Your podiatrist will look at your medical background to determine the treatment that is best for your condition. He or she will ask questions about your daily activities, the frequency and length of your symptoms and any other physical pain or concerns you may have.
YOUR CHILD'S FEET
COMMON NAIL PROBLEMS
WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
WHAT CAUSES BUNIONS?
PODIATRY
ASSOCIATES LLC
YOUR CHILD'S FEET
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having strong, healthy feet allows your child to walk, run, and play. If your child's feet form correctly, certain types of back and leg pain can be avoided later in life. Exams of the feet and ankles ensure that your child's bones are growing correctly.
YOUR BABY'S FEET
Because a baby's feet are flexible, too much pressure or strain can affect the shape of the foot. To help ensure normal growth, allow your baby to kick and stretch his or her feet. Also, make sure their shoes and socks don't squeeze their toes.
YOUR TODDLER'S FEET
Your toddler will walk when he or she is ready. Try not to force the issue. Instead, watch your child's gait once he or she does begin to walk. During a foot exam, the doctor will watch your toddler walk. If a gait problem exists, the doctor works to identify its cause.
SHOE FIT
For healthier young feet, be sure your child's shoes fit. Outline your child's foot when he or she is standing. Place the shoe over the tracing to see if the shoe is big enough to hold the foot comfortably. Check your child's shoe size often. Make sure there is space between the toes and the end of the shoe. Don't let your child wear hand-me-down shoes because most shoes mold to the foot, and wearing hand-me-downs can affect the shape of your child's feet.
WHEN FOOT CARE IS NEEDED
The doctor will discuss with you the best plan of treatment.
Stretching exercise to aid proper development
Different sitting positions while playing or watching TV
Special shoes or orthoses (custom-made shoe inserts)
Splints or night braces
COMMON NAIL PROBLEMS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many nail problems can be prevented by wearing the right shoes and trimming your nails properly. To help avoid infection, keep your feet clean and dry. If you have diabetes, talk with your podiatrist before doing any self-foot care.
INGROWN NAILS
An ingrown nail is the result of the nail growing into the skin that surrounds it. This often occurs at either edge of the big toe. Ingrown nails may be caused by improper trimming, inherited nail deformities, injuries, fungal infections, or pressure.
THICKENED NAILS
Abnormally thick or crumbling nails may be caused by injuries, pressure from shoes, fungal infections, or conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, or vascular disease.
WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Degenerative arthritis is a condition that slowly wears away joints (the link where bones meet and move). In the beginning, you may notice that the affected joint seems stiff. It may even ache. As the joint lining (cartilage) breaks down, the bones rub against each other, causing pain and swelling.
Aging, the wear and tear of daily use, and injury are common causes of arthritis. Many people eventually develop some arthritis in their feet. When arthritis affects your big toe, your foot hurts as it pushes off the ground. Arthritis often appears in the big-toe joint along with a bunion. It may affect joints where the ankle and foot meet, in the rear or midfoot region and other nearby joints.
WHAT CAUSES BUNIONS?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A bunion (excess or misaligned bone in the joint) is one of the most common big-toe problems. Although they may develop on the fifth (little) toe, bunions usually occur at the base of the big toe. Bunions are often caused by incorrect foot mechanics. The foot may flatten too much, forcing the toe joint to move beyond normal range. In some cases, joint damage caused by arthritis or an injury produce a bunion. Some people are simply born with extra bone near a toe joint. If you're at risk for developing a bunion, wearing high-heeled or poorly fitting shoes makes the problem worse.
WHAT ARE CORNS & CALLUSES?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corns and calluses are your body's response to friction or pressure against the skin. If your foot rubs inside your shoe, the affected area of skin thickens. If a bone is not in the normal position, skin caught between bone and shoe or bone and ground builds up. In either case, the outer layer of skin thickens to protect the foot from unusual pressure. In many cases, corns and calluses look bad but are not harmful. However, more severe corns and calluses may become infected, destroy healthy tissue, or affect foot movement. A corn or callus is a thickening of the outer layer of skin on your foot. Corns usually grow on top of the foot, often at a toe joint. Calluses spread on the bottom of the foot or on the outer edge of a toe or the heel.
