Health Pod - Foot Blog

Hammertoes occur when the lesser toes of the foot bend at the joints.  Each lesser toe has three bones (phalanges) which have joints between them (interphalangeal joints).  Normally, these bones and joints are straight. But hammertoes occur when the toes become bent at the first interphalangeal joint, making the toe prominent.  In some cases, a bursa (red painfull soft area) is formed over the joit and this can become inflamed. This can progress to hard skin or corns forming over the joints or at the tip of the toe where pressure had increased.  It is often prgressive with the joints slowly becoming fixed in position.  What causes hammertoes? Foot biomechanics.  Trauma  Systemic conditions; diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and neuromuscular conditions  Self care Wear good fitting shoes with a deep toe box Avoid high heels Use a toe prop to straighten the toe if it is still mobile Wear a protective pad over the toe See a podiatrist Podiatric care Adv...

Blisters Causes Foot blisters result from some combination of heat, moisture, and friction. The important casues is friction. Friction Soft tissue shear distortions occur because skin, sock and shoe surfaces remain in stationary as the bones continue to move within the foot with each step, the skin does not follow. And so the soft tissues in between undergo shear.  These shear distortions, when repetitive, are known to c ause blisters.  If there is  too much shear , a  tear  develops under the skin surface which later  fills with fluid  to become what we recognise as a blister. Treatment  To reduce the development of a blister the following need to be addressed: Reduce friction - lubrication, double layer socks, blister patches or/&  2Toms Blistershield powder Reduce pressure - depending on location, ball of foot; pressure deflecting padding, heel; blister patches Spread/absorb the load - taping to spread shear load using fleecyweb around...

  Calluses and corns The outer layer of skin thickens to protect skin from damage against prolonged rubbing, pressure, and other forms of irritation.  Callus.  Hard skin/callus is a thickening of skin exposed to prolonged rubbing, friction and pressure. A callus is a yellowish, flat, hard layer of dead skin. Calluses typically develop near the base of the toes, heel and anywhere ongoing friction or increased pressure from the inside of shoes or due to gait or foot morphology that place increased stress on parts of the foot. Helloma.  Helloma/corn is a protective thickening of the skin on a bony, knobby portion of a toe or where excessive ongoing pressure in a specific location occurs or due to ongoing  irritation caused by shoes. Some corns helloma milliare form due to dry skin and friction in the base of the foot. Excessive damage.   After prolonged irritation, a brown, red, or black discoloration may develop under a large corn or callus. This is caus...

                                  Children's feet  In-toeing in children, is a normal development morphology between 3 and 6 years and is twice as common in females. In-toeing gait or pigeon toes can present due to variation in the rotation of the lower limb causing the toes to point inwards. There are several causes such as the femur, tibia and/or the alignment of the foot. Regardless of the cause the majority will self resolve. Just checking  Importantly other presentations need to be ruled out with differential diagnosis including cerebral palsy, infantile Blount's disease, metabolic bone diseases, and skeletal dysplasias thus podiatric assessment is warranted. Why does it occur? The most common condition for in toeing in children younger than one year of age is metatarsus adductus. It is seen up to 1% of births, and more frequent in girls compared to boys, and is ...

Children's feet Children have flexible feet with a developed fat pad and pronated subtalar joint which allows the foot to be a great shock absorber. When walking or standing children may demonstrate a flattening of the arch. This typical foot shape for an infant to young child of 7 years may be labelled as a fl at foot or pes planus. As children develop and the bones ossify, ligaments stiffen and muscles strengthen the height of the arch usually increases.  Assessment Childrens feet are dynamic and can change one month to the next. At Health Pod although we treat lower limbs, we assess the whole body, the child's physical needs and the parents queries. This is to ensure that if any treatment is required it is suitable for your child.  A full medical history is also taken to ensure we have the full picture. We do this through games and activities to ensure your child is engaged during the whole session.  Just checking The majority of pes planus seen in children is due to t...