Have your child's feet been examined lately? Healthy feet are happy feet. If your child is complaining of foot pain, it may be a sign of underlying problems.
Good foot care is proactive, rather than reactive. While a chiropodist can diagnose, treat, and help you manage a variety of foot and ankle conditions, preventing foot problems and keeping the feet healthy is something that you can do at home as well. Having and following an established daily foot care routine can be very beneficial.
Maintaining good foot hygiene helps prevent a variety of foot problems, including infections like athlete’s foot and fungal toenails. It is important to wash your feet every day using lukewarm water and mild soap. Wash the entire foot, from heel to toe. Then dry the foot thoroughly, taking extra care to dry in between the toes. Moisturizing the heels and soles of the feet after washing them can help keep the skin soft, hydrated, and free of cracks.
Stretching and strengthening the feet can maintain or improve their mobility. There are many easy foot exercises that you can do to keep your feet strong and flexible, such as toe scrunches and heel raises. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help keep your weight under control, relieving excess pressure and strain on the feet.
Finally, wearing the right shoes is one of the easiest ways to care for the feet. Many people wear shoes that are too tight or narrow, shoes that don’t support the feet adequately, and shoes that are made of materials that trap moisture on the foot. Opt for comfortable, properly-fitted shoes that support and protect your feet.
For more information about daily foot care practices for good foot health, please consult with a chiropodist.
Are your feet emitting an unpleasant odor that has become embarrassing? You may be dealing with bromodosis, commonly known as stinky feet. This condition is caused by the growth of bacteria in the sweat that is produced by your feet's numerous glands. Factors like stress, hormonal changes, and poor ventilation for your feet can make it worse. Prolonged standing and hyperhidrosis, or overly sweaty feet, can also contribute to the problem. Maintaining good foot hygiene is an important first defense against foot odor. A daily foot care routine includes washing, drying, and moisturizing your feet daily. Trim your toenails regularly, and use a pumice stone to remove dead skin. Change socks every day and opt for moisture-wicking fabrics to help keep your feet dry. Additionally, consider preventive measures such as alternating between different pairs of shoes and investing in breathable footwear with odor absorbing inserts. If a basic hygiene adjustment does not suffice, antifungal foot sprays, medicated insoles, or specialized foot soaks to target bacteria and fungi may help. If the problem of foot odor persists, it is suggested that you seek treatment from a chiropodist who can provide personalized recommendations, and rule out underlying conditions.
Caring for your feet is not just something done at the chiropodist’s office. Good foot care starts at home. If you would like to learn more about daily foot care practices, please consult with one of the chiropodists from The Footcare Centre. Our chiropodists can help you maintain the health of your lower limbs and your mobility.
There are many things that you can do at home to help care for your feet, including:
Wearing shoes and socks that fit properly
Washing the feet daily with soap and water
Drying the feet thoroughly
Applying moisturizer to the soles and heels of the feet
Taking a walk and exercising the feet regularly
Doing foot stretches and strengthening exercises
A chiropodist can help figure out a manageable foot care routine for you to keep your feet healthy. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Heel spurs are bony growths located underneath or at the back of the heel bone. When the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, or other tissues in the feet are chronically inflamed, heel spurs may form in response. Heel spurs are often asymptomatic, and most people who have them are not aware of them until they show up on an X-ray taken for other reasons.
Nevertheless, some people do experience symptoms associated with heel spurs, particularly if they also have plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis. Symptoms may include local tenderness, heel pain, and pain while walking, especially on hard surfaces.
Heel spurs are usually treated through conservative methods, such as resting and icing the heel, taking over-the-counter pain medications, and wearing orthotics or supportive footwear. If you suspect that you may have heel spurs, it is suggested that you seek the care of a chiropodist.
Heel spurs, bony protrusions at the base of the heel, can be a source of persistent discomfort, demanding a closer examination of the factors contributing to their development and the signs indicative of their presence. These bony outgrowths often stem from the prolonged strain on the plantar fascia, a band of tissue connecting the heel to the toes. Repetitive stress, typically associated with activities like running or standing for extended periods, may cause the plantar fascia to pull away from the heel bone, leading to the formation of heel spurs. Symptoms manifest as a sharp, stabbing pain, particularly during the first steps in the morning or after prolonged periods of rest. Pain may also intensify with activity. While not everyone with heel spurs experiences symptoms, understanding the potential causes and recognizing these signs empowers individuals to seek timely intervention. If you have heel pain, it is strongly suggested that you confer with a chiropodist who can accurately diagnose and treat heel spurs.
Heel spurs are bony outgrowths from calcium deposits. They occur at the back of the heel bone or underneath the heel bone and usually form in response to chronic irritation of the Achilles tendon or plantar fascia. They are often asymptomatic, but if you are suffering from heel pain, please consult with one of the chiropodists from The Footcare Centre. Our chiropodists can help you maintain the health of your lower limbs and your mobility.
Symptoms of Heel Spurs
Tenderness
Heel pain
Pain when walking
No symptoms
Diagnosis
Since heel spurs are often asymptomatic, they are usually only diagnosed when they are found on the heels incidentally during an X-ray taken for another reason. Nevertheless, if you have heel pain, and particularly if you have plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis, it may be worth it to see if you have heel spurs too.
Treatment
Unless they are causing symptoms, heel spurs typically don’t require any treatment. When they are symptomatic, treatments are typically conservative. They may include resting and icing the affected foot, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and wearing orthotics or supportive footwear, especially while exercising.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Suffering from this type of pain? You may have the foot condition known as Morton's neuroma. Morton's neuroma may develop as a result of ill-fitting footwear and existing foot deformities. We can help.
