You may lose the fat pads on the balls of your feet with age. In many cases, the loss is due to the result of cortisone injections. Many people suffering with Morton’s neuroma foot pain or Metatarsalgia received cortisone injections for the temporary relief of pain. However, these corticosteroid injections have a significant risk of resulting in fat pad atrophy, especially if they have been repeated a few times.
That’s because cortisone interferes with the body’s natural healing processes resulting in tissue breakdown. Fat pad atrophy is fat tissue breakdown that does not repair or reverse with time. This results in foot bones that are closer to the floor, not as protected, and in more pain. This can also occur normally due to the aging process. In high arched people, chronic stress over the fat pad can also cause it to shift forward and degenerate. Acute injury, diabetes or smoking can also cause or contribute to Fat Pad Atrophy.
Until recently, we had nothing to offer. We now have a Regenerative Medicine solution to build up your fat pads in your feet. Recent studies show that taking a small amount of your own fat from an area, like the buttock or thigh, and putting it back into the ball of your foot together with Platelet Rich Plasma which we get from a small blood draw can have a long term, positive effect to repair the fat atrophy and restore comfort and function. The aim of using this procedure is to support your body’s self-healing processes and reverse disease leading to symptom relief and recovery of function.
We first examine and evaluate your feet and confirm the diagnosis and make sure that you are a suitable candidate. Then we draw a tube of blood from your arm and centrifuge it to obtain Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). While your blood is spinning, we do a mini liposuction taking a very small amount of your own fat from your buttocks in a painless procedure under local anesthesia. We then process your fat here on site. Once we have the fat processed and your PRP, we inject the fat and the PRP it into your fad pad area under ultrasound guidance. The PRP will help to add your own tissue growth factors and enhance your body’s ability to increase the size and number of blood vessels to the area. The whole process takes about 1-2 hours.
Recovery can take a week and we recommend you then ease back into your routine but avoid long walks and runs (and anything that creates excessive foot pad pressure) for 4 weeks. Custom Orthotics can help the healing and recovery.
Orthotics, especially custom made orthotics, can help your recovery. Surgery is also an option but only as a very last resort.
Although Orthobiologic Cell Therapy is considered by some people to be experimental, various research studies show that some marrow aspirate concentrate and platelet rich plasma injections may provide excellent relief from joint and musculoskeletal pain and ongoing inflammation.
600 Worcester Rd, Ste 301,
Framingham, MA 01702
This information is for educational purposes only and is NOT intended to replace the care or advice given by your physician. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. For more information see our Medical Disclaimer.
