Although they do not have a date set in Columbus, fans traveling to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers tour for their 2011 album may be wondering what has led them to reschedule many of their appearances. The cause of these major changes in concert dates is due to lead singer Anthony Kiedis’s painful foot injury of the two small bones at the base of the big toe called sesamoids.
While many people believe there are 26 bones in the foot, there are technically 28 due to the 2 small constant sesamoids that Kiedis appears to have injured. Normally the term sesamoid refers to a bone that is not found as part of the normal bones of the body and only appears in a small percentage of the population. Sesamoids form in tendons and joint capsules to reduce the friction or alter the pull of the tendon. The 2 constant sesamoids at the base of the big toe are found in a tendon; however they are present in the majority of the population unlike a typical sesamoid and thus are termed “constant”. Sesamoids can also form elsewhere in the foot not as part of the normal anatomy and thus can occasionally cause discomfort. Anthony Kiedis unfortunately discovered that the constant sesamoids can become irritated or fractured. Because these bones are placed under tremendous pressure with each step we take as the foot propels off the ground, any damage to them can cause immense pain and trouble ambulating.
Irritation and inflammation of the tendons surrounding the sesamoids is called sesamoiditis. This is a type of tendonitis that does not typically require surgery as part of its treatment. Fracture of the sesamoids occurs more commonly to the medial sesamoid, or the sesamoid that is located to the side of the big toe away from the other toes. This is because the two sesamoids are separated from each other by a bony ridge called a crista on the bone they lie beneath. The medial sesamoid can often slide under this crista and burst or fracture into many small pieces of bone when placed under pressure. Surgery may be required to remove pieces of the sesamoid bone that have “died” from loss of blood supply. Kiedis underwent this surgery to not only clean up the sesamoid fracture but also to correct the placement of the muscle tendon that the sesamoid usually lies within.
Continuing to walk with a painful injury could have led to additional problems by the body attempting to compensate and avoid placing pressure on the sesamoid. By undergoing the appropriate treatment soon after identifying his sesamoid injury, Kiedis should enjoy immense pain relief and regaining the ability to give high energy performances at his newly scheduled tour dates!
Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.
