What are the Common Foot Problems a Podiatrist Treats?

What are the Common Foot Problems a Podiatrist Treats?

Thousands of Canadians visit podiatrist offices every year with foot problems. Foot problems are common because they form an integral part of daily life, bearing the weight of your body all day long.

All this use inevitably leads to wear and tear, especially when you consider that the average person will have walked seventy-five thousand miles by the time that they reach fifty.

With the feet doing so much work, foot problems become inevitable. As you age, you might find yourself at a podiatrist's office with one of the most common foot problems that podiatrists treat, as listed below:

Common Foot Problems

Fungal infections

Athletes' foot and fungal nail infections are common reasons for visits to the podiatrist's office. Athlete's foot is caused by fungal infections in-between the toes causing itchy, burning, or stinging feet and toes. Fungal toenail infections cause the nail to turn white, flake, crumble, and, if not treated, can infect all other toenails.

Ingrown toenail

Toenails that grow into the surrounding skin are called ingrown toenails. They often occur due to curved nails, poor trimming technique, or a toe injury. More severe ingrown toenail cases can dig deep, causing bleeding, infection, and the accumulation of pus, often requiring surgical removal.

Bunions

Bunions are a bump on the side of the big toe where the toe bones meet the foot bones. When fully developed, the big toe faces inward towards the other toes, sometimes even 'climbing' the second toe. Bunions affect foot posture and gait, making it painful to walk. Mild cases are treated by adjusting footwear, but more severe ones require surgical treatment.

Gout

Gout notoriously affects men aged 40 to 50 and post-menopausal women. An accumulation of uric acid in the body is the cause, resulting in inflammation of the toes, specifically the big toe. The resulting pain can be excruciating, with some describing it as feeling like your foot is on fire. Gout can be caused or worsened by eating specific foods and treated by making lifestyle and dietary changes.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the bottom of the heel and lower middle foot. It is caused when the tissue joining the foot muscles to the heel, the plantar fascia, because strained, bruised, or injured. Standing too long, weight gain, over-exertion in sports, and poorly cushioned footwear are known causative factors. Podiatrists recommend the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol as a conservative treatment option.

Hammer Toe

Hammer toe causes the toes to point downwards instead of outwards in a dorsiflexion direction. Causes of hammer toe include genetics, footwear, high foot arches or bunions, and arthritis. Most visits to the podiatrist's office are treated with OTC treatments like foot cushions, orthotics, and foot exercise devices. When necessary, they can also be treated with minimally invasive foot surgery.

In summary

Other leading conditions that podiatrists treat include plantar wart, claw toe, heel spur, blisters, stone bruises, flat foot, Morton's neuroma, sesamoiditis, and diabetic neuropathy.

Next time you visit the podiatrist with one of these conditions, rest assured that they are widespread and often respond well to treatment.