What Causes Foot and Ankle Problems?
Foot and ankle problems are quite common and include: congenital, acquired, traumatic, infectious, neoplastic and arthritic. When foot and ankle problems occur at birth, they are called congenital and are generally inherited. Acquired problems may result from improper footwear, physical stress, or small mechanical changes within the foot, which can slowly increase with aging. Traumatic problems are associated with injuries to the foot and ankle such as a sprained or broken ankle or a fracture of the foot. Infectious problems are the result of bacterial, viral, or fungal disorders that may affect superficial or deep tissues. Neoplastic disorders (tumors) are the result of abnormal growth of tissue and may be benign or malignant. Arthritic disorders may involve one or more joints and may be secondary to trauma or associated with systemic disease.
