Foot Disorders Treated at San Carlos Podiatry Clinic
This is an inflammation of
the tissue surrounding the Achilles
tendon. The pain occurs in the back of the heel or the back of
the ankle and in the lower calf. The pain usually improves after a warm
up period. Swelling and morning stiffness are usually experienced in
severe cases. Events that can cause Achilles tendonitis may include
rapid increase of speed, hill running, rigid shoes, overpronation or
simply lack of flexibility in the calf muscles. Treatments usually
include stop exercising, rest, ice, non steroidal anti-inflammatory,
flexing and stretching the calf muscles before and during exercise and
wearing custom fitted orthotics prescribed by your podiatrist. Please contact us for an appointment.
Arthritis is the
inflammation and swelling of the cartilage
and the lining of the joint, sometimes accompanied by cartilage
destruction and fluid in the joint. Arthritis appears to be associated
with many different illnesses despite its close link to genetics. Joint
inquiries especially if not treated promptly can lead to osteoarthritis.
Symptoms usually include
pain and stiffness in the morning
and dull, throbbing pain at night. Swelling, heat and redness can also
be visible around the joint.
Arthritis in feet can alter the walking pattern all together, leading
to knee, hip and lower back problems, therefore it is important
to see your podiatrist if you have persistent foot pain. Prompt care,
such as medication, physical therapy, orthotics device, ankle brace and
special shoes can help to prevent further joint destruction.Please contact us for an appointment.
Ankle sprain is a sudden outward or
inward motion of the foot
and or ankle, stretching and or rupturing the ligaments, joint capsule
and tendons, usually leaving the bone structures intact and unaffected.
Depending on the severity of the sprain, one can experience an array of
symptoms from mild pain to severe bruising accompanied by swelling.
Immediate R.I.C.E therapy is the
best course of action.
If pain and swelling do not
improve with R.I.C.E or you are
unable to put weight on the injured ankle and foot, contact us immediately.
Athlete’s foot is a
fungal infection of the feet. It can
cause pain, burning, itching, blistering, cracking and scaling of the
skin. If the cracking and scaling of the skin left untreated, then a
secondary bacterial infection can occur. If you see redness and
swelling beyond the area of fungal infection, contact
us immediately. In chronic athlete’s foot, the risk of
spreading to the toenails and other parts of the body becomes greater.
Fungus which is a ubiquitous organism has a tendency to thrive in
warm, dark and moist environment such as shoes and socks. Some people
are also more susceptible to athletes’ foot due to body
chemistry, excessive perspiration and chronic exposure. It is very
important to wear clean socks, use antiperspirant on feet, allowing
shoes to dry out before wearing them , avoid walking barefoot in
community showers and avoid traditional nail salons. Fungus in
athlete’s foot is also an opportunistic infection which means it
has a stronger hold on people with compromised immune system such as
diabetics, suffering from systemic arthritis on immunosuppressive
medications.
To know more about prevention of Athlete’s foot click
here.
If you continue to suffer from athletes foot despite all
efforts, Please contact us to request an
appointment. Dr. Kelly will be able
to prescribe topical antifungal cream and in severe cases, oral
antifungal pills. Also Dr. Kelly might suggest a Foot
Facial to jump start your treatment depending on the severity of
the condition.
A bunion is an enlarged bone on
the side of the big toe. This
is due to an outward deviation of the bone, creating an angled joint.
Depending on the severity of the bunion, the big toe may be angled
mildly or sharply toward the other toes, sometimes overlapping or under
lapping. The protuberant joint can become irritated and inflamed in
shoes. The skin over the joint becomes painful and tender. If the
irritation of the joint continues, then over time, bursitis or
arthritis may occur, causing more difficulty with walking.
Bunions can be caused by
hereditary tendency, foot trauma,
neuromuscular disorders, congenital deformity or poorly fitting shoes.
It is important to prevent
bunion deformity before it is too
severe, since an untreated bunion can interfere with standing and
walking.
