The Not-So-Sweet Spot

Do you ever think about what it would be like if we never wore shoes? Can you recall the sensation of tip-toeing barefoot over a gravel parking lot after stepping down on a small stone or other object? It’s amazing how sensitive our feet are when they’re healthy. Consider, for example, that most people who discover a tiny pebble in their shoe remove it immediately since they find it to be so annoying. Now think about the possibility of that “pebble” sensation resulting as a part of your normal foot structure, and you can imagine a pretty irritating situation.
Unfortunately for some people with an IPK (Intractable Plantar Keratosis), the condition just described is a reality. An IPK is rather simply a scenario in which the end of one of the long bones in your foot for one reason or another begins to press down against the plantar fat pad on the sole of your foot. The “long bones” in question run across the mid-section of the foot and end in the forefoot area just behind the toes. This is the general area where an IPK will tend to develop. Over time, the forefoot will begin to develop a painful callus which is either diffuse or localized in nature.
Many things may cause an IPK to develop. A diffuse IPK may be related to shearing forces associated with certain foot types, fat pad degeneration, or systemic diseases. A discrete or localized type, on the other hand, is more likely due to a joint problem or deformity of a single long bone in the foot. Your podiatrist can help to establish the nature and cause of the problem as well as to distinguish it from other possibilities such as a plantar wart or a blocked sweat pore.
Treatment of IPKs often begins with conservative interventions such as shaving and debridement as well as cushioning with specific shoe gear modifications to favor the painful spot. If these measures are not successful, then more invasive procedures can be done to remove or modify some of the bone or joints in question in order to off-load and relieve pressure from the area. Either way, effective treatment is available to eliminate the lesion and to allow you to walk smoothly.

Advanced Foot Care
Robert E. Kuvent, DPM
3225 S Alma School Rd
Chandler, AZ 85248
480.917.2300
http://www.yourfeetfixer.com