Foot & Ankle Specialty Blog

2020 is almost over. 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. 

Toenail fungus is one of the most common foot ailments we see at our offices in The Woodlands and Magnolia, TX. It can be a complex condition to treat, but we are on the cusp of the latest and most effective methods. Our experts at Sweeney Foot & Ankle Specialists will explain how toenail fungus presents itself, how it’s diagnosed and the various methods for treatment.

If you've visited our website (or our office) recently you've probably noticed that our Woodlands office has moved - but not far! Many people have asked us why we moved across the street, and the answer is simple: growth!

While your foot and ankle area may be a small part of your body, these structures are made up of any different structures, joints and bones. Two of the bones that play an important role in the structure of your foot and ankle are the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus. Unfortunately though, while they are important, they are bones that many people have never heard of, or do not fully understand. Here are a few common questions you may have about these bones and the answers to the questions you may have.

Bunions are caused by abnormal bones in the front of the foot that move out of place resulting in your big toe leaning towards the smaller toes and causing the bone at your big toe joint to push outward (which is the "bunion" or bump that you see on the side of the foot). The Merriam-Webster definition of a bunion is "an inflamed swelling of the small fluid-filled sac on the first joint of the big toe accompanied by enlargement and protrusion of the joint". Likewise, small bunions can also form at the base joint of the smallest (a.k.a "pinky") toe.

You might expect a back spasm after heavy lifting, but foot cramps tend to attack without warning — sometimes even in the dead of night. While the cramps often go away quickly, repeated bouts of them may need to be addressed.

When you think of body parts affected by Cancer you probably instantly think of the lungs, probably the breasts, and the largest organ of all – skin. That’s understandable, as they are all in the top five most common types of cancer. When talking about skin cancer there are eight places where you should pay most attention.

You probably weren’t surprised to see the face, neck and back on that list. But did Number Eight - soles of your feet - surprise you? That’s most likely due to the skin on our feet, particularly the soles, are often overlooked when we apply sunscreen. In fact, professional ballroom dancer, Witney Carson, discovered melanoma on her foot in 2015 at the age of 22.

Having an ingrown toenail is a relatively common condition that occurs when the side or corners of your toenail grows into the soft sides of your toe. This understandably causes redness, pain, swelling, and in some more severe cases, infection. While ingrown toenails can occur on any toe, they most often happen on your big toe.

Now that summer is here, more people are enjoying the warm weather by spending time outside. However, as you are outside, you are exposed to the sun. Failing to properly protect yourself and your children from the sun can lead to many potential issues, including skin prematurely aging and increasing the odds of developing skin cancer. Here are a few tips that can help you to protect your skin when you are spending time outdoors. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when purchasing shoes is buying shoes that do not fit you properly. Many people, particularly women, buy shoes based on the way the shoes look, not on the way the shoes fit. Unfortunately though, you can make yourself uncomfortable or even damage your feet by wearing shoes that do not properly fit your feet. Here is everything you need to know about shoes and their fit.