Twisting and spraining your ankle is a very common injury. Even a minor sprain can cause swelling and may be very painful due to all the nerves and other sensitive components that make up the feet and ankles. Always rest an ankle after twisting it to allow the symptoms to dissipate. That...
The use of custom orthotic shoe inserts and devices can provide more support and treat abnormalities in foot structure that cause many foot and ankle problems. The improved spinal alignment also helps treat knee, back and hip issues. Basic inserts like generic arch and heel supports can be purchased at shoe...
A recent estimate by the World Health Organization indicates that over 375 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes worldwide. In another ten or fifteen years, that number is expected to explode, with diabetes becoming the sixth leading cause of severe disability and even death. Since one of the major symptoms...
Ingrown toenails are a common and painful condition that often affects the big toe, but any of your toes can be affected. The condition is characterized by the side of the toenail growing into the tender skin on the edge of your toes rather than over the top. Just wearing shoes...
Having calluses and cracked heels is a common foot problem that is usually just a minor annoyance for the majority of people and some thick skin is essential and beneficial to the proper cushioning and protection of your feet. However, when calluses get too thick and start cracking and bleeding, they can...
High-heeled shoes are becoming increasingly vilified for all the pain and discomfort they cause. In fact, they are even now being shunned by fashion houses in favor of strutting in luxury sneakers on the catwalk! Women have suffered from the ill effects of high heels for a long time, but...
The bunion is a common big toe deformity that is easily identifiable from the bony bump that forms on the top or side of the big toe joint. As the bunion matures, the big toe is bent into the other toes with a lot of force causing rubbing, blisters, and even underlapping and...
Orthotics are specially-made shoe inserts used to treat many foot and ankle problems and also to help increase athletic performance. Since achieving optimum weight distribution is essential to the proper functioning of your feet and ankles, you should have a computerized gait analysis performed by your foot doctor to see if...
Having a sensation of burning feet can be caused by many conditions. The most common cause is peripheral neuropathy from diabetic nerve damage that is caused by poorly controlled blood sugar levels. Symptoms include a sense of tingling and numbness and a burning sensation that can range from mild to severe. Excessive alcohol consumption can also...
Plantar warts are so named because they grow in the plantar fascia, which is the wide band of fibrous tissue that spans the bottom of your foot. These warts form in response to pressure and often occur in the heel or ball area where stress is the highest. They also tend...
A severe break to your foot or ankle can happen in a wide variety of situations. It’s no wonder that fractures of the foot and ankle are among the most frequent problems seen in podiatrist’s offices. While professional athletes are certainly more susceptible to a bone fracture due to the grueling...
All the wonderful years of walking, running, working and dancing throughout your life really take a toll on your poor old feet. From toe deformities like bunionsand hammertoes to arthritis and gout, your feet and ankles are more likely to experience problems as you get older. However, you can minimize or even prevent...
Many people have the wrong ideas when it comes to what should be done about a broken toe. A major myth regarding broken toes is that if you can walk on it, then it must not be broken. But a minor break may not be extremely painful and walking on the foot...
Morton’s neuroma is a nerve growth that is a common foot condition, often described as feeling like you have a pebble in your shoe underneath the ball of your foot. It is usually a result of injury and pressure pushing on the nerves that connect to your toes between the third and...
Keeping your feet healthy after all the walking, running, climbing, and standing they do on a daily basis can be more easily accomplished when you take the time and effort to properly care for them before problems pop up. When you do notice signs of any problems, see your foot...
Blisters are a painful and annoying occurrence that is frequently caused by pressure from rubbing on the inside of your footwear. This can be caused by poorly-fitting shoes. Be sure to have your feet measured so your footwear is supportive and comfortable without being too loose or too tight. Treatment...
Because of the peripheral nerve damage caused by diabetes, there can be a pronounced numbness and lack of feeling in the feet. This can cause even a relatively minor injury to go undetected. It doesn’t take long for an infection to start and quickly turn into a diabetic foot ulcer. This...
Since there are many possible problems that can cause pain on the top of your foot, you should always see your foot doctor for any pain and discomfort that lasts for more than a few days. Some common reasons for top of the foot pain include the following:Poorly fitting...
Your feet can become severely swollen to the point where you can’t even get your shoes on. The cause can simply be fluid retention that can occur from your everyday activities. But swelling in the feet and ankles can also occur while sitting for long periods such as during a...
The condition called metatarsalgia is a major source of pain in the ball of the foot. Since your foot ball is right behind your big toe on the bottom of your foot, it absorbs much of the stress and pressure from walking, standing, and exercising and is frequently the source of intense...
Having your toenail grow into the tender skin on the edge of your toe is an extremely painful occurrence that can also lead to a bacterial or fungal toenail infection. An ingrown toenail can be especially troublesome for patients who have diabetes since a bacterial infection can quickly spread and may lead to...
