Conditions we treat
Experts agree that poor foot posture or function can cause or contribute to Lower back pain, Hip pain, Knee pain, lower leg pain, ankle pain and foot pain.
Lower back pain
Lower Back pain may be caused or contributed to by poor foot posture or foot dysfunction. It may also be caused by a leg length difference. A difference in leg length can be caused by over flattening of one foot or an actual difference in the lower limb bony structures. It is essential that this be assessed properly to find the potential cause and relieve this debilitating pain.
Hip pain
Over flattening (pronation) of the foot can cause excessive internal rotation of the hip, this applies a force on the hip joint that may create early wear and tear on the joint. Again, it is essential that leg length be checked as a leg length difference can also cause increased wear on the hip joint. By improving foot function, we can often alleviate hip pain
Knee Pain
It’s long been established that over flattening (pronation) of the foot causes increase rotation of the knee and uneven loading of the joint. If not treated this can cause early degeneration of the knee joint and chronic knee pain which may ultimately result in surgical intervention.
Lower limb pain
The Lower limb muscles are greatly affected by foot posture and function. Conditions such as Posterior Tibial Dysfunction are caused or contributed to by how the foot functions. Any over flattening of the foot places considerable strain on these muscles which can lead to pain and eventually to tendon rupture and surgical intervention.
Ankle Pain
Over flattening (pronation) of the foot is one of the most common causes of ankle pain and degeneration. As the foot flattens the ankle is forced into a misaligned position where it is unable to function correctly. This in turn causes the foot to flatten more and a downward spiral occurs which results in chronic pain and in many cases surgical fusion. Ankle pain requires early intervention to prevent arthritic degeneration of the joint.
Foot Pain
At the Northern Ireland Foot & Ankle clinic we are called upon to treat various types of foot pain. These include forefoot pain, mid-foot pain and rearfoot/ankle pain. some of these cases are treated with simple footwear advice but many require the use of orthotic foot supports or foot and ankle braces. Below are listed just a few of the painful foot conditions we treat.
Interdigital neuroma (Morton’s neuroma)
Metatarsalgia
Mid-foot arthritis/degeneration
Plantar heel pain
Sinus tarsi syndrome