Inflammatory diseases of the foot
Degenerative diseases
The heel spur denotes a bony projection or extension. The heel spur is a common, degenerative (wear-related) disease. The frequency of the heel spur increases with age.
Foot malpositions
Further topics around the foot
Two very similar diseases are summarized as Morbus Köhler. Köhler’s disease I is the dying off of the scaphoid at the foot. The scaphoid is a tarsal bone.
In contrast, Köhler’s disease II is the dying off of the metatarsal bone. Typically, a child with Köhler’s disease is first noticed by pain when the affected foot is strained, whereby there is no external injury. In addition, pain occurs when pressure is applied to the corresponding bone.
Ledderhose disease is a benign disease of the connective tissue of the feet. It occurs in the area of the tendon plate of the sole of the foot. The nodes on the soles of the feet usually grow very slowly, and are almost always centered on the plantar fascia (sole of the foot).
Occasionally the growth of the nodes is delayed and they do not grow any further. Then they can suddenly grow again rapidly and unexpectedly. A surgical intervention is only necessary in the case of painful nodes that hinder walking.
When someone talks about his foot “falling asleep”, it is a feeling of numbness and tingling in the affected foot, which is caused by an unfavorable posture. The nerve that supplies the foot is pinched off and this is the result of this sensation. By changing the posture, however, the symptom subsides quickly.
If extremities fall asleep more frequently, i.e. if this numbness and the sensation of discomfort occurs more frequently and for a longer period of time, this can be an indication of a more serious disease, such as polyneuropathy. Risk factors for this are alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus and infections. These then require drug therapy.
Pain in the foot
Since the foot is one of the most complex movement organs in the human body, foot pain is a common but difficult to classify clinical picture. Pain in the foot can have many different causes, depending on the type of pain, its localization, radiation, previous illnesses or an accident that has occurred.These include pain due to bone injuries or fractures (fractures) after an accident event (trauma), which are described as stabbing; but fractures due to permanent overloading (fatigue fracture) can also occur. In addition, stabbing, sharp pain can also be caused by a twisting of the foot or a torn ligament (ligament rupture) and may also show swelling and bruising.
Other causes of foot pain include inflammation of the muscle tendons, e.g. the Achilles tendon (Achillodynia) or the tendon attachments as in heel spurs (tendon attachment dinopathy), which have a rather stinging character and can cause a typical initial pain. Start-up pain can also be found in degenerative joint diseases of the ankle (arthrosis). Malpositioning of the foot (e.g. splayfoot or flattened arch) or the arch of the foot, as well as incorrect or excessive strain can also lead to pain in the foot.
In addition, tissue loss (infarction) within the foot bones can also occur, which is known as osteonecrosis. The pain is described as very deep and dull. When a nerve that is innervating the foot is constricted (nerve compression) (e.g. as a result of a herniated disc in the lumbar spine), burning pain, sensation problems, numbness or tingling (polyneuropathy) can occur.
Circulatory disorders of the foot, e.g. due to window dressing (peripheral arterial occlusive disease, PAD), can also be possible causes of foot pain. In addition, metabolic diseases such as gout (a uric acid metabolism disorder), diabetes mellitus or rheumatic diseases, which cause chronic stinging but also tingling pain in the foot area, should also be mentioned. Also the skin concerning (dermatological) illnesses (like e.g. foot fungus or ingrown toenails) can release foot pain.
