Sinus Tarsi Syndrome
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Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is a clinical condition characterised by pain and tenderness over the outer aspect of the ankle joint. It results from trauma, such as an ankle sprain or repetitive stress that leads to subtalar joint instability.
Fixing Sinus Tarsi Syndrome required a multi-faceted approach:
Offload the joint: Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is primarily an inflammatory condition resulting from an overload. Hence, reducing the time you spend on your feet is vital, especially focusing on reduced impact activity.
Corticosteroid Injections: A cortisone injection may be considered if conservative treatments are unsuccessful. An experienced practitioner should provide a cortisone injection under ultrasound guidance to reduce inflammation in the sinus tarsi region. It normally takes 2-3 weeks for the injection to take full effect, and relief can last for 3-6 months.
Early diagnosis, individualised treatment, and consistent rehabilitation are key to effectively managing Sinus Tarsi Syndrome.
In our experience, running with Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is not recommended, especially in the acute phase of the condition when symptoms are most severe. Here’s why:
However, maintaining cardiovascular fitness is important, and there are many other low-impact exercises that you can do while you recover:
A physical therapist can conduct a running gait analysis to assess for any signs of overloading the outer ankle and suggest modifications to your running form if necessary. Advice on running shoes is an important part of the recovery process.
In our experience, you can continue to walk with Sinus Tarsi Syndrome, but there are some considerations.
Walking can irritate Sinus Tarsi Syndrome, so reducing your overall step count is recommended. However, it is not recommended to stop walking completely but consider short, frequent walking in supportive trainers for up to 30 minutes a few times a day rather than long walks.
Sinus Tarsi Syndrome is an inflammatory condition, so the more you walk or spend time on your feet, the more symptoms are likely to be irritated.
Generally, non-impact exercises such as cycling are ok to do with Sinus Tarsi syndrome however, in highly irritable cases it may cause further pain.
As a general rule of thumb, if there is no pain during the exercise and there is no increased pain within 24 hours of exercise then it is okay to continue.
If possible wear cleats to reduce the amount of movement in the foot and ice the ankle afterwards.
It takes 4-6 weeks for Sinus Tarsi Syndrome to heal using the correct footwear, insoles, and strengthening exercises. If the appropriate treatment is not provided then the pain may progressively worsen over time.
Sinus Tarsi Syndrome will improve and become pain-free with structured rehabilitation under the guidance of a Physical Therapist. It may not resolve at all with home treatment but progressively worsen if the appropriate measures aren’t taken to reduce symptoms levels and address the causes of pain.
This is not medical advice and we recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack to achieve a diagnosis. He offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments for £45.