Patient Information

Also called Pre-Hallux Syndrome. An unusual "extra" bony extension of the navicular bone. An accessory navicular can cause pain at the fibrous interface between the extra bone and the navicular bone; a condition that commonly presents in adolescents with an accessory navicular. Alternatively, symptoms can occur due to the prominence of the bone on the inside of the foot.

Inflammation of an apophysis (Greek word meaning a process or projection of a bone). When discussing the foot, the term is primarily confined to the irritation of the back of the heel bone in children. In fact, it may represent an inflammation of the Achilles tendon or bursa, rather than a bone. Also called Sever’s Disease.

A surgical procedure to directly view and operate within a joint through small puncture wounds.

A bony is a bony prominence that forms on the base of where your big toe attaches to your foot. It is categorized by pain and stiffness in the joint of the big toe.

Another way to say high arches.

A nerve that runs to your toe.

Flexing your foot upwards, towards your shin.

The more rare type of ankle sprain. An eversion sprain occurs when your ankle rolls inward, stressing the medial ankle ligaments.

Muscles that originate outside of the foot but cross into the foot to aid in movement.

Gait is another term for your stride or the way you walk.

As we explained on this page, gout is an arthritic condition that is caused by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. A poor diet or heavy alcohol use can lead to elevated levels of uric acid, which can then crystallize in the joints of your toe and cause painful inflammation.

Hallux means “big toe” and rigidus means it is rigid or stiff.

The abnormal curing of your smaller toes caused by flexion of the first toe joint and extension of the metatarsal phalangeal joint.

A toenail that is growing or putting abnormal pressure on the side of your nail bed instead of growing straight forward.

Muscles contained solely in the foot.

The more common type of ankle sprain. An inversion sprain occurs when your ankle rolls outward, stressing the lateral ankle ligaments.

Lateral means on the outside or the furthest away from your body, so when we talk about lateral ankle ligaments, we’re talking about the ligaments on the outside/far side of your foot.

Closer to the central line of the body. The medial ankle ligaments are on the inside/inner part of your foot.

Localized pain under the metatarsal heads in your forefoot, often caused by repetitive stress.

The long bones in your midfoot at the base of the phalanges. Each toe has one metatarsal.

As opposed to an “open” procedure, a minimally invasive operation typically requires smaller openings and surgery performed with the assistance of a micro-camera connected to a tube that is inserted into the body. This type of operation is less taxing on the body and reduces the likelihood of infection or bleeding.

A thickened or irritated nerve. When it occurs in the toes, it’s classified as Morton’s Neuroma.

This operation is more invasive, as a doctor typically makes a larger incision to access the surgical site without the assistance of a camera. When a minimally invasive operation cannot be performed, surgeons use the open surgery technique.

A support, brace or device used to align, support or prevent an action in a body part. An example of an orthotic device would be a shoe insert to correct flat feet.

The phalanges are the small bones that make up your toe at the head of the metatarsal

This condition is caused by inflammation in the thick band of tissue, known as the plantar fascia, that runs across the base of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.

The downward motion of the ankle joint and the opposite of dorsiflexion. When push off your foot while running, your foot is in moving from dorsiflexion to plantar flexion.

The turning out of the hindfoot. Some pronation is good, but overpronation can stress the ligaments of the ankle.

The overstretching or injury of the ligaments of the ankle

The inward turning of the foot, the opposite of pronation.

The talus is one of the major bones that forms the ankle joint. It helps connect the lower leg to the foot, and it sits below the tibia and fibula.

Irritation of the tibial nerve.

A collect of fibers that attach bone to muscle.

Inflammation in the tendon.

The longer bone in your lower leg, near the tibia. It runs from the knee to the ankle.

A procedure which fuses together the three main bones in the hindfoot.