Dr. Burton S. Schuler, Explains Pronation and Plantar Fasciitis

Here is a nice article from February  2011. Since the majority of Americans who suffer from foot problems suffer from heel pain, it is crucial to understand the common causes and treatments for this pernicious medical issue.    One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar Fascist’s, which is caused by the degradation of the plantar fascia, a fibrous ligament that is found at the bottom of the foot. This degradation results from the inflammation that happens when people are on their feet most of the day.

While treatment for plantar fasciitis includes proper shoes, drugs, stretching exercises, and orthotics, you may find yourself trying all of these various treatments with little or no impact.  Panama City, Florida podiatrist, Dr. Burton S. Schuler, believes that you should consider whether having a short first metatarsal bone (dubbed “Morton’s Toe” after Dr. Dudley J. Morton who wrote extensively about the condition) influences degradation of your plantar fascia–leading to the painful condition of plantar fasciitis .  In his 36 years of practice, Schuler has seen evidence of a strong link between Morton’s Toe and plantar fasciitis.

The main issue causing pain in the heel when you have Morton’s Toe is the foot’s improper pronation.  A Morton’s Toe will result in a lack of proper stabilization of the foot when it is needed. This instability is the major reason the foot will abnormally pronate and cause pain–including planar fasciitis pain.

How do you “treat” this?  Surgery?  Schuler states that a toe pad placed under the first big toe helps correct the foot’s pronation, which can relieve heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis (http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/home/#tp).  There is also quite a large market for alternatives to plantar fasciitis surgery, including heel cups, supports, orthotics and shoes.  No doubt, proper fitting shoes can also help relieve heel pain, but you should first check to see whether your foot hits the ground properly due to toe length and correct that problem.

About the Author:  Dr. Burton S. Schuler foot doctor, foot specialist, podiatrist  of Panama City, Fl and the director of the Ambulatory Foot Clinics Podiatric Pain Management Center  and is a leading authority on the Morton’s Toe,  Long Second Toe and it associated problems. He is the author of the newly published book about The Morton’s Toe, Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts In the Foot. The book is published by the La Luz Press, Inc and is disturbed national by the Cardinal Publishing Group.  Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts In The Foot, is the story of how one bone in your foot could be the real reason for pains thru out your whole body. It is important because it offer the public new information about why millions of people suffer everyday with aches and pains, and offers new hope to get rid of problems they believed they would have to live with forever. It literally can be the “medical missing link”

Dr. Schuler, graduated from the N. Y. College of Podiatric Medicine in 1975 at the age of twenty-four, and has been in private practice ever since. In 1982, he published his first book, The Agony of De-Feet: A Podiatrist Guide to Foot Care. During his thirty-five year professional career, he has written for Collier’s Encylopedia and various podiatric journals and publications. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, First in Women, and other publications. Dr. Schuler has appeared on hundreds of radio and television programs both here and aboard. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management, and the National Board of Podiatric Examiners. Dr. Schuler is certified as a wound specialist from the American Board of Wound Management. His professional and civic accomplishments have earned his inclusion in the 1999-2002 Who’s Who in America (Marquis).