This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-dye taping on plantar pain, foot functional performance, and balance in patients with plantar fasciitis. A total of 36 patients with plantar fasciitis were randomly assigned to an experimental group that received low-dye taping with general physical therapy, while the control group only received general physical therapy twice a week for 4 weeks. Plantar pain was measured using the pain pressure threshold algometer, foot functional performance with the Foot Function Index, and balance with the Y-Balance test. A significant interaction effect was found between group and time for plantar pain (F=62.888, p=0.001, effect size=0.649), foot function (F=67.844, p=0.001, effect size=0.666), and balance ability (F= 10.37, p=0.003, effect size=0.234). Low-dye taping with general physical therapy is anticipated to be effective in clinical practice as a conservative method to improve and enhance plantar pain, functional performance of the foot, and balance ability in patients with plantar fasciitis.

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which impose significant economic and mental health burdens, are a major public health concerns among older population globally. However, evidence on the intersection between MSDs and depression among older adults in India remains limited.ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to investigate the association between musculoskeletal disorders and depression among older Indian adults using nationally representative data.MethodsCross-sectional data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI, 2017-2018) were analyzed for 65,311 participants. Depression was measured by validated tool the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form (CIDI-SF). Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the nexus between musculoskeletal disorders and depression in middle-aged and older adults.ResultsThe results indicate a significant association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and depression. After adjusting for covariates, the odds of experiencing depression among those who experienced joint pain or stiffness (aOR: 1.19, CI 1.11-1.29), foot or ankle pain/swelling (aOR: 1.55, CI 1.43-1.68), and back pain or problems (aOR: 1.28, CI 1.19-1.38) were higher compared with those reporting no such conditions. Similarly, individuals who experienced falls or injuries had 50% higher odds of depression (aOR: 1.50, CI 1.38-1.63) than those who didn't experienced falls or injuries.ConclusionAlthough causality cannot be established due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, findings highlight the strong association between MSDs and depression among older adults in India. These results underscore the need for physicians to address mental health alongside MSDs management and to promote preventive and educational programs.

Dancers are performing artists and elite athletes with unique physiological and psychological demands. Many dance styles, especially classical ballet, require extraordinary flexibility and strength throughout the foot and ankle with remarkable pain tolerance. Injuries arising from biomechanical and metabolic stresses negatively impact career progression with resultant chronic pain, permanently impaired function, and financial loss. Therefore, dancers rarely seek medical attention except for genuine problems. The unique demands of dance can result in specific injuries and distinctive radiological patterns on imaging. Early and accurate recognition of these dance-specific findings is essential in diagnosing the dancer's foot and ankle. Given the dancer's unique needs and high risk of injury, this manuscript will discuss essential radiologic considerations specific to foot and ankle imaging in the dancer. Key points include the need for weightbearing radiographs, applications for weightbearing computed tomography, indications for ultrasound when magnetic resonance imaging is generally the gold standard, and the value of dancer-specific imaging techniques. An emphasis is placed on recognizing pathology that is genuinely unique to this patient cohort such as flexor hallucis longus tendinopathy, low-risk stress fractures at the second metatarsal base, and spiral fractures at the fifth metatarsal diaphysis. Understanding the degree of correlation between imaging findings with symptoms and clinical diagnoses is essential. Identifying common and uncommon injury patterns in dancers coupled with a knowledge of the implications of these injuries can facilitate improved communication with referring providers, which may help radiologists contribute to providing optimal patient care for a vulnerable patient population.

Task fMRI 1 and electrophysiology 2 have revealed distributed, linked cortical patches with shared category preferences (e.g., faces, objects, places) 1,3-5 , smaller than cytoarchitectonic areas. Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) similarly showed that somato-cognitive action network (SCAN) nodes interleave with effectors (foot, hand, mouth), subdividing the precentral gyrus 6 . Here, using multiple precision functional mapping (PFM) modalities (RSFC, task, lags), we discovered that most of association cortex is organized like face processing and SCAN, with small, discrete patches interconnected into chains. Such patch-chains densely tile prefrontal cortex but are largely absent from primary cortex. Cortico-striatal connectivity is organized such that patches of the same chain connect to the same striatal location. Within chains, infra-slow fMRI signals are ordered in time. RSFC-defined chains align with task fMRI localizers (e.g., visual, motor, pain). Chains are absent at birth and emerge in the first year of life, suggesting their formation is at least partially experience-driven. Cytoarchitectonic areas are subdivided by patches, and patches in the same chain are distributed across different cytoarchitectures. Chains represent parallel ordered processing streams that are separated by information domain and behavioral goals, not cytoarchitectonics. Functional subdivision of architectonics into smaller patches, interlinked to form cross-architecture chains, enable greater parallelization and flexible specialization of processing.

