The human foot is a beautiful, strong and complex anatomical structure comprising of 26 bones, 33 joints and hundreds of tender muscles, tendons and ligaments. Over a quarter of a million sweat glands can also be found in the foot in addition to various strong fibers that are utilized to keep all of the moving parts together. Naturally, with anatomy as complex as that seen in the human foot, there exists a profusion of complications that can occur for a variety of reasons and result in necessary foot treatment in Los Angeles.
Often times, most foot related ailments occur as a result of overuse, sports injuries, poor fitting shoes or the foot being placed under a significant deal of stress. On average, Americans spend over 4 hours on their feet a day and walk an average of 10,000 steps a day. It’s no doubt the foot can become unduly punished over time. Likewise, the foot and its myriad of parts are decidedly more prone to experiencing issues caused by various other unrelated problems. If any part of the foot, be it the toes, heel, ball, etc, aren’t healthy and don’t work in unison, it is commonplace for the ailments to affect the overall quality of life for the patient and even occasionally result in the inability to walk or stand. With approximately 85% of Americans at one point or another enduring foot pain, most patients afflicted with a foot ailment are experiencing one of the top five most common foot related indispositions which affect millions of Americans. Read on to discover the five most common foot problems and their correlating correction procedures.
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#5 Bunions
For most, their beautiful and healthy feet can often be overlooked or taken for granted. Unfortunately, it oftentimes isn’t until we experience an unsightly and painful foot deformity that we realize the pure splendor of our healthy and vibrant feet. Bunions, for a great portion of Americans, is that exact deformity that affects millions of people, as it is one of the most common foot ailments in the country.
A bunion, simply stated, is a painful bony bump that is found in the connecting joint between your big toe and foot. Bunions are very common, so common in fact that they affect nearly 1 in every 3 women in the country. According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, 9 out of 10 bunions occur to women and are often caused by wearing tight, narrow high heels and shoes. Ultimately, a bunion causes the base of the big toe to get larger, stick out and creates significant pain for the victim. In many cases the overlaying skin on the foot may become red and swollen which makes wearing shoes, walking and even standing, extremely painful.
Bunion treatment can consist of bunion surgery where your doctor and podiatrist will begin by performing an examination of the foot and bunion. In some cases, an X-ray may also be utilized in order to discover the overall extent and severity of the foot ailment. If it is gauged that the overall foot pain is in fact caused by a bunion, there are various treatment options available. It is true that there are a variety of surgical, and in rare cases non-surgical, methods for correcting bunions, the most common of which is a bunionectomy. A bunionectomy is designed to remove the inflamed tissue around the toe joint, straighten the toe via partial bone removal, realign the bones of the toe to the natural angle, and permanently correct the bones of the affected toe joint. All-in-all, a bunionectomy corrects bunions and restores healthy and beautiful feet. Read on to learn more common foot problems.
#4 Corns and Calluses
In addition to occasionally being very unsightly, corns and calluses can also be very painful. Often caused by poor fitting shoes, corns and calluses are created due to excess friction or pressure being placed upon the skin of the feet. A foot callus, also known as a tyloma, is an area of skin the thickens after excess friction exposure. A corn however, is a less girthy type of callus that develops on top of and even between toes. It often varies from patient to patient whether or not pain is in fact associated with calluses and corns. Regardless, treatment is always a great idea in order to prevent further issues. Treatment is especially necessary for diabetics, as corns and calluses are almost always signs of larger complications.
Corns and calluses can oftentimes be contributed to external factors such as ill-fitting shoes, excess manual labor, frictional stress inducing activities and failing to wear shoes. Many of these events result in the development of corns and calluses on the feet and between the toes. However, external events are not the only causes of corns and calluses. They can also be produced in patients via internal events as well. For example, abnormal foot mechanics, faulty foot function, bony prominences and structural deformities, such as bunions, all can lead to the precipitation of corns and calluses.
On occasion, corns and calluses of the feet can be corrected by wearing properly fitted shoes and by protecting the affected areas while you allow the corns and calluses to heal properly. However, for diabetics it is necessary to seek treatment from a podiatrist. Continue reading to find even more common foot problems.
