Foot Pain and Problems

Anatomy of the foot:

The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body, consisting of 28 bones connected by numerous joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot is susceptible to many stresses. Foot pain and problems can cause pain, inflammation, or injury, resulting in limited movement and mobility.

What are the different types of foot problems?

Foot pain is often caused by improper foot function. Improperly fitted shoes can worsen and, in some cases, cause foot problems. Shoes that fit properly and give good arch support can prevent irritation to the foot joints and skin. There are many types of foot problems that affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot.

The symptoms of foot problems may resemble other medical conditions and problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

What are heel spurs?

A heel spur is a bone growth on the heel bone. It is usually located on the underside of the heel bone where it attaches to the plantar fascia, a long band of connective tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot. This connective tissue holds the arch together and acts as a shock absorber during activity. If the plantar fascia is over-stretched from running, wearing poor-fitting shoes, or being overweight, pain can result from the stress and inflammation of the tissue pulling on the bone. Over time, the body builds extra bone in response to this stress resulting in heel spurs. Treatment options may include:

• rest
• cold packs
• anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen
• proper stretching prior to activity
• proper footwear or shoe inserts
• corticosteroid injections
• surgery (for more severe, prolonged conditions)

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What is a corn?

Corns are yellowish, callus growths that develop on top of the toes. Corns develop because of abuse or stress. Often, a corn develops where a toe rubs against a shoe or another toe. Corns can cause extreme discomfort and pain. Treatment may include:

• trimming the corn by shaving the layers of dead skin
• applying pads around the corn area
• wearing larger shoes to comfortably fit your foot without rubbing
• surgery

To avoid corn development, always purchase footwear that fits properly.

What is a bunion?

A bunion is a protrusion of bone or tissue around a joint. Bunions may occur at the base of the great toe or at the base of the little toe, and often occur when the joint is stressed over a period of time. Women are more frequently affected because they may wear tight, pointed, and confining shoes. Bunions can also be a result of arthritis which often affects the big toe joint.

Treatment of bunions may vary depending on the pain and deformity. Treatment may include:

• wearing comfortable, well-fitting footwear (particularly shoes that conform to the shape of the foot and do not cause pressure areas)
• surgery (for pain, not for cosmetic purposes)
• applying pads to the affected area
• medication such as ibuprofen

What is Morton's neuroma?

Morton's neuroma is a build-up of benign (non-cancerous) tissue in the nerves running between the long bones of the foot. Morton's neuroma occurs when two bones rub together and squeeze the nerve between them. Most often, neuromas develop between the bones leading to the third and fourth toes. Morton's neuroma often causes swelling, tenderness, and pain. If the pain becomes severe, it may cause tingling, numbness, and burning in the toes. It usually occurs after standing or walking for a long period of time. Treatment for this condition may involve rest and/or a change in footwear that does not restrict the foot. If the problem persists, cortisone injections and/or surgery may be considered.

What are hammertoes?

A hammertoe is a condition in which the toe buckles, causing the middle joint of the affected toe to poke out. This condition is often aggravated by tight-fitting shoes that put pressure on the hammertoe. Often a corn develops at this site. Treatment for hammertoes may include:

• applying a toe pad specially positioned over the bony protrusion
• changing your footwear to accommodate the deformed toe
• surgical removal

What is an ankle sprain?

An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments in the ankle. Ligaments are tough bands of elastic tissue that connect bones to each other. Ankle sprains may occur if the ankle rolls, turns, or twists beyond its normal range of motion. Ankle sprains may be caused by awkward foot placement, irregular surfaces, weak muscles, loose ligaments, or wearing shoes with spiked heels. The symptoms of a sprain will depend on how severely the ligaments are stretched or torn but usually include swelling, pain, or bruising. Treatment will depend on the severity of the sprain and may include:

• resting the ankle
• wrapping the ankle with elastic bandage or tape
• ice pack application (to reduce inflammation)
• elevating the ankle
• gradual return to walking and exercise
• a walking cast (for moderate sprains)
• surgery (for severe sprains)
• physical therapy

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What is a foot fracture?

With 26 bones in a single foot, almost any of them can be broken. Many fractures do not require surgery, or even a cast, as they will heal on their own with some support. When a foot is fractured, the site of the fracture usually is painful and swollen. The site of the fracture will determine the course of treatment, if necessary, including the following:

• ankle joint fractures
  These fractures may be serious and require immediate medical attention. Ankle fractures usually require a cast, and some may require surgery if the bones are too separated or misaligned.
• metatarsal bone fractures
  Fractures of the metatarsal bones, located in the middle of the foot, often do not require a cast. A stiff-soled shoe may be all that is needed for support as the foot heals. Sometimes, surgery is needed to correct misaligned bones or fractured segments.
• sesamoid bone fractures
  The sesamoid bones are two small, round bones at the end of the metatarsal bone of the big toe. Usually, padded soles can help relieve pain. However, sometimes, the sesamoid bone may have to be surgically removed.
• toe fractures
  Fractures of the toes normally can heal with or without a cast.

What is foot pain?

