Cuboid syndrome is a common overuse injury that occurs in athletes and sports people. It is caused by the cuboid bone that becomes unstable and moves. The cuboid is a small cube shaped bone on the outside of the foot. When the muscles from the leg (the peroneal muscles) contract, the tendons that use the cuboid as a pulley will tend to try and move the bone out of place. This excessive movement of the bone strains the joint around it. Those athletes with biomehcanical problems such as a flat or pronated foot are much more likely to get this. Unsupportive or unstable running shoes are also thought to be a factor for cuboid syndrome.

The symptoms of this is an initial aching pain around the bone on the outside of the foot that gets worse with increased physical activity. If treatment is not initiated soon, then the pain gets worse and eventuelly interferes with sports participation.

The usual treatment for cuboid syndrome is pain relief with ice and anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is usaully a good idea to substitute some non-weight bearing sports, such as cycling to allow recovery to happen. Cuboid manipulation is used to put the subluxed cuboid back into place.

More on cuboid syndrome.

Podiatry Arena

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