FAT PAD ATROPHY / SYNDROME
Description
Noted with progression of age, or as a result of blunt trauma, patients may experience thinning or atrophy of the plantar calcaneal fat pad. Patients with plantar calcaneal fat pad atrophy will report focal pain and discomfort around the central plantar calcaneal area.
Keys to effective orthotic management:
Supplementing the cushioning lost through the atrophy process is the important element in managing patients with this condition. If patients are provided a hard device with no additional padding then the likelihood of full improvement is reduced.
Apertures can be applied to the orthotic and then filled with a soft material (poron) to provide the patient with relieving padding within the orthotic. The centre of the heel of a Machined EVA orthosis is removed. This region may be filled with a poron material.
