Rearfoot / Ankle · Neurology & Nerve · Reconstructive · Advanced
Feet Stopped Growing
Podiatric surgery residency interview case. Work through it the way you would at an interview: take the history, ask for the exam and imaging, then commit to a diagnosis and plan.
Chief complaint
"My feet hurt and walking is getting harder."
19-year-old male referred to clinic by his general practitioner.
History of present illness
Painful feet and increasing difficulty walking. He reports that his feet have not grown since about age 13, although his arches have become progressively higher. He has painful calluses on the bottoms of both feet.
- Gradual, bilateral, progressive over years
- Occasional numbness in the feet
- Frequent ankle 'rolling' and tripping on uneven ground
- Has tried over-the-counter insoles without relief
- No trauma
Questions a strong candidate asks at this step
- Onset and progression of the deformity — unilateral or bilateral?
- Location of pain and calluses; shoe wear pattern
- Ankle instability, sprains, tripping (foot drop)
- Neurological symptoms: numbness, weakness, hand clumsiness, back pain
- Family history of high arches or neuromuscular disease
- Prior treatment: orthoses, bracing, PT
Present the rest of the case
Past history, exam, imaging, assessment, plan and discussion questions, with model answers, are in the interactive trainer. The diagnosis is kept there on purpose so you can practice committing to one.