Close-up of toes with hammertoe deformity on sandy surface.
20Jan

Hammertoe: Insight

Hammer toe can be defined as a condition of foot deformity meaning a painful foot condition in which the toes curl and arch up that leads to heavy pain when wearing footwear. Hammer toe usually affects the second and third toe of the feet. Hammer toe can be diagnosed by doing a set of physical examination of the feet.

Close-up of toes with hammertoe deformity on sandy surface.

Cause of Hammer Toe

Most commonly a hammer toe occurs when the middle joint of the toe becomes bent or flexed downwards.

General Causes include

  • Pressure from bunion
  • Tightened ligaments
  • Arthritis
  • Traumatic toe injury
  • Damage in the spinal cord or peripheral nerve

 

Symptoms of hammer toe

Hammer toe is bound to give an uneasy discomfort while walking. It causes unbearable pain if intended to stretch the toe.

  • Bending toe
  • Calluses or corns
  • Toe looking like claw
  • Inability to flex the toe
  • Adapting difficulty in walking

 

hammer

Is surgery required for hammer toe?

Hammer toe surgery can never be the primary option. Hammer can be of different categories it may cause mild or severe. If there is severe hammer toe then hammer toe surgery is required. The best way to judge is to visit a doctor as soon as you feel uneasy.

Hammer toe surgery should be opted out in these basic following options

  • Active infection
  • Poor health condition
  • Poor blood circulation in the feet.

Doctors prescribe Hammer toe surgery in severe conditions such as joint toe fusion and joint resection or even if you have swollen toes.

Hammer toe surgery is considered to be the least choice left for any hammer toe patient. Therefore it is of utmost importance to meet a doctor as soon as possible because a mild hammer toe condition can also lead to serious mishaps. In case the doctors recommend doing a Hammer toe surgery then it may be simply out of a failure in responding to treatments.

How can hammer toe be treated?

Hammer toe can be cured by wearing appropriate footwear and wearing properly fitting shoes. Mainly the high arch toe condition is caused by wearing toe pads that do not fit better. Correct toe pads shift the toe position that relieves the toe for getting overlapped from pressure.

Hammer toe treatment can be done using over the counter cushions, bunions, corns, and medications. Applying over the counter creams provides relief to blistering infections, and an ice pack can be used as Hammer toe treatment as well.

Preventive measures for hammer toe

Hammer toe problems in most cases have found out to be either from family history or chronically using tight pointed shoes. 

Eventually, a hammer toe can be avoided by taking certain stringent changes in your daily routine.

  • Must avoid wearing shoes that are tight and narrow or don’t fit well. An especially woman who wears heels up to 6 inches must cut it down to 2 inches.
  • Choose shoes that are much wider from the tip that gives you ½ inch between the end of the longest toe and inside the tip of the show.
Detailed illustration of the Achilles tendon connecting calf muscles to the heel.
14Jan

Understanding the Achilles Tendon

The achilles tendon is known to be the largest tendon in your body that extends from calf muscles to the bones of the heel. You can feel it at the back of your ankle and above your heel. To feel the achilles tendon at work, while on your feet, point your toes to the floor and raise the tips of your toes. Injuries to this tendon are often associated with mild or moderate pain or sudden stiffness in that part of the leg. In severe cases of achilles tendon pain, it may be because the tendon is torn or possibly ruptured. 

achilles tendon

Causes of Injuries To The Achilles Tendon

The injury is common if someone is engaging in activities that require quick sprints, slow downs or pivots. Some of these activities are dancing, football, tennis, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, running, etc. Furthermore, repetitive strain of achilles tendon have been known to be a common cause of injury to the achilles tendon.

The achilles tendon connects to the achilles heel. The achilles heel bone can become tender with age and this increases the probability of an injury to the bone or tendon. This scenario is typically more severe for athletes that participate in quick movement sports.

How to prevent a foot injury to the achilles tendon?