Although bunions do no resolve
by themselves, however, there
are few common methods that can reduce the pain and the
pressure such as, wearing roomy and comfortable shoes with adequate
support, protective cushions which can eliminate the rubbing, wearing
shoe inserts prescribed by you podiatrist and in some cases surgery is
needed to remove the bunion and realign the joint.
Please contact us to request
an appointment.
A callus is a hard, thickened
skin usually occurs across the
ball of the foot, on the heel or on the outer side of the big toe
indicative of a problem with the underlying bones. Calluses are your
skin’s way of protecting you. Hard layers of dead cells are
produced when skin undergoes excessive pressure or friction. The
thicker the callous becomes, the more pain and burning it may cause as
it increases pressure on living tissue underneath.
Here are a few tips on how
to treat. Never cut calluses
yourself. Wear roomy and comfortable shoes with adequate padding and
cushion across the ball of the foot.
You may use a pumice stone or a skin file to reduce the callus. Wear
custom orthotics to help your feet function better.
If you need help reducing
the callus, please contact our
office. Dr. Kelly can shave the
callus and apply no medicated padding to reduce the pain. Also
depending on the severity of the callous, you might be a candidate for
a Foot Facial or Dr. Kelly might suggest
injection of Pillows for the Feet. The
Sculptra dermal filler can provide long lasting internal padding and
cushioning around the bone, protecting the bony structures.
Please contact us to request
an appointment.
A corn is similar to a callus, but
it is smaller and usually
occurs on the top, between or on the tip of the toes. A
“soft” corn is a corn that absorbs and holds moisture. They
are usually found between the toes. A “hard” corn is a corn
that usually is on the tip or top of the toes and on the side of small
toes. Just like a callus, a corn is also the skin’s protective
way against friction and pressure. Usually, ill fitting shoes (tight or
too loose) and socks are the main cause of corns. Structural deformity,
such as hammertoes or bone spurs can lead to corns.
Prevention and treatment for corns include roomy shoes, non medicated
toe pads, toe spacers, using a pumice stone to gently reduce the corn
and in severe cases surgical treatment is reccomended.
For recurrent and persistent corns
please contact our office. Dr. Kelly
will be able
to assess the cause the corn and might suggest injection of Pillows for the Feet. The Juve`derm dermal
filler can provide long lasting internal padding and cushioning around
the toes, protecting the bony structures.
Please contact us to request an
appointment.
Diabetes afflicts about 16
million Americans, according to the
American Diabetes Association. Individuals with diabetes are prone to
complications. One of the foremost complications is nervous system
damage or neuropathy which causes the lose of feeling in the feet. As a
result, a diabetic person might not feel cuts, scratches, blisters and
breaks in the skin. These wounds can lead to unnoticed infection and if
left untreated, they can lead to serious consequences, including
amputation.
If you have diabetes, you may not notice rough seams in socks and shoes
or a pressure/friction from ill fitting shoes. This combined with poor
circulation can put a diabetic patient at risk for infection.
In order to prevent foot
problems, it is important to check
feet daily for any cuts, cracks in the skin, open sores, changes in the
color of the skin, changes in temperature, pain in legs, ingrown or
fungus infected toenails, corns or calluses.
If you are experiencing
inflamed areas, broken skin, infected
skin, ingrown toenails, red steaks, pale or blue skin, changes in
feeling, swelling or tenderness, please contact
us immediately for a comprehensive diabetic foot exam.
Ingrown toenails are often
caused by importer trimming. It can
also be caused by repetitive trauma to the nail, tight shoes, and
hereditary leading to the inflammation of the skin around the nail
borders allowing the nail border penetrate the skin and infection can
set. Most often, the attempt to remove the ingrown can lead to more
infection. If your nail continues to grow inward despite proper
trimming, please contact us for an
appointment. Dr. Kelly might suggest Nail
Restoration before any medical or surgical treatments.
For prevention tips, click here.
