Iselin's Disease 

Iselin's disease is often referred to as Iselin's osteochondritis of the foot. The disease usually affects growing adolescents(from 8 to 14) who are physically active. The disease manifests as inflammation or irritation that attacks the growth plate of the fifth metatarsal bone of the foot. Iselin's disease can cause the bone to become swollen, inflamed, or even baked. The fifth metatarsal bone is a large bone on the outermost side of the foot that plays an important role in weight bearing and balance. As a result, people affected by this disease suffer from problems in carrying or balancing the body weight. Adults can also be affected by this disease.

If affected by the disease, it recovers on its own. It is not a long-term illness and does not require surgery. However, it can cause a lot of suffering if the disease occurs.

Causes of Iselin's Disease 

There are no specific causes behind Iselin's disease. However, the disease can occur during the rapid growth spurt of puberty. This disease can also occur due to excessive pressure on the foot, especially on the fifth metatarsal bone. This can be caused by repetitive stress on the foot while playing sports. Some biomechanical factors such as defective bone formation in the foot can cause this disease. The disease can also be genetic. After all, the disease is a multifactorial disease.

Symptoms 

There are not many specific symptoms of the disease. However, some common signs that indicate the disease have been mentioned. There may be pain in the affected area, tenderness to touch, swelling of the affected area, discomfort during weight bearing or heavy activities, tightness of the affected area, difficulty in moving the legs, etc.

Diagnosis

 is a combination of clinical evaluation. In this case the doctor will check the patient's past medical history and genetic history. Moreover, the type of disease will be diagnosed by considering the swelling, tenderness, pain of the affected area, especially around the fifth metatarsal bone. In some cases, the doctor may suggest an X-ray, but the X-ray may not fully reveal the origin and exact cause of the pain.

Treatment

Treatment of this disease can usually be done at home. Usually no surgery or medication is needed. In this case, it is possible to eliminate the severity and symptoms of this disease with adequate care and maintenance. Some common methods that can be followed to get relief from this disease are discussed.

This disease can be cured by taking adequate rest and avoiding weight bearing work. This will reduce the pressure on the metatarsal bone of the foot and allow the affected bone to recover faster. Compression bands can be used to relieve bone swelling problems. Applying ice to the affected area will relieve pain and inflammation. Ice should be used for short periods of time, especially after physical activity. Elevating the foot in the rest time will reduce the swelling and relax the affected area. Comfortable and loose shoes should be worn for the feet so that no extra pressure is felt on the feet. Some OTC drugs such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also be prescribed. If these approaches are followed properly, the disease can be easily cured.