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FOOT HEALTH Q&A
Athlete’s foot is caused by tight fitting non breathable footwear, and walking in warm damp areas eg.shower rooms and swimming pools.
Symptoms
Athlete’s foot causes itching, cracking, blistering, and peeling of the feet. The condition usually starts between the fourth and fifth toes, then spreads. A person can also develop cracks in the heels or skin of the toes.
Treatment
A person should keep their feet clean and dry, and dry them with a separate towel. Antifungal treatments are available in most drugstores as sprays, powders, or lotions to apply to the feet.
If the fungus is spreading or worsening after treatment, a person should see their doctor who can prescribe oral antifungal medicines for the condition.
Diabetic neuropathy,people with diabetes are more prone to fluctuations in blood sugar. Diabetic neuropathy is not one condition, but a group of conditions that cause damage to the feet due to diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy include numbness, tingling, and pain in the feet. This can contribute to a greater risk of a person experiencing cuts or injuries to the feet due to lack of feeling.
Treatment
Maintaining good health and blood sugar control can help a person treat their diabetic neuropathy. While a doctor cannot reverse nerve damage, they can recommend treatments to prevent it worsening. A person with diabetes should also go for regular foot exams.
Footwear Specialists for diabetic shoes can help with socks and diabetic orthotics.
A heel spur is an outgrowth of calcium that develops between the heel bone and the arch of the foot. For many individuals, there are no symptoms but, for others, it can be painful and cause inflammation.
Heel spurs are caused by long-term strain on muscles and ligaments. They can also be caused by arthritis, excess body weight, and by wearing badly fitted or worn out shoes.
Treatments can include a cold compress, rest, and orthotic shoe inserts.
Bunions is caused by wearing high heel or pointy toe shoes both.
Symptoms
An individual with a bunion may have one or more of the following symptoms:
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visible bump on the side of the foot
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tenderness on or around the big toe
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callus or corn on the bone below the big toe
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difficulty moving the big toe
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pain in the big toe when walking
Treatment
Conservative treatment measures will usually improve the symptoms of a bunion. A person should wear properly fitting shoes without high heels. They can also buy a bunion pad at a shoe store or drugstore that protects the bunion from extra pressure.
Applying ice for 10-minute increments with a cloth-covered ice pack can also reduce inflammation.
Footwear Specialist who specializes in foot care known as a podiatrist can prescribe custom-made shoe inserts or a splint that can straighten the big toe. If a person’s bunion does not subside and causes continued pain, they may choose to have surgery to correct it.
Plantar fasciitis,causes include poor supporting footwear increase the risk of getting plantar fassicitis during exercise, walking and sporting activities .
Symptoms
Plantar fasciitis causes a person to experience pain on the bottom of the heel. This pain is usually worse first thing in the morning when getting out of bed. The pain also worsens with activity.
Treatment
Most people can manage plantar fasciitis with at-home treatment. Resting the foot and applying ice can reduce inflammation.
Stretching the foot thoroughly before and after physical activity, as well as throughout the day, may help to reduce heel pain. Wearing supportive shoes can also help.
If an individual’s plantar fasciitis does not get better with these treatments, they can try physical therapy, or see a podiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon for further treatments.
Morton's neuroma is nerve pain in the ball of your foot caused by thickening of tissue around the nerve between your toes.
Treatment
Footwear specialist for foot scan and fitting of Prescribed orthotics with metatarsal pad included, avoid high heel tight fitting footwear.
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