Did you know that people who wear high heels may be more likely to need the care of a chiropodist? This is because high heels are notoriously bad for foot health. While they may be stylish, they can also be dangerous and are often to blame for a variety of foot and ankle problems.
High heels force your feet into an unnatural, downward extended position. This puts excess pressure and strain on the toes and balls of the feet, increasing the risk of foot pain and toe deformities like hammertoes and bunions, as well as corns, calluses, and blisters. The tendon and ligaments that support the arch of the foot can tighten, causing plantar fasciitis and heel pain. The unnatural foot position also requires you to change your posture and gait in order to balance in these shoes. Your steps tend to become shorter and less efficient, increasing the risk of foot and ankle injuries. Your posture becomes more rigid and strains your muscles, leading to hip and back pain.
The ankle joint is also damaged by high heel wear. When wearing these shoes, the ankle has a limited range of motion and power, causing the calf muscles to shorten. The Achilles tendon may also contract, becoming inflamed and leading to a condition called Achilles tendonitis. High heels also increase the risk of twisting your ankle and sustaining an ankle sprain.
If you are dealing with foot and ankle pain related to wearing high heels, a chiropodist can help diagnose the problem and find the right treatment for you.
The distribution of pressure on the feet plays a critical role in understanding the effects of wearing high heels. When someone wears high heels, most of their body weight is concentrated on the ball of the foot and the heel, with less pressure on the arch and toes. This shift in weight distribution can lead to various discomforts and health issues. Wearing high heels can increase the pressure on the forefoot significantly, potentially causing foot pain, blisters, and calluses. The unnatural posture created by high heels can also affect the alignment of the spine and cause lower back pain. Additionally, excessive pressure on the ball of the foot may lead to conditions like metatarsalgia, which is a painful inflammation of the metatarsal bones. Understanding the distribution of pressure on the feet is essential for individuals who frequently wear high heels. It highlights the importance of choosing comfortable and properly fitting footwear to minimize the negative impacts of high heels on foot health. If you enjoy wearing high heels, it is suggested that you make an appointment with a chiropodist to better understand the effects they have had on your feet, and how to manage this.
High heels have been in style for centuries, but unfortunately, they have also been damaging feet for centuries. If you would like to learn more about how high heels can hurt your feet, please consult with one of the chiropodists from The Footcare Centre. Our chiropodists can help you maintain the health of your lower limbs and your mobility.
High heels can cause a variety of problems, including:
Foot and ankle pain
Foot and ankle injuries
Toe pain and deformities
Gait abnormalities
Achilles tendonitis
Changes in posture
Difficulty balancing
Leg, hip, and back pain
If you are reluctant to abandon your high heels, you can still wear them, but should take measures to minimize damage to your feet:
Wear shoes with heels no higher than 2 inches
Choose properly fitted shoes
Choose shoes with a wide toe box
Wear high heels infrequently
When wearing high heels, take them off periodically to stretch and relax your feet
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Many changes can happen in every part of your body during pregnancy — and the feet are no exception. Common foot conditions that pregnant women face include swollen feet, fallen arches, and plantar fasciitis.
An increase in the volume of blood and fluids in your body, coupled with an increase in overall fluid retention due to hormones, can lead to swelling in the feet. This is especially common during the third trimester. You may be able to reduce swelling by drinking plenty of water, reducing caffeine intake, resting your feet frequently, and sitting with your legs uncrossed to promote circulation.
During pregnancy, your hormones can cause changes in the structure of your feet. An increase in hormones that relax your ligaments could affect the ligaments in the arches of your feet, causing them to become flat. This condition is known as fallen arches, or acquired flat feet. As the foot flattens, your shoe size may increase and you may need footwear that offers more arch support.
The weight that you gain during pregnancy is carried by your feet. This can put them under extra strain and lead to aches, soreness, or a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is caused by an inflammation of the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes and can lead to heel and arch pain.
If you are pregnant and are experiencing pain or discomfort in your feet, it is recommended that you consult with a chiropodist.
Pregnancy is a transformative journey marked by various bodily changes, and one common occurrence that many expectant mothers encounter is swelling in the ankles and feet. This phenomenon, known as edema, is primarily attributed to the body's increased blood and fluid volume during pregnancy. As the uterus expands, it exerts pressure on the pelvic veins, hindering the normal return of blood from the legs. This leads to a buildup of fluid in the lower extremities, causing swelling. Hormonal shifts also play a role, promoting water retention and contributing to the overall expansion of bodily fluids. Additionally, the growing baby puts pressure on surrounding blood vessels, exacerbating fluid accumulation. While generally a normal part of pregnancy, managing edema involves staying hydrated, elevating the legs, and incorporating gentle exercises. If your feet and ankles have become swollen during pregnancy, it is suggested that you visit a chiropodist who can offer you additional relief tips.
Pregnancy can affect your feet in many ways, often causing pain or discomfort, as well as reduced mobility. If you are pregnant and experience foot pain, please consult with one of the chiropodists from The Footcare Centre. Our chiropodists will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
During pregnancy, your belly isn’t the only part of your body swelling. The whole body may experience swelling, especially in the feet and ankles. Since they carry the weight of both your body and the baby’s, caring for your feet during pregnancy is very important.
Common Foot Conditions During Pregnancy
Various foot conditions can develop during the course of a pregnancy, including:
Swelling of the feet and ankles
Fallen arches, leading to acquired flat feet
Plantar fasciitis
Aching, sore feet
Changes in the toenails
Caring for the Feet During Pregnancy
Some things that you can do to help maintain the health of your feet during pregnancy include:
Wearing comfortable shoes
Resting and elevating your feet
Icing sore areas, such as the arch
Keeping your toenails trimmed
Soaking and massaging the feet
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
