Mueller-Weiss syndrome

Mueller-Weiss syndrome, also called Mueller-Weiss disease, is a rare, idiopathic degenerative disease of the adult navicular bone in the foot, marked by progressive collapse and fragmentation of the bone that leads to pain and deformity of the mid- and hindfoot. It is seen mostly in women aged 40 to 60. Imaging characteristically shows lateral collapse of the navicular bone, and the condition was historically understood as a form of adult onset osteonecrosis caused by disrupted blood flow to the bone. Onset is sub-acute, often beginning as discomfort with prolonged standing that can progress to disabling pain; because symptoms can be out of proportion to visible signs, early diagnosis can be difficult. Pain is centered on the midfoot and hindfoot, and severe cases can include hindfoot varus deformity and flattening of the arch. Treatment falls under orthopedics and ranges from medication to surgery.