What is sesamoiditis?
Sesamoiditis causes pain at the ball of the foot, beneath the big toe joint. Sesamoid bones are embedded in a tendon, much like the kneecap, acting to increase the leverage of the tendons that control the big toe. Due to their location and function, sesamoid bones are subjected to massive pressure and forces every time the big toe is used to push the foot forward.
What causes sesamoiditis?
Sesamoiditis develops when your sesamoid bones, the two very small bones located under the big toe joint, are irritated or injured due to overuse and repetitive impact.
Symptoms of sesamoiditis
The symptoms of sesamoiditis tend to worsen gradually. What might start as a mild ache, can quickly increase to an intense throbbing. As the severity of sesamoiditis increases, it can become difficult to put any weight on the big toe or walk comfortably. You may also notice swelling or redness around the big toe joint, and pain when trying to bend the toe upwards.
Injuries to the sesamoid bones can range from mild irritation to a fracture (or break). It’s important to seek treatment early, to help prevent the problem and pain from worsening.
Who suffers from sesamoiditis?
While anyone can develop sesamoiditis, those participating in activities that involve repetitive loading of the ball of the foot such as in dancing, sprinting or even walking, are more likely to suffer from this condition. People with prominent foot bones, higher arched feet, markedly flat feet or those who tend to run on the ball of their foot also tend to be more prone to sesamoiditis.
Sesamoiditis treatment
Sesamoiditis treatment is very specific to the person and the symptoms they’re experiencing, but usually starts with helping to settle the painful symptoms. This is done through alleviating pressure away from the sesamoid bones using padding, strapping, or orthotics, as well as using ice, oral anti-inflammatories, and temporarily stopping the activity that’s causing the pain.
From here, the goal is to help heal the damaged bones and surrounding tissues, while treating any contributing factors to help prevent sesamoiditis from coming back in the future. We often use a combination of full-length custom orthotics with supportive footwear to achieve this. The orthotic is designed in a way that deflects pressure away from the big toe joint, instead redistributing the pressure over the lesser toes at the ball of the foot. Orthotics can also help address contributing factors like flat feet(pes planus), high arched feet (pes cavus), bunions or those with reduced plantar fat padding. In the case of persistent severe sesamoiditis or stress fractures of the sesamoids, the use of a short leg pneumatic walker with rocker sole (walking cast) for 2 to 6 weeks may be required. Failing this, an injection of steroids or surgery may be considered.
Sesamoiditis surgery
In severe cases or following a true fracture of the sesamoids, surgery may be required to remove the damaged or fragmented sesamoid bone. In some cases, due to reduced blood supply, there may be delayed or absent healing and a surgical review is warranted.
Expected outcome
Most individuals will have an immediate improvement in symptoms once the pressure is removed from the sesamoids using orthotics and deflective padding. If there are no complications, complete resolution can be achieved within months.
Sesamoiditis FAQs
How long does sesamoiditis take to heal?
Sesamoiditis normally heals within a few days for mild cases with the help of resting, icing and anti-inflammatory medication. However, the healing period will differ case-by-case depending on the severity. If symptoms don’t fade within a week or two, your doctor may recommend other forms of treatment which will prolong the recovery time.
Is sesamoiditis permanent?
If sesamoiditis is triggered and untreated for a prolonged period, permanent damage can be caused in the sesamoid bones in the feet. However, if treated in the early stages, it can be managed. Often, the best treatment for sesamoiditis is resting and avoiding (or changing) the routines that trigger it (dancing, running, etc).
How do you cure sesamoiditis?
Sesamoiditis cannot be definitively cured, as there is always a risk of re-triggering it. It can be managed and prevented, though. This may require a lifestyle change, like regular resting and icing after strenuous activities, or avoiding triggering activities all-together. It is important to start treatment in the early stages to avoid permanent damage and to return to your normal lifestyle as soon as possible.
How We Can Help
Custom Foot Orthotics
What are orthotics used for?
Custom foot orthotics are shoe inserts designed to support the natural shape of the foot, align the ankle and improve posture and foot function in general. At My FootDr our podiatrists prescribe orthotics to treat a range of foot, ankle, leg and lower back conditions.
Footwear
What Are Orthopaedic Shoes?
The shoes you wear become your ground. They can give you support, stability and comfort – or put you at risk of injury or pain from blisters, corns, ankle sprains and more.
