lafootdoc's Journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doctors of podiatric medicine at Cedars Sinai Foot and Ankle Center` discuss the wonder and vulnerabilities of the human foot. The human foot is a biological masterpiece. It’s strong, flexible, and functional design enables it to do its job well and without complaint – if you take care of it and don’t take it for granted.

 

 

The foot can be compared to a finely tuned race car, or a space shuttle, vehicles whose function dictates their design and structure. And like them, the human foot is complex, containing within its relatively small size 26 bones (the two feet contain a quarter of all the bones in the body), 33 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments, to say nothing of blood vessels and nerves.

 

 

Your feet, like other specialized structures, require specialized care. A Cedars Sinai podiatrist can make an important contribution to your total health, whether it is regular preventive care or surgery to correct a deformity.

 

 

In order to keep your feet healthy, you should be familiar with the most common ills that affect them. Remember, though, that self treatment can often turn a minor problem into a major issue sometimes requiring foot surgery, and is generally not advisable. You should see a podiatric physician when any of the following conditions occur or persist.

 

 

Athlete´s foot is a skin disease, usually starting between the toes or on the bottom of the feet, which can spread to other parts of the body.

 

 

Blisters are caused by skin friction, usually inside the shoes. Blisters can be painful and if not treated properly can become infected.

 

 

Bunions are misaligned big toe joints which can become swollen and tender.

 

 

Corns and calluses are protective layers of compacted, dead skin cells. Heel pain can generally be traced to faulty biomechanics which place too much stress on the heel bone, ligaments, or nerves in the area.

 

 

Heel spurs are growths of bone on the underside of the heel bone. They can occur without pain; pain may result when inflammation develops at the point where the spur forms.

 

 

Ingrown nails are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the skin, often causing infection.

 

 

Neuromas are enlarged, benign growths of nerves, most commonly between the third and fourth toes. They are caused by bones and other tissue rubbing against and irritating the nerves.

 

 

Warts are caused by a virus, which enters the skin through small cuts and infects the skin. Children, especially teenagers, tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults.

 

 

This information is contained in a series of pamphlets produced by APMA that discusses several foot health conditions and concerns, including foot health, diabetes, high blood pressure, athlete´s foot, occupational foot health, warts, foot orthoses, aging, children´s feet, surgery, Medicare coverage, injuries, heel pain, nail problems, walking, women´s feet, footwear, and others. These pamphlets are available from your Cedars Sinai foot doctor and many podiatrist members of APMA.

 

 

Disclaimer: This blog or article is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used for search engine optimization and other commercial purposes and it is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information.

ESPN reports in Oakland, California that Stephen Jackson has undergone foot surgery to remove multiple bone spurs from his left foot, which will keep the Golden State Warriors swingman out for the rest of the season. Jackson's bone spurs were located above nerve tissue under his big toe. Jackson had the surgery performed in Houston and will begin rehabilitation in six weeks.

Jackson averaged career bests of 20.7 points, 6.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 59 games this season. Once known as a troublemaker who was prominently involved in the Pacers-Pistons brawl in November 2004, he has become the Warriors' captain and team leader. The nine-year NBA veteran signed a three-year contract extension through 2013 worth more than $27.7 million last November.

Broken bones (also called fractures) in the foot are very common along with fungus infection of toenails. In fact according to WebMD, about 1 out of every 10 broken bones occurs in the foot. Here's why. The human foot has 26 bones, and is divided into 3 parts: the hindfoot, the midfoot, and the forefoot. Bones usually break when something happens to crush, bend, twist, or stretch the bone. Most bones break all of a sudden during some sort of accident or immediate injury. Occasionally, small cracks can form in bones over a longer period of time from repeated stress on the bones. These are called stress fractures. They occur most commonly in soldiers hiking in full gear or in athletes such as dancers, runners, and gymnasts. Feet are also prone to common chronic conditions such as ingrown toenails or other serious ailments that require extensive treatment such as hammertoe surgery, a procedure that corrects the painful toe irregularity where the toe bends down toward the floor at the middle joint, which causes the middle joint to rise up.

It is important to see a doctor any time you think you may have broken a bone in your foot. Instead of calling your doctor, you may need to go immediately to an emergency department. For less severe injuries, your foot doctor may want to see you in the office or may still choose to have you go to the emergency department. If you think you have broken your foot, and your doctor is not available by phone or is not calling you back, it is reasonable to go to the emergency department to be examined.

Go immediately to the nearest emergency department if these conditions develop with a suspected broken foot: the foot is blue, cold, or numb, the foot is misshapen, deformed, or pointing in the wrong direction. If there is a large cut or wound near a possible broken bone, and/or you have severe pain, go in immediately to the emergency room and your doctor will be able to see if foot surgery or other type of treatment is needed.

Disclaimer: This blog or article is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used for search engine optimization and other commercial purposes and it is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information.