Carpal Tunnel of the Foot
When Foot Pain Is Nerve Pain
People who are active often experience the joy of participation and the benefits physical exertion. But time on the feet can often lead to pain in the feet and this curtails the joy. A less common, but often seen syndrome affecting the foot is Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.
Tarsal Tunnel is an entrapment of the tibial nerve as it passes across tissue on the inside of the foot. This syndrome is similar to Carpal tunnel of the hand and can be just as debilitating. Symptoms usually involve burning, pain, and numbness and tingling on the inside of the foot, ankle, or heel. Putting weight on the foot often increases the intensity of the symptoms. Tarsal tunnel is often misdiagnosed as plantar fascitis, but the treatment for tarsal tunnel is usually much different. Tests to determine the nature of the pain are relatively easy to conduct. Individuals that excessively pronate (turn foot in) when they walk or run are more at risk for Tarsal Tunnel syndrome as are those whose activity requires repetitive stress to the foot (i.e. dancers). Often this overuse can uncover inherit weakness in foot, ankle, and other leg muscles that contribute to foot stress. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as getting the proper footwear or using a foot orthosis. In the worst cases surgery is required to release the tissue from compressing the nerve.
When the feet or any other part of the body hurt, and don’t get better with rest, it needs to be checked out. Don’t be sidelined by the agony of ‘de-feet’.
People who are active often experience the joy of participation and the benefits physical exertion. But time on the feet can often lead to pain in the feet and this curtails the joy. A less common, but often seen syndrome affecting the foot is Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.
Tarsal Tunnel is an entrapment of the tibial nerve as it passes across tissue on the inside of the foot. This syndrome is similar to Carpal tunnel of the hand and can be just as debilitating. Symptoms usually involve burning, pain, and numbness and tingling on the inside of the foot, ankle, or heel. Putting weight on the foot often increases the intensity of the symptoms. Tarsal tunnel is often misdiagnosed as plantar fascitis, but the treatment for tarsal tunnel is usually much different. Tests to determine the nature of the pain are relatively easy to conduct. Individuals that excessively pronate (turn foot in) when they walk or run are more at risk for Tarsal Tunnel syndrome as are those whose activity requires repetitive stress to the foot (i.e. dancers). Often this overuse can uncover inherit weakness in foot, ankle, and other leg muscles that contribute to foot stress. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as getting the proper footwear or using a foot orthosis. In the worst cases surgery is required to release the tissue from compressing the nerve.
When the feet or any other part of the body hurt, and don’t get better with rest, it needs to be checked out. Don’t be sidelined by the agony of ‘de-feet’.
