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Broken toes are a serious injury that requires prompt medical care. A toe bone can fracture following a sudden, traumatic injury, such as dropping a piece of furniture on the toe or stubbing it. If a toe bone has broken, you may hear a cracking sound at the time of injury. Shortly afterward, you will likely experience throbbing pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty walking or bearing weight on the affected toe. In more severe cases, the broken bone may be displaced and resting at an odd angle, or it may be poking through the skin. A severe injury requires immediate medical care. 

A chiropodist can diagnose a toe fracture by taking your medical history, examining the toe, and taking an X-ray. The right treatment for you will depend on the severity of the injury. Less severe fractures are usually treated conservatively. You will likely be asked to rest the affected foot. The chiropodist may buddy tape your broken toe to the toe right next to it in order to keep the broken toe in the right position for healing. Icing the affected toe and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication can help reduce pain. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to reset the bones. Sometimes, medical hardware like pins or screws is needed to help the toe heal properly. 

Proper healing is very important, as a broken toe that does not fully heal or that doesn’t heal correctly can cause osteoarthritis later on in life. Your toe will likely be tender and swollen for several weeks following the injury. You will typically need to rest the toe for one to two months before resuming your usual activities. If you suspect that you may have broken your toe, please schedule an appointment with a chiropodist near you. 

Obesity can affect the feet in a variety of ways. Your feet bear the weight of your body, carrying you through life. When the feet are under immense strain from excess weight, they are more prone to both chronic and acute injuries. Over time, the pressure from excess weight can cause the feet to flatten and widen as the arches of the feet slowly collapse. This can not only increase your shoe size, but also lead to foot pain, difficulty walking, and a dysfunctional gait or walking pattern. A variety of foot and ankle injuries are common in obese individuals. These include plantar fasciitis and posterior tibial tendonitis, which can both become chronic. The reduced mobility from foot pain can also decrease your quality of life, make it more difficult to exercise, and lead to further weight gain. 

Obesity is also associated with a host of systemic health complications that can affect the feet. Obese people may be more at risk of developing gout and arthritis, which damage the joints. There is also an increased risk of diabetes and poor circulation. Together, these conditions can lead to the development of diabetic foot wounds, which heal slowly and poorly and can cause serious health complications should they become infected. 

Making healthy lifestyle changes is one way to prevent the foot problems associated with obesity. Reduce weight (and the risk of gout) by eating a healthy diet and exercising. Wear shoes that fit properly and support your feet. Your chiropodist may suggest orthotics, medications, or other treatments to address any foot pain and to improve your overall mobility and quality of life. To learn more, consult with a chiropodist near you. 

Standing for prolonged periods of time can cause damage to your feet. Unfortunately, this is a necessary part of the job for many working people. Common foot conditions that may occur as a result of being on your feet all day include foot pain, blisters, calluses, corns, arthritis, toe deformities, sprains, bunions, athlete’s foot, and fallen arches. 

There are certain steps that you can take to prevent work-related foot problems. If you are on your feet all day, it is recommended that you avoid shoes that have high heels, pointed toes, a fit that is too loose or too tight, and a lack of arch support. If you work in a place where foot injuries are a common occupational hazard, such as a construction zone, wearing the right shoes becomes increasingly important. Wearing comfortable, properly fitted, supportive shoes made of breathable materials can mitigate the risk of developing a variety of foot problems.

Maintaining an immobile, upright stance for prolonged periods of time is bad for your foot health. If possible, take breaks throughout the day to sit down, stretch, and walk around. At home, take care of your feet with a daily foot care routine. Wash the feet daily with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. Apply a moisturizer to prevent cracked heels. When trimming the toenails, trim straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. Wear clean socks daily. If you notice any problems developing in your feet or ankles, consult with a chiropodist, who can diagnose and treat your condition and help you maintain the health of your feet. 

A sprained ankle is a common injury that can happen to anyone. Whether you incur it while playing a high-impact sport or from simply stepping off of a curb and twisting your ankle, it’s important to know and recognize the symptoms of a sprain and get the appropriate treatment. 

