
Poorly fitting footwear
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
NSAIDs
Orthotics
Physiotherapy
Rarely steroid injections
What is the average duration of plantar fasciitis?
18 - 24 months
What is hallux valgus?
Bunions
swelling of tissue medial to hallux, causing it to go lateral (valgus)
Who tends to get bunions?
Teenage girls, incidence increases with age
How is hallux valgus managed?
Supportive, rarely surgery
Where is bunion pain felt?
Inside of the foot
What is hallux rigidus?
Stiff, painful 1st MTPJ due to OA
Where is hallux rigidus pain felt?
Top of the hallux
If it does not occur naturally within 2 years, how is hallux rigidus treated?
Fusion of joint
What is the driving process behind joint damage in RA?
Synovitis (capsular inflammation)
What do rheumatoid feet look like?
Bunion - painful, swollen
Bunion overcrowds toes, PIP joints dislocate
Is severe rheumatoid foot a common presentation nowadays?
No, disease isn’t given opportunity to progress that far
What’s is Morton’s neuroma?
Fibrosis of digital nerve supplying toes (usually 3rd / 4th) due to compression
What is the main symptom of Morton’s neuroma?
Burning, tingly pain in toes
Neurogenic pain
