Posts for: March, 2012
We've all seen someone with a bunion but did you know this condition also can affect children? Juvenile Hallux Abducto Valgus (HAV) is the scientific name for a bunion of the big toe. The word Hallux refers to the big toe and Abducto Valgus refers to the angulation that develops within the big toe joint. A bunion consists of a hard bony bulge at the joint of the big toe, and often the big toe will lean in towards the smaller toes. Though bunions are more common in adults than children, Juvenile HAV can present in children as young as six years old, and can affect anyone.
The signs and symptoms of Juvenile HAV begin with the physical signs; the area around the big toe joint may become swollen, large and prominent. The big toe may also lean in towards the smaller toes. Other symptoms generally include pain in the area, limitation or more difficulty walking and problems can arise with wearing normal footwear. If left untreated Juvenile HAV can cause problems for your child later in life when they become adults.
Treatment options range from buying wider shoes to custom made orthotics to surgery. The main objective is to control excessive abnormal pronation to reduce the medial forces acting upon the bunion. Reducing this force and stress will assist in proper weight redistribution away from the bunion. Symptoms will often improve within a few days. Orthotics help control this motion by supporting the arch of the foot and reducing excessive pronation (flattening of the foot) redistributing weight away from the bunion at toe off.
If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s feet, it’s best to consult with one of the Podiatrists at Foot & Ankle Specialists of Nashville, Smyrna, or Carthage
More information is available at childrenspodiatry.com
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Don't Play Through Pain
As the weather warms up more children and adults will go outside and get active. Exercising is excellent for your overall health but sometimes athletes can be their own worst enemy, especially when they continue to play following an injury to thier foot or ankle. Foot & Ankle Specialists of Nashville suggests you seek proper diagnosis and prompt treatment if you are continuing to limp or have continued pain that doesn't subside within a few days. Of course, if you think you may have any kind of acute injury you should seek immediate medical attention.
Athletes often misunderstand how serious an injury can be and try to rush back into playing without appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. Some of the most difficult cases seen by foot and ankle surgeons are those in which athletes have continued to play after an injury. Sometimes serious injuries can exist even when the foot or ankle is able to accept weight or pressure. One such injury that may be overlooked is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal, the bone that runs along the outer side of the foot. This can somtimes occur with an ankle sprain and the athlete may think it is only a sprain. However, this injury is difficult to heal, and continuing to participate in sports will make it worse. Tammy Sands from US Tae Kwon Do Academy in La Vergne, TN (near our Smyrna office at Stonecrest Medical Center) says she always advises her athletes to seek medical treatment if the pain doesn’t subside. “I like to refer to Foot & Ankle Specialists of Nashville if one of my martial artists has had a foot injury. I feel a doctor should be the one to judge if it’s ok to continue training rather than just continuing to train through the pain,” says Master Sands (https://www.ustaekwondoacademy.us/).
"Grin and bear it" is never a good strategy for athletes. Prompt treatment by a qualified foot and ankle doctor can determine the best course of treatment for the specific injury and help get athletes back on the field.
