If you need a podiatric physician or doctor of podiatric medicine, our podiatrists at SEVA Healthcare are medical specialists who help with problems that may have an impact on your feet or lower legs. Our podiatrists can treat injuries as well as complications you may be experiencing from ongoing health issues such as diabetes.
Our feet and ankles work hard every day taking us from here to there. Foot and ankle pain affect many areas including the toes, heel, ball of the foot, arch, lower ankle and upper ankle. Pain can be a result of injury or underlying conditions. If foot and ankle pain is extreme and/or persistent, it is important to seek help from a podiatrist for proper diagnosis and care.
Sometimes called degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's a wear-and-tear condition that occurs when cartilage deteriorates with use and age.
Unfortunately, as we age the cartilage that cushions our joints deteriorates and can cause pain.
RSD, or CRPS 1, is a disorder that disturbs pain regulation in nerves within the central and sympathetic nervous systems.
The central nervous system controls most functions of the brain and body.
The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for rapid, involuntary responses to pain or stress.
People with CRPS 1 typically experience pain in the extremities, such as the fingers and toes.
Doctors suggest that multiple factors may contribute to the development of CRPS 1. These include:
People with CRPS 1 typically experience pain in the extremities, such as the fingers and toes.
Peripheral neuropathy often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet.
Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) which can be caused by:
Sports injuries are any injuries to the ankle or foot caused by activity-related trauma and can lead to redness, pain, swelling, stiffness and difficulty walking.
Injuries can result from overuse or high impact and can affect the foot and ankle.
Ankle sprains are very common injuries. They occur when the ligaments in the ankle are severely stretched or torn.
Ankle fractures can range from the less serious avulsion injuries (small pieces of bone that have been pulled off), to severe shattering-type breaks of the tibia, fibula or both.
Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).
Plantar fasciitis has several causes, including:
A heel spur is a bony protrusion that occurs on the heel and makes walking difficult due to stabbing pain.
A bunion is a bone deformity usually occurring at the base of the big toe causing pain or soreness, inflammation and redness, and a burning sensation throughout the big toe.
An ingrown toenail occurs when the toenail has grown into the skin on the side of the toe causing redness, pain, swelling of the surrounding skin, bleeding and oozing of pus.
Hammertoe is a bending deformity of one or both joints in the toe causing pain when wearing shoes, corns and calluses and inflammation.
Hammertoe occurs because of weakening of the muscle surrounding the joints due to poorly fitting shoes, inherited genetics and abnormal biomechanics.
Toenail fungus often begins as an infection in the skin. Fungus starts under the nail fold at the end of the nail, and over time, it grows underneath the nail and causes changes to its appearance.
Diabetes is a systemic illness that can be dangerous to your feet due to vascular compromise. Proper foot assessments are important for diabetic patients and any kind of cut or sore should be taken seriously.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage that takes away feeling from your feet, and it can reduce blood flow making it hard to heal from injury and resist infection.
Ulcers, or open sores in the skin, occur when the outer layers of the skin are injured and the deeper tissues become exposed.
Flat feet refers to having very low or no arch. Those with flat feet tend to walk with an overpronation, often causing the feet to point outward. Since the feet carry the weight of the body, it can put an immense amount of pressure on those with little to no arch because that extra support is absent. The weight of the body is often unevenly distributed as well.
A plantar wart is a small, fleshy growth, sometimes including a tiny black dot in the center of the bump.
The HPV virus can enter the skin through an opening, such as a small cut or scrape and cause plantar warts.
Pediatric foot problems may appear at birth, shortly thereafter, or once your child is walking. Walking abnormally such as walking in-toed or out-toed or toe walking is often the first sign that something is wrong with your child’s foot or their feet. A child that walks incorrectly or has an abnormal walk may alert you that there could be a foot problem.
The foot has 26 bones in it that support our weight and allow us to walk and run. Certain activities or injuries can cause a fracture (break) in one or more of these bones.
A neuroma is a painful condition, also referred to as a “pinched nerve” or a nerve tumor. It is a benign growth of nerve tissue frequently found between the third and fourth toes. It brings on pain, a burning sensation, tingling, or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot.