- Ingrown Toenails
- Bunions
- Corns
- Calluses
- Hammertoes
- Diabetic Foot Care
- Warts
- Heel Spurs/Plantar Fasciitis
- Ankle Instability
- Flat Feet
- Athlete’s Foot
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Neuromas
- Geriatric Foot Care
- Ankle Sprains
- Toenail Fungus
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Heel Pain
- Arch Pain
- Skin and Nails
- Toes
- Ankle and Leg
- Top of Foot and ball of foot
- Pediatric Foot and Ankle Pain
- Surgical Treatment Options
Ingrown Toenails
We have all made the painful mistake of trimming our nails too short at some point in our lives. Sometimes, this can really affect our foot health by causing ingrown toenails.
This happens when the nail grows downward into the skin instead of straight out, usually causing an infection. Ingrown toenails are most common on the sides of the big toe. It can also be caused by shoe pressure, injury, fungal infections, poor foot structure, etc.
Warm water soaks several times a day, properly fitted shoes and socks, and trimming nails in a straight line (rather than rounded) are ways to treat and prevent painful ingrown toenails. If there is an infection, antibiotics may be prescribed.
Bunions
A bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. They can develop from an inherited structural defect, excess stress on your foot, or can result from an existing medical condition.
For the most part, bunions require no medical treatment. However, if you are experiencing one or more of the following, a podiatrist can help alleviate your symptoms.
Corns
Corns tend to be smaller than calluses and are the hard center is surrounded by irritated skin. While corns can be found on the bottom of the foot where pressure is usually applied, it is more common that you find corns on the tops and sides of your toes and even between your toes. When pressure is applied, corns can cause significant pain and discomfort.
Calluses
Calluses, on the other hand, don’t usually cause pain. They usually develop on the soles of your feet, especially under the heels or balls, on your palms, or on your knees. Calluses vary in size and shape and are often larger than corns.
Hammertoes
Hammertoe is a deformity where one or both joints of the second, third, fourth or fifth toes begin to bend outside of their normal alignment. Pressure can begin to weigh heavy on the toes as you wear shoes which is where pain and other symptoms develop.
Hammertoes typically begin with small symptoms and deformities and continue to worsen with time. In its beginning stages, hammertoes are often impressionable which means they can be controlled using minimal treatment. It is important to know the signs of hammertoes to get them evaluated early. If left untreated, hammertoes can become more firm and difficult to manipulate, requiring surgery.
Diabetic Foot Care
Daily preventative care can help you decrease your risk of developing these other serious conditions like ulcers and infections. Inspecting your feet at the end of the day to look for any abnormalities, maintaining proper hygiene, keeping your feet warm in cold weather, encouraging blood flow in the feet, and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle can discourage other conditions from developing.
Warts
Plantar warts are caused by the HPV virus and cause tiny cuts and breaks on the bottom of your feet.
While most plantar warts are not a major health concern, it is advised you see a doctor to have the warts examined and removed. Some symptoms include small, rough lesions on the base of the foot, calluses in one spot, and tenderness when walking or standing for long periods of time.
Heel Spurs/Plantar Fasciitis
Heel spurs occur in at least 50% of people who have plantar fasciitis. Past treatments for heel spurs, a bony growth that begins on the front of your heel bone and points toward the arch of your foot, included surgery to remove the growth. Nowadays, surgery is rarely a treatment option and more plans for physical therapy, ice, and pain medications are used to treat heel spurs.
Ankle Instability
Chronic ankle instability is usually caused by repeated ankle sprains and is described as the gradual giving way of the outside of the ankle. Some symptoms of ankle instability include constant inflammation or swelling, tenderness, and instability in the ankle. After a sprained ankle, the ligaments become stretched and torn. Proper rehabilitation is required to strengthen the muscles around the ankle and rehabilitate the tissues within the ankle that affect your balance. In addition, physical therapy, medications, and bracing can help treat chronic ankle instability. Failure to do so may result in repeated ankle sprains, or possibly surgery.
Flat Feet
Flat foot is a condition where the arches on the inside of your feet are flattened which causes the sole of the foot to touch the floor when standing upright. It is likely for flat feet to be caused by the arches not fully developing during childhood and is considered a very common and painless condition. On the other hand, flat feet can occur after an injury or from the normal aging process.
While it is common not to experience any pain or symptoms of flat feet, some people do tend to sense pain in the heel or arch area. Physical activity can irritate the area and inflame the foot along the inside of the ankle. This can be caused by the tendon that is supporting the arch being stretched as it is depreciating.
Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a specific type of fungal infection that typically begins between the toes. A common cause of athlete’s foot is sweaty feet that are confined to tight shoes for a long period of time. Signs and symptoms of athlete’s foot include a scaly rash that usually causes itching, stinging and burning. Athlete’s foot is contagious and should be carefully monitored and treated. Athlete’s foot can easily be treated with antifungal medications, but the infection is likely to recur. Prescription medications also are available.
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendinitis is caused by overuse of the band of tissues that connects the lower region of your calf muscle to your heel bone, also known as your Achilles tendon. Those at a higher risk for Achilles tendinitis are runners engaging in intense training or middle-aged people who participate in sports on occasion.