#3 Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is known as the most common cause of heel pain. The ailment is a disorder that causes pain in both the bottom of the feet and in the heel. The ligament, or fat band of tissue, that connects from your toes to your heel bone is known as the plantar fascia and is utilized to support the arch of your foot. If an incident occurs that leaves the plantar fascia strained, it becomes weak, inflamed and swollen, which results in heel pain and pain on the bottom of your foot. While the causes of Plantar Fasciitis are unknown, the pain created as a result of the ailment presents itself quickly and the pain is often most severe when walking. The severity of the pain is even greater when walking after great periods of rest. For example the pain of plantar fasciitis is likely to be the greatest when walking or standing after waking up in the morning.
Despite the fact that the causes of plantar fasciitis are unknown, the signs and symptoms are very notorious. When the ailment occurs, the pain in the heel and bottom of the foot is very sharp and often unilateral, as seen in the overwhelming majority of cases. Additionally, it is important to identify if pain is worse after long periods of rest. One of the largest identifiers of plantar fasciitis is increased pain in the heel or bottom of the foot subsequent to long periods of rest. Finally, various other symptoms are presented by the ailment, however they are much less prevalent. For example, a few symptoms of the ailment include tingling, numbness, swelling and radiating pain in the foot.
In the initial stages of plantar fasciitis treatment, Dr. Jamshidinia diagnoses the ailment and reviews your medical history. Following diagnosis, the physical exam begins where he checks for points of tenderness in the foot which allows the Doctor to determine if the ailment is being caused by other medical issues. There are both surgical and non-surgical treatment methods that can be utilized to treat plantar fasciitis. The determination of which treatment is better is dependent on various factors, including the patient’s medical history, severity of the ailment and more.
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#2 Ingrown Toenails
An ingrown toenail, or onychocryptosis, is a painful condition of the toe where the nail grows into the skin rather than over it and is one of the most common foot problems. While the condition most prominently affects the big toe, it can also occur to any toe and can become infected very easily. Infections leave victims with painful, swollen and red nails that are extremely painful and sensitive to touch.
Ingrown toenails can be caused for a plethora of reasons, the most common of which is cutting the nail improperly. Improper cutting of the nails is easiest to occur for the big toe. When the nail is cut too short it can grow improperly and into the skin rather than over the skin.
There are various methods and home remedies for treating ingrown toenails. However, it is commonplace for home remedies to be ineffective. The most effective ingrown toenail treatment is offered by podiatrists. Dr. Jamshidinia can treat ingrown nails through three methods. For a slightly ingrown nail, lifting the nail can prove to be an effective treatment. Otherwise the ailment can be treated by partial or total removal of the ingrown nail and tissue.
#1 Toenail Fungus
The most common foot affliction that affects Americans is toenail fungus. Nail fungus is a very common condition that, despite popular belief, is not caused due to poor hygiene. Instead, nail fungus is often caused by feet being exposed to dark wet places for extended periods of time. Naturally, there exist various causes of fungus. Regardless, the effects of the ailment remain the same. Toenail fungus begins as a white or yellow spot under the nails. Eventually the fungus penetrates deeper into the nails and causes the nail to thicken and discolor, resulting in unhealthy and unsightly nails.
Generally men are more prone to getting toenail fungus. In fact, men are significantly more likely to get the toe ailment than women. Additionally, age is an important contributing factor to the diagnosis of toenail fungus. It is commonplace for elderly men to suffer toenail fungus more frequently and in greater proportions than younger men or women in general. Other risk factors include smoking, being diabetic, having athlete’s foot or having a weak immune system.
The most effective and most dramatic treatment method of toenail fungus is via laser treatment. The remedy is often painless, creates greater results and creates longer lasting results.
These five common foot problems only comprise a small amount of the many foot ailments that commonly occur in America. A podiatrist is the best source for remedies and treatment of all the foot afflictions. If you need a podiatrist for foot treatment in Los Angeles, visit Tower Foot and Ankle or Call us at- 310.247.9255