Your Achilles tendon, which is the largest tendon in your body, is essential for doing everyday activities like walking and climbing stairs. So when you have an injury to this tendon (which connects your heel bone to your calf muscle), the resulting pain and discomfort can be extremely debilitating, causing...
Gymnastics is certainly one of the most demanding of sports that requires discipline, dedication and meticulous preparation to be ready for intense competition. Ankle sprains and other foot injuries strike young gymnasts often. While many of these injuries are due to accidents and stress that come with the territory, many injuries can...
Your arch is quite durable since it effectively supports your entire body weight. However, the arch is also quite fragile and susceptible to a variety of painful problems due to all the stress and pressure that it absorbs. Having untreated flat feet can be a major contributor to arch pain. Your...
Reducing your chances of falling as you get older is an excellent way to avoid becoming one of the many elderly people who have suffered a serious injury after a bad fall. Older individuals are also more likely to be experiencing osteoporosis (bone loss), which increases the severity of breaks because bone...
Participating in ballet or modern dance puts an enormous amount of pressure and stress on the feet and ankles to produce all that graceful, fluid motion. So it is not very surprising that dancers are frequently seen in the podiatrist’s office for treatment of skin conditions and a variety of...
Your feet are actually susceptible to cancer just like other parts of your body. However, since your feet don’t usually get a lot of ultraviolet light exposure, it can be surprising to find out that skin cancer on the feet and ankle occurs quite often. Cancerous growths can resemble other conditions, so...
Gout is often thought of as a condition affecting older people and it is most common between the ages of 40 and 60. But gout can occur in men and women who are much younger and older. The big toe and ankle joints are frequently affected by symptoms of extreme pain...
Proper care of your feet is extremely important when you have diabetes. This disease causes nerve damage in your feet that can make it hard to know when you have an injury. The reduced circulation often experienced by patients with diabetes also causes wounds and blisters to heal more slowly or not at...
Choosing the right shoes is one of the best decisions you can make to keep your feet happy and healthy. The many benefits of properly-supported feet radiate to your knees, hips, and back, so make choosing the correct footwear for work, sporting, and leisure pursuits a high priority. Some tips...
The deformity called hammertoe gets its name because of the propensity of the middle toes to bend into the shape of a hammer due to muscle and tendon imbalances. These imbalances are actually hereditary, but they can become exacerbated by stress and pressure. Shoes like high heels that push your toes together...
Heel pain that is often most noticeable first thing in the morning is one of the telltale signs of plantar fasciitis. The symptoms may occur only occasionally in the beginning. But by continuing to perform the activity that causes the stress to the plantar fascia, the condition can become worse as the...
A major cause of severe injury in people over 65 is from falling. Reduce your chances of falling to stay healthy and active as you get older through proper diet and exercise and by using the right orthotic inserts. Since many older people also have osteoporosis which causes a weakening of...
Plantar warts are large warts that grow in the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot. They usually occur in the heel or ball area and are often hidden by a thick layer of callused skin that hides them from view. Usually the only indication that you have a plantar...
A fungal toenail infection is caused by microscopic fungi that love the warm and moist environment that is found inside your sneakers and shoes. When the fungi get under your toenails, it can cause them to become discolored, thick, and brittle, and a bad odor may be noticeable. Fungal toenails are caused by the...
Patients with diabetes who have numbness from nerve damage often experience a complete lack of feeling in their feet as the disease progresses. This can lead to the development of a problem called Charcot Foot. With this condition, you’ll find a severe and disabling deformity that occurs to the foot often without...
With an ingrown toenail, you will notice swelling and redness where the edge of the nail is cutting into your skin. A bacterial or fungal toenail infection may also be evident causing yellowing and a discharge of fluid that may have a bad smell. For advanced cases, it’s always best to seek treatment...
If you experience a break where a ligament separates from the bone and a small section of bone pulls away with it, then you have suffered an avulsion fracture. Younger athletes whose bones are not yet fully developed are more susceptible to these types of fractures, and they often occur at...
The condition of tarsal tunnel syndrome that affects the foot has many similarities to the wrist condition called carpal tunnel syndrome. In both cases, nerve stress and damage from repetitive use can cause numbness, pain, tingling, and a burning sensation. In the case of your feet, inflammation and constriction of the...
Keeping your feet healthy and in optimal shape can be difficult, but wearing the right shoes that are properly sized and fitted is the most important factor in avoiding injury, pain, and discomfort. Always choose a shoe that is made for the activity in which you will be engaged, and be sure...
Ganglion cysts are non-cancerous growths that will often show up as bumps on the top of your foot. They tend to grow on a tendon, ligament, or muscle and they are characterized by the fact that the soft sack is filled with fluid, but it doesn’t move around at all. The fluid...