Giant Cell Tumour (GCT) of bone is a benign, locally aggressive neoplasm. GCT of the foot is rare, comprising of about 5% of cases of all GCTs. GCT of Calcaneus is exceedingly rare, comprising of 1.2% of all calcaneal tumours. Due to its uncommon occurrence at this site, diagnosis can be delayed. In this report, we present the case of a Campanacci Grade 3 GCT of calcaneus in a 43-year-old female patient with 8 months history of worsening pain and disability. We treated her successfully by resection of Os-calcis and reconstruction with a femoral head allograft and K-wire fixation, a relatively cheaper and technically lesser challenging method of reconstruction. Three years' post-surgery, she remains disease free, and her graft has healed. She continues to walk independently and remains disease free clinically and radiologically. We discuss a comparison with other reported cases where surgeons have opted for detailed intra-lesional curettage (DILC) and cementoplasty to fill the defect for a Grade 2 disease, some have even used a sural for soft tissue coverage with a maximum follow-up of two years. While in our patient we went for Calcanues resection and reconstruction with allograft because of a Grade 3 disease that poses greater risk of local recurrence with just DILC. Our patient has a three-year follow-up where she remains disease free.

Phalangeal fractures are the most common fractures in the foot, with the vast majority completely healing with conservative management. The overall nonunion rate for fractures of the lesser phalanges is not well documented in the literature due to their rarity. The following cases explore two unusual presentations of fifth toe closed fracture with delayed union, suggesting a potential link between infection and delayed healing in apparently closed fractures. The first patient, a 46-year-old female with a history of smoking and synphalangism, developed persistent pain and swelling following a toe fracture. Imaging confirmed atrophic nonunion, and cultures from her eventual amputation identified Clostridium species, suggesting occult infection as a contributing factor. The second patient, a 59-year-old female with anemia and synphalangism, presented with delayed healing of a similar fracture. Empirical antibiotic treatment resulted in complete resolution of symptoms and radiographic healing, further supporting a potential infectious etiology. Occult infection may be a contributing factor in cases of delayed union, even for closed toe fractures. Empirical antibiotic therapy may be a viable nonoperative approach in select patients. Further studies are needed to investigate infection as a potential etiology of atrophic nonunion in closed toe fracture healing in order to guide optimal management strategies.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain disorder with complex pathophysiology involving neurogenic inflammation and autonomic dysfunction. While CRPS is typically associated with trauma or surgery, its occurrence following a snakebite is extremely rare. We report the case of a 47-year-old man who developed persistent pain, swelling, and hypersensitivity in the left foot after a snakebite to the dorsum. Despite prompt administration antivenom and admission to the intensive care unit, the symptoms progressed without systemic infection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed evolving soft tissue inflammation, fat necrosis, and periostitis. Triple-phase bone scintigraphy with single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) demonstrated increased perfusion and periarticular tracer uptake consistent with CRPS, while effectively excluding osteomyelitis and abscess. The diagnosis was established using the Budapest criteria, supported by clinical assessment and multimodal imaging, including evidence of evolving periostitis without cortical bone destruction. This case underscores the diagnostic challenge of CRPS in the absence of infection or trauma and highlights the crucial role of MRI and triple-phase bone scintigraphy with SPECT/CT in detecting early osseous involvement and guiding appropriate management.

Background: Calcaneus secundarius (CS) is an accessory ossicle located at the anterior aspect of the calcaneus and is typically an incidental and asymptomatic radiographic finding. However, it may become symptomatic following trauma or repetitive mechanical stress and can mimic anterior calcaneal process fracture or tarsal coalition, leading to diagnostic confusion. The presence of multiple independent CS ossicles represents a rare morphological variant and a potential source of diagnostic ambiguity. Methods: We report the case of a 19-year-old male soldier who presented with progressive anterior foot pain following soccer activity without a clearly identifiable traumatic event. Radiographs, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to evaluate the underlying pathology. Results: CT demonstrated two separate, well-corticated accessory ossicles adjacent to the anterior calcaneal process without bony continuity. MRI revealed focal bone marrow edema (BME) at the calcaneus-ossicle interface, suggesting mechanical irritation at the fibrous connection. Due to persistent symptoms and concordant imaging findings, surgical excision was performed, resulting in immediate pain relief and return to full daily and sports activities without recurrence at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: Multiple CS ossicles may produce fragment-like imaging appearances and increase the risk of misdiagnosis. Recognition of characteristic imaging features, particularly well-corticated ossicles and focal BME at the ossicle-calcaneus interface, together with clinical correlation, is essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management in patients with persistent anterior foot pain.