Going on your first hiking trip can be exciting. Before you hit the road, you go to the local sports shop to get all the items you will need. Sleeping bag, tent, canteen, and many other items are bought and checked off your list. Among this list is a pair of new hiking shoes.

Hammertoe is a toe deformity that affects one or more of the three middle toes with a downward curving bend at the middle or end joint. This foot condition develops slowly and isn’t an issue until severe bending has occurred and treatment is more complicated.

When a patient arrives at Podiatry Foot & Ankle Institute in pain when standing or walking, custom molded orthotics are often used for treatment to correct posture or gait.

Sometimes losing the sense of feeling in your foot can be caused by sitting in one position for too long, and having your foot “fall asleep.” Just getting up and moving around usually will fix the condition. In more severe situations, the sense of numbness and tingling may be caused by an injury or underlying ailment like diabetes is peripheral artery disease (decrease in blood flow, to the foot's nerves).

What is Plantar Fasciitis? The plantar fascia is the wide band of connective tissue that spans your foot’s bottom between the toes and your heel to form your arch.

While fungal toenail infections don’t usually cause much pain and discomfort in the early stages, as the problem progresses, the nails will become discolored and brittle, and a foul odor is often emitted as the fungi feed on your skin, oils, and sweat.

A great way to relieve stress is try out some new artistic endeavors. Letting your creative impulses flourish will help take your mind off of your anxieties.

People tend to have some misconceptions when it comes to the topic of treating a broken toe. As with any painful foot or ankle injury, your best bet is to see your foot doctor for the proper treatment, so the condition doesn’t continue to worsen.

Eating foods that provide your body with a wide variety of immune-boosting nutrients is essential for staying healthy. The key word here is variety. Just eating a large amount of one healthy food won’t do it.

The unique characteristic of sesamoid bones is they do not have a direct connection to other bones. The largest sesamoid bone is the kneecap. There are also two small free-floating sesamoid bones located in the ball of the foot. They are about the size of a pea and help with toe movement, ambulation, and support. Pain and inflammation around these bones cause a condition called sesamoiditis that can make standing and walking painful. Orthotic inserts are an excellent treatment for this condition.

Flat feet may cause considerable foot and ankle pain for many people. The often-unconscious alteration in foot placement to avoid arch pain can also cause alignment problems and pain with your knees, hips, and back as well. Untreated flat feet can also lead to more instances of hammertoe and bunion formation, so see your foot doctor for the proper care.

Common Toenail Conditions: Has the texture or color of your toenails changed? You need to pay attention to changes in your color and texture of your toenails. It may be an early warning of toenail ailments and help you avoid some of the more troubling problems.

If you notice your toes bending earlier, a variety of conservative treatments will help straighten them and avoid future complications like toe surgery.

Why Are My Feet So Hot? Having a sensation that your feet are burning is a fairly common occurrence that can be caused by a wide variety of factors. With diseases like diabetes and peripheral artery disease, a burning sensation is often accompanied by numbness and tingling. A skin condition may be the cause, or it could be your feet are tired and achy from working all day.

Ankle pain has many causes . Your ankle is a complex structure consisting of many interconnected parts, including bones, tendons, muscles, and other tissues susceptible to stress and injury. In fact, ankle sprains and strains are among the most frequent causes of visits to the foot doctor

In the United States alone, there are nearly 40 million people diagnosed with a form of arthritis. As a medical condition, arthritis is actually an umbrella term for several different types of conditions that are considered arthritis. Though there are many different forms of it, arthritis is most commonly known as a disease that causes the joints in our bodies to lose their flexibility and become strained. Most often, the joints affected are found within our extremities, such as our hands and feet.

Diabetes is on the rise, so it’s an excellent time to remember that taking proper care of your feet is something we should all pay more attention to, which is especially true for patients who have diabetes. The nerve damage caused by diabetes occurs first in the extremities.

Warts can mimic other skin conditions and can be difficult to identify and treat appropriately. It is especially true for plantar warts that often grow hidden under thick skin on the bottom of your foot. The only visible sign is just a small bump under the skin, but plantar warts can be extremely painful when you put weight on your foot.

A heel spur is a protruding growth of calcite deposits that form as your body responds to abnormal rubbing and pressure. Heel spurs often occur in conjunction with the arch problems of plantar fasciitis. While heel spurs are not always painful, they can interfere with regular shoe wearing due to the heel bump.

Many people think since their feet and ankles don’t generally get much sun or ultraviolet light exposure, they don’t have to worry about getting skin cancer on their feet. It is not the case. One type of very aggressive skin cancer called acral lentiginous melanoma develops without any UV exposure at all. It can cause cancerous lesions hidden under the toenails or in thick skin on the soles or balls of the feet, so be sure to have regular visits with your foot doctor.