What are the most common signs of navicular syndrome?
Lameness is the classic sign of navicular syndrome. This can appear suddenly, but a more common pattern is mild lameness that becomes progressively worse over time. A horse with navicular syndrome feels pain in the heels of the front feet, and its movements reflect attempts to keep pressure off this area.
What does navicular disease look like?
A history of intermittent low grade or recurrent lameness is suggestive of navicular disease. Affected horses often appear to place the toe down first, as if trying not to put weight on their heels (in contrast to laminitis), and the lameness is worse on the inside leg on a circle.
Can navicular disease be cured?
Navicular disease can be treated but rarely cured. Corrective trimming and shoeing is important to ensure level foot fall and foot balance. Often a rolled toe egg bar shoe is used to encourage early break over at the toe and good heel support.
How do you relieve navicular pain?
Nonsurgical Treatment Approaches
- Immobilization. Placing the foot in a cast or removable walking boot allows the affected area to rest and decreases the inflammation.
- Ice. To reduce swelling, a bag of ice covered with a thin towel is applied to the affected area.
- Medications.
- Physical therapy.
- Orthotic devices.
How do I know if I have a navicular stress fracture?
What Are the Symptoms of a Navicular Stress Fracture? Your child will have vague, aching pain along the inner side of the foot near the arch. It may come on slowly over time and get worse during and following physical activity. Sprinting, jumping and pushing-off are movements that aggravate the pain.
Where does a navicular stress fracture hurt?
Clinical Presentation. Commonly occurring in track and field athletes (Table 1),1,5,7,10,13,17,18,21–23 navicular stress fractures present as vague, aching pain in the dorsal midfoot that may radiate along the medial arch. The pain typically increases with activity such as running and jumping.
