People suffering from this condition complain of foot pain on the inside of the foot, usually in the middle or rear of the foot. This pain tends to follow the path of the tendon, behind the ankle bone, on the inside of the foot.

There will also be a considerable amount of weakness in the foot. One telltale sign is the inability to do a single “heel raise”, sometimes known as a calf raise.

Another strong indicator of the condition is called the “too many toes” sign.

This happens when an observer stands behind the patient and looks down at their feet. From this angle, if you see more toes sticking out on the outside of the foot than you normally would expect, it is an indication that the arch is collapsed and the toes are rotated out to the side.

At more advanced stages, a clear foot deformity can be seen.

 

Of course, not every foot pain deteriorates to the point of surgery.

But, recognizing the above signals and catching posterior tibial tendon dysfunction at the earliest stages can save years of unnecessary pain and surgical recovery.

So what are the common treatments?
Here are some of the usual “default treatments”:

• Rest

• Ice

• NSAIDs (anti-inflammatories)

These three are the usual “starting point” type treatments. However, you’ll notice that none of these treatments address the root cause of the issue. (2)

• Immobilization: The problem here is that putting the foot in a boot of some sort allows the tendon to recover, but has the downside of causing atrophy of the other leg muscles.
• Orthotics: This is a foot insert. “Store-bought” orthotics may suffice in milder cases, but a custom orthotic may be necessary if the condition worsens. While more expensive, a custom orthotic allows your doctor more control over the foot position.
• Braces: The next step for foot support would be a brace. This works on feet that are stiffer or arthritic. In some cases, this option can help you avoid surgery.
• Physical Therapy: This is where we can help. A properly designed physical therapy program involving highly-specific strengthening and flexibility work is more effective in mild- to moderate cases of the disease.
• Steroid Injection: Injecting cortisone into the ankle is not usually recommended because of the risk of tendon rupture. Caution should be used when discussing this option.

If you’ve let your foot pain linger on too long, we strongly recommended you call our Fort Myers or Cape Coral locations.

Painful feet can disrupt your active lifestyle and quickly ruin your health. Foot pain forces you to miss out on doing the things you love to do.

There’s no reason to ignore it any longer.

Let’s work together to determine the cause of your foot pain, and build a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Is it arthritis?

Tendonitis?

Plantar Fasciitis?

Or something more severe like posterior tibial tendon dysfunction?

Don’t leave that determination to chance.

Call our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Or better yet, let our experienced staff examine your feet in person.

You can reach us at 239-610-4979

Don’t spend another day in pain or being left out of family activities.

Call today: 239-610-4979

Ask your doctor to refer you to our Fort Myers location or Cape Coral location so you know you’ll receive the very best treatment for posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367001/
2. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/posterior-tibial-tendon-dysfunction/