Our House Call Foot Care Services

Your feet carry the body’s weight during a lifetime of use; however they are located at the extremity of the body’s circulation and generally ignored until pain occurs. Some common foot problems are described below. With your podiatrist’s help, they can be recognized and treated in their early stages and your health protected.

The Big Toe

Your big toe works very hard, supporting most of your body’s weight each time your foot strikes the ground. Because this toe is so active during movement, a problem with it can make walking or standing painful. A bunion (extra or misaligned bone in the joint) is a common big-toe problem. In addition to being painful, a bunion alters the shape of your foot, making it harder to find shoes that fit.

Bunions

Although they may develop on the fifth (little) toe, bunions usually occur at the base of the big toe. Bunions are often caused by incorrect foot mechanics. The foot may flatten too much, forcing the toe joint to move beyond normal range. In some cases, joint damage caused by arthritis or an injury produces a bunion. Some people are simply born with extra bone near a toe joint. If you’re at risk for developing a bunion, wearing high-heeled or poorly fitting shoes makes the problem worse.

Hammer Toes

“Hammer toe” describes a buckling of any of the toe joints. Joints at the end or middle of the toe, as well as the joint near the ball of the foot, may be affected. Toe joints usually curl because of a muscle imbalance or tight tendons. Hammer toes vary in severity and in the number of joints and toes involved.

Your podiatrist will examine all your toes, testing whether or not buckled joints can be moved. Your feet will also be checked for any skin changes. Corns (a buildup of dead skin cells) often form between curled toes or on top of buckled joints where shoes rub. If irritated, corns may turn into open wounds and become infected.

Heel spur

A heel spur is a bony outgrowth at the base of the heel bone near the plantar fascia. A spur may cause pain on the bottom of the heel when you stand. As with plantar fasciitis, the pain may decrease after standing or walking a short time. The pain you feel is not from the spur itself. Your heel hurts because the spur pinches a nerve or presses against the plantar bursa. If the bursa becomes infected (bursitis), it may squeeze the plantar fascia.

Skin Conditions

Ingrown toenails

This irritating condition is a result of abnormal nail growth laterally into the surrounding skin tissue. If the nail has been cut incorrectly, the podiatrist can remove a portion. For a recurring problem, the corner of, or, in some cases, the entire nail may be removed.

Fungus

Fungus infections spread in warm, moist areas. “Athlete’s foot” makes skin itchy and slough off easily, nails thick and white. Your podiatrist may prescribe medication or recommend nail surgery.

Warts

Plantar warts are caused by a virus and grow into the bottom of the foot. Don’t risk “bathroom surgery” or try over-the-counter acids. The podiatrist can dissolve warts painlessly with topical acid treatments or remove them surgically.

Corn & Calluses

Corn and calluses are your body’s response to excess friction or pressure. If your foot rubs inside your shoe, the affected area of skin thickens. Or if a bone is out of position, skin caught between bone and shoes builds up to protect the foot from unusual pressure. In many cases, corns and calluses look bad but are not harmful. However, more severe corns and calluses may become infected, destroy healthy tissue, or affect foot movement.

Corns

Corns can range from a slight thickening of skin to a painful, hard bump. They often form on top of buckled toe joints (hammer toes). If your ties curl under, corns may grow on the tips of the toes. You may also get a corn on the end of a toe if it rubs against your shoe. Corns can also grow between toes, often between the first and second toes.

Calluses

A callus may spread across the ball of your foot. This type of callus is usually due to a problem with a metatarsal (the long bone at the base of a toe, near the ball of the foot). A pinch callus may grow along the outer edge of the heel or the big toe. Some calluses press up into the foot instead of spreading on the outside. A callus may form a central core or plug of tissue where pressure is greatest.

Foot Ulcers

It is important to care for your feet when you have diabetes. Lack of care can lead to serious problems such as foot removal (amputation). Changes in foot shape may cause pressure points, blisters and foot ulcers to form. Protect your feet with proper shoes, wear socks and meet regularly with the podiatrist for continuing evaluation of your feet.

Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers are sores that occur when pressure cuts off the blood supply to the skin. Stress caused by the body’s weight and the impact of striking the ground place the ball of the foot, the big toe and the heel at greatest risk. Left untreated, an ulcer may allow infection to enter your body. If infection reaches the bloodstream or bone, your life or limb could be compromised.