All Ankle Conditions- ranging from minor sprains to complex breaks

Ankle Sprains​

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Ankle Sprains are the most common foot and ankle injury, usually caused by the twisting of the ankle.  If under-treated it often leads to further injury or Chronic Ankle Instability.

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Ankle Arthritis

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Any trauma to the ankle can damage its cartilage enough to later cause arthritis.  Since arthritis is a progressive disease that compounds itself, it's critically important to seek early medical attention.

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Arthritis is a disease of the joints.  It occurs when there's deterioration of destruction of cartilage.  The cartilage prevents your bones from rubbing against each other and also absorbs forces from day to day living.  

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Chronic Ankle Instability

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Chronic Ankle Instability occurs when the ligaments in the ankle are torn or stretched.  This is often the result recurring ankle sprains or a sprain that didn't heal properly and will only get worse without treatment.

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Broken Ankle

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The ankle bone consists of three bones (tibia, fibula and talus) and if any of these bones fracture, you have what is considered a broken ankle.  If only the ligaments give way, you then have a sprained ankle.

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A broken or fractured ankle is commonly the result of a rotational injury or foot roll.  They're the most under-treated orthopedic condition leading to early onset arthritis and Chronic Ankle Instability.

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Talar Dome Lesion

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The talus bone of the ankle is commonly known as the ankle bone.  It transfers weight-bearing from the shin to the foot and has the highest percentage of surface area covered by cartilage in the human body.  Unlike most bones, no muscles attach to the talus and its position depends on that of the neighbouring bones.

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Cartilage damage of the ankle (osteochondral lesion of the talus) occurs from a traumatic fracture or ankle sprain.  The bones hit against each other when the injury occurs, damaging the cartilage surface.  The initial pain may resolve but the pain often comes back during exercise, with possible locking of the joint.

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Ankle Replacement

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Ankle Replacement Surgery is performed to reconstruct or replace damaged bone or cartilage in the ankle joint.  The surgery is usually for patients that haven't seen relief via traditional ankle surgery.

All Heel Conditions

Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia acts as a shock absorber, supporting your arch but too much pressure on your feet can damage or tear the ligament and cause stiffness as serious heel pain.

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Plantar Fasciitis is generally a chronic condition and rarely caused by a single trauma to the foot. 

Common causes include: 

-  Tight calf muscle and tight Achilles tendons

-  Long distance runner or spend extended periods of time on your feet

-  Wearing shoes with soles or poor arch support

Common Symptoms:

-  Morning heel pain

-  Sharp or tearing feeling pain in the heel with the first few steps when you get out of bed or after sitting for an extended period of time.  The pain may decrease as the tendon loosens up but almost always returns.

-  Heel pain when climbing stairs, participating in high impact activities or after standing for long periods of time.

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Heel Spurs

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Often caused by lack of flexibility in the calf muscles and/or excess weight.  This occurs when the foot bone has constant stress and calcium deposits build-up on the bottom of the heel.  Repeated damage can cause these deposits to pile up on each other, presenting a spur-shaped deformity.

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Most of the time Heel Spurs present as pain in the region surrounding the spur, which typically increases in intensity after prolonged periods of rest.  Patients may not be able to bear weight on the afflicted heel comfortably.  Running, walking, or lifting heavy weight may exacerbate the issue.

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Retrocalcaneal Exostosis

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Retrocalcaneal exostosis (Achilles bone heel spur) is an overgrowth of bone, typically from chronic tugging of the achilles tendon with pain and swelling on the back of the heel.

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Heel Nerve Entrapment

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Calcaneal Nerve Entrapment results when the branch of the tarsal tunnel nerves become trapped or scarred in the arch.  This relatively common cause of heel pain's also known as Baxter's Neuritis.  

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Some Plantar Fasciitis may not be due to plantar fascia scarring but a pinched nerve that runs along the ankle into the bottom of the heel.  

All Toe Conditions

Bunions

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A Bunion, also known as Hallux Valgus is an unnatural bump at the base of the big toe is caused when the big toe begins to point toward the smaller toes, often causing pain and loss of function. 

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Hallux Rigidus

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Big Toe Arthritis, also known as Hallux Limitus or Hallux Rigidus is an inflammation of the joints at the base of your big toe.  It is caused by overuse or genetics.

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Hammer Toe

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A Hammer Toe is a toe that is bent because of a muscle imbalance around the toe joints.  This causes the toe to bend upward in a claw-like position.

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Ingrown Toe Nail

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An Ingrown Toe Nail (Onychocryptosis) is a common discomfort that involves the nail curving down into the surrounding skin causing pain, redness and inflammation.

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Turf Toe

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Turf Toe is a sprain or hyper-extension of the toe.  The toes, especially the big toe are bending firmly against the ground while the foot falls forward. 