While the joint stiffening and damage caused by arthritis often affect the hands, back, knees, and hips, it can become a problem for your feet and ankles too, adversely affecting your ability to walk and exercise. Early detection and treatment are essential to slowing the progression of this disease. Custom-made orthotic inserts used...
Corns and calluses are a natural reaction that your body has to excess friction and pressure on the skin. These conditions are exacerbated by improperly fitted footwear, and increased pressure from sports and exercise can contribute to their formation. Some differences between corns and calluses include:Corns—These often occur where your toes rub...
Peroneal tendonitis is one of the less common causes of potentially debilitating pain in the arch and on the outside of the foot. The peroneus longus and the peroneus brevis are the two tendons that support the side of the foot. These tendons then go on to make their connection to...
A bunion is a bony growth that grows on the joint of the big toe, causing the toe to bend inwards and push into the other toes. This type of bump can also occur in a smaller version on the pinky toe which is probably why it is called a bunionette. Bunions...
The wide, thick, fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot can become stressed and inflamed causing considerable pain and discomfort. This heel pain condition is known as plantar fasciitis. The most common early indication of plantar fasciitis is pain in back of the heel that is most noticeable...
Having the feeling that your feet are burning can range from just a little discomfort to something so severe that the pain wakes you up at night. There are a wide variety of conditions that can cause the feeling of burning feet, with some of them also causing numbness or a pins-and-needles...
A heel spur is a small, bony protrusion that extends from the back of the heel bone. It is formed over many months from calcium deposits and is often found in conjunction with another condition called plantar fasciitis. These types of conditions are caused by excess stress and strain to the tendons...
Blisters are a very common foot problem that is usually caused by excess rubbing on your footwear. Your skin responds to this friction by producing a pus-filled area on your skin. The fluid in a blister is most often clear, but it can also be slightly red or pink if bleeding...
Many people don’t realize that they can get skin cancer on their feet, even on the heels. Skin cancer is often associated with excess sun exposure, and some people are more susceptible to sun damage than others. Individuals with lighter skin, hair and eyes will burn more easily and may be more...
Pain in the big toe is a very common complaint that is treated by podiatrists. There are quite a variety of causes of pain in the big toe and, since the symptoms can mimic each other, you should see your foot specialist for the correct diagnosis and treatment. The...
Your feet really are a marvel of engineering and they do an incredible job every day to get you through your day. While you may tend to take your feet for granted (75% of us do!) while they do all the work of walking, standing, and exercising, here a few...
We don’t normally think of our feet as being susceptible to skin cancer since they don’t tend to get a lot of sun exposure, but cancer can affect your feet. Because it often goes unnoticed, the consequences can be deadly. Check your feet for lesions regularly and bring them to the attention of your...
Spraining an ankle is one of the most common ways to find your way into a podiatrist’s office. While many people may be fortunate enough to walk away with only minor pain and a temporary limp that subsides after a few days of rest and recuperation, other folks suffer sprains that...
Your Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body that connects from your heel to your calf muscle. A lot of people do not realize how important this tendon is for walking, running, or merely just standing until they suffer an injury to the tendon that can cause considerable...
One of the most obvious but often overlooked aspects of foot care is the prevention of foot and ankle problems from happening in the first place. Of course, the importance of regular foot inspections, wearing properly fitted shoes, and doing strengthening and flexibility exercises can’t be overemphasized. Yet another...
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon that you have in your body. It connects from the heel bone to the calf muscle and makes it possible to stand, walk, and exercise. While runners and athletes are more susceptible to experiencing the inflammation and pain of Achilles tendonitis, it can also...
Fungal nail infections can also be referred to as “onychomycosis” or even “tinea unguium”! The microscopic fungi that cause these infections thrive in the warm, wet conditions found in most shoes. The same fungi that cause athlete’s foot problems also cause fungal toenail infections, so it can be quite easy for...
Foot and ankle problems can become more difficult to treat as they progress. Since a foot or ankle problem may often be a sign of a systemic health problem, it is all the more important to get a proper diagnosis from your podiatrist and to pursue the recommended treatment, thus...
The condition of an ingrown toenail is also called onychocryptosis. An ingrown toenail can be a severely debilitating problem, especially when it occurs in multiple toes simultaneously on both feet which can cause a never-ending battle with painful swelling and infections. It isn’t always obvious that an inward growing toenail is the...
Stubbing your toe happens suddenly and unexpectedly, causing a painful experience even if the actual injury is relatively minor. Because your toes have only a small amount of fatty tissue to insulate them from any shock, a stubbed toe injury can often be very painful without being very severe. This...
