The structure of the human foot allows it to act as a shock absorber, adjust the shape to the unevenness of the ground, and also provide propulsion thanks to the effective pushing off the toe. Maintaining the health of the feet, including properly functioning vaults, is a prerequisite for efficient walking and running. With each step, the arches of the foot descend to an optimal extent and the heel tilts slightly inward. This inward tilt of the heel is called heel valgus and should be minimal when walking. A slight valgus of the heel and lowering of the arches of the foot under the load of body weight must occur for the foot to act as a shock absorber.

Flat feet means lowering the arches of the foot too much in relation to the norm. This disrupts both the foot's cushioning and propelling function. In addition, flat feet can lead to secondary muscle and joint overload and cause pain. The negative effects of flat feet can be significantly distant in time, so it is worth knowing how to detect and treat flat feet early.

Nerve compression syndromes result from a nerve conflict with another tissue, e.g. a degenerative-productive lesion, an overgrown muscle belly, swollen inflamed tissue, scarring or a soft tissue nodule. Neuralgia is characterized by symptoms of numbness, tingling or pain in the area supplied by the pinched nerve. The most common ankle and foot neuralgia are Morton's disease, tarsal syndrome, Baxter neuralgia, and anterior tarsal syndrome. Conservative treatment options include rehabilitation, wearing orthopedic insoles, administering an anti-inflammatory agent, or performing a nerve block. In most cases, however, it is necessary to undertake surgical treatment consisting in surgical decompression of the nerve or removal of the resulting neuroma.

The gastrocnemius, soleus and plantar muscles form the triceps muscle of the calf, which transforms into the Achilles tendon that attaches to the calcaneus. The function of the Achilles tendon is to transfer the kickback force from the calf muscles to the foot while walking and running. Achilles tendon pathologies are most often the result of overloading the tendon or undertaking intensive training after a long break without proper preparation. This leads to unfavorable changes in the structure of the tendon or inflammation of its sheath. Failure to treat the Achilles tendon properly may result in rupture of the tendon. The complete disruption of the tendon is treated by suturing with a minimally invasive method or with the open method.

The fibula muscles lie on the lateral side of the shin, their tendons follow the lateral ankle and attach to the base of the fifth metatarsal bone (sagittal short) or to the base of the first metatarsal and medial wedge bone (long sagittal muscle). These muscles are responsible for the conversion movement of lifting the lateral edge of the foot. The function of the sagittal muscles while walking is to dynamically stabilize the ankle joint from the lateral side. In addition, the activity of the long fibula muscle causes the head of the first metatarsal to press against the ground, creating conditions for the correct rolling of the foot and rebounding from the big toe. People practicing sports that require a sudden change of direction and people with hindfoot axis disturbance and / or ankle instability are the most vulnerable to dysfunction of the sagittal muscles. The most common problems include tendon degeneration (tendinosis), tendonitis, dissection or complete rupture, and sprain of the fibula tendons.

The extra bones in the foot result from the formation of extra ossification nuclei during the developmental period. They can only occur in one or both feet. In most cases, the accessory ankles are accidentally recognized on X-rays and their presence is asymptomatic. In some people, however, additional ankles in the foot can cause pain due to their fracture and / or irritation of the surrounding soft tissues. The most common accessory ankles of the foot are: the triangular bone (os trigonum), the additional navicular bone, the additional fibula, the vesalius bone (os vesalianum), and the additional sub-sagittal bone. Some ankles run along the tendons of the muscles and function as a sesamoid. In post-traumatic conditions, it is very important to distinguish between the naturally occurring sesamoid and the tendon rupture that occurs with the detachment of a bone fragment (avulsion fracture). The remaining additional ankles lying outside the tendons may also make it difficult to properly diagnose a fracture due to their proximity to the bone, a fragment of which is usually displaced. A good radiologist can differentiate both conditions and make a diagnosis that affects the choice of the right treatment.

De Quervain's syndrome, also known as "the sore thumb of the mother", manifests itself with superficial pain in the wrist at the base of the thumb. The cause of the ailments is irritation of the tendon sheaths surrounding the tendons of the thumb muscles. The formation of microdamages occurs as a result of disturbed sliding of the tendons during repeated grasping movements or manipulative movements involving the thumb. The popular term "mother's thumb" is associated with the frequent occurrence of the condition in mothers who grab and lift their babies multiple times a day. Currently, de Quervain's syndrome can also develop in people who write large amounts of text messages with their thumb.