Non-surgical treatments

The vast majority of foot and ankle conditions do not require surgical intervention. For example, several phalangeal conditions may be traced to the type of foot box used in a shoe, and a change of a shoe or shoe box may be sufficient to treat the condition. For flammatory processes such as rhuematoid arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and Disease Modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS) may be used to manage or slow down the process. Orthotics, or an externally applied devie used to modify the structural or functional characteristics of the neuromusculoskeletal system specifically for the foot and ankle may be used as inserts into shoes to displace regions of the foot for more balanced, comfortable or theraputic placements of the foot. Physical therapy may also be used to alleviate symptoms, strengthening muscles such as the gastrocnemius (which in return will pull on the achillies heel which will then pull on the plantar fascia thus changing the structure and shape of the foot).