Articles

Foot Pain & Swelling

Foot pain & swelling is a symptom, not a condition.

There are many conditions that may cause these symptoms and the appropriate treatment depends on the cause.  But, according to the Podiatry Institute, poor circulation is one of the most common causes.

What is Poor Circulation?

Poor circulation is something of a “catch-all” phrase that doctors use to refer to reduced circulation of bodily fluids, resulting in edema.  Edema is another word for swelling.  It occurs when fluids (plasma, water, … Read the Full Article

Foot & Heel Pain

Foot & heel pain can be caused by a number of different conditions.  But, the most common cause is wearing poor-fitting (or poorly designed) shoes.

Whether or not you spend a great deal of time on your feet, it is important that your arches are properly supported, that the shoe is wide enough and that the heels are not too high.

High-heeled pointy toed shoes cause more aches and pains than just the ones experienced in the feet.  The knees, … Read the Full Article

Foot Corns & Calluses

What Are Foot Corns & Calluses?

Foot corns & calluses are among the most common problems that people have with their feet.  A callus is a toughened area composed of dead skin, making it thicker than the surrounding tissue.  A corn is a callus that has a specific shape, which is something like an ellipse.
foot corns

A callus is usually white in color and resembles a hardened blister.  A corn is usually yellow in color and may be either soft or … Read the Full Article

Diabetic Foot Care & Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic foot care encompasses steps that are aimed at preventing infection and relieving the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy.

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

A neuropathy is a disorder that affects the nervous system.  A diabetic neuropathy can affect nearly any part of the body, but the feet are typically affected first.

Neuropathies do not affect the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal column, but the peripheral nerves which transmit signals to the brain, via the spinal column.  … Read the Full Article

Custom Orthotics

What Are Custom Orthotics?

Orthotics is actually the medical field relating to the design, development, manufacturer or fitting of devices designed to provide additional support or correct imbalances in the muscles or bones of the body.  But, the term “orthotics” is also used to refer to the devices created by those professionals.

Custom orthotics are devices that are sized to fit a specific person.  When it comes to the feet and lower body, appliances that fall under the heading of … Read the Full Article

Chondromalacia or Runner’s Knee

What is Chondromalacia?

Chondromalacia translated literally means soft cartilage.  The term “chondromalacia- patellae” (CMP) means soft cartilage under the knee cap.

Although some doctors still use the term to refer to runner’s knee, it is gradually being replaced by the term “Patello-femoral pain syndrome”, because it more accurately describes the affected area.  The patella-femoral region encompasses the bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles of the knee.
Chondromalacia or Runner’s Knee

What are the Symptoms of Chondromalacia?

The primary symptom is non-specific pain … Read the Full Article

Charcot Foot

What is Charcot Foot?

The term “Charcot Foot” may be used to describe Charcot arthropathy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.  In either case, it is a deformity characterized by very high arches, hammertoes and a lack of muscle strength in the foot.  The severity of the deformity varies depending on the stage of the condition.

charcot foot

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Charcot Foot?

In the early stages, there may be mild swelling, pain or redness.  The skin tends to feel hotter … Read the Full Article

Bunions

What Are Bunions?

A person with a bunion actually has an enlarged or misaligned joint.  The joint that is most often affected is the one that connects the big toe to the bones of the foot; the metatarsophalangeal joint.

Bunions

In some cases, a similar problem can occur on the pinky or smallest toe.  If that is the case, it is usually referred to as a “bunionette” or a “Tailors Bunion”.  The affected bone is called the fifth metatarsal.

Medical terms … Read the Full Article

Ball-of-Foot Pain

What is Metatarsalgia?

Metatarsalgia or ball-of-foot pain is something that many people experience from time to time.  It is more common in some people than others.  Here you can learn how to identify the area, find the causes, treat them and avoid the pain in the future.

What is the Ball of the Foot?

If you look at the bottom of your foot, you will see the area where the bases of the toes meet the rest of the foot.  … Read the Full Article