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Pain can often accompany a corn on the foot. A hard corn is defined as a small, toughened area that develops on top of the toes. It generally forms due to wearing shoes that do not fit correctly. The shoes may be too tight, and this can cause friction as the toes rub against the top of the shoes. A soft corn forms between the toes and is generally moist a majority of the time. Mild relief may be found when a protective covering is worn on top of the corn, or in between the toes. This can help to cushion and protect the corn as daily activities are completed. It is suggested to refrain from wearing high heels with an existing corn, in addition to limiting the amount of walking. If you have developed a corn, please speak to a podiatrist who can recommend proper removal techniques.

If you have any concerns regarding your feet and ankles, contact the podiatrists of Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors will treat your foot and ankle needs.

Corns: What Are They? and How Do You Get Rid of Them?
Corns can be described as areas of the skin that have thickened to the point of becoming painful or irritating. They are often layers and layers of the skin that have become dry and rough, and are normally smaller than calluses.

Ways to Prevent Corns
There are many ways to get rid of painful corns such as wearing:

• Well-fitting socks
• Comfortable shoes that are not tight around your foot
• Shoes that offer support

Treating Corns
Treatment of corns involves removing the dead skin that has built up in the specific area of the foot. Consult with Our doctors to determine the best treatment option for your case of corns.

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

If you drop something on your foot, it will likely turn purple or blue from bruising. This is normal, and the common solutions of rest, ice, elevation, and compression should help ease the pain as your foot heals. However, chronic discoloration of the feet can be a sign of restricted blood flow brought on by other conditions. Among them are diabetic neuropathy, peripheral artery disease (PAD), lupus, or Raynaud’s disease. In some way all of these conditions limit the flow of blood to the extremities and can cause foot swelling, discoloration and numbness. If you notice that your feet have changed color for longer periods, it may be wise to consult a podiatrist who can offer a complete examination and diagnosis of your feet and recommend the best treatment options for you.

Everyday foot care is very important to prevent infection and other foot ailments. If you need your feet checked, contact the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Everyday Foot Care

Often, people take care of their bodies, face and hair more so than they do for their feet. But the feet are a very important aspect of our bodies, and one that we should pay more attention to. Without our feet, we would not be able to perform most daily tasks.

It is best to check your feet regularly to make sure there are no new bruises or cuts that you may not have noticed before. For dry feet, moisturizer can easily be a remedy and can be applied as often as necessary to the affected areas. Wearing shoes that fit well can also help you maintain good foot health, as well as making it easier to walk and do daily activities without the stress or pain of ill-fitting shoes, high heels, or even flip flops. Wearing clean socks with closed shoes is important to ensure that sweat and bacteria do not accumulate within the shoe. Clean socks help to prevent Athlete’s foot, fungi problems, bad odors, and can absorb sweat.

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

One of the foot’s 26 bones is called the navicular bone, which sits just in front of the ankle on the top of your foot. A stress fracture of the navicular bone is commonly the result of explosive and repetitive action of the feet, especially during running fast or jumping. During activity, the navicular bone may be squeezed between the two bones in front of and in back of it, causing stress. Symptoms of a navicular stress fracture are an ache in the midfoot area, including the inside of the arch, and pain if you press on the bone. This discomfort may subside once activity is stopped and the foot rests, but is likely to recur when the action starts again. If you have pain when flexing your foot upward, you may have a navicular fracture. A visit to a podiatrist for diagnostic imaging tests is a good idea. Treatment options, depending on the severity of the injury, include a walking splint, a full cast, or surgery. 

Activities where too much pressure is put on the feet can cause stress fractures. To learn more, contact the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep your pain free and on your feet.

Dealing with Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle

Stress fractures occur in the foot and ankle when muscles in these areas weaken from too much or too little use.  The feet and ankles then lose support when walking or running from the impact of the ground. Since there is no protection, the bones receive the full impact of each step. Stress on the feet can cause cracks to form in the bones, thus creating stress fractures.

What Are Stress Fractures?