WHAT ARE CRACKS & FISSURES?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cracks and fissures are breaks in your skin. They may be the result of skin that is too dry or too moist. When skin is too dry, it can become rough and flaky. A large fissure often forms at the base of the heel. When skin is too moist, you may get a bacterial or fungal infection. This can cause cracks between the toes.
Walking barefoot can strip your skin of its natural oil. Wearing sandals or open shoes can do so as well. Without enough oils skin may crack, and cracks may widen becoming deep fissures.
Moist skin can result from not drying feet after bathing, or from excess sweat. Overly moist skin can encourage bacteria and fungus to grow. This weakens your skin, leading to cracks. Fungus can progress to athlete's foot or thick fungal nails.
WHAT ARE GANGLIONS?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A ganglion is a fluid-filled swelling of the lining of a joint or tendon. Although ganglions can form on any part of the foot, they most often appear on the ankle or top of the foot. Ganglions tend to change in size and usually grow slowly. Ganglions often form with no symptoms. But if the ganglion puts pressure on the nerves in the overlying skin, it can cause tingling, numbness, or pain. Ganglions sometimes swell and their size can change with different activities or a change in weather.
WHAT IS GOUT?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you been awakened at night by a hot, painful feeling in your big toe or ankle? Did the painful joint appear swollen and red (inflamed)? These can be symptoms of a gout attack. Gout is a disease that affects the joints. Left untreated, it can lead to painful foot deformity and even kidney problems. The good news is that by treating gout early, you can relieve pain and help prevent future problems. Gout can usually be treated with medication and proper diet. In severe cases, surgery may be needed.
What causes Gout?
Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid (a waste product made by the body). The uric acid forms crystals that collect in the joints, bringing on a gout attack. If you have many gout attacks, crystals may form large deposits called tophi. Tophi can damage joints and cause deformity.
To help prevent a gout attack, avoid these foods:
Alcohol (beer, red wine)
Certain meats (red meat, processed meat, turkey)
Organ meats (kidney, liver, sweetbread)
Shellfish (lobster, crab, shrimp, scallop, mussel)
Certain fish (anchovy, sardine, herring, mackerel)
WHAT ARE HAMMERTOES?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
In general, the term "hammertoe" describes a buckling of any of the toe joints. Joints at the end or middle of the toe, as well as the joint near the ball of the foot, may be affected. Toe joints usually curl because of a muscle imbalance or tight tendons. Hammertoes may be flexible or rigid, depending on the joint's ability to move. A flexible joint may become more rigid as you age. Hammertoes vary in severity and in the number of joints and toes involved.
Over time, these toes may hurt and make movement more difficult. But you don't have to live with pain. With your doctor's help, even severe hammertoes can usually be treated so you can move more easily.
WHAT ARE FLAT FEET?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The arch of your foot is its main supportive structure. If this arch loses strength, the bony framework begins to collapse, causing your foot to flatten.
There are many causes of flat feet. Some people are born with them. Others acquire flat feet as a result of arthritis, trauma, or musculoskeletal disorders.
Discomfort from flat feet often doesn't appear for years. At some point, pain may be felt and walking may become awkward as increasing strain is put on your feet and calves. Flat feet can lead to problems with your ankles, knees, hips, or lower back. Call us for a complete examination of your foot, review of your medical history, and a gait analysis.
WHAT ARE NEUROMAS?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commonly called a Morton's neuroma, this problem begins when the outer coating of a nerve in your foot thickens. This thickening is usually caused by irritation that results when two bones repeatedly rub together (often due to ill-fitting shoes or abnormal bone movement).
The pain from neuromas may start gradually, causing burning, tingling, cramping, or numbness. Symptoms often occur after you've been walking or standing for a period of time. It might feel like you're stepping on a lamp cord. Nerve problems due to diabetes or alcoholism may also cause neuroma-like symptoms.
WHAT IS PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you feel numbness or strange sensations in your feet? Do you wake at night with the feeling of burning or pins and needles in your feet? These can be symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy is a disease of the nerves in your feet. Nerves in your feet carry signals to your brain. Your brain reads those signals and interprets them as sensations. When nerves are diseased, signals may never reach the brain or may become confused. Symptoms of the disease vary from person to person.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and check your reflexes. If you have any symptoms that may lead to peripheral neuropathy, call our office today for an appointment to learn ways to protect your feet.
