Foot and Ankle Flashcards
Describe the ligaments of the foot.
Ligaments between all phalanges, can have sprains between all
Describe the ankle ligaments on the medial side.
- Ligament on inside of ankle is deltoid ligament: medial side (covers majority of inside of ankle)
- Medial side of ankle is stronger
Describe the ankle ligaments on the lateral side.
- Anterior talofibular ligament (anterior, connects talus and fibula)
- Calcaneofibular ligament (connect calcaneus and fibula)
- Posterior talofibular ligament (posterior, connects talus and fibula)
Describe the ankle ligament on the anterior side.
- Anterior inferior tibularfibular ligament
What are the 3 types of muscles in the foot?
- DAB muscles
- PAD muscles
- Muscles at lower leg that insert at foot
What are DAB muscles?
dorsal abductors (top of foot, move toes apart from each other)
What are PAD muscles?
plantar adductors (bottom of foot, bring toes in together) (ex. Toe cramps)
What is flat feet called?
pes planus foot
pes planus foot is the product of ______ _______.
excessive pronation (bottom of feet are falling flat in arch)
What are the causes of pes planus?
- Can be born with it
- Comes along with several other conditions (ex. Down syndrome)
- Can get this from spraining your ankles a lot (weakens ligament that holds arch up)
- Can get it from wearing really tight shoes (tight shoes = ligaments don’t have to work as hard, too weak to hold it up)
- Overweight (weight bearing on arch)
What are the signs and symptoms of pes planus?
- Pain in arch (ache)
- Pain in medial side of ankle
- Weak feet
- Feet tire quickly on arch/inside
- Can lead to bunions (bulge bone out to the side to hold weight)
- Knees cave in, inside of knees are weak
- Hips cave in, hips aren’t sitting right
How do we manage pes planus?
- No pain = do nothing
- insoles/orthotics
- Can be taped
What is pes cavus?
- high arch foot
What are the causes of pes cavus?
- generally born with it
- rare
- common in runners
How can we tell if someone has pes cavus?
Look at imprint of foot when wet (only see heel, ball, and toes, nothing connecting)
What are the signs and symptoms of pes cavus?
- Can have no symptoms
- Can have pain and tightness in bottom of foot
- Hammertoes (toes bunch up)
- Calluses on top of toes, heels, ball of foot
How do we manage pes cavus?
- No pain/discomfort = do nothing
- Try to loosen structures at bottom of feet
- Roll out feet with golf ball
- Stretch out bottom of feet
What is the plantar fascia?
- runs bottom of feet, starts bottom of feet, fans out to all toes
- Shock absorption/support for bottom of feet
- Attached to achilles tendon and calf muscles
What is plantar fasciitis?
inflammation of the plantar fascia
How does pes cavus relate to plantar fasciitis?
plantar fascia is already tight (works harder because it has to spread out farther and rebound farther)
What makes you more likely to have plantar fasciitis?
- Tends to be more common in runners (more shock to the bottom of the feet, higher impact, more often)
- Tend to have it more often if you wear unsupported footwear (no cushion for feet)
- Tight achilles tendon or calf muscles means tight plantar fascia
Describe the progression of signs and symptoms for plantar fasciitis.
- Burning pain on the bottom of their feet
- Starts with being sore only after activity
- Progresses to bothering them during activity (generally last part of activity)
- Progresses to bothering them from the beginning of activity
- Progresses to hurting them all the time (regardless of weight bearing or not)
What is the tell tale sign of plantar fasciitis?
- first two or three steps in the morning feel like their feet are on fire
- then it loosens up
- then at end of activity it hurts again (plantar fascia is shortened/tightened overnight, then first steps stretch it out)
How do we manage plantar fasciitis?
- roll/stretch bottom of feet
- Roll with golf ball, frozen water bottles
- Ultrasound
- Massage
- Heat feet/stretch before activity
- Ice feet/stretch after activity
How do we assess plantar fasciitis?
- Palpate plantar fascia
- Feels tight, painful when you touch it
What is the most common injury in the bottom?
inversion ankle sprains
What happens in inversion ankle sprains?
- bottom of the foot goes in
- sprains ligaments on the outside of the ankle
What ligaments do you hurt in an inversion ankle sprain?
- anterior talofibular ligament
- calcaneofibular ligament
- posterior talofibular ligament
- grades apply to each individual ligament (can have
different grades on each from same injury)
Which ligaments are typically injured in a grade 1 inversion ankle sprain? What happens to these ligaments?
- Predominantly anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments
- stretching of a ligament
What are the signs and symptoms of a grade 1 inversion ankle sprain?
- Mild pain
- Mild inflammation
- No bruising
- No deformity
- Tender over whichever ligament has been damaged
- No laxity (movement between the bones), but special test will be painful
How do we manage a grade 1 inversion ankle sprain?
- Control their pain, inflammation
- Ice
- Compression
- Should not need to limp (full function of all structures in ankle), but may limp due to pain
- Make sure they are walking properly
Which ligaments are typically injured in a grade 2 inversion ankle sprain? What happens to these ligaments?
- More common in anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular
- some tearing of fibres
What are the signs and symptoms of a grade 2 inversion ankle sprain?
- More pain
- More inflammation
- Bruising
- Limping
- Special test: pain and laxity (more movement out of joint than you should)
How do we manage a grade 2 inversion ankle sprain?
- Need some sort of protection: taping, bracing etc.
- RICE
- Anti inflammatory
- Need strengthening of joint and of supporting muscles and structures
- Tubing (pulling inside or outside)
- Calf raises
Which ligaments are typically injured in a grade 3 inversion ankle sprain? What happens to these ligaments?
- At least one of the three ligaments is torn completely (usually either the anterior talofibular or calcaneofibular ligament)
- Can have avulsion fracture
What are the signs and symptoms of a grade 3 inversion ankle sprain?
- Lots of pain
- Lots of swelling
- Lots of bruising
- Lots of laxity
- No function
- Limping
How do we manage a grade 3 inversion ankle sprain?
- Need brace or boot
- May not be weight bearing
- Protect area more
- Need to deal with swelling, pain, bruising
- Strengthen joint