Neuromas
A neuroma can occur in many areas of the body when nerve tissue thickens. Morton’s neuroma is the most typical neuroma that occurs in the foot and it occurs between the third and fourth toes. Also known as an intermetatarsal neuroma, the name describes its location in the ball of the foot.
Compression and irritation typically cause the nerve tissue to thicken. This pressure creates inflammation of the nerve, ultimately causing untreatable damage to the nerves in the foot.
Geriatric Foot Care
As we age, foot problems are almost inevitable and completely normal. However, there are important steps to take to make sure you stay on your feet.
Health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, and circulatory issues may cause problems that present themselves in the feet. It is very important to monitor your foot health and seek medical attention whenever you notice a problem. Below are some daily tips and tricks to keep your feet healthy.
Ankle Sprains
A sprained ankle occurs when you twist your ankle in an abnormal way causing the ligaments holding your ankle bones together to stretch or tear. Most sprained ankles involve injuries to the ligaments on the outer side of the ankle. Treatment for a sprained ankle depends on the severity of the injury. Although you may just need proper rest and pain medications to heal, it is important to have the sprain looked at by a professional to determine the severity and proper treatment.
Toenail Fungus
Fungal infections in the toe or fingernails can appear as thickened, discolored, or disfigured. While it may seem like the condition is just an aesthetic concern, fungal infections can lead to worsened symptoms and pain. Diabetes, a weakened immune system, and the normal aging process are all causes associated with fungal infections. It is more likely for senior citizens and adults to develop a fungal infection as opposed to children.
Peripheral Neuropathy
As a result of damaged peripheral nerves, peripheral neuropathy can occur causing symptoms like weakness, numbness, burning, and tingling in the hands and feet as well as other parts of the body. Traumatic injuries, diabetes, and even some exposure to toxins can cause peripheral nerve damage.
Once damage to nerves occurs, the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are gradual and worsen with time. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to aid in the prevention of damage to those specific nerves.
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Heel Pain
Heel pain can be due to many underlying causes. Many of these are overuse conditions which resolve with rest and anti-inflammatories. Symptoms may include pain first thing in the morning, pain with or after activity at or near the heel or discomfort with certain activities. Most patients describe this pain as aching, throbbing or burning. Pain can also be sharp or shooting depending on the underlying cause.
- Common causes of heel pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendonitis
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Stress fracture
- Trapped nerve in the heel
- Pediatric heel pain – sever’s disease
Arch Pain
Symptoms of arch pain may vary but are most commonly described as a deep aching and or throbbing pain especially with activity or walking barefoot. This pain can be brought on by injury or overuse and is often caused by underlying inflammation. You will likely need an evaluation with X-rays to determine an underlying cause of this pain.
- Plantar fasciitis
- Fallen arches
- Flat feet
- Nerve pain
- High arches
Skin and Nails
We see many skin and nail issues in our office. These can range from skin flaking, itching to the feet, excessive sweatiness, thickening of the nails or discoloration of the nails.
- Fungal nails
- Ingrown nails
- Athlete’s Feet
- Dermatitis or skin irritation
- Warts
Toes
Podiatry is centered around problems dealing with the toes. Bunions and Hammertoes are a commonly seen issue in our office. Symptoms can include pain on the top of your smaller toes, pain in the joint behind your big toe, abnormal “bumps” on your toe or on the inside of your foot as well as aching and throbbing with activity or in shoes. We also treat broken toes, which should be x-rayed and treated promptly.
- Bunionette or Tailor’s bunion
- Broken toes
- Bunions
- Hammertoes
Ankle and Leg
Podiatrists treat the full range of foot and ankle pathology. Symptoms of ankle issues include feelings of instability while walking, pain in or around the ankle with certain movements, pain with pressing on the tendons surrounding the ankle, discomfort with flexing of the ankle joint and pain after long periods of walking. These may be described as aching, throbbing, sharp or shooting pain and generally resolve with immobilization and anti-inflammatories.
- Achilles tendonitis
- Ankle instability
- Arthritis in the ankle
- Peroneal tendonitis
- Sprained ankle
Top of Foot and Ball of Foot
This category includes the largest number of pathologies and can include the most variation in symptoms. These can include: nerve issues which generally cause burning or tingling, inflammatory problems which are generally caused by overuse or injury or even fractures (AKA broken bones.) There is a common misconception that if you can walk on your foot, it is not broken, but this is not necessarily true. Any and all broken bones need a full evaluation with X-rays.
- Neuroma
- Nerve compression
- Stress fracture
- Arthritis
- Metatarsalgia
- Plantar plate strain or tear
Pediatric Foot and Ankle Pain
As podiatrists we treat a variety of pediatric foot and ankle issues. These can range from skin and nail issues to difficulty with walking.
- Severs disease (heel pain)
- Toe walking
- Ingrown toenails
- Warts
Surgical Treatment Options
Podiatrists undergo a three year surgical residency and perform thousands of procedures to be highly trained surgically in order to care for foot and ankle issues which fail conservative care. Recovery time vary depending on procedure and your surgeon will instruct you on what these consist of at your surgical consultation.
- Minimally invasive bunions and hammertoes
- Scopes (Arthroscopy)
- Care for broken bones in the ankle and foot
- Flatfoot reconstructions
- Tendon repairs
- Complex diabetic foot deformity correction
- Short Achilles tendon