Experiencing any type of pain in your foot can make walking and other daily activities rather difficult. If you’re an athlete, you may experience Tarsal tunnel syndrome or tibial nerve dysfunction which is when pain is found in the foot. This condition sounds like carpal tunnel and although similar in some natures, they are both different conditions. So, how can a chiropractor help relieve painful symptoms that exist in the foot?
Your Anatomy
The foot is composed of many bones, joints and tendons and the joints between the tibia and fibula is where the tarsals are located or also known as the ankle. The joints between the tarsals and metatarsals (long mid-bones of foot) are analogous to the wrist bones and mid part of the hand. The joints between the metatarsals and phalanges (toes) are analogous to mid bones of the hand to finger.
The control panel for the body is the central nervous system as this is where the brain receives and communicates information to the body. There are many nerves as well as nerve fibers that innervate and control the foot. These nerves travel through tunnels and can be compressed.
The tarsal tunnel can be found on the inside of the ankle and its top boundary is a thick band of fibrous tissue called the flexor retinaculum and the floor is the posterior (back) part of the talus and calcaneus and the side of the lower part of the tibia called the medial malleolus. Through this channel, many nerves, blood vessels and other muscles can be found. The posterior tibial nerve is compressed in tarsal tunnel syndrome.
What to Look For
When this condition begins to surface, numbness, tingling, or pain in the heel or bottom of the foot may begin as well as changes in sensation of the first three toes on the foot. These symptoms can spread as high up as the ankle and the pain is described as a sharp- shooting pain.
Causes and Care
This condition occurs for a few different reasons with the more common causes being related to bone spurs, flat feet or overuse. Less common has been due to a cyst or benign tumor found in the foot. It is not uncommon for those who have this injury to also report that they also suffer from some type of lower back pain or sacroiliac joint restrictions.
How do our Atlanta chiropractors treat this condition? When the injury is related to joint stress, a chiropractic adjustment is performed which will help improve function and decrease swelling and pain from an impinged nerve.
So, don’t sell yourself short and reach out to our office today to learn about other ways we can help you recover from pain so you can get back on your feet in no time! Call us today at (404) 889-8828!