To prevent an achilles tendon injury, some measures can be taken:

Daily stretching – It is necessary to stretch the calf muscles and achilles tendon daily to prevent injuries to this part of the leg. This will also improve your flexibility. 

  • Increase activity level slowly – With regular physical activity, the likelihood of experiencing pain from achilles tendon is very slim
  • Strengthen calf muscles – Strong muscles help the calf and achilles tendon to handle sudden stress caused by exercise or similar activities.  
  • Take it easy – Try to keep away from activities that can cause stress to your calf muscles and achilles tendon. Warm-up first before you try any strenuous activity.  
  • Choose shoes carefully – Choose the right shoes when exercising. Choose shoes that have suitable cushioning to reduce stress to your feet. Replace worn-out shoes. Finally, if the shoe is not comfortable, do not use it to exercise. 

Achilles Tendonitis Treatment

If you are dealing with Achilles tendonitis, the following steps can help alleviate the pain:

  1. Rest the injured leg as much as you can and do not put weight on the leg. 
  2. Ice it for at least twenty minutes and also do some stretches to avoid pain from the tendon.
  3. Compress your injured leg with the help of elastic bandages around the lower leg and  ankle to reduce the chances of swelling.
  4. You can take anti-inflammatory medicines which should help with pain and swelling. Take medicine only after consulting with a physician as it is necessary to use the right dosage
  5. While resting, try elevating your leg to get some relief.
  6. Try wearing heel lifts. Heel lifts in shoes give relief from achilles tendonitis pain.
Foot examination by podiatrist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center.
5Jan

Modern-day medicine field has advanced greatly and it is possible to get a doctor or specialists from head to toe problems. Never make the mistake of overlooking your feet. Instead, it is necessary to keep it healthy and well nurtured. It shall contribute it having fully functional feet. Foot pain and related problems are common to occur. This is when you want to see a podiatrist. With plenty of options of foot doctor available, choosing the right one for the right care may be confusing. Below are mentioned some of the things to look that shall guide you to choose the best podiatrist.

Foot examination by podiatrist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center.

Experience of the podiatrist

Instead of visiting a random clinic for your foot pain, it is better to consult an experienced one. If you are suffering from the problem for the first time, run a background check of the podiatrist’s experience before seeking medical assistance. In this regard, there are several options for choosing a foot doctor. The doctors are the experienced ones that offer quality service. Soon after the symptoms show up, consult the Houston foot doctor to get immediate care and nurturing for your feet.

Look for the referred doctors

Check with one of the referred foot doctors in Houston Texas to get a suitable service for your foot pain. Instead of choosing a random service, try to go by reference ensuring quality medical service. Go by references from your friends or family and make comparisons before you choose the right one.

Consider your medical condition

A houston foot specialist will examine your medical condition before you apply any medicine or medical treatment. But there are some medical conditions that can have a negative impact on your foot pain problem. Even if you are under any prior medication, discuss it in detail with your doctor before he or she prescribes a new one. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that you settle down for an experienced doctor who can address your complications correctly one go. Slight delay in treatment can often make the foot pain issue the worst one.

Specialization of the podiatrist

If you wish to choose any podiatrists in Houston, make sure that the person is specialized in offering your suitable solution for foot pain problems. Some podiatrists are known to have specialization in sports injury, bio-mechanical and the like. When consulting with the doctor for the first time, try to know about his or her specialization for better results. Your inquisitiveness shall help you choose the right podiatrist to help you get rid of foot pain.

Convenience of getting the right treatment

Even if the doctor is an experienced one, you have to check whether it will be convenient for you to visit the doctor considering your foot condition. In this regard, you have to consider how quickly and easily you can get medical help. For choosing the doctor near you, never make the mistake of seeking help from an inexperienced one. This will result in a negative impact. 

