Foot & Ankle Specialty Blog

Does one of your toes curl or bend upwards? It could be caused by a deformity known as hammer toe. Learn more about this condition and how it is treated.

What is Hammertoe?

Hammertoe is a structural deformity that causes the toe to curl or bend upwards. While this can happen to any toe on the foot, it most commonly happens to the second and third toes.

If you have a cyst on your toe, you may notice a small bump. This small bump may look red and inflamed, much like a bug bite, it may look like it has a head on it, like a pimple, or it may look water-filled, like a blister. There are different types of cysts that can develop on your toes, including ganglion cysts, digital myoxiod cysts, mucoid cysts, inclusion cysts and sebaceous cysts. Each has a slightly different appearance, but the common thread with all of these cysts is that they can be painful. If you have a toe cyst, you may be wondering how it can be treated. Here are a few of the various ways to treat a toe cyst. 

Too many people come away from a long day on the slopes with sore ankles, burning insteps or tender heels. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Learning how to ski more efficiently, as well as how to modify your footwear, can make all the difference.

These days, at-home workout options like Peloton indoor cycles can be lifesavers when it comes to staying physically healthy, as well as working off anxiety. But if you’re new to at-home cycling and other home gym equipment — or just prone to overdoing it — you may be dealing with the kind of foot pain you’ve never experienced before.

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.

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.

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. 

Has social distancing got you wondering if you need to go to the doctor or stay home?

When you drop a weight on your toe or stub it, it’s difficult to say what comes first, the swearing or the pain. And if it is indeed broken, it's hard to believe how much a small bone can wreak such havoc. Some toe fractures may require surgery to allow them to heal in the correct alignment. However, on the brighter side, most toe fractures can be healed by simple treatments such as buddy splinting and probably a wider stable shoe.  It is worth taking the time to have your toe sprain or fracture evaluated to determine the best choice. 

When the base of your big toe becomes swollen and results in a large bump, you may have a bunion. Over time, bunions can lead to arthritis and often result in intense foot pain. The good news is that, to give your bunion the boot, you don't always need to have surgery. You can practice special foot exercises that will increase the flexibility in the area and alleviate some of the symptoms.

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: