Over the last several months of the Covid-19 pandemic, our offices have seen the emergence of new trends in foot pain among our patients. As many people spend more time at home, there is an increase in walking barefoot around the house. As a result, a growing number of patients are experiencing new acute foot pain in conjunction with in-home injuries such as stubbing toes, dropping objects on the foot, or slipping off a ladder inside the home. This can lead to injuries such as toe fractures, lacerations, as well as foot or ankle sprains.

We’ve also seen an increase in patients with new heel or arch pain or aggravation of heel pain including cases of new plantar fasciitis or re-aggravation of prior plantar fasciitis. These conditions are largely due to walking around barefoot for the majority of the day at home without any support. This puts increased stress and strain on the plantar aspect of the foot which can lead to conditions such as calcaneal stress fracture or plantar fasciitis.

Being less active during the pandemic can also lead to weight gain, causing increased stress on the feet which oftentimes can result in foot pain, arthritis, and skin problems on the feet.  In addition, since the pandemic stay at home trend, we’ve seen many patients delaying treatment of sports injuries, especially in the pediatric population. As some of the restrictions of some fall and winter sports are lifted, many younger athletes are resuming their intense training quickly without adequate time to ramp up, sometimes resulting in injuries. In these instances, treatment may be delayed until the individual has downtime.

If you experience any foot, ankle, or leg pain or injury, it is important that you are evaluated by a highly trained Foot and Ankle Specialist. At Ocean County Foot and Ankle Surgical Associates, we are here to help. Please call one of our convenient locations today to make an appointment. We have strict Covid-19 Protocols in place to keep you safe, and Telemedicine appointments are often available.