Stress fractures occur frequently in individuals whose daily activities cause great impact on the feet and ankles. Stress factors are most common among:

• Runners                                  
• People affected with Osteoporosis
• Tennis or basketball players
• Gymnasts
• High impact workouts

Symptoms

Pain from the fractures occur in the area of the fractures and can be constant or intermittent. It will often cause sharp or dull pain with swelling and tenderness. Engaging in any kind of activity which involves high impact will aggravate pain.

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

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you may have heard that performing certain exercises can help alleviate pain and speed up your recovery. There are a variety of stretches that you can do to help with plantar fasciitis. One of the easiest stretches is flexing your foot up and down 10 times prior to standing after a long period of rest (when plantar fasciitis pain is at its worst). There are also certain exercises that you should avoid. These include any jumping activities and any high impact exercises, such as running. If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis, please seek the care of a podiatrist.

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that is often caused by a strain injury. If you are experiencing heel pain or symptoms of plantar fasciitis, contact the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot. When this ligament becomes inflamed, plantar fasciitis is the result. If you have plantar fasciitis you will have a stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As the day progresses and you walk around more, this pain will start to disappear, but it will return after long periods of standing or sitting.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

• Excessive running
• Having high arches in your feet
• Other foot issues such as flat feet
• Pregnancy (due to the sudden weight gain)
• Being on your feet very often

There are some risk factors that may make you more likely to develop plantar fasciitis compared to others. The condition most commonly affects adults between the ages of 40 and 60. It also tends to affect people who are obese because the extra pounds result in extra stress being placed on the plantar fascia.

Prevention

• Take good care of your feet – Wear shoes that have good arch support and heel cushioning.
• Maintain a healthy weight
• If you are a runner, alternate running with other sports that won’t cause heel pain

There are a variety of treatment options available for plantar fasciitis along with the pain that accompanies it. Additionally, physical therapy is a very important component in the treatment process. It is important that you meet with your podiatrist to determine which treatment option is best for you.

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

Sometimes ankle pain can be caused by an impinged or irritated sural nerve. This condition is known as sural neuritis. The sural nerve runs along the back of the leg, and around the outside of the ankle and foot, providing sensation to these areas as well as to the outer two toes. The sural nerve can become injured or irritated in a variety of ways. It can get stretched and injured during an ankle sprain or some other injury. Also, since its course around the ankle and lateral side of the foot can vary, it may inadvertently get injured during a surgical procedure in the area. Even scar tissue or swelling that occurs after an injury or surgery can affect the nerve. Sural neuritis typically causes a burning sensation, which is sometimes accompanied by tenderness and swelling along the side of the ankle and foot. If you experience this type of pain, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a podiatrist. If you are diagnosed with sural neuritis, your podiatrist may develop a course of treatment that includes desensitizing the nerve through massage, medications, corticosteroid injections, and specific footwear to offload pressure on the nerve and reduce irritation. Surgery may be necessary if these more conservative treatments do not provide sufficient pain relief.

Ankle pain can have many different causes and the pain may potentially be serious. If you have ankle pain, consult with the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

Ankle pain is any condition that causes pain in the ankle. Due to the fact that the ankle consists of tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments, ankle pain can come from a number of different conditions.

Causes

The most common causes of ankle pain include:

• Types of arthritis (rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and gout)
• Ankle sprains
• Broken ankles
• Achilles tendinitis
• Achilles tendon rupture
• Stress fractures
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Plantar fasciitis

Symptoms

Symptoms of ankle injury vary based upon the condition. Pain may include general pain and discomfort, swelling, aching, redness, bruising, burning or stabbing sensations, and/or loss of sensation.

Diagnosis

Due to the wide variety of potential causes of ankle pain, podiatrists will utilize a number of different methods to properly diagnose ankle pain. This can include asking for personal and family medical histories and of any recent injuries. Further diagnosis may include sensation tests, a physical examination, and potentially x-rays or other imaging tests.

Treatment

Just as the range of causes varies widely, so do treatments. Some more common treatments are rest, ice packs, keeping pressure off the foot, orthotics and braces, medication for inflammation and pain, and surgery.

