3 Most Common Foot Related Problems That Need To Be Treated By A Podiatry Specialist

Our feet provide the much-needed support that our body needs. It is an integral part of our life and experiences a lot of tears and wear. A person is said to walk about 75,000 miles by the age of fifty. It is for this that you may develop chances of having foot-related problems in your life.

Some of the common foot problems are arthritis, bunions, mallet and claw toe, a disorder in the toenail and Morton’s neuroma, etc – all these hinder the mobility. If you experience any of these problems, you should see a podiatrist immediately.

The Three Most Common Foot Problems Include:

Bunions: When you experience a bony bump on the lateral side of your hallux, it is a bunion. In this condition, your hallux would bend towards the other toes thus making it painful for you to walk. It may also cause irritation and inflammation on your second toe and big toe. Bunions can be caused due to the inherited foot structure or ill- or tight-fitting shoes. Standing for too long can even aggravate the condition. Over-the-counter pain relievers and well-fitted shoes can be the solution to your bunions. Or else you can also take the advice of a podiatry specialist and get it treated.

Plantar fasciitis: It can cause pain in your heel and middle foot. This happens generally when the ligament of plantar fascia becomes strained due to weight gain, running long distance, the soft-soled footwear with poor support to the arch, frequent standing or other issues. The plantar fascia is a weblike, thick ligament that connects your foot’s front with your heel. You will experience more pain especially if you keep your feet on rest for a prolonged period. You can do some home-based treatment such as daily stretching of your foot, taking some anti-inflammatory medications and applying ice to get it treated. If these, however, don’t work then see a doctor who can ease your pain with orthotics, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy or surgery.

Gout: It mostly affects your big toe. It happens because too much uric acid is present inside your body. The area which is affected is very painful. You may feel like that your feet are being put on fire. It may occur in four stages and many forms. Gout may come & go or you may even develop chronic gout over time causing severe damage to your joints. Gout may be aggravated for a lot of reasons like eating some kinds of food, reaching a postmenopausal stage or the age factor in men (it occurs in men when they are between 40 to 50 years of age). Maintain healthy lifestyle habits to manage gout symptoms.

If you’re concerned about your foot problems, you should get it treated immediately. Your foot condition shouldn’t come in the way of your daily life. First, try out home-based treatments – if they don’t work out see a doctor.