If your foot hurts, and it feels like there is a stone in your shoe, you may be suffering from capsulitis.
Our foot is made up of 26 bones and often we ignore the load that the smaller bones of our foot undertake. The smaller bones are located in the balls of our feet, which is a high-pressure area.
Surrounding these bones are many soft tissue structures including nerves, synovial fluid for lubrication, small muscles to control the actions of the joints and ligaments to help support the structure of forefoot joints.
Causes of Capsulitis or “it feels like a stone in my shoe” :
- Inflammation of the surrounding capsule at the base of the toe.
- Injury causing the toes to bend backward aggressively or repetitively overstretching the ligaments leading to capsulitis.
- Due to its location the base of the second toe, right underneath the “ball” of the forefoot is the most commonly affected. However, the third and fourth toes can also be affected.
- If the second toe is longer than the first toe, bunions or flat feet can all cause an overload of pressure.
- High heel shoes overload the forefoot and also simultaneously flex the toes back stretching the ligament and capsules around the toes.
Symptom of Capsulitis:
- Pain when weight bearing in the ball of the foot.
- Burning sensations at the ball of the foot.
- Feeling of a stone under the ball of the foot when weight-bearing.
- Callus may or may not be under the area of pain as a result of increased pressure.
Treatment of Capsulitis:
If left untreated, further deterioration of the capsule around the base of the toe will occur.
We can help you to diagnose and treat this condition by;
- Watching the way that you walk and stand.
- Assessing your foot posture and function.
- Footwear assessments.
- Pinpointing the region of pain.
- Assessing ankle flexibility and calf strength.
The treatment is tailored to what is causing this condition and includes, but not limited to:
- Offloading the region and addressing foot posture with customised foot orthotics.
- Footwear advise and modifications.
- Shockwave therapy to heal the joint capsule and reduce pain.
- Foot mobilisation and manipulation with tools assisted massage and or dry needling of the calves and plantar fascia band. This releases soft tissue cohesions over stiff joints and helps to realign foot posture.
If you start to feel like a stone is under the base of your toe, burning sensations or pain under the ball of the foot, we suggest you come in to see us at Well Heeled Podiatry. We will assess your feet and give you advice to further prevent further damage and deterioration of your joint capsule.
