Sesamoiditis is an inflammation of the sesamoid bones in the ball of the foot and tendons they are embedded in. This is especially common in dancers, runners and athletes who frequently bear weight on the balls of their feet.
What are the sesamoid bones:
Sesamoid bones can be found throughout the body and usually are embedded within a muscle or tendon near joint surfaces, This functions as a pulley to alleviate stress on a particular muscle or tendon. These are commonly found in the foot, hand, and wrist.
When discussing sesmoiditis we are discussing inflammation of these sesamoid bones on the base of the first foe as seen below
What muscles are involved in sesamoiditis?
The muscles we need to pay attention to are Flexor Hallucis Longus and Hallucis Brevis.
These muscle flex the big toe. Flexor Hallucis Brevis attaches directly to the sesamoid bones while flexors Hallucis Brevis makes use of the pulley function of the sesamoid bone.
If either of these muscles become dysfunctional it can lead to overuse around the tendon over the sesamoid bones. This leads to inflammation in a response to the trauma.
What are typical ways to recover from sesamoiditis
Rest!
Avoid weight bearing the affected foot
Stop activity aggravating this condition
Use contrast therapy on feet to bring in blood and reduce inflammation.
Wear Wide shoes and use insoles to avoid over pronation or flat feet.
How P-DTR and low level lasers can help
Using P-DTR we can assess the flexor hallucis longus/brevis and make sure they are operating efficiently and not over/underworking. This can be crucial for ensuring proper biomechanics. We can also treat general nociception around the area to prevent general inflammation from the area.
Utilizing the low level laser (or photobiomodulation) we can ensure that the area is healing as efficiently as possible. The red and infrared therapy can ensure the bones are recovering as quickly as possible, collagen is restoring the tendons and muscles, inflammation is leaving the site and blood-flow is coming in.
Road to recovery
Sesamoiditis can be an issue that affects your for months or many years. It depends on how proactive the client is and what methods they use to recover. Consider incorporating P-DTR and low level lasers in your recovery process.
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