Accessory Ossicle Navicular Treatment

Overview
An accessory navicular is an extra bone that is on the inner center arch of the foot. Up to 2.5% of individuals are born with the accessory navicular. Throughout early childhood, this condition is not noticed. However, in adolescence, when the accessory navicular begins to calcify, the bump on the inner aspect of the arch becomes noticed. For most, it is never symptomatic. However, for some, there is some type of injury, whether a twist, stumble, or fall, that makes the accessory navicular symptomatic.



Causes
It is commonly believed that the posterior tibial tendon loses its vector of pull to heighten the arch. As the posterior muscle contracts, the tendon is no longer pulling straight up on the navicular but must course around the prominence of bone and first pull medially before pulling upward. In addition, the enlarged bones may irritate and damage the insertional area of the posterior tibial tendon, making it less functional. Therefore, the presence of the accessory navicular bone does contribute to posterior tibial dysfunction.

Symptoms
Not everyone who has an accessory navicular will develop these problems. When problems What do you do for a strained Achilles tendon? occur, they may begin in early adolescence. The obvious indication is a painful bump on the inside of the foot, which hurts to touch, and causes problems that gradually become worse, and which are aggravated by activity, walking, etc., leading to all the problems discussed here. Pain may be worse towards the end of the day, and continue into the night. Among adults, symptomatic accessory navicular is more common in women than in men, with onset typical at 40 years of age or greater. Among symptomatic children, the mean age of onset for maels is 6 years, and for females, 4.5 years. In general, symptoms may occur between 2 and 9 years of age.

Diagnosis
An initial assessment is an orthopaedic office begins with a thorough history and complete physical exam, including an assessment of the posterior tibial tendon and areas of tenderness. Associated misalignments of the ankle and foot should be noted. Finally, weight-bearing x-rays of the foot will help in making the diagnosis. Sometimes, an MRI may be needed to see if the posterior tibial tendon is involved with the symptoms or getting more clarity on the anatomy of the accessory navicular.

Non Surgical Treatment
Traditional medicine often falls short when it comes to treatment for this painful condition. As similar to other chronic pain conditions, the following regimen is usually recommended: RICE, immobilization, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and/or innovative surgical options. Clients familiar with Prolotherapy often say? no thanks? to those choices, as they know these treatments will only continue to weaken the area in the foot. Instead, they choose Prolotherapy to strengthen the structures in the medial foot.



Surgical Treatment
If non-surgical treatment fails to relieve the symptoms of accessory navicular syndrome, surgery may be appropriate. Surgery may involve removing the accessory bone, reshaping the area, and repairing the posterior tibial tendon to improve its function. This extra bone is not needed for normal foot function.

Th1s1sanart1cl3s1te