Foot Problems

The problems of the musculoskeletal system - the bane of modern society. And the blame for this is not so much sedentary living and working conditions ultratsivilizovannogo man as conscious or unconscious violation of the laws of biological mechanics that govern every bone and every bunch of human musculoskeletal system. Very often suffer foot. To understand what is meant and how it happens, let's first consider the ligaments of the foot.

Longitudinal section of the stop has a horizontal S-shaped .  It is formed due to the presence of special connective ligaments having high strength .  This is not surprising, because the ligaments have to bear the weight of the entire body! The curved shape of the stop is observed not only in the longitudinal but also in the transverse direction and is great importance, performing the function of a damper .  To understand the importance of this function, remember how unpleasant to go in public transport, which is quite sensitive "shakes" .  This is due to a malfunction of special springs - springs, designed to mitigate the vibration of each contact with the wheel ruts, tussock or different objects .  At the same time almost every pebble driver with passengers feeling the .  Roughly the same thing will happen with the loss of their natural physiological foot shape .  Such deformation in medicine called flat-footed, and requires orthopedic correction because over time in the pathological process involved the ankle, knee, and even hip, and then himself spine .  This happens due to the fact that the vibration of the foot contact with the earth's surface is transmitted over the bones and ligaments of the joints in the upstream, gradually destroying them .  Normally, as such vibration does not spread to other tissues: first, to the surface steps are not all stop, and only three of its limited area (the base of the head of the first toe, heel and outer part), and secondly, the vibrations are damped arches like spring .

The most annoying is that we ourselves are often the cause of flatfoot in themselves and their children .  In pursuit of the beautiful shoes, we often do not pay attention to its functionality .  And in vain! Not only that most of us polzuemoy shoe does not have sufficient internal bulge insoles (or even with a completely flat surface), that an orthopedic point of view, completely wrong, so more and shoes can be uncomfortable, cramped, or too large .  All these factors contribute to the development of flat feet, especially in children, whose ligaments have not formed completely .  More often found in flat representatives charming sex who, sacrificing their own comfort and "breaking" legs go in a totally awkward, but beautiful shoes, but still not huge heels .  And all this "self-harm" begins in adolescence .  Therefore, there is nothing strange in the fact that more than half of girls and women suffer from some degree of flatfoot .

Fight with flat feet

The first symptoms of flat feet may be swelling and leg fatigue increased, especially at the end of the day. Over time, there are pain in the soles and ankle joints, and larger feet. Soon they may become so intense that the walk would be almost impossible. The far-advanced cases may be inflammation of the joints Inflammation of the joints - how to relieve the pain?   and pathological processes in the spine with all its consequences. To avoid these unpleasant symptoms allow orthotics with appropriate support for the arch. And their use is recommended not only for flat feet, but also in normal shape of the foot for the prevention of its pathological deformation.

Correctly pick appropriate orthotics help qualified orthopedic surgeon. It will assess the extent of disease, a form of flat feet, arch elasticity and other important details. However, the main criterion for correctly chosen orthopedic insoles is your own comfort. If there is the slightest inconvenience, soles should be changed or adjusted. In order to assess the suitability of the product to you, remove the shoes of her "native" and insert orthopedic insoles. Now hikes, will run, jump and listen to their feelings. If the discomfort does not arise, the insoles are suitable for you.

Orthopedic insoles not only restore form and physiology of the foot, but also to reduce the pain in the joints and spine. However, so they last a long time for them to care: washed periodically with special detergent and dry, but not on the battery or the fireplace, or insoles will lose its original shape and elasticity!

To maintain therapeutic effect orthotics to be worn continuously. And if children and adolescents have a good chance of a cure flatfoot Flatfoot - help physiotherapy , The adult will likely have to wear orthotics rest of your life, so as not to aggravate the existing disease. However, this is not a sentence, but rather a harsh necessity, which does not require the application of superhuman effort.

  Zhiguli Andrew

Treatment of leg edema

Venous insufficiency

One of the most common causes of leg swelling is venous insufficiency. To treat it is recommended to wear compression socks or stockings, creating pressure of 30 to 40 mm Hg. Art., as well as raising the legs above heart level during the holidays. You can, for example, sleep, placing a pillow under your feet high. If you suspect that arterial insufficiency is necessary to determine the ankle-brachial index of systolic pressure. Patients with arterial insufficiency compression therapy is contraindicated. If compression stockings Compression stockings for health and beauty legs   do not help, it can be used intermittent pneumatic compression - treatment with a special pump.

