Posts for tag: feet
Feet are just like anything else, as they are used and time passes, change is inevitable. The average person takes approximately 10,000 steps per day, which can add up to more than 3 million steps a year. Each of these steps can place a force on your feet equal to two or three times your body weight. It is easy to see that with time, this extensive repetitive use can lead to several changes related to growing older.
Normal aging is associated with gradual stretching of the ligaments that support your foot’s anatomical shape. It is normal to notice your feet becoming wider and longer. This is generally combined with a mild settling of the foot’s arch more often noticed as a flattening of the foot. Another normal change is thinning of the skin on the bottom of the heel. This is from a reduction of a fat pad as the body loses its ability to retain water. Again, normal aging is the corporate. An increase in the stiffness of joints and a loss of joint range of motion may occur. Think back to the facts of taking 10,000 steps where 2-3 times your body weight is placed on your feet, this workload on your joints will cause a natural amount of arthritis that can lead to stiffness.
Some common foot changes are abnormal or pathological. These conditions tend to occur in association with prolonged use of ill-fitting shoes and extreme stress placed on the foot. They are most commonly noticed when people are in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. These problems do not occur naturally and can be slowed or prevented with the use of proper shoes and inserts. A bunion is the most common problem and is a large bump on the inside of the big toe. Another condition is a hammer digit, which occurs when the toe becomes curled or constantly bent. Bunionette is a term used to describe a large bump found on the outside of the smallest toe in addition to the toe pointing toward the rest of the foot. Calluses or corns can occur on the toes or foot in areas of high pressure points. If you notice these changes, it is important to get your feet checked by a doctor. Podiatrists are specially trained to treat these conditions and reduce the associated discomfort or pain.
Excessive sweating from the soles of the feet, known as palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, can affect both children and adults. This condition occurs when the eccrine (sweat) glands of the soles secrete inappropriately large amounts of sweat. It typically occurs due to unknown reasons, begins in childhood, and commonly runs in families.
Eccrine glands are found on almost all parts of the body but are most dense in the palms and soles. The glands have developed and work normal in patients with palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, they just work more than needed. These glands produce sweat in response to emotion and stress. This is the reason people do not notice sweaty feet as they sleep.
Diagnosis is obvious because the sweating is easily noticed. Various treatment options are available but each has limitations. Creams and sprays are a great way to limit the severity of sweat but do not cure the condition. These are time-consuming therapies because the cream must be applied nightly. Iontophoresis is the passage of an electrical current onto to the skin, and has long been used to treat hyperhidrosis. Iontophoresis consists of 30 min sessions for ten consecutive days followed by one or two maintenance sessions per week. Oral pills will achieve desired results but must be taken for long periods of time and have numerous side effects. Surgical treatment is an option to treat hyperhidrosis. Sympathectomy involves the surgical destruction of nerves in the soles. Although the procedure is effective, it is permanent and should be considered only after all other therapeutic options have been explored. It is important to visit a podiatrist for treatment of palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, as there are many treatment methods. Coastal Podiatry Associates can help determine which treatment method is best to restore normal function of the sweat glands.
Corns and calluses are thick, hard sections of skin found on the foot. These conditions aren’t serious, but they can result in severe pain. Corns and calluses are really an area of increased thickness of the skin formed by too much pressure or friction. They generally form at bony prominences of the foot where friction is greatest. Usually poor fitting shoes cause these areas of friction, but they can also form because of how the foot moves during walking.
Calluses are typically found on the bottom of the foot. Corns are actually calluses that occur on the toes when hammertoes have formed. (Hammertoes are toes that are always bent, forming an upside down V when looked at from the side.) These thick layers of dead skin cells are generally white or yellow patches of thick, tough skin. They may also look flaky, or seem like dry skin. Corns are generally small and round, with a very sore spot in the middle and yellowish skin surrounding. Calluses are commonly larger and may have a peak in the middle.
Anyone can develop a callus or corn from poor fitting shoes or the way their foot moves during walking. The podiatrists at Coastal Podiatry Associates can easily treat these painful areas. The fastest and easiest way to treat calluses and corns is to remove the areas of increased skin. Another method is to reduce the friction or irritation that caused the callus or corn. This can be accomplished by adding padding to the shoe to offload the pressure area or adding an orthotic. Orthotics are custom shoe inserts that help the foot move in its most natural path. Another important preventative step is to wear comfortable shoes to help protect the foot from corns and calluses.
What is Coastal Podiatry Associates?
For most people their feet are the furthest things from their minds, both physically and mentally. They continually place their feet into shoes with the expectation that their feet will hurt at the day’s end. The foot’s design allows it to withstand the constant demands ofwalking, running, and for the most part whatever stress we place on them. It is for this reason that constant foot pain is especially concerning. Often times, your foot’s health is an indicator of your overall health. Signs of arthritis, diabetes, nerve, and circulatory disorders can all be detected in the foot. This is where the doctors at Coastal Podiatry Associates are specially trained to help. Podiatrists are highly trained physicians and surgeons focusing on the foot and ankleand should be an important part of your healthcare team.
The doctors at Coastal Podiatry Associates, Dr. Hamilton, Dr. Menn,Dr. Werter, and Dr. Bakerhave each completed years of rigorous foot and ankle training in a podiatric medical school. This education is an additional four years after receiving an undergraduate degree. Their schooling and training make them the most qualified doctors to care for your feet. These doctors have been taught and specialize in wound care, surgery, biomechanics (how the foot moves), geriatrics, pediatrics, diabetic care and dermatology.
Coastal Podiatry Associates has locations in Myrtle Beach, Conway, Surfside Beach and Little River, South Carolina. It is important to visit one of these locations if you are experiencing or have diabetes, flat feet, bowed legs, high arches, recent or recurring foot, ankle, or lower leg injuries, sores or infections, circulation problems, or lasting foot pain of any kind. The foot is a complex combination of bones, ligaments, and muscles. It is an all-in-one stabilizer, shock absorber, and the initiating force during walking making it essential to overall health and wellbeing. Feet require expert care, like that given at Coastal Podiatry Associates.