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Plantar Plate Injuries

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The plantar plate is the strong ligament located on the ball of the foot that supports the lesser toes.  Injuries occur when the ligament is torn or over-stretched.

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Sesamoiditis

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Sesamoids are two bones on the ball of the foot behind the big toe joint.  Sesamoiditis is when they become injured, then pain, inflammation and bone damage occurs.

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Gout

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Gout is an accumulation of uric acid in the joints.  Usually affecting the big toe, gout attacks can occur suddenly and are often very painful.

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Nail Fungus

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A fungus can invade the nail through cuts or after an injury.  Fungal infections (Onychomycosis) are the most common nail disease.

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Tailor's Bunion/Bunionette

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A Talior's Bunion, also known as a Bunionette differs from a traditional bunion because it develops at the base of the baby toe instead of the big toe.

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Avasular Necrosis

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Avascular Necrosis or Frieberg's Infraction is a painful condition that occurs when there's an interruption of the blood supply to a toe. 

All Tendon Conditions

Achilles Injuries

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The Achilles tendon is one of the longest tendons in your body extending from the bones of your heel to your calf muscles.  It is responsible for you being able to extend your foot and point your toes to the floor and unfortunately, it's one of the most frequently injured tendons.

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Common Achilles Tendon Injuries:

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Achilles Tendonitis-  inflammation of the tendon is soreness or stiffness of the Achilles tendon and the pain is usually localized in the back of the tendon, just above its attachment to the heel bone.

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Achilles Tendonsis-  is very similar to tendinitis with one critical difference, it has now become a chronic condition, usually because the injury wasn't properly treated early on.

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Achilles Tendon Rupture or Tear (partial and full)- are injuries that are most likely to occur during physical activities requiring sudden eccentric stretching such as when sprinting and jumping.  The pain profile for this injury includes sudden or sharp pain, swelling, bruising or the inability to point your foot down or stand on your toes.  Serious tears can also prevent you from even walking you may have also heard a loud pop when the injury occurred.

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Achilles Heel Bone Spur-  Bone spurs are often caused by an overgrowth of calcium on the back of the foot.  This condition usually causes heel pain because of continuous tugging of an irritated and inflamed Achilles tendon on the back of the heel.  Spurs cause pain and can destroy the attachment of the Achilles tendon, which if left untreated causes more serious problems like tendon ruptures and tears.

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Peroneal Tendon Tear

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Two Peroneal Tendons are behind the outside ankle and stabilize the joint outward.  These weaker muscles and tendons are prone to injury from ankle turns and rolls.

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Peroneal Tendon Tears can occur from a previous ankle sprain.  In rare cases, they may be poor mechanics of the ankle and foot, leading to overuse and injury to the tendons.  One or both tendons can be torn.  

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Peroneal Tendon Dysfunction-  When they pop out of the supporting ligaments that hold them in place it is called a dysfunction (dislocation).  Unless treatment is given for acute dysfunctions they inevitably reoccur.  For that reason, they need to be repaired to prevent future injury.  A few symptoms of Peroneal Tendon injury are swelling, pain and sense of instability behind the outside of the ankle.

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Peroneal Tendon Surgery-   if surgery is indicated to repair the tendons, your doctor will determine the most appropriate procedure for your condition and lifestyle.

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Posterior Tibial Tendon Tear

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The Posterior Tibial Tendon attaches the calf muscle to the bones inside the foot and supports the foot and arch while walking.  Flat fleet or constant press will cause the tendon to fray and tear, resulting in posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.  

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This condition is prevalent in women over 40 with flat feet or by an acute injury such as a fall or from overuse.  Once the tendon become inflamed or torn, the arch begins to fall.

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All Arthritic Conditions

Hallux Rigidus

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Arthritis of the big toe is caused by genetics or overuse.  If there is a genetic predisposition to limited motion in the joint, the eventual osteoarthritis will cause pain and decreased function.  Other patients develop arthritis in the big toe joint from a single trauma or overuse.  This arthritis leads to limited motion, joint pain and decreased function.

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Gout

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Gout is one kind of arthritis that results from a build up of uric acid in the joints.  When there's excess of uric acid in the blood, it crystallizes in the joints, usually in the big toes resulting in swelling and pain.  Although gout can occur in many areas of the body, the big toe is most commonly afflicted.  A gout attack can manifest in your big toe quickly, often in the middle night.  The joint will swell, turn red, and feel warm to the touch and will be extremely painful even to touch it gently.  It can last a few days and then subsides on its own if left untreated but multiple gout attacks could have long-lasting consequences for your joint.

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Foot Arthritis

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The term arthritis denotes joint inflammation and soft tissue swelling.  Arthritis is a far-reaching description of 100 different diseases and divided into three categories:

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Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Post-Traumatic Arthritis

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There are so many joints in the feet, there are various types of arthritis of the foot so proper diagnosis is very important.

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