According to several scientific studies, horse chestnut seed extract is useful in the treatment of edema caused by venous insufficiency. The recommended dose - 300 mg twice daily (or 50 mg escin - a derivative of horse chestnut seed extract). Escin contained in the extract inhibits elastase and hyaluronidase - enzymes which play a significant role in the pathophysiology of chronic venous insufficiency. However, it should be noted that the efficiency of the tool is moderate, moreover, acquire it can be quite difficult. Diuretics (e.g., furosemide 20-40 mg once a day, in combination with food additives Food additives - basic classification Containing potassium) may for brief periods of time to take patients with severe edema. However, chronic administration of diuretics in patients with venous insufficiency may develop severe metabolic complications.

Idiopathic edema

Idiopathic edema can develop in women at any time between the first menstruation and menopause, but most often they are found in the age between 20 and 40 years. Though such swelling and called periodic or cyclic, their symptoms persisted throughout the menstrual cycle. Idiopathic edema should not be confused with premenstrual edema (the latter appears a few days before menstruation, and held a few days after it began, the reason for the formation of such edema is unclear). Violation leads to abnormal fluid retention in soft tissues of the feet, and often women notice that the weight increases during the day - an average of 0.7 kg, but sometimes - 1.4 kg or more. Many patients complain of swelling is not only down, but also the face and hands. The exact cause of idiopathic edema is not defined, but it is a violation associated with obesity, depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood   and abuse of diuretics, which many young women use for weight reduction.

For the treatment of idiopathic edema may be appointed spironolactone, since many patients with such swelling often diagnosed with secondary hyperaldosteronism. Starting dose - from 50 to 100 mg per day (maximum - 100 mg four times a day). If spironolactone prove ineffective, treatment may be supplemented with low-dose thiazide diuretics (eg, hydrochlorothiazide - 25 mg daily). It is necessary to regularly check the levels of potassium in the blood. Loop diuretics are best avoided.

Taking diuretics should be the early evening, as in this time of day the swelling is usually most noticeable. Patients suffering from idiopathic edema are also advised to avoid exposure to high temperatures, a diet low in salt, avoid excessive consumption of fluids, and those who is overweight, you should lose weight. If the doctor suspects that the patient has depression, eating disorders, and / or it automatically takes diuretics or laxatives, perhaps, it should be referred to a psychologist or a registered dietitian.

Compression stockings in treating idiopathic edema legs typically inefficient and sometimes cause unwanted side effects.

Many patients complaining of idiopathic edema, at the time of visit to the doctor for quite some time and excessively take diuretics. Chronic use of diuretics can lead to mild hypovolemia, resulting in stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. If you cancel preparations swelling increases, and the patient is usually that they need to continue taking them. However, for effective treatment in such cases should stop taking diuretics for 3-4 weeks; the physician should warn the patient that the swelling may temporarily worsen, and that this is a normal reaction to the abolition of the drug. If four weeks later, the swelling will not go, you must start taking spironolactone.

Lymphoedema

When lymph edema commonly used non-specific treatment - exercise Myths about exercise: do not believe , Compression therapy (including intermittent pneumatic compression), manual lymph drainage, and surgery (in extreme cases, when other treatments do not help). Measures should be taken to prevent or treat opportunistic infections - such as athlete's foot or cellulite. Diuretics when lymphoedema is usually useless. The treatment process is long and lymph edema often do not produce the desired results, therefore, is very important psychological support for patients with this disease.

Deep vein thrombosis

Acute deep venous thrombosis usually treated heparins with low molecular weight. For example, it can be assigned to receive enoxaparin - subcutaneously, every 12 hours; Dosage - 1 mg per kilogram body weight. Along with heparin sometimes prescribed warfarin. In the first two days, the dose is from 5 to 10 mg, and then it is gradually increased. Admission heparin continues for at least five days (ten days - in the case of severe thrombosis iliac veins). On the third and tenth day after the initiation of heparin therapy is necessary to determine the level of platelets in the blood, to prevent heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

If the patient is contraindicated anticoagulants for the treatment can be assigned in the filter implantation inferior vena cava. Thrombolytic drugs are usually used to treat patients with circulatory venous gangrene, whose symptoms are severe pain and diskoloratsiya skin on the feet.