The term "foot drop" refers to a condition in which full active dorsiflexion of the foot is not possible due to paresis or paralysis of the anterior shin muscles. Visible foot drop while walking leads to movement compensations that negatively affect your gait pattern and quality of life. The cause of the foot drop is damage to the peripheral nerve fibers that supply the group of muscles that bend the foot dorsally. The most common trauma to the peroneal nerve or compression of the spinal root occurs in the course of sciatica. Dropping foot can also be a complication of pathologies located in the central nervous system. Treatment depends on the level and degree of damage to the nerve fibers. If there is no hope for the nerve function to return, a surgical procedure involving the transfer of specific muscle tendons is considered.

The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia, also called the heel fascia, is made of fibrous connective tissue and its main task is to passively stabilize the longitudinal arch of the foot. The aponeurosis attaches to the lower part of the calcaneus tumor, runs on the plantar side in three strands (medial, central and lateral) and ends at the phalanges of all of the toes. With each step, the longitudinal arch is lowered and the plantar fascia under tension to absorb the stresses. The aponeurosis, as part of the fascia tape, is also responsible for the transfer of force from the Achilles tendon to the forefoot when the heel is raised and dislodged from the big toe.

Plantar fasciitis causes pain on the plantar side of the heel, making it difficult to walk. It is now believed that the heel spurs visible on X-rays are not the primary cause of heel pain and that their presence is independent of the tendon inflammation. Treatment of plantar fasciitis consists mainly in resting, appropriately targeted rehabilitation and wearing orthopedic insoles that relieve the aponeurosis. Surgery is the last resort and is performed when conservative treatment is unsuccessful.

Sprains are among the most common ankle injuries. The capsular-ligament apparatus of the joint is damaged, and in most cases there are also accompanying damage to the articular cartilage, muscle tendons or ankle fractures. Most often, these damages are so small that they heal spontaneously.

Ankle sprains often occur in athletes practicing sports such as basketball, volleyball, football or gymnastics. An ankle injury can also occur when walking normally, as a result of putting your foot wrongly on uneven ground. In the case of even a harmless-looking ankle sprain, it is worth taking care of proper diagnosis and treatment, because failure to recognize some lesions and the lack of appropriate treatment may result in complications in the future - mainly in the form of the development of instability of the ankle joint and the so-called habitual twisting of the ankle joint, and may eventually lead to accelerated degenerative changes or osteochondral necrosis of the ankle joint.

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.