5 Common Foot Problems and How to Prevent Them

Your feet carry you through thousands of steps everyday. Until pain appears they are often overlooked. Understanding some of the common foot problems we treat daily in our office will help keep you on your feet for longer.

Bunions

Bunions develop when the joint at the base of your big toe shifts out of alignment, causing a bony protrusion. They can be painful and make it difficult to find proper footwear. Causes for bunions can include genetics, footwear choices and other conditions that strain the feet.

Prevention methods can include but are not limited to: wearing properly fitting shoes with a wide toe box, custom orthotics and monitoring with a Chiropodist to help with bio-mechanical issues.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the leading causes of heel pain. It occurs due to the inflammation of the tissue along the bottom of your foot.

Regular stretching, supportive footwear and professional treatments including shockwave therapy, custom orthotics, and taping can help to manage your plantar fasciitis.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails happen when the nail grows into the surrounding skin which can lead to pain and infection if not treated correctly. Causes include trauma, genetics and tight footwear.

The best prevention for ingrown toenails is to cut nails straight across, wear shoes with a wide enough toebox to avoid pressure on the nails, and to seek out chiropody care for regular maintenance.

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that enjoys warm, moist environments. Shoes are the perfect breeding ground for Athlete’s Foot, especially during activities that cause your foot to sweat more.

When you see a Chiropodist there are medications they can prescribe to manage Athlete’s Foot. To prevent it from returning or getting worse, change your socks frequently, keep your feet clean and dry and avoid walking barefoot in public areas.

Corns and Calluses

Calluses are areas of thickened skin that the body produces to help protect high traffic areas from repeated pressure or friction. Corns are formed in a similar manner but can be quite painful if untreated.

Since they often return, professional care to assess biomechanical issues, offloading techniques and routine foot care can help manage symptoms.

These are just a few of the problems our Chiropodists help treat on a daily basis. Book in with one of our practitioners today to get your feet back to tip-toe shape.