Question
hai, im a 15 year old girl and ive had a foot/ankle pain for a couple weeks, near to a month now. on my winter break, i did a 5k run and a week after i went to knotts two days straight and walked alot. yesterday i went to disney and walked alot to. i walk to school and walk home mostly everyday. but the pain in my right foot/ankle hurts. i looked up what the part that hurts and i got 'inferior extensor retinaculum'. its been cold since December so i dont know if my joints react to the cold. if i compare both my feet, i notice my right foot (where the inferior entensor retinaculum is located) is puffy than my left foot. please help and what can i do to stop hurting

Answer
Deana, I would suggest trying some inserts in your shoes.  Try over the counter inserts initially but if they don't help or don't seem to last long, I would consider getting orthotics.  Also make sure that you are wearing supportive shoes when you run and walk daily.  Avoid use of flip flops or sandals if you are going to be walking a lot or performing a lot of activity.  RICE therapy is always good to initiate if you are having pain or swelling to a certain area.  Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.  The inferior extensor retinaculum does not usually cause people a lot of problems by itself; it houses the tendons and connects to joints that can become very painful or inflamed.  Also try using an NSAID (Aleve, Motrin, Ibuprofen), NOT Tylenol to reduce pain and swelling to your foot.  Ultimately though you should have it checked out.


Sincerely,
Dr. Leslie Johnston, DPM

Tampa, FL
Advanced Podiatry

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