Cracked Heels

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Staff

What are they?
Cracked heels occur when the thick and dry skin around the edges of the heel splits. This will not heal as that skin is dead. The split in the skin will then try and tear the skin below which can become painful and bleed. The main risk factors for this problem are the thick dry skin that can build up around the heel; being overweight; and wearing shoes that are not closed in around the heel.

How to manage them?
The best way to manage these cracked heels is to remove the thick skin around the heels and keep it down. This is not easy to do and can be done with a heel file. This has to be done carefully if there is an active split present. After that, if there is a painful active crack present, and then use tape to hold the edges together. Leave the tape in place for at least several days so it can heel. Every time you walk on the crack without the tape, the split just opens up again. Once that has healed, the efforts to keep the thick and dry skin have to be kept down. This means the regular use of a file and the regular application of an emollient cream to soften the skin. The use of shoes that have a closed in heel needs to be worn to help keep the skin from splitting. This is not a ‘one off’ treatment and these strategies have to be kept up on a regular basis.

When to see the doctor?
You will need to see a skilled podiatrist then the above self-care strategies do not work. They will be able to meticulously remove all the dry and hard shin, so that the self-care plan has the best chance to work. They may also use heel cups in the worse cases to help prevent the cracks from happening.

Further information
Dealing With Cracked Heels
What vitamin deficiency causes cracked heels?

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The Circulation Booster

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Staff

Circulation BoosterWhat is it?
The Circulation Booster is a product marketed with claims that it can boost the circulation to the foot and lower limb.

How does it work?
When we walk, the muscles in the leg contract. This contraction compresses the veins in the legs to help pump the blood back to the heart. This is good, healthy and how it is supposed to work. The Circulation Booster works by electrically stimulating the muscles to contract when you are sitting. This theoretically should help get the blood back to the heart.

Does it Work?
The research done on the Circulation Booster has shown that it does and can help the venous return and swelling around the ankle. It does not improve the arterial circulation or that circulation concerned with getting blood down to the foot and lower limb.

My Advice
You are better off going for a walk rather than sit there and have the muscles electrically stimulated. The walking will have the same effect at making the muscles contract to help return the blood back to the heart. The walking will also help the arterial circulation and be a lot better for you for a whole lot of other health reasons.

More Information:
Circulation Boosters: Good or Bad?
What is a circulation booster?
Circulation Boosters

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Hallux Rigidus

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Staff

What is hallux rigidus?

Hallux rigidus is a problem with their being no motion available at the big toe joint. We need that joint to pivot forward over, so if that joint does not move there is going to be a problem with walking. The restriction in motion will put strains on some of the other joints and alter the way that you walk. This can cause problems in other areas. The most common cause of hallux rigidus is osteoarthritis in the joint or some trauma that has damaged the joint. A hallux limitus is when the range of motion is restricted but the joint is not rigid. Both generally have a lump above the big toe joint.

How to treat hallux rigidus?

Once you have developed hallux rigidus there is very little that you can actually do. There is no way to restore the range of motion to the joint. Continuing to walk on it may be causing symptoms in other joints so a restriction in activity may be warranted. It is possible to try a toning shoe that has a rocker on the bottom on the bottom and this will make walking easier. Stretching and mobilization exercises may be helpful if there is some pain in the joint and motion is still possible.

When to see the doctor?

There are two options available to manage hallux rigidus

  1. A rocker may be placed on the outside of the shoe to make walking easier
  2. A spacer can be surgically placed in the joint to increase the range of motion

For a hallux limitus, there are come another surgical options that can be used to increase the range of motion and injection theapry can be used to help if the joint is painful.

Further Information:
Podiatry TV

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Sinus Tarsi Syndrome

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Staff

What is it?
Sinus tarsi syndrome is a problem that causes pain on the outside of the ankle joint. It is most commonly caused by an ankle sprain in which the foot rolls outwards. This stretches the structures in the rearfoot. It can also be caused by a very flat foot that rolls inwards at the ankle joint which compresses the structures in the rearfoot. The pain is often aggravated when on uneven surfaces and there may be a feeling of instability.

How to treat it?
The best approach to sinus tarsi syndrome is to:

  1. Avoid the activities that aggravate it or cut back on them
  2. Wear supportive and stable shoes
  3. An ankle brace or sleeve may help during activities
  4. Do plenty of exercises, such as balancing on one foot and rolling the ankle around to its full range of motion

When to see the doctor?
See a doctor when there is no improvement of doing the above. X-rays or a CT scan may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Often mobilization exercises from a physical therapist or injections into the area of cortisone are needed to help.

More Information:
Sinus tarsi syndrome

 

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Corns on the Toes

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Staff

What are they?
Corns are a thickening of the skin, usually on the toes, in response to excessive pressure. As the skin gets thicker they become more painful.

How to treat them?
It does not matter what is done for corns, they will always come back unless the cause is removed. That cause is excessive pressure. That excessive pressure either comes from the footwear or from a toe deformity (such as a hammer toe). Corns do not have roots, they keep coming back as the cause is still there.

Do not use the medicated corn plaster that you can buy at the pharmacy or drug store. They only contain an acid that eats whatever you put it on. It cannot tell what is corn and what is normal skin. Unless the cause is removed, it will still come back again.

To remove the cause, you need to remove the pressure. This either means changing the toe (and without surgery, that’s not going to be easy) or change the shoes. The shoes are the cause of the pressure. You need to change them to a better fitting shoe so the pressure on the corn is gone.

The non-medicated pads that have cavities or accommodation’s to keep pressure of the area of the corn can be helpful, but you need to keep using them long term as long as the excessive pressure is still there.

When to see the doctors?
If changing the shoe is not enough, especially if the toe deformity is bad enough, you may need to see the Podiatrist. They can either regularly debride (cut or scrape) the corn or give advice about surgery to fix the shape of the toe, so the shoe does not cause excessive pressure on the spot.

More Information:
ePodiatry

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Pitted Keratolysis

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Staff

What are they?
This is a non-contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the bottom of the foot and creates a large number of small crater or cavity like marks on the ball of the foot, toes and under the heel.

How to Treat Them?
You need to deal with the excessive amount of sweat that permits this condition to develop:

  1. Limit the use of occlusive footwear. Wear open footwear as much as possible.
  2. Wear absorbent cotton socks and change them regularly.
  3. Apply astringents that can help decrease the sweating.
  4. Moisture absorbing insoles can be used (you need two pair that can the worn on alternative days so they can dry out).

To specifically deal with the infection:

  1. Follow the advice above to deal with the excessive moisture
  2. Apply a twice daily topical antiseptic

When to see the doctor?
See a doctor or Podiatrist if the above does not help. A topical antibiotic will be more effective than an over-the-counter antiseptic. Whatever is done the steps above to decrease the accumulation of sweat will need to be continued over the longer term to keep the moisture from accumulating.

More Information:
PodiaPaedia | Podiatry Arena | Podiatry FAQ

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