There are many myths and misconceptions about foot and ankle conditions and treatment. Here are 6 foot and ankle myths dispelled.
Myth – Pain after foot surgery is unmanageable
Reality – Post-surgery pain is very manageable using these methods:
- The classic: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
- Keep ahead of the pain with prescribed narcotics
- Focus and Self-Hypnosis techniques
Myth – Only ugly “orthopaedic shoes” are good for your feet
Reality – A recent study showed 86% of women will seek medical care for forefoot problems and the majority of these are caused by improper footwear. Sizes vary by manufacturer so choose shoes by fit not by size. Walk in the shoe in the store and only purchase it if it feels comfortable. Buy shoes by fit and quality not by price.
Here are some tips for buying shoes:
- Have both feet measured every 2 years and choose shoes to fit the longest foot.
- Buy shoes when your feet are most swollen.
- When purchasing shoes, wear the types of socks that you will normally be wearing with the shoes.
- When standing, there should be one thumb’s width between the end of the shoe and the longest toe.
- Don’t buy tight shoes and expect them to stretch out over time.
Myth – There is nothing you can do to stop a weak ankle from rolling
Reality – There are tens of thousands of ankle sprains each day in the U.S. 40% of these sprains will hurt 6 years later. But there are ways to fix sprained ankles and keep them from rolling over and over again.
2 reasons ankles keep rolling:
- Weak muscles
- Torn ligament
If the muscles are strong and the ligaments are weak, even wearing a brace will not prevent recurrent sprains. Surgery is recommended to avoid later degenerative ankle arthritis.
Myth – Bunion surgery doesn’t work – the bunion always returns
Reality – There are 100 types of procedures to fix bunions, 6 of which are commonly performed today. Non-operative treatment of bunions is usually unsuccessful, and is used as temporizing measures. But surgical treatment is largely successful in the long term.
Myth – Arch supports are important for children’s feet
Reality – All children have flatfeet at some time. This almost always corrects itself naturally. Arch supports can actually prevent this natural correction by artificially supporting the arch.
Myth – Cortisone injections only hurt a little and make all the heel pain from plantar fasciitis go away
Reality – Cortisone shots are painful when given into the tearing tissue, but less painful with given into and around the nerve. They can also lead to further tissue damage (50% of patients report pain 2 years after). Plantar fasciitis is the chronic tearing of the ligament on the bottom of the foot. It is best treated with an aggressive non-operative treatment when caught early. Surgery is recommended after an extended period of symptoms.
Non-operative Treatments include:
- Heel cups
- Night Splints
- NSAIDS
- Stretching exercises
- Modalities: Ice and massage
