Hi, “Everything looks normal.”
Foot and Ankle Care
These are the words we commonly hear from our patients. For instance, they might experience chronic pain in the big toe joint, yet the joint looks good and functions normally. There isn’t a specific incident that led to the pain either.
We often take for granted how much we abuse our feet. The amount of wear and tear they endure daily is usually overlooked. Everyday activities can easily lead to problems. When pain persists in a joint, such as the big toe, our job is to make the invisible visible.
Something often lies deep within the joint that is invisible on a standard X-ray. Acting as the “detectives” we are, we know that an MRI in these circumstances will reveal the problem. A small defect in the cartilage of the big toe joint can lead to chronic pain. This type of defect, often resulting from normal wear and tear, is common in other joints of the foot or ankle as well.
Here’s the important point we want to make:
Just because there wasn’t an injury and everything looks normal doesn’t mean there isn’t something wrong. Logic tells us that foot pain should come with visible signs such as swelling or bruising. However, foot pain isn’t always logical.
The sooner we can make the invisible visible, the sooner we can get your foot back to health. Chronic big toe joint soreness undoubtedly leads to pain elsewhere in the foot, knee, hip, or back. “Powering through” the pain can have long-term consequences, including the need for avoidable surgery.
Non-invasive remedies are plentiful for many of these invisible conditions, especially if we address them early enough. So, when “everything looks normal” but doesn’t feel normal, give us a call.
To Healthy Feet,
Anthony
Flagstaff Foot Doctors
421 North Humphreys Street
(928) 774-4825