The study, diagnosis and treatment of the feet, ankles, and lower leg is known as Podiatry.
The term podiatry originated in the US where it now refers to a Doctor of Podiatric medicine who is qualified to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the feet. There are many branches of podiatry including surgery, geriatrics, sports medicine and biomechanics. In English speaking countries podiatry is known as chiropody and is practiced by chiropodists but the jobs are very similar with minor differences. Plantar fascia is a thick fibrous mass of tissue that originates in the heel bone and goes along the sole of the foot towards the toes and the painful condition that occurs in this tissue is known as plantar fascists. This condition which is usually caused by long hours of standing related to occupation is said to affect nearly two million Americans. It can also be caused by too much weight constantly bearing down on the feet. The condition starts with a pain in the heel which gets stronger, rather than eases, when the muscles are warmed up, but is more intense in the mornings when taking the first steps. Another symptom of plantar fasciitis is that the sufferer has difficulty bending the foot so that the toes are bent upwards towards the shin which restricts movement in the ankle. The condition also increases the likelihood of pains in the knees mainly amongst runners but not just runners. The podiatrist will often study the way a person stands and walks before making his prognosis and treatment will generally involve stretching, special shoes, rest and may require the use of corticosteroid drugs in more painful cases. Medial tibial stress syndrome is the formal name for a painful condition of the shins known as shin splints.
The usual cause of such a condition is running, sprinting or jumping. One reason for the problem is the overuse of one muscle which is often suffered by athletes repeating a particular activity regularly thus putting too much stress on the shins. This can lead to stress fractures if the condition is not treated. It is usually diagnosed by pain worsening during exercise rather than easing when warmed up. Cold compresses, rest, and anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended by the podiatrist to relieve such pain. Barefoot running is not often seen today though some famous athletes, such as Zola Budd were renowned for it. The advances made in shoe design have tended to indicate that running with shoes is a better alternative to running without. When running without shoes the emphasis is based on the balls of the feet whereas running with shoes the emphasis changes to the heel and surrounding areas to the back of the foot. Some people argue that, with the emphasis on the heel, using running shoes may cause repetitive stress injuries whereas barefoot running is considered to be healthier as the weight distribution is more evenly balanced.
There is no concrete evidence as to which is better though most sports authorities recommend that running shoes be worn.