Foot pain can be debilitating to an active lifestyle. Foot pain can have many sources, from fractures and sprains to nerve damage. Listed below are three common areas of pain in the foot and their causes:

• pain in the ball of the foot
  Pain in the ball of the foot, located on the bottom of the foot behind the toes, may be caused by nerve or joint damage in that area. In addition, a benign (non-cancerous) growth, such as Morton's neuroma, may cause the pain. Corticosteroid injections and wearing supportive shoe inserts may help relieve the pain. Sometimes, surgery is necessary.
• plantar fasciitis
  Plantar fasciitis is characterized by severe pain in the heel of the foot, especially when standing up after resting. The condition is due to an overuse injury of the sole surface (plantar) of the foot and results in inflammation of the fascia, a tough, fibrous band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the base of the toes. Plantar fasciitis is more common in women, people who are overweight, people with occupations that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces, people with flat feet, and people with high arches. Walking or running, especially with tight calf muscles, may also cause the condition.
  Treatment may include:
  
  • rest
  • ice pack applications
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
  • stretching exercises of the Achilles tendons and plantar fascia
• Achilles tendon injury
  The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. It connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. However, this tendon is also the most common site of rupture or tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon due to overuse. Achilles tendonitis is caused by overuse of the tendon and calf muscles. Symptoms may include mild pain after exercise that worsens gradually, stiffness that disappears after the tendon warms up, and swelling. Treatment may include:
  
  • rest
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
  • supportive devices and/or bandages for the muscle and tendon
  • stretching
  • massage
  • ultrasound
  • strengthening exercises
  • surgery

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Article from Wexner Medical Center Ohio.

Magnets Can Manipulate Morality

Magnetic fields targeting the moral center of the brain could scramble our sense of right and wrong.

Magnets were able to temporarily distort
the participants' perception of morality.
Liane Young, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

THE GIST:

• Strong magnetic fields could affect moral judgment.
• Targeted magnetic fields can make people more inclined to judge outcomes, not intentions.
• The findings could have implications for neuroscience, as well as the legal system.

---

Magnets can alter a person's sense of morality, according to a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


Using a powerful magnetic field, scientists from MIT, Harvard University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are able to scramble the moral center of the brain, making it more difficult for people to separate innocent intentions from harmful outcomes. The research could have big implications for not only neuroscientists, but also for judges and juries.

"It's one thing to 'know' that we'll find morality in the brain," said Liane Young, a scientist at MIT and co-author of the article. "It's another to 'knock out' that brain area and change people's moral judgments."

Before the scientists could alter the brain's moral center, they first had to find it.

Young and her colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging to locate an area of the brain known as the right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ) which other studies had previously related to moral judgments. While muscle movement, language and even memory are found in the same place in each individual, the RTPJ, located behind and above the ear, resides in a slightly different location in each person.

For their experiment, the scientists had 20 subjects read several dozen different stories about people with good or bad intentions that resulted in a variety of outcomes.

One typical story was about a boyfriend who leads his girlfriend across a bridge. In some versions, the boyfriend harmlessly walked his girlfriend across the bridge with no ill effect. In other cases, the boyfriend intentionally led the girlfriend along so she would break her ankle. The subjects used a seven point scale -- one being forbidden and seven completely permissible -- to record whether they through the situation was morally acceptable or not.

While the subjects read the story, the scientists applied a magnetic field using a method known as transcranial magnetic stimulation. The magnetic fields created confusion in the neurons that make up the RTPJ, said Young, causing them to fire off electrical pulses chaotically.

The confusion in the brain made it harder for subjects to interpret the boyfriend's intent, said Young, and instead made the subjects focus solely on the situation's outcome. The effect was temporary and safe.
When no magnetic field was applied, the subjects focused more on the boyfriend's good intentions, rather than a bad outcome. When a magnetic field was applied to the RTPJ, the subjects consistently focused on a bad outcome, rather than the intention, and rated the story as more morally objectionable.

The scientists didn't permanently remove the subjects moral sensibilities. On the scientists' seven point scale, the difference was about one point and averaged out to about a 15 percent change. It's not much, said Young, "but it's still striking to see such a change in such high level behavior as moral decision-making." Young also points out that the study was correlation; their work only links the the RTJP, morality and magnetic fields, but doesn't definitively prove that one causes another.

The research could have powerful implications not just for neuroscientists, but for lawyers as well. Everyday jurors are asked to weigh a person's actions against their intentions. This new study won't transform the legal field, said Owen Jones, a professor of law and biology at Vanderbilt University, but it could "enable sophisticated judgments about responsibility, harm and appropriate punishment."

"This study, and other recent studies like it, are enabling us to peer into the very brain activity that underlies and enables legal judgments," said Jones. "Understanding how legal decisions actually work is a potentially important step toward helping decisions be as fair, just and effective as they can be."

What the new research won't do is allow a jury, or even an individual, to unwittingly manipulated to favor prosecutors or defendants. Because it was so obvious that the magnets were turned on, it is unlikely that a person or a group, like a jury, could be swayed to consider a criminal outcome instead of intent, said Young.
Magnetic fields made people judge outcomes more than intentions. Whether it's possible to do the opposite -- making people focus more on intentions than outcomes -- Young doesn't know.

