Sesamoiditis Physiotherapy Treatment
At Rapid Physiocare, we get it; it doesn’t take much for a simple walk to become a painful hardship when you’ve got a sesamoiditis getting the best of you. Those tiny little sesamoid bones under your big toe, which play such a big role in making movement a breeze, can quickly become a major thorn when they get inflamed and turn your daily routine into a challenging affair.
The good news is that physiotherapy can help you recover and get back to moving without pain. Here’s the lowdown on the condition and how we can help you get your life back on track. With a tailored treatment plan designed to reduce pain and improve mobility, we ensure you receive the best care to help you return to the activities you love with ease.
What’s Sesamoiditis?
Sesamoiditis it’s when the sesamoid bones, those two small but very important round bones located under the ball of your foot just beneath the big toe joint, get inflamed. They’re responsible for helping your foot move smoothly and providing some much-needed cushioning and leverage when you’re walking, running or engaging in any other activity that puts a lot of weight on your feet.
While they’re small, the sesamoid bones are a bit of unsung heroes when it comes to all the pressure they help take off your foot during motion. But when they do get inflamed, it can be a real pain, literally.
Common symptoms include
- Pain or tenderness under the big toe or at the ball of the foot that can leave you wincing.
- Swelling and warmth all around the sesamoid bones get increasingly more pronounced.
- Difficulty even bearing weight on the affected foot as the pain becomes even more unbearable.
- Worsening pain when you engage in activities that require you to push off from the ball of your foot (like running or jumping)
What causes sesamoiditis in the first place?
Most of the time, it all comes down to overuse or repetitive stress In some cases, this damage can be caused by:
- Too much repetition: Running, dancing or playing sports that involve a lot of jumping can put a tremendous amount of pressure on your sesamoid bones.
- Improper shoes: Wearing shoes that offer little to no support or don’t provide the right kind of cushioning.
- Foot problems: Having a foot issue like high arches or flat feet can change up your gait.
- Trauma or injury: A nasty blow to the foot or an unlucky landing can lead to inflammation to the sesamoid bones.
How Can Physiotherapy Help
At Rapid Physiocare, our physiotherapists have years of experience helping people get the pain relief they need from sesamoiditis. When it comes to managing sesamoiditis, we’ve got a targeted approach that really works. Our physiotherapy treatment typically includes Pain Management and Inflammation Control:
We use scientifically proven techniques plus some good traditional cold therapy and TENS (electrotherapy) to cut down on the inflammation and pain in the area around the sesamoid bones. This gives you instant relief and gets your foot ready for the next stages of rehab.
- Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization:
We use effective techniques like myofascial release and joint mobilizations that helps get the foot moving and flexible again. This lets the sesamoid bones spread the weight and pressure evenly so there’s no. - Customized Strengthening Exercises:
Exercises is key as they help build up the strength in the foot and toe muscles, which in turn means the load is spread away from the inflamed sesamoid bones. Our physiotherapists will guide you in the right direction, showing how to get your foot moving and strengthening again in a safe and controlled way. - Footwear and Orthotic Recommendations:
By analysing your walking pattern,we can recommend shoes or orthotics that’ll give you a bit of extra arch support and cushioning.That way you’re putting less strain on the whole area. - Activity Modification and Lifestyle Advice:
Understanding what’s causing the pain is the first step to stopping it from getting any worse. We’ll guide you to how to change your daily activities, like taking regular breaks if you’re on your feet a lot.
Sesamoiditis and KT Tape: A Game-Changer in Recovery
Sometimes, using KT tape (Kinesiology tape) can be a real game-changer for people with sesamoiditis. By applying the tape in a specific way, it helps take some of the strain off those sesamoid bones and makes day-to-day activities a little more manageable. It can also help get the blood flowing and promote healing.
When Do You Need to See a Physiotherapist?
Like many other conditions, it is important to get help sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the pain becomes unbearable; that just makes it harder to recover in the long run. Early intervention is key.
So, if you’re dealing with pain in the ball of your foot under your big toe, or while walking or putting weight on your foot, or if the swelling just won’t go away even after you rest, it’s time to get in touch with a physiotherapist.
Why Choose Rapid Physiocare for Your Sesamoiditis Treatment?
Choosing the right physiotherapy is key to your recovery. Here’s why you should choose Rapid Physiocare for your treatment:
- Experienced Physiotherapists: Our team of physiotherapists have years of experience in treating foot conditions, including sesamoiditis. We know how the foot works and how to get you walking again.
- Personalized Treatment Plans: Every patient is unique so we create customized rehabilitation plans based on your symptoms, lifestyle and goals.
- Holistic Approach: Our treatment goes beyond just pain relief; we focus on lasting recovery by strengthening the foot and improving flexibility and function.
- Trusted by the Community: With multiple branches in Singapore, we have helped hundreds of patients recover from sesamoiditis and other foot conditions.
Book Your Sesamoiditis Assessment Today
Ready to take the first step to a comfortable life? Book your session with our physiotherapist today. Our team at Rapid Physiocare will support you every step of the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you treat sesamoiditis?
Treating sesamoiditis involves a combination of methods aimed at reducing pain and inflammation, improving mobility, and preventing further strain on your sesamoid bones. It includes:
- Rest & Activity Modification: The first step is to rest the affected foot. This may mean temporarily reducing high-impact activities like running or jumping. We’ll guide you on how to modify your daily movements to avoid putting pressure on the sesamoid bones.
