Feet Issues?

Aching feet

Tired, aching feet and foot pain are very common, especially as we get older. Everyone can relate to having tired, aching feet after doing a lot of shopping or an entire day on their feet because of work.

Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is very common in runners.

During running, the calf muscles help with propulsion in the stance phase of your gait (raising up on the toes from the foot being flat on the ground).

Repetitive forces from running combined with insufficient recovery time from exercise can inflame the Achilles tendon.

Pain in the lower calf and back of the heel is usually the first symptom of tendinitis. Pain initially increases when exercise is begun and often lessens as exercise continues. ^ Top

Ankle Sprains

Usually, ankle sprains occur when people walk or run on uneven ground and the foot turns in, stretching the ligaments of the ankle beyond their limits or even tearing them.

Typically, the ankle is red and swollen, and walking is painful.  ^ Top

Arch Pain

Excessive stretching of the plantar fascia, usually due to over-pronation (flat feet), causes plantar fasciitis. The inflammation caused by the plantar fascia being stretched away from the heel often leads to pain in the heel and arch areas. ^ Top

Arthritis

While there are about 100 forms of arthritis, the three most significant –osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout – account for more than 95 per cent of cases in Australia. ^ Top

Osteoarthritis:

More people have this condition than any other form of arthritis and it is characterised by the “wear and tear” that happens when your joints are overused.

It usually happens with age, but it can also come from joint injuries or obesity, which puts extra stress on your joints. Weight-bearing joints – such as your knees, hips, feet, and spine – are the most common areas affected. ^ Top

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

This is an autoimmune disease which means the immune system attacks parts of the body, especially the joints, leading to inflammation.

This can in turn lead to severe joint damage if it is not treated. About one in five people who have rheumatoid arthritis get lumps on their skin called rheumatoid nodules. ^ Top

Gout:

This is caused by a build-up of uric acid crystals in joints and unlike other forms of arthritis which usually develop slowly, an attack of gout happens suddenly, often overnight.

While the big toe is the joint most commonly affected, the hands, wrists, knees, ankles, elbows or any other joint can be affected with the condition often being very painful – so much so that for some people, even the weight of a bed sheet can cause severe pain. ^ Top

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is a common skin inflammation of the webs of the toes and soles of the feet. ^ Top

Blisters

Blisters can be painful and debilitating.  The most effective way to manage blisters is to prevent them.

Do you have a management strategy for your blisters?  Make an appointment to see Mark and he will help you plan a strategy just for you that will alleviate your issues. ^ Top

Bunions

A bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. A bunion forms when your big toe pushes against your next toe, forcing the joint of your big toe to get bigger and stick out. ^ Top

Corns and calluses

Corns and calluses are hard, thickened areas of skin that form as a consequence of rubbing, friction or pressure on the skin. ^ Top

Cracked Feet

The skin on our feet is naturally dry, unlike the skin on the rest of the body. The skin on our feet has no oil glands, so it relies on hundreds of thousands of sweat glands to keep our feet moisturised. ^ Top

Flat Feet

Flat feet (also called pes planus or fallen arches) is a postural deformity in which the arches of the foot collapse, with the entire sole of the foot coming into complete or near-complete contact with the group. ^ Top

Fungal Nail Infections

Fungal infection of nails (tinea unguium) is common. The infection causes thickened and unsightly nails which sometimes become painful. ^ Top

Growing feet pains

Growing feet and growing pains are evident in many children and youth.  It is encouraged to see a podiatrist if suffering from these pains. ^ Top

In-grown toenails

An ingrown toenail is a toenail that has grown into the skin instead of over it. This usually happens to the big toe, but it can also happen to other toes. An ingrown toenail can get infected. It may be painful, red, and swollen, and it may need draining of excess fluid. ^ Top

Limping

A limp is a type of asymmetric abnormality of the gait. Limping may be caused by pain, weakness, neuromuscular imbalance, or a skeletal deformity. ^ Top

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia. That’s the thick band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel to the toes.

People with tight calf muscles and a high arch are more prone to plantar fasciitis.

Although it may be linked to adding activity, plantar fasciitis can also happen without any obvious reason. ^ Top

Plantar warts

Plantar warts and palmer warts are noncancerous skin growths, caused by a viral infection in the top layer of the skin. The culprit is a strain of virus called human papillomavirus or HPV. ^ Top

Smelly Feet

Smelly feet, known as bromodosis, is a common problem that is embarrassing for you and those around you. Foot odour is mainly caused by sweat and shoes.

The feet and hands have more sweat glands than most other regions of the body, so controlling foot sweat can be a daunting task.

But by focusing on your feet and your shoes, you can obtain odour-free feet. ^ Top

Shin Splints

Refers to pain in the lower legs that can be from various causes but that typically is caused by running or vigorous walking.

Pain can occur in the front or back of the leg below the knee.

Ice, analgesics, rest, and stretching exercises can help.

Repetitive impact forces in the legs during running or vigorous walking (such as hiking) can overload the muscles and tendons in the legs and cause shin pain.

Excessive outward rotation of the foot on the leg (supination) may also cause or exacerbate shin splints. ^ Top

Stress Fractures

A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock.

Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture. ^ Top

Thick Nails

Thick toenails, or even one nail becoming thicker, may be caused by a number of things.

It could be a fungal infection, it may be due to poor circulation, or it could be as a result of a medical condition like diabetes. ^ Top

Whatever the cause, make an appointment to see Mark, get an expert podiatry analysis, and together it can be sorted and managed. ^ Top