Ankle sprains occur when a sudden injury causes one or more of the ligaments that support the ankle to overstretch or tear. The symptoms that you may face depend on the severity of the injury. A mild, grade 1 sprain usually involves minimal pain, swelling, tenderness, and bruising, with no difficulty walking. A moderate, grade 2 sprain may be significantly more painful, with visible swelling and bruising, ankle instability, and a limited range of motion in the ankle. Walking or bearing weight on the affected ankle can be difficult. A severe, grade 3 sprain is characterized by intense pain, swelling, bruising, ankle instability, and a severely limited range of motion. Walking with a grade 3 sprain is often impossible. 

A chiropodist can diagnose an ankle sprain by asking for your medical history and carefully examining the affected ankle. They may order an X-ray to rule out a fracture. Treatment for the sprain depends on its severity. Milder ankle sprains can often be treated with conservative methods such as resting, icing, elevating, and compressing the ankle. More severe sprains may require wearing a brace or other orthotic device to take pressure off of the injured ankle. Over-the-counter medications are typically sufficient for managing pain. In very rare cases, surgery may be needed to repair a ligament that is not healing properly. 

A sprained ankle needs to heal fully and properly in order to avoid reinjury and other complications. If you have sprained your ankle, please seek the care of a chiropodist. 

Slow-healing wounds on the feet are a frequent complication of diabetes and always warrant prompt medical attention. Left untreated, these wounds can develop into diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), greatly increasing your risk of infection, tissue death, and amputation. But how do these wounds form in the first place, and what can be done to prevent them?

Diabetics are often afflicted with two other co-occurring conditions, peripheral neuropathy and poor circulation. Peripheral neuropathy causes nerve damage and often affects the nerves of the lower limbs, leading to tingling, numbness, and a loss of sensation in the feet. A lack of sensation can leave you unable to physically feel pain if you cut, scrape, puncture, or otherwise injure your feet. This can be a serious problem, as pain is typically the first indication that something is wrong. When you don’t feel it happen, an injury on your foot can go undetected and untreated, progressively worsening until it forms a serious wound. These wounds usually heal slowly because of another complication of diabetes, poor circulation. When the blood supply to your feet is not adequate, this area of your body does not get the oxygen and nutrients that it needs to perform its usual processes, including wound healing. Poor circulation results in wounds that heal slowly or don’t heal at all. 

Fortunately, there are measures that you can take to prevent diabetic foot wounds from occurring or worsening. Maintain good foot hygiene by washing and thoroughly drying your feet each day and performing a daily foot check. Using a mirror or with help from a caregiver, examine your feet each day for any abnormalities, such as sores, cuts, scrapes, bruises, blisters, discoloration, swelling, and ingrown toenails. If you notice any foot problems, it is recommended that you see a chiropodist who can treat these issues and offer you more information about managing your foot health. 

A bunion is a bony bump that develops on the outside of the big toe, at the base of the big toe joint. Over time, a bunion can cause the big toe to move out of its proper alignment and lean towards the second toe. The bunion may become painful, stiff, red, and swollen. Calluses sometimes form on top of the bunion as the bunion rubs against the inside of your shoe as you walk. Calluses can also form on the area where your big toe rubs against your second toe, or on the ball of the foot.

Bunions are extremely common, especially in older adults and women, although children can develop bunions or, in very rare cases, be born with them. What exactly causes bunions is unclear. They may occur as a result of a genetic predisposition due to the shape and structure of the foot or because of one’s gait. Wearing shoes that are too tight, have excessively high heels, or narrow, pointed toes may contribute to the development of bunions. Certain medical conditions, such as arthritis and flat feet, may make bunions more likely as well. 

Bunions can be treated through conservative methods such as switching the shoes that you wear for shoes that are wider and more comfortable, wearing custom orthotics, wearing pads placed over the bunion to reduce pain, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and icing the foot. When conservative treatments are not effective, invasive procedures may be recommended. For more information about bunions, please consult with a chiropodist. 

The Achilles tendon, located at the back of the lower leg, is a strong band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. There are several different types of Achilles tendon injuries. The two most common injuries are Achilles tendonitis and Achilles tendon ruptures. 

When the tendon is injured due to repetitive strain and overuse, it can result in a condition called Achilles tendonitis. This injury is characterized by inflammation of the Achilles tendon, heel and calf pain, thickening of the tendon, ankle and calf stiffness, and a decreased range of motion. In the initial stages of Achilles tendonitis, pain primarily occurs following physical activity, but it can become constant and chronic if the injury is left untreated. 