Orthopaedic shoes are shoes containing features that are designed to help your feet and legs, providing support to your lower limbs to keep you walking comfortably step after step, day after day.
We are not referring to custom-made shoes for unique foot problems - a good, supportive shoe with the right features can be considered an “orthopaedic” (foot-friendly) shoe and these are the types of shoes that we stock at My FootDr retail centres.
What Do Orthopaedic Shoes Do?
Good shoes can give you the support you need, in the area you need it. This may look like:
Support in the arch
Heel and forefoot cushions for better shock absorption, pressure distribution and off-loading
Different widths to better suit an individual’s foot (we fit you with the specific shoe width you require)
The right strapping mechanisms for best support, whether that be laces, velcro or buckles
Seamless designs - fewer potential areas for friction and rubbing
Firm heel counters for optimum rearfoot support and control
Wide toe boxes to minimise the risk of damage to the toes and maximise comfort
Do I Need Orthopaedic Shoes?
While all shoes serve as a barrier between the skin of our feet and the outside world, protecting them from damage like cuts, orthopaedic shoes can also do a lot more for us. This is why we recommend these foot-friendly shoes for anyone, whether they are recovering from pain or injury, are wanting to reduce their risk of future injury, or just want to stay comfortable on their feet. We recommend these shoes in any circumstances that you’re doing a significant amount of activity on your feet - whether that’s going for daily walks or runs, at work as a nurse, tradie or other high step count role like running after the kids.
Why Is Correctly Fitting Footwear Important?
A comfortable and correctly fitted shoe is paramount to good foot health, the effectiveness of foot orthotics, and an active and happy quality of life. It can improve your comfort on your feet significantly, reduce your risk of injury from things like muscle/tendon overuse and falls, as well as help you recover from any problems or pains you may be experiencing currently.
What Shoe Brands Are Orthopaedic Friendly?
We stock a large range of orthopaedic footwear including Ziera, Naot, Vionic, Merrell, Saucony, Clarks, Revere, Birkenstock and more. You can view our range in our clinics or shop online. To learn more about each brand, click on the links at the bottom of the page.
Where To Get Orthopaedic Shoes
Finding the right shoes, and knowing what to look for, is not always an easy task, especially if you wear orthotics or have foot or leg problems. Orthopaedic shoes are available from most My FootDr clinics with fully trained shoe fitters capable of finding and fitting the perfect shoe for you. Call ahead to check with your local centre.
If your nearest My FootDr does not stock a shoe range, we will be happy to recommend the best shoe brands, styles and where you can purchase them locally - just ask your podiatrist.
Footwear FAQ’s
What is the best orthopaedic shoe?
The best shoe for you may be different from what the best shoe is for someone else. This depends on your foot type posture, where the areas of high pressure beneath your feet are, any areas of rubbing, whether you have bunions or other prominences, your stability on your feet, injury history, and more. The range of shoes we stock is a great start if you want to browse yourself, though we recommend taking advantage of our free trained shoe consultant to help you find the best orthopaedic shoe for your feet.
What running shoes do podiatrists recommend?
Like we mentioned in the last question, it really depends on your foot type, foot characteristics, and what kind of support you’d benefit from the most. This can also change depending on what kind of physical activities you take part in and how often.
What shoes do podiatrists recommend for plantar fasciitis?
Due to the nature of plantar fasciitis, shoes that offer a good level of arch support tend to feel best for those suffering from damage to their plantar fascia. Remember, it’s always important to consider shoes in relation to their suitability for your feet.
Video Gait Analysis
Video gait analysis is an advanced form of movement analysis that assists us in diagnosing complex motion-related pathologies of the foot, ankle, knee hip and lower back.
Related Articles
Why Does The Bottom Of My Foot Hurt?
It is one of the most asked questions we get: why does the bottom of my foot hurt so much? Conditions such as heel or arch pain can make waking up and getting out of bed every morning difficult.
Is It Normal To Wake Up With Sore Feet?
o you wake up with a sharp pain in your heel, arch or foot?
Do you get pain the moment you put your feet on the ground and take that first step?
Does the pain tend to ease as you keep walking, but can return when you rest and put your feet up during the day?
Do you have sore feet after running?
As the fun run season approaches, a lot of athletes are training hard to achieve their fitness goals. However, if you're waking up with sore feet, heels or legs after a run, in most cases, it’s treatable and preventable.