Bunions
Are you experiencing a painful bump at the base of your big toe? This common foot problem is known as a bunion, a bony protrusion that forms on the joint connecting your big toe to your foot. While some bunions may not cause immediate discomfort, they can progress and lead to significant pain, making everyday activities challenging.
At Family Foot Care Group in New York, our experienced podiatrists understand the impact bunions can have on your life. We offer comprehensive diagnosis and personalized treatment plans to alleviate your pain and improve your foot health.
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, unlike corns, typically do not cause pain. They commonly 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Haglund’s Deformity
What is Haglund’s deformity?
Haglund’s deformity is a common foot condition where a bony bump begins to form at the back of the heel bone where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel.
The bony protrusion can cause severe pain while walking or wearing shoes as the bone rubs against the shoe.
This may cause the soft tissue at the heel to become irritated and may lead to another podiatry condition known as bursitis. Bursitis is a condition where the bursa, a fluid-filled sac between the Achilles tendon and bone, becomes inflamed and aggravated.
Causes
This condition often occurs when there’s frequent pressure on the back of the heels. It can be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight or rigid in the heel. This includes skates, men’s dress shoes, women’s dress shoes, and steel-toed work boots.
Heredity may also play a role in the development of Haglund’s deformity as inherited foot structures may increase your risk if you have a high arched foot, a tight Achilles tendon, or a tendency to walk on the outside of your heel.
What are the symptoms of Haglund’s deformity?
Haglund’s deformity can occur in one or both feet with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. These symptoms may include:
- A noticeable bump on the back of the heel
- Pain in the area where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel
- Swelling in the back of the heel or bursa
- Redness near the inflamed tissue
Diagnosis
Haglund’s deformity can be difficult to diagnose with symptoms alone because the symptoms can be similar to other associated foot issues such as Achilles tendonitis.
After discussing the patient’s symptoms, our podiatrist will examine your foot and heel. Additional tests and screenings such as an X-Ray or MRI may help to evaluate the structure of the heel bone.
Non-surgical treatments
Non-surgical treatments for Haglund’s deformity are aimed at reducing inflammation or pain and removing pressure off the heel bone. Though these options may remove the symptoms of Haglund’s deformity, they do not shrink or remove the bony protrusion. These treatments may include:
- Medication such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen that can help to reduce pain and inflammation
- Icing the heel for 20-40 minutes a day to reduce swelling and relieve pain
- Those who have a tight heel may benefit from exercises to stretch and alleviate tension from the Achilles tendon
- Heel lifts to help those with high arches decrease the amount of pressure put on the heel while wearing shoes
- Heel pads placed inside the shoe to cushion the heel area and reduce friction and irritation when walking
- Wearing backless or soft-backed shoes to minimize irritation and friction along the heel
- Physical therapy including ultrasound therapy and soft tissue massages to alleviate tension in the heel area
- Orthotic devices such as custom arch supports to help control the motion of the foot when walking or wearing shoes
- Immobilization by a cast or boot (in some cases) to remove pressure off the heel
Surgery
If conservative treatments do not provide adequate relief or if the condition is too severe, surgical intervention may be necessary.
During this surgery, the doctor will remove the excess bone from the heel and smooth or file down the bone (if necessary) to remove pressure on the heel. Surgery can also repair a damaged tendon as a result of Haglund’s deformity.
After surgery, it may take several months for you to completely heal and a cast or boot may be prescribed to protect your foot during recovery. A walking aid such as a walker or crutches may also be prescribed to you to help you move during recovery without placing pressure on the heel.
Follow up appointments will be scheduled throughout your recovery to ensure that your heel is healing properly.
Prevention
You can lower your risk for developing Haglund’s deformity by wearing shoes that fit properly and using aids such as pads and orthotic supports to prevent friction, tension, and irritation. Remember to stretch before and after exercising, paying careful attention to the Achilles tendon to prevent tightening.
If you are experiencing severe heel pain, please seek medical attention as this condition can worsen if left untreated. For more information on Haglund’s deformity or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office today.
Stress Fracture
Since nearly one-fourth of the bones in our body are in our feet, fractures of the foot are common and rarely debilitating.
There are two types of fractures. A stress fracture typically occurs in the space between the toes and middle of the foot, usually as a result of a physical activity gone awry. These fractures are only on the surface of the bone. General bone fractures extend through the bone. These injuries are usually caused by trauma to the foot.
Depending on the fracture and placement, different treatments will be discussed. Foot fractures typically heal on their own, although more serious cases may require surgery.
It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you suspect your foot is fractured so treatment can begin right away.
For more information on fractures or to request an appointment, don’t hesitate to contact us today at (845) 692-3668 - Monticello Office , (845) 692-3668 - Liberty Office , (845) 692-3668 - Callicoon Office , (845) 692-3668 - Middletown Office , (845) 692-3668 - Monroe Office or (845) 692-3668 - Port Jervis Office !
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Tendonitis
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body, joining the lower portion of the calf to the heel bone. Although it is able to withstand forces of around 1,000 pounds, it is the most frequently ruptured tendon in the body. Typically, injury of the Achilles tendon is caused by athletic activities.
Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, typically caused by overuse of the tendon during physical activity. This can include hill running, stair climbing, improper footwear, trauma caused by the sudden contraction of the calf muscle, etc.
Treatments include wearing specialized bandages, laying off physical activity involving the tendon, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), customized orthotics, and physical therapy.
In extreme cases, surgery may be used to repair tears and remove fibrous tissue.
Peroneal tendon dislocation/dysfunction happens when the tendons supporting the arch of your foot malfunction. These muscles (called peroneus Brevis and peroneus Longus), act like a stirrup gripping the arch of the foot, helping hold it up. Dislocation of the peroneal tendon is found in people who play basketball, soccer, football, and those who ski.
When the tendons dislocate, there may be swelling behind the outside of the ankle. A physical exam is required for diagnosis.
Nonsurgical treatments include crutches to keep all the weight off the foot, anti-inflammatory medications, or a cast/removable boot.
Surgery may be advised in severe cases to reposition the tendons.
Xanthomas of the Achilles tendon are cholesterol deposits on the Achilles tendon, which appear as small lumps. Although they are painless, the deposits originate from high cholesterol.
A biopsy of these lumps may be recommended.
For more information on Achilles tendonitis or to request an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (845) 692-3668 - Monticello Office , (845) 692-3668 - Liberty Office , (845) 692-3668 - Callicoon Office , (845) 692-3668 - Middletown Office , (845) 692-3668 - Monroe Office or (845) 692-3668 - Port Jervis Office !