Kelly Ripa - Calcaneonavicular Coalition - The Texas Foot Specialists

Kelly Ripa is an amazing dancer but right after breaking her foot, it was found that she was suffering from calcaneonavicular coalition. This is a congenital deformity seen on the feet. Some show symptoms or pain while others don’t have any symptoms at all.

What is calcaneonavicular coalition?

Calcaneonavicular coalition or tarsal coalition is a medical condition in which two or more bones in the foot are joined. Patients with this congenital condition usually shows symptoms during adolescence but there are also cases that presentations of symptom happen during adulthood.

To learn more about Trench feet, consult a podiatrist. Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller are Podiatrists who specialize in helping people with foot disorders.

What are some ofthe causes of calcaneonavicular coalition?

Calcaneonavicular coalition can be a genetic error during fetal development can be triggered by:

• Infection
• Trauma to the area
• Self-fusion of the joint
• Genetics is most likely the cause of calcaneonavicular coalition

What are some of the signs and symptoms of calcaneonavicular coalition?

Most children with calcaneonavicular coalition are born with the disorder. The following are some of the signs and symptoms of calcaneonavicular coalition:

• Pain on the outside and top of the foot
• Rigidity and stiffness of the affected foot
• Flat feet or flat foot
• Difficulty walking on uneven ground
• Pain that worsens while increasing any activity
• Limited range of motion

How is calcaneonavicular coalition diagnosed?

Calcaneonavicular coalition is diagnosed through a couple of physical examination to the foot, medical history of the patient, and X-rays. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scan is used to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the location of the affected joints.

What are some of the treatments for calcaneonavicular coalition?

There are number of non-surgical treatments for calcaneonavicular coalition. Nonsurgical treatment involves (always check with your podiatrist before treatment):

1. Resting. Stop or reduce high impact activities that makes the pain worse to relieve discomfort and pain.
2. Othotics. Use inserts and place it inside the shoe to relieve pain and reduce pressure on the tarsal.
3. Cast or walking boot. This will temporarily immobilize the affected foot.
4. Cortisone injections. The use of steroids will reduce pain and discomfort.

When these treatments are not effective, surgery is required. When there is no arthritis present, the main goal of the surgery is to remove the growth of abnormal bones to restore range of motion.

Surgical treatments can be resection. This is the most common type of surgery and is often performed in younger patients. This procedure involves removing the coalition and replacing it with muscles or tissues. This will restore normal range of motion and proper function by separating the bones that were not connected properly.

The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston, we specialize in helping people with foot disorders. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.

Ashton Kutcher - Webbed Feet - The Texas Foot Specialists

Ashton Kutcher, one of Hollywood’s heartthrob also has a physical flaw. In an interview, he gamely shows off his webbed toes proving that not all celebrities in Hollywood are perfect. Some of them have flaws like Ashton.

What is the meaning of webbed toe?

A webbed toe affects 1 out of 2500 infants born. This kind of physical deformity is commonly known as syndactyly that usually occurs between the second and third toes. Syndactyly can be classified as simple or complex. When you say simple syndactyly, it is present at birth and the toes are only joined by soft tissues.

Complex syndactyly on the other hand is usually part of a syndrome and the toes are joined together by the bones or nails. Webbed toes or syndactyly is a failure of differentiation wherein toes fail to individually separate in its appendages. Consult a podiatrist for more information on webbed toes. Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum are Podiatrists   who specialize in helping people with foot disorders.

What are some of the causes of webbed toes?

Some people speculate that webbed toes are hereditary. It is also associated with the nutritional intake and smoking of a pregnant woman. The following conditions are associated with webbed toes:

• Aarskog-Scott syndrome
• Amniotic band syndrome
• Apert’s syndrome
• Berdet-Beidl syndrome
• Carpenter’s syndrome
• Cornelia de Lange syndrome
• Down syndrome
• Edward’s syndrome
• Familial syndactyly
• Fetal hydantoin effect
• Holt-Oram syndrome
• Miller syndrome
• Pfeiffer syndrome
• Poland syndrome
• Smith-Limli-Opitz syndrome
• Timothy syndrome

What are some ofthe signs and symptoms of webbed toes?

Webbed toes are visible at birth and also in utero while using a fetal ultrasound. At the sight of syndactyly, the doctor will refer you to a specialist that will guide you to a more detailed and specific treatment plan.

What is the possible treatment for webbed toes?

• Webbed toes can be treated as early as possible to separate the joined toes.
• Medical therapy. A surgical intervention in infants aged 5 to 6 months.
• Surgical therapy. If there are two or more toes are involved, a surgery is needed as early as possible.

How to prevent webbed toes?

Unfortunately, there is no known prevention for syndactyly as it is believed to be genetically passed from generation to generation. Hence, if a child is born with webbed toes, what the doctor will do is to immediately check for more signs to see if he has a more complex condition. In this case, an x-ray is needed to see whether the bones or the soft tissues are connected or not.

At The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston, we specialize in helping people with foot disorders.  To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.