Your feet are home to many small bones, and if one of them breaks or shifts out of its natural location, it can lead to pain and discomfort in a specific area of your foot. One small bone that can cause symptoms for your feet if it endures trauma is your cuboid bone.
The cuboid bone is located in the middle/outside area of your foot, and symptoms tend to develop just to the outside of the center of the foot or near the base of your fourth and fifth toes. Below, we take a closer look at what can happen if this bone is broken or displaced, and how cuboid syndrome can be treated.
Cuboid Syndrome Explained
Cuboid syndrome typically occurs as a result of the bone shifting out of its natural alignment with the rest of the bones in the foot. Oftentimes this shift is the result of direct trauma or overstress on the feet. When the bone shifts out of place, excess strain gets put on the nearby ligaments and tissues. The most common symptoms are pain, discomfort that increases when bearing weight or walking, swelling, difficulty hopping or jumping and decreased flexibility in your foot.
If you’re dealing with the above symptoms or have lingering discomfort in the described area, consider connecting with your primary care physician or a foot specialist. They’ll begin by reviewing your medical history, talking with you about your symptoms and conducting a physical exam. Your provider may also have you attempt to walk or bear weight through the foot. To confirm their suspicions, they’ll likely order an x-ray or similar imaging test. The problem can be difficult to diagnose, even with an x-ray, because a fracture is not seen. Instead, the doctor will be looking to see if the bone is shifted out of its normal position and alignment.
Treating Cuboid Syndrome
If your doctor suspects that cuboid syndrome is causing your discomfort, they’ll likely recommend a combination of conservative treatments. Oftentimes those treatments will include rest, ice, compression and elevation, with special attention to avoid any strenuous activity on the feet for a short period of time. Foot pads or orthotic inserts may also help to protect the area and relieve discomfort. Protecting the foot may help resolve symptoms and shift the cuboid back into the correct location, but if symptoms persist, your doctor may attempt to manually reset its location.
Cuboid bone manipulation is more successful if the injury is relatively recent. If symptoms have persisted for a while, a few manipulations may be needed to return it to its correct location. However, medical data suggests that conservative treatments are about 90 percent effective at resolving symptoms. It is rare for a cuboid misalignment to be addressed surgically, but it is an option if all else fails.
Some patients will see relief from conservative treatments within a couple of days, or it can take several months. The more protective you are of the area and the earlier you seek treatment, the more likely it is that you’ll find relief.