If one or more of your toes appears with a bent shape at the joint (like the shape of a hammer), then you probably have a condition known as hammertoe, but it could also be mallet toe, which is pretty much the same thing. This condition is not always painful in...
If you notice a painful bump on the back of your heel at the location where your Achilles tendon attaches to the bone, then you may have a Haglund’s deformity. While this abnormality frequently affects women who wear high heels and is known as the “pump bump,” it can similarly affect...
Primary causes of hospitalization and lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetes are wounds and cuts that occur on the feet and toes that can become quickly infected and gangrenous. Often a patient with diabetes is unaware that he or she has a cut because peripheral neuropathy inhibits the sensation of pain....
Having pain in your heel when you first put weight on your foot at the beginning of your day or after a long time sitting in one place is an indication that you may have a condition called plantar fasciitis. This foot condition is characterized by an inflammation of the connective tissue...
While physical therapy is often used to improve the rate of recovery from an injury or surgery, it can also be used to alleviate the discomfort and pain of a wide variety of conditions and even helps to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place, thus avoiding surgery. Physical...
A hammertoe deformity is characterized by one or more of your middle toes abnormally bending at the joints, causing the toe to take on the shape of a hammer, hence the name. Because of the rubbing of the bent toe on your footwear, you may also notice corns, calluses, and other problems...
It’s important to be aware of what to expect as your feet age along with the rest of your body and to remember that it’s essential to take care of your feet to maintain your overall health. Problems with your feet are often a harbinger of other health problems, so...
Bunions are often thought of as a problem for the elderly, but they can affect people of all ages. The most obvious sign of this condition is that the big toe pushes against the second toe causing a bump to develop on the top or side of the big toe. This...
The best course of action if you are experiencing pain on the top of your foot, especially if you can’t tell the exact cause, is to have your foot doctor do a complete exam to get right to the core of the problem and begin the proper treatment. 3...
Joint diseases that cause stiffness, pain, and swelling are often very debilitating, especially when any of the thirty or more joints in each of your neglected feet are affected. Several of the common bodily arthritic conditions can concurrently have painful consequences for your feet. Common Arthritic Foot Conditions Osteoarthritis—Wear and tear...
An ankle sprain can occur when you least expect it, such as from that missed step at the curb while looking at your phone. Or perhaps you landed wrong after making an awesome football grab. Whatever the cause, the pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty walking experienced immediately afterward are sure signs that...
Your feet create the foundation for the rest of your body to stand on, so when you neglect problems with your feet and ankles it can have far-reaching consequences. Fallen arches (also called flat feet) is one of those conditions that if left untreated can lead to a variety of other...
Warts that often appear on the heels or balls of the feet and are caused by the human papillomavirus. Since plantar warts grow in areas that are under the most pressure, the wart will often tend to grow inward, with a hard layer of callused skin obscuring it from view. Plantar...
Having hard, rough, abrasive skin on your feet looks ugly, and can often feel uncomfortable. Hard skin on the foot can be easily removed using a file or pumice stone. A pumice stone is naturally abrasive and is made of volcanic rock and crystals, which is an earthy addition to...
Pain in the heel is often associated with plantar fasciitis, but it’s not the only possible cause of heel and arch pain. There are a variety of other conditions that can create a similar sensation in the foot but is caused by a totally different mechanism. Three other possible sources of heel and...
Ingrown toenails can not only be unsightly and a possible avenue for a fungal nail infection, but also can be extremely painful. So preventing them from happening in the first place is the best strategy. Some methods to help prevent ingrown toenails from occurring include: ● Proper nail cutting technique—Use the...
Having a feeling that there is a small object such as a pebble in your shoe is the main symptom of a condition called Morton’s neuroma. It occurs when a metatarsal ligament traps a nerve causing inflammation and discomfort that usually presents between the second and third, or third and fourth...
Chilblains occur when the tiny veins called capillaries in your skin become irritated and inflamed after repeat exposure to cold, winter air. Often referred to as pernio, this condition causes red spots and blotches, severe itching, a burning sensation, and swelling and blistering on the hands and feet. Once you develop the condition...
The tarsal tunnel is a channel that exists in between part of your ankle bone and a bevy of ligaments that span across your foot. This tunnel carries the nerves, tendons, and arteries that allow you to use your foot. One of the main nerves inside the tarsal tunnel is...
Corns and calluses are thick layers of skin that most commonly form on your hands, feet, fingers and toes. When they appear on your feet, it is usually the result of excess friction and pressure created by badly fitting footwear. Calluses, which tend to be bigger than corns, are commonly located on...
If you are experiencing pain in your foot without an obvious cause, you may have suffered a stress fracture. The pain can tend to come and go, and often is increased during specific foot movements. Stress fractures are very small cracks in the bone that are caused by the repeated stress...