Understanding How Equinus Could Be The Source Of Your Foot And Ankle Pain
Equinus is an ankle condition that affects your gait when you walk. It causes various foot problems because you develop an abnormal gait to compensate for your stiff ankle. You may visit a podiatrist for your foot pain and not even know the real cause is a problem with your ankle. Equinus can be treated and therefore reduce your episodes of foot pain. Here is some information about this condition you may find helpful.
Causes Of Equinus
Several things cause this medical condition. Some kids are born with the problem. When it occurs in adults, it gradually develops over time. It might affect you after your leg or foot has been in a cast or after you've had an injury. It could be the result of over-exercising your leg muscles through running.
Equinus can also be a complication of diabetes, and it can develop if you wear high heels frequently. The direct cause of equinus is tightening or shortening of the Achilles tendon. Your tendon can shorten due to injury, overuse, underuse, or a medical condition. Equinus can strike both ankles at the same time or just one.
Symptoms Of Equinus
You may not be able to tell when your Achilles tendon is tight, but your podiatrist will catch it during an examination. When the tendon is short or tight, you can't flex your foot in a normal range of motion. In addition, you might develop a flat arch as your body compensates for the change in the way you walk due to a stiff ankle.
When your podiatrist studies your gait, he or she may find you bend your body in an abnormal way at the knees or hips when you walk. You may overpronate or roll your foot to the inside. Because the Achilles tendon is tight, the ball of your foot may absorb shock when you walk rather than your heel.
This could leave you with calluses across the ball of your foot or on your toes. In addition, you might have frequent foot pain and develop conditions such as plantar fasciitis, ankle pain, tendonitis, calf cramps, shin splints and even stress fractures in your feet.
Treatment For Equinus
Equinus can often be reversed naturally, although it takes several months. The primary treatment is calf stretches to relieve the tightness in your ankle. The stretches must be done multiple times a day for a period of a few months. Your podiatrist or physical therapist will teach you the correct positions and moves, but you'll be on your own to stick with the stretching routine.
Your podiatrist may give you a splint to wear at night that keeps your foot in a position that stretches your Achilles tendon. Wearing a night splint also helps relieve pain from plantar fasciitis when you experience it as a result of your equinus. Orthotics may also help. Wearing an arch support can reduce pain from overpronation and flat arches, and a heel lift helps with pain from plantar fasciitis.
A change of shoes may also be recommended since you're at a higher risk of problems with hammertoe and bunions. Shoes with a wide toe area so your toes aren't squeezed together are preferable, and you'll probably need to stop wearing high heels until your ankle condition is reversed. However, avoiding flats such as flip flops is best because shoes with low heels strain your Achilles tendon.
With patience and adherence to a stretching program, equinus should slowly heal on its own. If your case is severe and it doesn't respond to the usual treatment, your podiatrist may recommend surgery. Check with a podiatrist like Greenberg Paul for more information.
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