Diagram showing normal foot and foot drop with nerve pathways highlighted.
30Dec

Foot drop which is also known as drop foot is a difficulty in which an individual is unable to drop the front part of the foot. While walking, the front part of the foot may drag on the ground. It is not a disease but a neurological problem or anatomical problem. It can be both permanent and temporary. Depending on the intensity of the problem, you may have to wear a brace on your foot and ankle that shall help to hold your foot in position. 

Diagram showing normal foot and foot drop with nerve pathways highlighted.

What are the causes of foot drop?

Foot drop is caused by paralysis of muscles that help in lifting the front part of the foot. There are several causes of foot drop, and some of them are mentioned below.

  • Nerve injury – Foot drop is caused by compression of a nerve in leg that controls the muscles that contribute to lifting the front part of the foot. In case, the nerve gets injured during knee replacement and the like, it also results in problems like foot drop. Other than this, nerve root injury, which is also known as the pinched nerve, can be considered as foot drop causes. The nerve disorder is more common in the one with diabetes. 
  • Brain and spinal cord disorders – Any disorder affecting the brain or spinal cord such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS multiple strokes or like may often result in foot drop problem.
  • Muscle or nerve disorders – Forms of muscular dystrophy is an inherited disease that causes muscle weakness, and it may also result in foot drop. Even order disorders like polio can also result in nerve disorders.

What are the symptoms of foot drop?

Due to foot drop, one cannot drop the front part of the foot. In such cases, he or she might have to drag the foot on the floor. For this, you have to raise your thigh when walking. Also, you may have to slap your foot down due to this neurological problem. In some cases, the top of your skin of the toe and foot may feel numb. So, depending on the cause, it will affect your foot.

How should foot drop be treated?

For foot drop treatment, you should not delay once you notice the symptoms. It is better to get the problem diagnosed at its initial stages. Also, the treatment will depend on the cause of the neurological problem. With successful and early diagnosis, it can improve or even disappear and never come back. In case, the cause of the disease can be treated, it may become a permanent problem. Some of the treatment methods include the following. 

  • Braces or splints 

The foot drop brace is useful when you wear them on your ankle or foot. It should fit into your shoe that shall help to hold your foot in a proper position. 

  • Physical therapy 

Some proper physical therapy can also help to get rid of the foot drop issue. You can practice exercises that help strengthen leg muscles and maintain the range of movement of the ankle and knee. This shall further help to improve gait issues that are related to foot drop.

  • Nerve stimulation 

The foot drop nerve stimulation is important as it helps lift your foot and improves the problem of foot drop. 

If you have any questions about foot drop, please feel free to contact our office located in Cypress, TX. DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center offers the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Foot massage therapy for foot health and relaxation.
29Dec

It is a commonly observed notion that many people experience foot or ankle pain at some point of time. Regularly exercising and keeping the foot muscles strong can alleviate soreness and improve overall health and flexibility. Pursuing foot exercises for foot pain doesn’t involve the requirement of complicated equipment. They can be done at home or in the gym as part of a regular exercise regime. Exercises that improve your range of motion may also drastically reduce the chances of getting hurt. Interestingly, with the help of these exercises, you can also improve your strength for lifelong foot health.

Footrub

Exercises to relieve tendonitis

To be precise, tendonitis is a common cause of pain around the back of the foot. Tendonitis can also arise from the damage to the tendons. Note that the personal tendons are usually strong and have cord-like structures. This links the peroneal muscles of the calf to the bones of the foot. By practicing foot exercises for tendonitis, one can increase synthesis of collagen and improve the organization of muscle fiber. The treatment for tendonitis also includes the RICE principle. Here is the list of some exercises which comes handy during tendonitis.

  • Towel Stretch

Stretching the foot muscles may decrease your pain and improve the healing of a peroneal tendon injury. You can perform this stretch by sitting on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you.

  • Inversion and Eversion

With the help of inversion and eversion, one can maintain the flexibility of the ankle. As the peroneal tendon helps assist in turning the foot in all directions. However, during this stretch, ensure that you don’t do any movement which causes pain.