When the Achilles tendon fully tears, it is known as an Achilles tendon rupture. This usually occurs following a sudden, high-impact injury. Symptoms include a sudden, stabbing pain in the back of the affected leg, a popping or snapping sensation, swelling, and difficulty walking and raising the foot. This condition requires prompt treatment to prevent further damage to the tendon. 

There are a variety of treatments available for Achilles tendon injuries. Achilles tendonitis can often be treated through conservative methods, such as resting, icing, compressing, and elevating the affected foot, wearing orthotics, taking over-the-counter pain medications, and doing gentle stretches. Achilles tendon ruptures may require surgical treatment to avoid reinjury. For more information about Achilles tendon injuries, please consult with a chiropodist. 

Foot pain is a common symptom of a large variety of injuries and medical conditions. A diagnosis can be narrowed down by describing the locations and type of pain that you are experiencing. 

Pain in the heel is often caused by plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot and connects the heel to the toes. Plantar fasciitis usually causes stabbing heel pains and the pain is at its worst upon arising in the morning or when taking your first steps after a long period of rest. Heel pain can also be caused by heel spurs, bruises on the fat pad of the heel, or heel fractures.

Pain in the ball of the foot can be caused by Morton’s neuroma, in which the tissue of the nerves between the bases of the toes become thickened, causing tingling and numbness. Other causes of pain in the ball of the foot include metatarsalgia or sesamoiditis. 

Pain in the arch of the foot can be caused by plantar fasciitis or having flat feet or fallen arches. Pain in the toes can be caused by many conditions, including gout, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, toe sprains or fractures, arthritis, and corns. 

To find out what is causing your foot pain, it is recommended that you consult with a chiropodist, who can diagnose your condition and offer the appropriate treatments. 

Participating in sports is great for maintaining your health and fitness, but can sometimes result in injuries to your feet or ankles. Common sports-related foot and ankle injuries include Achilles tendonitis, ankle sprains, stress fractures, turf toe, and plantar fasciitis. 

Achilles tendonitis is a common injury in which the Achilles tendon located at the back of your ankle becomes inflamed due to overuse or biomechanical issues with the feet. Symptoms of Achilles tendonitis include pain in the lower calf, swelling, stiffness, redness, warmth, and reduced strength and range of motion. 

Ankle sprains occur when the ligaments in the ankle are overstretched or torn. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may experience symptoms such as localized pain, swelling, and bruising at the site of the sprain, a limited ability to move the affected ankle, and difficulty walking. 

Stress fractures are fine cracks that occur in the bones when they can’t bear the load placed on them. These fractures often occur in the foot bones and get worse over time if they are not promptly diagnosed and treated. Symptoms of stress fractures in the feet include tenderness, deep and dull or sharp and localized pain, weakness, swelling, and bruising. 

Turf toe is a sprain of the largest joint in the big toe. It can cause symptoms such as pain, swelling, or tenderness that vary in intensity depending on the severity of the injury. 

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot. This condition usually causes stabbing heel pains, arch pain, and pain when taking your first steps after a long period of rest.

If you have injured your feet or ankles while playing sports, it is recommended that you see a chiropodist who can diagnose and treat your condition and get you back on your feet. 

Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows into the surrounding skin rather than over it. This can affect any toe, but most often happens on the big toe. Signs of an ingrown toenail include the surrounding skin becoming tender, painful, swollen, red, and warm. In some cases, the area can become infected, and white or yellow pus may drain from the area. If an ingrown toenail is showing signs of infection, it is recommended that you seek medical treatment. 

Ingrown toenails are usually caused by wearing poorly fitting shoes or trimming the toenails improperly. Shoes that are too tight and have narrow, pointed toes or high heels can compress the toes and cause the toenails to curl and grow into the skin. Trimming your nails into a rounded shape or cutting them too short can cause the edges of the nail to grow into the skin. Other potential causes for ingrown toenails include sustaining an injury near the toenail, having a fungal nail infection, using certain prescription medications, and having an abnormal nail shape. Some people also have a genetic predisposition to developing ingrown toenails. 

Preventing ingrown toenails begins with proper trimming. Trim your nails regularly using nail clippers rather than nail scissors. Nail clippers cut the nail straight across, avoiding the rounded edges that can make ingrown toenails likely to develop. Make sure that while trimming the nails that you do not cut them too short. Wear comfortable shoes with low heels and a wide toe area to keep your toes from squishing together. 

For more information about ingrown toenails, please consult with a chiropodist.