Podiatry Arena - Stress Syndrome


Podiatry is a branch of medicine covering the diagnosis, study and treatment of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
This name originated in the USA and refers to a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine who is qualified to diagnose and treat problems affecting the feet. There are many branches of podiatry including surgery, geriatrics, sports medicine and biomechanics. In some English speaking countries podiatry is still known as chiropody and the doctors as chiropodists and though there are some differences the two are generally the same. Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition affecting the thick fibrous tissues that begin at the heel bone and continue along the sole of the foot towards the toes known as the plantar fascia. It is often caused by too much stress on the feet from long periods of standing at work or by too much stress on the feet caused by a person being overweight. It can also be caused by too much weight constantly bearing down on the feet. The condition which starts with a pain in the heel is usually more intense when taking the first steps in the morning. Another symptom of plantar fasciitis is that the sufferer has difficulty bending the foot so that the toes are bent upwards towards the shin which restricts movement in the ankle. This condition can cause knee pain which applies mainly, though not solely to runners. A podiatrist will usually examine the foot and how a patient stands and walks before deciding on a diagnosis and recommend treatment such as resting, stretching or wearing special shoes and in some cases will recommend taking corticosteroids. Medial tibial stress syndrome is the formal name for a painful condition of the shins known as shin splints.
It can occur when jumping, sprinting and running. One cause of the condition is overuse of one muscle which can occur in athletes specialising in a particular activity and putting too much stress on the shins. This can lead to stress fractures if the condition is not treated. Such a condition is usually diagnosed by the symptoms involving pain during exercise which is gradually worsening as exercise continues rather than easing up as the muscles get warmer. Cold compresses, rest, and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended by the podiatrist to relieve such pain. Barefoot running is not the norm in modern times though famous athletes such as Zola Budd were well known for it. With the advances in running shoe design it is generally believed that running shoes are more beneficial than running in bare feet. When running barefoot, the emphasis is based on the balls of the feet whereas the emphasis is changed to the heel and the area around the back of the heel when wearing running shoes. Some people argue that, with the emphasis on the heel, using running shoes may cause repetitive stress injuries whereas barefoot running is considered to be healthier as the weight distribution is more evenly balanced.
There is no concrete evidence as to which is better though most sports authorities recommend that running shoes be worn.