Article by By Eric Bland for Discovery News

 

 

'Magnetic electricity' discovered

Photo: S Bramwell

Researchers have discovered a magnetic equivalent to electricity: single magnetic charges that can behave and interact like electrical ones.

The work is the first to make use of the magnetic monopoles that exist in special crystals known as spin ice.
Writing in Nature journal, a team showed that monopoles gather to form a "magnetic current" like electricity.
The phenomenon, dubbed "magnetricity", could be used in magnetic storage or in computing.
Magnetic monopoles were first predicted to exist over a century ago, as a perfect analogue to electric charges.

Although there are protons and electrons with net positive and negative electric charges, there were no particles in existence which carry magnetic charges. Rather, every magnet has a "north" and "south" pole.

Current event
In September this year, two research groups independently reported the existence of monopoles - "particles" which carry an overall magnetic charge. But they exist only in the spin ice crystals.

These crystals are made up of pyramids of charged atoms, or ions, arranged in such a way that when cooled to exceptionally low temperatures, the materials show tiny, discrete packets of magnetic charge.

Now one of those teams has gone on to show that these "quasi-particles" of magnetic charge can move together, forming a magnetic current just like the electric current formed by moving electrons.

They did so by using sub-atomic particles called muons, created at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) ISIS neutron and muon source near Oxford.

The muons decay millionths of a second after their production into other sub-atomic particles. But the direction in which these resulting particles fly off is an indicator of the magnetic field in a tiny region around the muons.

The team, led by Stephen Bramwell, from the London Centre for Nanotechnology, implanted these muons into spin ice to demonstrate how the magnetic monopoles moved around.

The loops of a magnetic field can be seen in the
arrangement of iron filings
Photo: SPL

They showed that when the spin ice was placed in a magnetic field, the monopoles piled up on one side - just like electrons would pile up when placed in an electric field.

Professor Bramwell told BBC News that the development is unlikely to catch on as a means of providing energy, not least because the particles travel only inside spin ices.

"We're not going to be seeing a magnetic light bulb or anything like that," he said.

But by engineering different spin ice
materials to modify the ways monopoles move through them, the materials might in future be used in "magnetic memory" storage devices or in spintronics - a field which could boost future computing power.


Article by By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News 

Magnetic Therapy: how and why magnets effect the body

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Have you ever read or have been told that "it is not known why magnets work"? Well, this is untrue. All human and animal bodies are electromagnetic in nature and this fact is closely allied to the chemical balance of the body which can be in either a healthy or an unhealthy state.

It is now known scientifically that a healthy body contains fluids that are slightly alkaline and that an unhealthy body is acidic. A poor diet can make the body acidic and in this state all sorts of dis-eases will thrive. (Dr John Millward MD, "Your Life in the Balance", available on our website.)

It is also known that at damaged sites in the body, exists a positive electrical charge which affects both the chemical balance the electrical balance in the area resulting in pain. In order to effect healing, the body's own systems send a negative electrical charge to the area. (Dr Robert Becker, "The Body Electric")

This healing action of the body is easily restricted by poor diet, lifestyle, alcohol, drugs etc. There is also a lot of evidence of something called "Magnetic Deficiency Syndrome" being a major contributor to restricting the body's ability to respond to illness. I will be looking in depth at this syndrome in a later article.

• It is now firmly established that a negative magnetic field, provided by a geomagnetic north pole magnetic field (the same as the Earth's North Pole), is the most natural way of providing much needed support for the body's own immune system.

Dr W Philpott MD, a practitioner of magnet therapy for over 40 years explains that negative magnetic fields oxygenate and alkalise by aiding the body's defences and helping to relieve pain. Further, they combat inflammation and infection and enhance deep restorative sleep.

This latter point is extremely important. In order to combat maladies that result from the stress of our current lifestyles, the correct amount of good quality sleep is essential. Combine this with the possibility of at least reducing the amount of powerful drugs taken and what results is a completely natural complementary therapy.

It is probably wise at this stage just to say that anyone reading this article that is undergoing a course of treatment with a health professional should not stop the treatment but consider using magnetic therapy in support. Also, magnetic therapy should not be used if any electronic implants are present in the body.
Given the correct choice and placement of magnetic device, this is probably the most effective alternative therapy available. Typical successful application results in 80 to 90% of cases, higher with some forms of dis-ease. Magnet therapy can be applied by you whenever and wherever needed. Modern materials technology has produced small powerful inexpensive magnets which can be used anywhere on the body and can be moved about to find the best positions. Sleeping on magnets provides a most efficacious application.
In the next article in this series, I will be looking at the subject of magnets, their strength measurement and a complete explanation of polarity.

-------------------------------------------
Barry Dench is a qualified electrical engineer, who in 1996 applied his knowledge of magnetism to research the effects of magnetic fields on the biological body. Author of "The Essential Magnetherapy Handbook" and numerous articles on the use of magnets, he can be contacted at his website:- www.magnecare.co.uk . Previous articles in this series can be found in the Article Library on the author's website.

Source: 

Barry Dench        

By Armen Hareyan for Emax Health

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