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

If you’ve ever been to a shoe store and had your feet measured, the salesperson likely used a portable metal tool called a Brannock device. This handy item can determine the length and width of your feet, ensuring that you know what size shoes you should be wearing. There are various types of Brannock devices. Some are made specifically for men’s, women’s, or children’s feet. Others are built for sizing specific types of shoes, such as sneakers or ski boots. To find out your shoe size, it is strongly suggested that you go to a store where your feet can be properly measured. Wearing the correct shoe size can significantly benefit your foot health. To learn more about how the fit of your footwear affects your feet, please consult with a podiatrist. 

Getting the right shoe size is an important part of proper foot health. Seek the assistance of the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors will provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Getting the Right Shoe Size

There are many people who wear shoes that are the incorrect size, negatively affecting their feet and posture. Selecting the right shoes is not a difficult process, so long as you keep several things in mind when it comes to choosing the right pair.

• When visiting the shoe store, use the tools available to measure your foot.
• Be sure there is ‘wiggle room’. There should be about an inch between your toes and the tip of your shoes.
• Do not always assume you are the same size, as manufacturers run differently.
• Purchase shoes later in the day, as your feet swell as the day progresses.
• If a shoe is not comfortable, it is not suitable. Most shoes can’t be ‘broken in’, and comfort should be the ultimate goal when it comes to choosing the right pair of shoes

As our feet hold our body weight and keep us moving, it is important to treat them right. Picking the right pair of shoes can provide your feet comfort and mobility without pain.

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

An Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) test is a screening tool that is used to assess circulation in the lower limbs. During an ABI test, the doctor takes your blood pressure at various points along your arms and lower legs and compares the numbers to determine your risk of having full or partial blockages in the blood flow of your lower limbs. Not everyone needs an ABI test. They are typically done for people who are at risk of peripheral artery disease, a condition characterized by poor circulation in the extremities. People who are at risk of having peripheral artery disease include those with a history of smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, as well as older adults and people who have a family history of peripheral artery disease. To learn more, please consult with a podiatrist.

Vascular testing plays an important part in diagnosing disease like peripheral artery disease. If you have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or diabetes, consult with the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

What Is Vascular Testing?

Vascular testing checks for how well blood circulation is in the veins and arteries. This is most often done to determine and treat a patient for peripheral artery disease (PAD), stroke, and aneurysms. Podiatrists utilize vascular testing when a patient has symptoms of PAD or if they believe they might. If a patient has diabetes, a podiatrist may determine a vascular test to be prudent to check for poor blood circulation.

How Is it Conducted?

Most forms of vascular testing are non-invasive. Podiatrists will first conduct a visual inspection for any wounds, discoloration, and any abnormal signs prior to a vascular test.

 The most common tests include:

• Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) examination
• Doppler examination
• Pedal pulses

These tests are safe, painless, and easy to do. Once finished, the podiatrist can then provide a diagnosis and the best course for treatment.

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

Osteoporosis is a bone disorder that causes the bones to become thin, brittle, and weak due to a lack of calcium and vitamin D. Although it is particularly common in women over 50, younger people and men can also develop osteoporosis. Since osteoporosis weakens the bones, it makes fractures more likely. Often, the first sign of osteoporosis is a broken bone in the foot. Symptoms of this include pain, redness, and swelling around the site of the fracture, and difficulty walking. A podiatrist can diagnose a broken foot bone through physical examination and X-rays. If you suspect that you may have broken a foot bone, or if you have been previously diagnosed with osteoporosis and want to learn more about preventing foot fractures, it is suggested that you consult with a podiatrist today. 

A broken foot requires immediate medical attention and treatment. If you need your feet checked, contact the podiatrists from Boston Common Podiatry. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Broken Foot Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

A broken foot is caused by one of the bones in the foot typically breaking when bended, crushed, or stretched beyond its natural capabilities. Usually the location of the fracture indicates how the break occurred, whether it was through an object, fall, or any other type of injury. 

Common Symptoms of Broken Feet:

• Bruising
• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Blue in color
• Numbness
• Cold
• Misshapen
• Cuts
• Deformities

Those that suspect they have a broken foot shoot seek urgent medical attention where a medical professional could diagnose the severity.

Treatment for broken bones varies depending on the cause, severity and location. Some will require the use of splints, casts or crutches while others could even involve surgery to repair the broken bones. Personal care includes the use of ice and keeping the foot stabilized and elevated.

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