Charcot foot: A dangerous diabetic foot complication that confuses doctors

Charcot foot: A dangerous diabetic foot complication that confuses doctors

What is Charcot foot?

Speaking of Charcot foot, I believe many people are unfamiliar with it. If diabetic foot is likened to a flood that breaks through a dam, coming quickly and destructively; then Charcot foot is a killer hiding in the dark, hiding very deeply, but ready to give diabetic patients a fatal blow, and the means are extremely brutal.

Charcot foot is a complication of diabetes caused primarily by diabetic neuropathy, which occurs in diabetics when the sensory nerves are damaged , leading to damage to the bones and joints of the foot .

The incidence of Charcot foot is approximately 0.8% to 8% among diabetic patients, and can be as high as 10% among diabetic patients with neuropathy.

How did the feet slowly become hollowed out?

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the "culprit" that causes diabetic Charcot foot. Do you still remember it? Nine out of ten places where you can hear a gong are it! It is the "culprit" that causes sensory and motor disorders in both feet.

As diabetes develops

Some lesions occurred in the feet of diabetics

① Easy fracture : The bone mass around the foot joints of diabetics decreases, and the bone strength decreases, making fractures more likely to occur;

② Easy to dislocate : Peripheral neuropathy leads to relaxation of the joint ligaments and muscles. If the joint fixator is broken, the bone will easily dislocate;

③ No feeling : The most terrible thing is that the above two situations occur without the diabetic’s knowledge (loss of pain protection response).

Biomechanical mechanism of Charcot foot

1. Instability of foot structure

The deformation of bones and destruction of joints lead to the loss of integrity of the foot structure, especially the collapse of the arches (longitudinal arch and transverse arch), forming a " rocking chair deformity ".

2. Abnormal weight distribution

The weight-bearing pattern of the foot changes, and pressure is concentrated on areas of osteoporosis and deformation, further aggravating the injury.

Because of the loss of plantar sensation , patients are unable to adjust their gait to reduce the load on high-pressure points.

3. Force line offset

Poor alignment of the foot joints results in a shift in the biomechanical force line , which increases stress at the abnormal site. Prolonged abnormal stress may lead to new fractures or soft tissue injuries .

4. Muscle function imbalance

Nerve damage affects the coordination of the foot muscles , which may lead to abnormal movement patterns and increase foot instability.

5. Limited joint movement

Inflammation and osteophyte formation may limit joint range of motion , further affecting gait and dynamic stability of the foot.

How to treat Charcot foot conservatively?

The progression of Charcot foot not only destroys the anatomy of the foot, but also exacerbates foot damage through biomechanical abnormalities. Therefore, early diagnosis, stress management, and structural stability maintenance are essential for the treatment of Charcot foot. In order to provide the most accurate diagnosis and the best treatment plan , our team's gait analysis laboratory is equipped with the most advanced lower limb biomechanical analysis equipment currently available.

①Mirror pressure test equipment: Mirror pressure test uses the principle of mirror reflection to intuitively observe the plantar pressure, arch type and biomechanical line of the lower limbs.

② Plantar scanning test equipment: Through 3D technology and white light mode projection, a 3D CAD model of the foot can be obtained through reverse engineering processing, which can accurately evaluate the abnormal conditions of the patient's lower limbs and obtain various foot data, such as foot shape, arch index, degree of inversion and valgus, etc.

③ Portable gait analysis equipment: Patients wear insoles equipped with sensors to perform a one-minute walking test, which can not only obtain the spatiotemporal and phase parameters of their walking process , but also obtain dynamic parameters , providing an objective and quantitative scientific basis, reducing the demand for space and manpower, and making gait assessment more efficient.

Through these advanced equipment, our team is able to provide each patient with the most accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment plan, helping them recover their health and improve their quality of life as soon as possible.

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