The painful foot, Part II: Common rearfoot deformities.

As with deformities of the forefoot, deformities of the rearfoot often respond well to conservative therapy. Rest and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications are often used. Patients with plantar fasciitis may benefit from corticosteroid injections.

The painful foot, Part I: Common forefoot deformities.

The incidence of forefoot pain and deformity increases with age. Metatarsal stress fracture may be diagnosed by palpating each metatarsal head. Clinical diagnosis of interdigital neuroma is made by applying top-to-bottom pressure to the suspected interspace with one hand while applying side-to-side pressure across the forefoot with the other hand.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy involving the foot.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy often presents with the subjective chief symptom of pain. This paper demonstrates that careful study of the subtle and often cyclical objective signs can be used to assess the state of the disease. It may also evaluate progress of treatment.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Objective clinical signs in diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis and follow-up treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy is difficult because of the subjective, nonspecific nature of its primary symptom, burning pain. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy with epidural nerve blocks improves clinical resolution. Temperature difference between extremities and dependent cyanosis are reliable objective signs for clinical diagnosis and the evaluation of progress for treatment for reflex sympathetic dystrophy.