Metatarsalgia is
the inflammation of the metatarsal bone in
the ball of the foot. This can occur because of foot injury, atrophy of
natural padding in feet, ill fitting shoes and arthritis. Often a
callus is formed under the inflamed joint which can exacerbate the pain
and inflammation. It is important to address the problem to prevent
future joint destruction. If you are experiencing prolonged pain and
inflammation, please contact us for
an
appointment. You might be a candidate for a custom fitted orthotics or Pillows for the Feet.
A neuroma is a benign growth
that occurs when the nerves in
the foot are pinched and inflamed. A neuroma can cause, pain, burning,
tingling or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot. Ill
fitting shoes, abnormal bone structure, foot injuries can cause a
neuroma. Women are more susceptible due to wearing high heel shoes.
For a comprehensive evaluation, please contact
us for an appointment.
Fungal infection of the
toenails is a common health condition,
although many people assume it is only a cosmetic problem. If a fungal
infection is ignored, it could spread and impair your ability to walk.
Thickened, brittle, yellow, discolored nails often indicated a fungal
infection. There are other conditions such as trauma to the nail,
degenerative changes of the nail plate or psoriasis can cause changes
in the nail appearance. At the early stage of the infection, the nail
might not be painful. As the infection spreads and progresses to the
nail bed and the cuticles, the nail can become thick and often split.
Pain may develop as the thick and deformed nails cause pressure inside
shoes.
Fungal nails are usually more
resistant and difficult to
treat. Topical medications are usually less effective than oral
medication and laser treatment. In
some
rare cases the nail has to be removed surgically. If your health
conditions prevent you from any medical treatment, then Dr. Kelly can
suggest a nail restoration system to you.
If you are suffering from toenail fungus, please contact us for an appointment.
At your first visit, a small section of your nail will
clipped and will be examined for fungus. Once the fungus
infection has been confirmed, Dr. Kelly will suggest an appropriate
treatment according to your health history.
It is also paramount to take care and avoid re-infection.
To know more about how to prevent Toenail fungus infection,
click here.
The most common cause of
Plantar Fasciitis/Heel pain comes
from moving your foot incorrectly while walking or running. This can
place too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissue around it,
including the plantar fascia (A thick, broad ligament that runs from
the heel to the ball of the foot, supporting the arch of the foot). The
result is pain. In some cases, excessive stress on the arch can lead to
small tears in the plantar fascia.
Hereditary muscle and bone
problems, heel injury or bruising,
worn out shoes and excessive weight can affect the way your foot moves
leading to plantar fasciitis /heel pain. Also some medical disorders
such as arthritis can lead to plantar Fasciitis/heel pain.
A Heel Spur is a bony growth
on the underside of the heel.
Chronic Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain often result in formation of
heel spurs. In most cases, heel spurs are painless.
Plantar Fasciitis and Heel
Pain are usually worse with the
fist few steps in the morning or after prolonged rest. The pain
diminishes after a few steps of walking. Also you can experience pain
and fatigue in feet and legs after a period of walking or standing.
Please contact us for an appointment.
Dr. Kelly can evaluate your
feet by obtaining in-office x-ray and gait analysis. Depending on the
severity of your condition, Dr. Kelly might prescribe medication,
physical therapy, and custom fitted orthotics or Pillows
for the Feet injection.
Warts are caused by a virus. Warts
appear as hard, tough skin
similar to a callous or a corn with black pinpoints in the center.
Depending on the location of a wart on the foot, it can become painful
and mimic a callous or a corn.
Like all viruses, they are
contagious and can be spread from
one person to another and can be spread from one person to another or
from one part of the body to another.
Once the wart has been treated, it is important to prevent recurrence
or new infection. To know more about prevention, click
here.
For an evaluation, please contact
us for an appointment.
These are custom-made
inserts that are intended to adjust an
abnormal or irregular walking pattern and providing support in the
arch. Orthotics can help your feet function better and minimize, stress
and pain in your feet.
For an orthotic evaluating
and gait analysis, please contact us
for an appointment.
|
