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Common Conditions
Achilles Tendon
Achilles tendinitis is a common condition that occurs when the large tendon that runs down the back of your lower leg becomes irritated and inflamed. There are two different types of Achillies Tendinitis: Noninsertional and Insertional. In noninsertional Achilles tendinitis, fibers in the middle portion of the tendon have begun to break down with tiny tears (degenerate), swell, and thicken. Insertional Achilles tendinitis involves the lower portion of the heel, where the tendon attaches (inserts) to the heel bone.
In both noninsertional and insertional Achilles tendinitis, damaged tendon fibers may also calcify (harden). Bone spurs (extra bone growth) often form with insertional Achilles tendinitis.
Ankle Instability
Ankle instability happens when the outside part of the ankle constantly "gives out" when putting weight it, especially when you're running or walking on uneven surfaces. It can even happen when you're standing. People with ankle instability often complain that the ankle feels wobbly or unstable.
Ankle Sprains
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Ankle sprains occur when the foot is rolled, twisted, or turned in an uncomfortable way. This awkward movement can stretch or tear ligaments, which help hold your ankle bones together.
Arthritic Foot & Ankle Care
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Athete's Foot, also named tinea pedis, is a fungal infection. Most frequently, it occurs between the toes and occurs in people who experience sweaty feet due to tight-fitting shoes.
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Common signs of athlete's foot include a rash that is itchy and scaly. It is important to note that it can be spread on floors, towels, clothing, and other vectors due to its contagious nature.
Athletes Foot
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Athete's Foot, also named tinea pedis, is a fungal infection. Most frequently, it occurs between the toes and occurs in people who experience sweaty feet due to tight-fitting shoes.
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Common signs of athlete's foot include a rash that is itchy and scaly. It is important to note that it can be spread on floors, towels, clothing, and other vectors due to its contagious nature.
Bunions
Bunions form on the joint located at the base of your big toe. It is seen as a bony bump and occurs when some of the bones at the front part of your foot move out of place. A few other noticeable symptoms can include redness, swelling, soreness, corns, calluses, and different frequencies of pain.
Calluses
On the feet, calluses usually develop on the soles. They are an area of thickened skin that is developed to protect the specific area from irritation.
Regarding shape and size, they can vary a lot. While they are not contagious, it is important to realize that they can become very painful.
Crush Injuries
Crush Injuries are caused when the foot is compressed with at lease a decent amount of force between two hard surfaces. This type of injury can cause extreme amounts of damage to bones, nerve, and tissue. Symptoms include pain, bruising, fractures, laceration, swelling, and numbness.
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Depending on the extent of injury, it can create an increased risk of infection, necrosis, compartment syndrome, and rhabdomyolysis. If there is excessive swelling, bruising, or bleeding, it is important to see a podiatrist immediately.
Diabetic Foot
When high blood pressure damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet, it can cause foot problems. Symptoms usually include numbness, tingling, pain, or loss of feeling.
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A few signs to look for include a callus with dried blood inside, a foot infection that smells or causes odor, painful skin on your feet, or a wound (such as a cut, blister, or bruise) that does not start to heal in a few days.
Flat Feet
Flat Feet is a common condition that occurs when both feet do not have normal arches. It is something that you could be born with or that develops over time.
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For kids, this is most often caused by loose joint connections and baby fat between foot bones. For adults, a few of the many causes include, but are not limited to: weakened tendons, torn tendons, broken bones, ligament injuries, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Fractures Foot and Ankle
Fractures
Fungus Toenails
Infections in the toenails are caused by a fungus. Also known as onychomycosis, this type of fungus grows in wet and dark conditions. Sympoms of this affect the nail, including discoloration, brittleness, crumbly edges, increased thickness, separation from the nail bed, and distorted shape. It is important to see a doctor when none of these symptoms lessen after self-treatments or if you also have diabetes.
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It is important to note that fungus in the toenail and athlete's foot often go hand-in-hand.
Geriatric Foot Care
Geriatric foot is often caused by the natural aging process. Over time, the elasticity and moisture in the foot can be lost, which leads to brittle bones, hardened cartilage, and less flexible joints.
There is often discomfort and decreased mobility with geriatric foot.
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Hammertoes
Hammertoe usually occurs in your second, third, and fourth toes. It is considered a foot deformity that is caused by a muscle, tendon, or ligament imbalance. A few contributing factors to this deformity include shoes worn, foot structure, trauma, and certain disease processes.
Heel Spurs
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that cause a bony protrusion on the bottom of the heel bone. These calcium deposits usually take a few months to form and can cause pain in the heel.
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A few risk factors include gait abnormalities that place excessive stress on the heel, running (especially on hard surfaces), poorly fitted shoes, and excess body weight.
Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown Toenails occur when the side or tip of a toenail goes into the skin. On the feet, it most commonly affects the big toe.
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A few symptoms include pain, noticeable redness, swelling, inflammation, and infection. Those who have diabetes or another condition that causes poor blood flow to the feet are at increased risk for ingrown toenails.
Injuries and Wounds ​
Injuries
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Wounds
Nueromas
Nueroma's are often referred to as "pinched nerves" or nerve tumors. They are not only often painful, but create burning sensations, tingling, or numbness between toes. Usually on feet, they are found between the fourth and fifth toes.
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A few causes include biochemical deformities, trauma, improper footwear, or repeated stress. They can tend to get worse, so it is recommended to see a podiatrist at the first sign of pain or discomfort.
Plantar Fascilitis
Plantar Fascilitus is an inflammatory condition that occurs on the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. The main symptoms for this include pain and swelling.
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While it is often caused by repeated impact to the heel, age plays a large factor in developing this condition.
Warts
Warts are small growths on the skin. Plantar warts are most commonly located on the bottom of the feet while periungual warts are found under or around the toenails.
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These can be identified often by just looking at them or scraping them to see if there are small red dots. They can sometimes be hard to identify, which often leads to sending part of it to a labrartory for confirmation of the diagnosis.
Sources combined: webmd, family doctor.com, medicineplus.com, MedlinePlus.gov, https://www.oastaug.com/crush-injuries/