Freiberg's disease: when a teenager's foot hurts
Freiberg's disease is a condition that mainly affects adolescent girls and is characterised by necrosis (death) of the head of the second metatarsal, the bone beneath the second toe.
What are the symptoms?
- Pain in the front of the foot, often felt when walking.
- Swelling and redness may occur.
- Lameness.
How can the diagnosis be confirmed?
X-rays can show the characteristic lesions on the head of the second metatarsal.
What is the treatment?
- Conservative treatment: Rest, ice, painkillers, orthopaedic insoles to relieve the painful area.
- Surgical treatment: Considered in the most serious cases, when the lesions are significant and conservative treatment is not effective.
Why does this condition mainly affect teenage girls?
The exact reasons are not yet fully understood, but hormonal and mechanical factors may be involved.
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