- Physiotherapy: We’ll provide hands-on treatments, like manual therapy, which helps improve foot mobility and reduce inflammation. Electrotherapy (e.g., TENS) may also be used to relieve pain.
- Footwear Adjustments: Proper shoes or custom orthotics will be recommended to ensure your feet are well-cushioned and aligned, helping to offload pressure from the sesamoid bones.
- Strengthening Exercises: Once the pain is under control, we’ll work with you on exercises that strengthen the foot’s muscles.
- Ice Therapy: Applying ice helps reduce inflammation, especially after activity.
By following this holistic treatment approach, we can help you return to your activities, pain-free, and prevent future flare-ups.
What triggers sesamoiditis?
Several factors can trigger sesamoiditis, especially activities that involve repetitive pressure or strain on the foot. Here are some common triggers:
- High-Impact Activities: Running, dancing, or sports that require jumping and landing can place significant stress on the sesamoid bones.
- Improper Footwear: Shoes that lack adequate arch support or cushioning can exacerbate pressure on the sesamoids, leading to inflammation.
- Foot Deformities: Conditions like flat feet or high arches can alter your gait, shifting the pressure to the sesamoid bones.
- Overuse: If you’re on your feet for long periods, particularly in occupations that require standing or walking, this can aggravate the sesamoid bones, causing pain.
- Trauma or Injury: A fall, hard landing, or direct impact to the foot may result in sesamoiditis, causing pain and swelling.
Being mindful of these triggers and modifying your activities or footwear can go a long way in preventing and managing sesamoiditis.
What is the difference between plantar fasciitis and sesamoiditis?
While both plantar fasciitis and sesamoiditis cause foot pain, they affect different parts of the foot and have distinct symptoms:
- Plantar Fasciitis affects the bottom of the foot, specifically the plantar fascia a thick band of tissue that runs from the heel to the toes. The pain is typically sharp, especially in the morning when taking your first steps.
- Sesamoiditis affects the sesamoid bones located underneath the ball of the foot, near the big toe. The pain from sesamoiditis is often described as a dull, aching pain directly under the big toe, which worsens with activities like pushing off during walking or running.
The main difference is that plantar fasciitis causes pain near the heel, while sesamoiditis focuses on the forefoot, particularly around the big toe joint.
What foods trigger plantar fasciitis?
While there is no direct food link to sesamoiditis, certain foods can trigger inflammation, which can worsen your symptoms if you already have inflammation in the sesamoid bones or plantar fascia. Here are some foods that may contribute to inflammation:
- Refined Carbs & Sugars: Processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages can promote inflammation in the body, which might slow down the healing of sesamoiditis.
- Fried Foods & Trans Fats: These foods increase levels of inflammatory markers in the body, worsening pain.
- Dairy: Some individuals find that dairy exacerbates inflammation in the joints, though this varies from person to person.
- Alcohol: Excessive alcohol can increase inflammation and delay the healing process.
For a quicker recovery, focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help reduce overall inflammation and support your healing process.
Is heat or ice better for sesamoiditis?
Both heat and ice have their place in managing sesamoiditis pain, but it depends on the stage of your condition:
- Ice: If your foot is swollen or inflamed, ice is the best option. Applying ice (for 15–20 minutes at a time) can help reduce swelling, numb pain, and prevent further inflammation. Use ice after physical activities that trigger pain or after a long day on your feet.
- Heat: Once the acute pain and swelling have subsided (usually after a few days), you can use heat to promote blood circulation to the area. Heattherapy can be useful for loosening tight muscles and tendons around the sesamoid bones, improving flexibility and reducing stiffness.
A combination of both can be useful at different stages of healing, with ice used in the early stages of injury and heat once inflammation decreases.
What is the fastest way to cure sesamoiditis?
While there’s no overnight cure for sesamoiditis, the fastest way to manage the condition effectively is by addressing both the immediate pain and the root causes:
- Rest & Activity Modification: Immediately reduce activities that put stress on the sesamoid bones.
- Ice Therapy: Apply ice to the affected area several times a day, especially after activities.
- Seek Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy is the quickest way to reduce pain, restore movement, and prevent future injury. A personalized physiotherapy plan can significantly accelerate recovery.
- Footwear Adjustment: Wearing supportive shoes with adequate cushioning can reduce stress on the sesamoids, speeding up recovery.
With consistent care from our experienced physiotherapists at Rapid Physiocare, most people experience significant relief in just a few weeks. However, full recovery can take several months depending on the severity of your condition.
What exercises help with sesamoiditis?
Specific sesamoiditis exercises can help strengthen the muscles around your foot and improve mobility, easing pain and preventing future flare-ups. Some effective exercises include:
- Towel Stretch: Sit with your legs straight and place a towel around the ball of your foot (the one with sesamoiditis). Gently pull the towel towards you to stretch the foot and calf muscles. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
- Toe Tapping: While sitting, tap the toes of your affected foot up and down. This strengthens the small muscles around the toes and sesamoid bones.
- Ankle Circles: Sit with your feet lifted and draw circles with your foot in the air, both clockwise and counterclockwise. This increases flexibility and strength in the ankle joint.
- Heel Raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and slowly rise onto your toes, then lower back down. This strengthens the calves and forefoot muscles, helping to stabilize the sesamoid bones.
Always consult with a physiotherapist before starting exercises to ensure you’re doing them correctly and to avoid overstraining the affected area.
