Simple Blood Treatment Helps Heal Many Sports Injuries

Could the injection of a patient's blood directly to an injured area speed the healing of everything from tendinitis to ligament tears? Many sports medicine experts think so. In fact, many believe that it has been effective in up to 80 percent of the cases in which it was put to the test. The New York Times explains that the technique, called platelet rich plasma therapy, places a small amount of the patient’s blood in a centrifuge that rotates at high speed, separating red blood cells from the platelets that release proteins and other particles involved in the body’s self-healing process.

Surgery Overview

This is general information about bunion surgery and may not apply to a specific kind of bunion repair.

What is a hammertoe?

Patients often refer to all forms of toe abnormalities as a hammer toe. There are in fact four main forms of toe abnormalities, hammer toes, claw toes, mallet toes and trigger toes. A hammertoe can be best described as an abnormal contraction or "buckling" of a toe. This occurs due to a partial or complete dislocation of one of the joints that form the toe. As the toe continues to be deformed, it will press up against the shoe and may cause corns.

High impact exercise, excess weight, arthritis - even standing on concrete for long periods - all can lead to a heel spur. With every step, the foot absorbs tremendous force. The heel strikes the ground with 2,000 pounds of force per 100 pounds of body weight. Most of the shock is absorbed by a muscle called the plantar fascia, an elastic-like band that stretches along the bottom of the foot and protects it from the stress of day-to-day activities.

Symptoms

Neuroma pain is classically described as a burning pain in the forefoot. It can also be felt as an aching or shooting pain in the forefoot. Patients with this problem frequently say they feel like they want to take off their shoes and rub their foot. It may occur in the middle of a run or at the end of a long run. If your shoes are quite tight it may occur very early in the run.

Metatarsal Osteotomy in the treatment of metatarsalgia

In severe cases of calluses, which usually occur on the plantar aspect (bottom) of the foot, an IPK can develop. An IPK is, in medical terminology, an Intractable, meaning that it will not go away, Plantar, meaning bottom of the foot, Keretosis, meaning a deep seated painful callus that usually occurs under a weight bearing metatarsal (long bone of the foot).

For many people having corns and calluses on their feet is commonplace - part of the daily wear and tear from sports, jogging or just being on their feet for long periods of time. But for people with certain medical conditions, even a minor injury can lead to a foot ulcer (open sore) that may have serious consequences, even amputation.