Foot & Ankle Specialty Blog

A broken or inflamed toenail may not sound like a big deal, until you are limping around and unable to wear your favorite shoes. Learning more about the most common toenail issues ensures you know what to do and when to come into the office if you experience one of these painful problems. Here's what you need to know about toenail issues: 

High heels are a wardrobe staple for many fashion-minded women. This particular accessory does have downfalls, unfortunately, including a number of chronic negative health effects on the feet and on the rest of the body.

If you suffer an injury or develop a medical condition affecting the feet, ankles or lower legs, your physician may refer you to a podiatrist. These specialists are highly trained in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting those complex anatomical structures. With their skills and knowledge, they can help resolve the problem relatively quickly and even minimize complications. Here’s a look at the training they receive and many of the ways they help their patients each and every day.  

The end of the year is almost here. If you have not already done so, you might want to consider making an appointment with a medical professional prior to the year ending. In some cases, failing to do so can wind up costing you time or money in the future. Here are three important reasons why you may need to use your medical benefits before the end of the year. 

More formally known as onychomoycosis (on-ih-koh-my-KOH-sis), this fairly common condition isn’t quite as scary as it may sound. However, it certainly can be quite unsightly and even uncomfortable or cause further problems if left untreated. Read on to learn more about what toenail fungus is, the symptoms, causes, treatments and repercussions of ignoring it.

There are many tiny bones in the foot, so it can be difficult to see a serious injury like a fracture, especially in children. Tiny bones are that much smaller in a tiny foot. Children’s bones are immature and require special treatment, so parents and caregivers need to know what might indicate a foot fracture. 

As rheumatoid arthritis (RA) starts to develop, the feet are often the first place to feel the symptoms. This chronic inflammatory disorder causes the body to attack itself, affecting all the different types of tissues from joints to skin.

Do your feet hurt? You are not alone – a recent survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that 77 percent of people in the United States have a foot problem. Fortunately, you can stretch your feet to alleviate pain and other foot problems; foot stretching can also help prevent painful foot issues. With practice, you can even take foot stretching to an art form that provides maximum relief from even the toughest foot problems.

Over time, your body begins to show the effects of aging. Skin sags, wrinkles form and age spots may appear. Your feet and ankles are not immune to aging, either. Aging certainly affects the way your feet and ankles look, but more importantly, aging feet and ankles may not function as they did when you were younger. This process doesn’t happen overnight, but gradually. You may not notice the signs of aging feet and ankles, but your podiatrist can.  Here are some ways that your feet and ankles change as you age.

As a woman, you know that your body undergoes many physical changes during pregnancy. Even your feet are not immune to these changes! Considering the extra weight you end up carrying during pregnancy, it’s not too surprising that you can expect to experience changes to your feet. However, there are also other things that influence your feet during this time.