According to a recent survey by the American Podiatry Medical Association,
42% of women admitted that they would wear heels they loved in spite of
them being painful to their feet. It’s no secret that many people are
willing to sacrifice comfort for looks. The phrase “beauty is pain” has
been around for decades and hasn’t seemed to wane. High heels are
currently as popular as ever in American fashion, and their average
height has only increased. If women are willing to admit high heels are
often painful, the real issue isn’t a question of if they’re detrimental, but a matter of how detrimental they are. Based off of research by the Journal of Applied Physiology that was featured on the Today Show,
women who routinely wear high heels will actually start to mimic their
high heeled stance while barefoot. This same research has demonstrated
that excessive heel wearing can lead to shortened calf muscle fibers,
exceptionally tight Achilles tendons, and other foot and ankle related
conditions. This opens the door to tendon rupture, muscular pathologies,
and gait abnormalities that can become serious lower extremity health
conditions.
If
you are currently experiencing pain in the calf and or foot and are a
consistent heel wearer, consider visiting a Podiatrist to assess your
lower extremity health. Dr. Michael Garvin of Port Saint Lucie, Florida has been treating patients suffering from lower extremity pain for years. Dr. Garvin
is a board certified Podiatrist that focuses on healing patients, and
preventing future complications. For further information regarding your
feet visit his website here.
Haglund’s deformity
is characterized by pain on the back of the lateral heel. This is due
to bony enlargement of the calcaneus, which in turn causes soft tissue
swelling when rubbed against shoe gear. Often times in a Haglund’s deformity
retrocalcaneal bursitis is present. This is simply irritation of a
small fluid filled sac that lies between the Achilles tendon and the
calcaneus. As previously stated, patients suffering from Haglund’s deformity
generally present with symptoms of pain, redness and swelling on the
back of the outside heel.
Haglund’s deformity is sometimes referred to
as a “pump bump” due to its presence being accredited to the “pump”
style shoe that often cause it. However, Haglund’s deformity
doesn’t only manifest due to calcaneal irritation from pump shoes. Mens
dress shoes, ice skates, and any shoes with a rigid back can also cause
this soft tissue swelling.
If Haglund’s deformity is a condition that parallels something you’re currently experiencing please visit Dr. Michael Garvin’s website for more information, or if you’re in the Port Saint Lucie, Florida area, schedule an appointment at one of his offices. 
Morton’s Neuroma is
classified as a nerve compression syndrome involving the common digital nerves
found alongside the toes. A neuroma is a
growth or tumor of nerve tissue that can develop due to habitual pressure and
irritation. This tumor that develops at the affected nerve is known as
perineural fibrosis. Morton’s
neuroma is most commonly seen at the 3rd common digital nerve, in the 3rd interspace
of the forefoot near the toes. This condition is most common in women, and
during middle age. The etiology of Morton’s neuroma surrounds nerve compression
due to impingement of the nerve by a deep ligament, or the adjacent metatarsal
heads. The compression that is the primary cause of this nerve irritation is
generally caused by, but not limited to; shoes that have a narrow toe box, high
heeled shoes, or pathologies that stem from irregularities in the gait cycle.
The
symptoms that generally present with a Morton’s neuroma are
pain that radiates to the toes, or more proximally into the foot, burning,
numbness and tingling. Additionally, the pain is often times described as
sharp. Many patients will describe the feeling or sensation of having a pebble
or sock bunched up under the ball of their foot. Pain usually worsens with
walking, and is almost always further exacerbated by wearing shoes that cause
compression at the metatarsal heads.
The
diagnosis of a Morton’s
neuroma is based upon clinical presentation. A podiatrist like Dr. Michael Garvin will use a
variety of minimally invasive techniques to accurately diagnose this nerve
condition, so patients can get back to being pain free as soon as possible. If
any of these aforementioned symptoms sound similar to pain you’re currently
experiencing do not hesitate to contact one of Dr. Garvin’s offices in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, or
browse through his website for
additional information.
