Accessory navicular bone...Can i still do rigorous exercise like running, skating, jumping and free style....

Question

I am 22 and i recently came to know that i am having an accessory navicular bone in my left foot.............but have almost no pain!! if i do my exercise would i damage it further..........would it create a problem................!! please help!!!

Answer 1

I'm assuming that this is correct for adults as well to some degree:

"If the child is active and involved in various athletic activities, this will aggravate the inflammation of the tendon that attaches to the accessory navicular. This tendon is called the posterior tibial tendon and is responsible for maintaining the strength of the arch of the foot. Treatment of the accessory navicular begins with rest. Rest may include activity modification or temporary immobilization in a boot or a brace.

Once the inflammation subsides the foot needs to be supported. The support consists of a specially designed orthotic arch support. Occasionally, the orthotic will often dig into the edge of the accessory navicular bone under the arch of the foot. This is very uncomfortable. For this reason the orthotic support needs to be carefully made. The orthotic support will help control (but not cure) the flat foot and will often decrease the inflammation on the navicular.

Once the navicular inflammation has lessened it is not necessary to perform surgery unless the foot becomes progressively flatter or continues to be painful. For these children, surgery can completely correct the problem by removing the accessory navicular bone and tightening up the posterior tibial tendon that attaches to the navicular bone. The strength of this tendon is integral to the success of this surgery as well as the arch of the foot. Following surgery the child is able to begin walking on the foot (in a cast) at approximately two weeks. The cast is worn for an additional four weeks. A small soft ankle support brace is then put into the shoe and worn with activities and exercise for a further two months. "

There is also this exerpt:

"Treatment

What can be done for a painful accessory navicular?

The treatment for a symptomatic accessory navicular can be divided into nonsurgical treatment and surgical treatment. In the vast majority of cases, treatment usually begins with nonsurgical measures. Surgery usually is only considered when all nonsurgical measures have failed to control your problem and the pain becomes intolerable.

    

Nonsurgical Treatment

If the foot becomes painful following a twisting type of injury and an X-ray reveals the presence of an accessory navicular bone, your doctor may recommend a period of immobilization in a cast or splint. This will rest the foot and perhaps allow the disruption between the navicular and accessory navicular to heal. Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes an arch support can relieve the stress on the fragment and decrease the symptoms. If the pain subsides and the fragment becomes asymptomatic, further treatment may not be necessary.

Surgery

If all nonsurgical measures fail and the fragment continues to be painful, surgery may be recommended.The most common procedure used to treat the symptomatic accessory navicular is the Kidner procedure. A small incision is made in the instep of the foot over the accessory navicular. The accessory navicular is then detached from the posterior tibial tendon and removed from the foot. The posterior tibial tendon is reattached to the remaining normal navicular. Following the procedure, the skin incision is closed with stitches, and a bulky bandage and splint are applied to the foot and ankle.

Rehabilitation

What should I expect from treatment?

Nonsurgical Rehabilitation

Patients with a painful accessory navicular may benefit with four to six physical therapy treatments. Your therapist may design a series of stretching exercises to try and ease tension on the posterior tibial tendon. A shoe insert, or orthotic, may be used to support the arch and protect the sore area.This approach may allow you to resume normal walking immediately, but you should probably cut back on more vigorous activities for several weeks to allow the inflammation and pain to subside.Treatments directed to the painful area help control pain and swelling. Examples include ultrasound, moist heat, and soft-tissue massage. Therapy sessions sometimes include iontophoresis, which uses a mild electrical current to push anti-inflammatory medicine to the sore area.

After Surgery

You may need to use crutches for several days after surgery. Your stitches will be removed in 10 to 14 days (unless they are the absorbable type, which will not need to be taken out). You should be safe to be released to full activity in about six weeks."

Regardless of whether or not this information is correct though, you should see your doctor and ask him/her or a sports physician in order to verify that any activity done will not inflict further damage and inquire as to what precautions need to be taken (the article suggests that if a surgery is required it can take around eight weeks for a child to heal, and adults usually don't heal as fast and you do not want to risk taking a couple months off due to improper exercising).

I hope that helped, remember though, see a doctor. I am by no means a professional and website content is not always reliable.