Standing calf raise

It is one of those foot exercises and stretches which is quite effective to relieve pain. While pursuing this exercise, you have to raise one calf by emphasizing on the big toe. This would also enable you to build arch strength. While doing this exercise, you have to stand with shoulder-width apart.

Stretching your Achilles tendons to increase your flexibility

Stretching your Achilles tendons is one of the preliminary foot exercises arthritis. It can help increase your mobility and flexibility. Good exercises involve stretching your feet along with the Achilles tendons so that arthritis pain can be alleviated. It is interesting to note that a good exercise for arthritic feet is to wiggle your toes.

Practicing exercises after foot surgery

To be frank, foot surgery can cause you to miss your usual workouts. This is why exercising on a regular basis would help your feet. For instances, by practicing stretches, you can recover greatly from surgery. You can also undertake yoga sessions to ensure that your muscles are in working condition. Experts from the site https://www.squarehospital.com/buy-levitra-online/ established that some drugs can affect the metabolism of Levitra, and therefore patients should consult a doctor if they are prescribed a new drug. One of the great exercises after foot surgery is to swim. It is also a great aerobic exercise without putting any weight on your foot.

Thus, by practicing the above-mentioned exercises, you can alleviate foot pain. However, it is always a good option to seek your doctor’s suggestion. If you have any questions, or need to see a foot doctor in Houston, please contact our office in the Houston, TX area. Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale will answer any of your foot and ankle related questions.

Close-up of fungal infection on toe with dry, cracked skin and redness.
26Dec

The Athletes’ Foot is also known as tinea pedis, which is a type of fungal infection. In this, the skin of feet gets affected, toenails in particular. Though an athlete’s foot is not serious, it is often hard to cure for the ones suffering from diabetes or poor immune system. It is better to consult the doctor as you start noticing any problems in your feet. With plenty of options for diagnosis, it becomes easy to treat the problem at the earliest.

athletes foot

How foot fungal infection can be treated?

As ways of athlete’s foot treatment, there are plenty of options, and one of them is antifungal medications. Some are also recommended home treatment if doctors think so.

  • Home care

For dealing with foot fungus issues, home care is a suitable option to resolve it. In this, you have to soak feet in saltwater or dilute feet with vinegar. This helps to dry the blisters and reduce the chances of foot fungus. 

  • Alternative therapy for foot fungus

When diagnosed with fungus on feet, it requires suitable therapy that shall get rid of the problem soon. In this, it is suitable to use tea tree oil for better results. Studies are of the opinion that tea tree oil can effectively treat problems of foot fungus.

Preventions of Athletes’ Foot

Some tips can help prevent the occurrence of this fungal infection.

  • Try to keep your toes dry – Try to keep the space between toes dry and walk barefoot when you are at home. Also, after taking a shower, do not forget to dry the space between the toes. 
  • Change socks – With sweaty feet issues, it is a must to change socks regularly. For better results, you can change it twice a day. Thus, it will help avoid problems of fungal infection in your feet.
  • Protect feet in public – In public pools or showers, try to wear waterproof sandals to protect your feet.
  • Treat your feet – Try to use antifungal powder daily to keep your feet clean and free from fungus attack.   

Important facts to know about Athletes’ Foot

  • Athletes’ Foot can occur in any individual

There is a wrong notion that the infection is only common in Athletes. But it can occur to any person. However, the risk factors are having sweaty feet, keeping wet feet for a long time, wearing tight shoes or socks, sharing socks with other infected persons, and the like.

  • Diagnosed just by looking at it

Just by looking at the athlete’s foot, it is possible to understand. Some diagnoses are testing samples of infected skin, looking at the infected area in dark lightand viewing skin samples using a microscope.

  • Chance of infection spreading to other parts

Similar to the infected foot, the infection can also come up on hands. The fungus related can easily spread to nails. In addition, the fungus can also result in jock itch. It happens when you dry different body parts with an infected towel.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Cypress, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.