Halus Valgus (bones on the legs). Shock wave therapy

"A small illness is a big inconvenience"

Halus valgus is a disease that many women suffer from today. This is the name of the protrusion (bone on the leg) at the base of the big toe, which causes, in addition to cosmetic inconveniences, many other problems.

The very name of the disease is translated from Greek as "deviation of the thumb outward." Normally, the degree of this deviation does not exceed 10 degrees. With the first degree of hallus valgus, it is 15 degrees, with the second - 20 degrees, with the third - 30 degrees.

Halus valgus can occur at any age. In the vast majority of cases, women are ill. The main reason for hallus valgus is the wearing of high-heeled shoes. In this case, the ligaments of the foot are stretched, and subsequently damaged. In this case, the thumb suffers most. Also, hallus valgus affects people involved in certain sports - skaters, skiers, runners. However, it is mainly people who, by virtue of their occupation, spend a lot of time standing up - sellers, cooks, hairdressers, housewives - suffer. The disease lasts and progresses over the years; in the absence of treatment, it can lead to disabling consequences.

Halus Valgus symptoms

Initially, the base of the thumb begins to deviate outward. Often, at the initial stages of a hulux waltz, this is almost imperceptible and does not cause any inconvenience. Subsequently, a painful lump ("bump") grows in this place on the plantar side of the foot. Calluses and calluses also appear there. You have to buy shoes one size or even two more so that your feet don't rub. During movement, sharp pain can occur, since the base of the thumb is the main load when walking. The patient begins to spare the leg, as a result of which the foot is pulled inward, and the thumb protrudes outward even more. Over time, the forefoot takes on an ugly shape. Skeletal biomechanics also change and pain can spread to the lumbar spine and hip joints.

Halus valgus is unpleasant not only and not so much for cosmetic problems as for its complications. Deformation of the forefoot, improper distribution of the load on the foot leads to the development of chronic inflammation in the joints, arthrosis and bursitis occur. The normal blood supply and trophism of the bone tissue of the foot are disrupted, which can lead to osteoporosis and osteomalacia (softening of the bones).

Prevention and treatment of Halius Valgus

However, despite all of the above, it is possible and necessary to fight the disease. Every woman should think about the prevention of hallus valgus from a young age. First of all, it is necessary to deal with flat feet, which creates favorable conditions for foot deformation. Particular attention must be paid to the choice of footwear. High-heeled shoes are shoes for holidays and celebrations, but by no means an option for everyday wear. The main working option should be shoes with low and medium heels with a wide toe. It is also advisable to select and use the correct arch support and thumb pads. Shoes without heels, sneakers also create a load on the ligamentous apparatus of the foot, so they should not be abused either.

Warm foot baths at the end of the day are very helpful. It is advisable to engage in physiotherapy exercises for the feet at least three times a week, at least the minimum amount of exercise. You can also use self-massage of the feet. If all of the above measures do not have the desired effect, leg fatigue at the end of the working day increases and pains appear, you should think about changing the type of activity.

Very often, women do not attach importance to hallus valgus, consider it a slight inconvenience and do not seek medical help for this. Time is lost, and the disease reaches the stage when preventive measures become ineffective and wearing any shoes turns into torture. Here you already have to think about choosing a treatment method.

The main method of orthopedic intervention is surgery. There are many types of surgical interventions - there are sparing methods, in more advanced cases they resort to more traumatic bone grafting. The effect of the operation is good and the defect of the foot is usually repairable. Any operation has its own recovery period, which can vary from a few days to a year or more. Sometimes the leg has to be fixed in a plaster boot for up to 1 month, and subsequently to wear special orthopedic shoes for a long time, which is not particularly fashionable and elegant. In addition, in the absence of proper foot care, a relapse of the disease is possible.

Treatment of hallus valgus with shock wave therapy in Kiev

All of the above indicates that the bone on the leg needs to be treated in a timely manner and to avoid situations in which the operation becomes an inevitable necessity. In the early stages of the disease, conservative methods of treatment can and should be used. One of the leading directions in the treatment of hallus valgus is shock wave therapy (SWT). The use of SWT allows you to quickly and reliably eliminate pain syndrome, foot swelling, improve blood supply and tissue nutrition. The pronounced reparative (restorative) effect of shock waves is well known. Shock wave therapy in the treatment of hallus valgus strengthens the ligamentous apparatus and the muscles of the foot, creating favorable conditions for eliminating deformities and thereby slowing down the progression of hallus valgus.

Лечение косточек на ногах ударно-волновой терапией

Already from the first sessions of treatment with hallus valgus with shock wave therapy in Kiev, patients note an improvement in walking function, a significant decrease in pain and discomfort in the feet. The procedures are well tolerated and take no more than 15 minutes. For a course of shock wave therapy with hallus valgus, in most cases 4-6 procedures are sufficient with an interval of 1 time per week, however, in some cases, longer treatment may be required. Correction of treatment in each specific situation is carried out individually.

The Awatage Medical Center uses Belgian and Swiss shock wave therapy equipment Gymna and Storz Medical for the treatment of bones on the legs. The medical center's arsenal includes radial and focused shock wave therapy, as well as biomechanical muscle stimulation using V-Actor technology to affect muscles, fascia and tendons. The effectiveness of treatment of Halius Valgus in the medical center "Avatazh" by the method of shock wave therapy is 95%.

For the greatest clinical effect, SWT must be combined with the above preventive measures, in particular - the selection of the right footwear and individual orthopedic insoles.