Foot and ankle conditions
Podiatrists at the Saint Joseph Foot and Ankle Center treat a wide variety of foot conditions to help you stay active and keep your feet pain-free. Below are a few examples.
Bunions
A bunion is a bone deformity in which the joint of the big toe becomes misaligned, causing it to often slant outward and sometimes under or over the second toe. Bunions tend to be hereditary, but can be aggravated by shoes that are too narrow. Over time, this bony bump becomes increasingly prominent and the skin over the toe can become swollen, red and tender. A painful callus can develop on the side or bottom of the big toe or joint. Smaller bunions, known as tailor's bunions, form at the base of the little toe.
As the deformity progresses, arthritic changes can occur in the toe, leading to chronic pain as well as additional deformities such as hammertoes. If conservative treatments do not decrease the pain, surgical correction is often necessary to fix the bony deformity.
Diabetic foot problems
For diabetics, a wound as small as a blister from wearing a shoe that is too tight can cause a lot of damage. Diabetes decreases blood flow as well as feeling in the foot, so injuries are slow to heal, and often patients cannot feel their injury. Proper foot care is essential to diabetics.
Hammertoes
Hammertoe is a contracture or bending of one or both joints in the second, third, fourth or fifth toes, resembling a hammer. Left untreated, hammertoes can become inflexible and could require surgery.
People with hammertoes frequently develop corns or calluses on the tip of the toe or on the top of the middle joint or between two toes. They may also feel pain in their feet or toes and have a difficult time finding comfortable shoes.
Hammertoes develop mainly from abnormal foot structure and mechanics, both of which are inherited features. There are some inherited foot defects such as flat feet and high arches that will put excessive strain on the muscles and tendons, making people with these conditions are more susceptible to hammertoe deformity over time.
People suffering from diabetes, arthritis, gout or poor circulation as well as brain, spinal cord or nerve injuries such as stroke, cerebral palsy and degenerative disk disease are at an increased risk of developing a hammertoe.
Ingrown toenails
An ingrown toenail is when the corners or sides of the toenail jab painfully into the skin, and are caused by improper nail trimming, shoe pressure, injury, fungus infection, heredity or poor foot structure. The problem can often be prevented by trimming toenails straight across, wearing proper shoe styles and sizes and responding to foot pain in a timely manner.
Plantar fasciitis
Heel pain is one of the leading causes for patients to visit. The plantar fascia is a ligament that extends from the heel to the ball of your foot. This band pulls on the heel bone, raising the arch of your foot as it pushes off the ground. If your foot functions incorrectly, the plantar fascia may become strained. The fascia may swell and its tiny fibers may begin to fray, causing plantar fasciitis. With plantar fasciitis, the bottom of your heel may hurt when you stand, especially first thing in the morning. Pain usually occurs on the inside of the foot, near the spot where your heel and arch meet. Pain may lessen after a few steps, but it comes back after a period of rest or with prolonged activity. This condition is often referred to as heel spur syndrome when a bony growth called a spur is present.