Latest Information About General Foot Health:
The information below is provided through the American Podiatric Medical Association.
The APMA is the leading resource for foot and ankle health information. Currently, the organization represents a vast majority of the estimated 15,000 podiatrists in the country.
- Today's Podiatrist
Today's podiatrists are doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs), also known as podiatric physicians and surgeons, qualified by their education and training to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and structures of the leg. - Tips for Healthy Feet
Get advice on how to care for your feet, including how to select the perfect shoes at every age for a variety of activities and how to get a pedicure safely. These helpful pointers are sure to keep you and your family in step with good foot health. - Arthritis
Arthritis is a frequent component of complex diseases that may involve more than 100 identifiable disorders. More information is available from the Arthritis Foundation. - Athlete's Foot
Athlete's foot is a skin disease caused by a fungus, usually occurring between the toes. - Bunions
A bunion is an enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe—the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint—that forms when the bone or tissue at the big toe joint moves out of place. - Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects the lives of nearly 24 million people in the United States. Additional information is available from the American Diabetes Association. - Diabetic Wound Care
- Foot and Ankle Injuries
Foot and ankle emergencies happen every day. Broken bones, dislocations, sprains, contusions, infections, and other serious injuries can occur at any time. Early attention is vitally important. Whenever you sustain a foot or ankle injury, you should seek immediate treatment from a podiatric physician. - Surgery
Often when pain or deformity persists, surgery may be appropriate to alleviate discomfort or to restore the function of your foot. - General Foot Health
Information on general foot health. - High Blood Pressure
It's important to let your podiatrist know about high blood pressure. - Heel Pain
Heel pain has many causes. it is generally the result of faulty biomechanics (walking gait abnormalities) that place too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissues that attach to it. The stress may also result from injury, or a bruise incurred while walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces; wearing poorly constructed footwear; or being overweight. - Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails, the most common nail impairment, are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling. - Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is an infection underneath the surface of the nail caused by fungi. The disease is characterized by a progressive change in a toenail's quality and color. - Neuromas
A neuroma is a painful condition, also referred to as a "pinched nerve" or a nerve tumor. It is a benign growth of nerve tissue frequently found between the third and fourth toes that brings on pain, a burning sensation, tingling, or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot. - Orthotics
Orthotics are shoe inserts that are intended to correct an abnormal, or irregular, walking pattern. - Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
PAD is short for peripheral arterial disease. PAD is caused by a blockage or narrowing of the arteries in the legs when fatty deposits called plaque build up. - Podiatric Medicine
Podiatric medicine is the profession that strives to improve the overall health and well-being of patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the foot and ankle. - Skin Cancers of the Feet
We often view the sun's harmful rays as the primary cause of skin cancer, but this does not hold true of cancers that arise on the skin of the feet. A podiatrist's knowledge and training is of extreme importance for patients for the early detection of both benign and malignant skin tumors. - Warts
Warts are one of several soft tissue conditions of the foot that can be quite painful. They are caused by a virus, which generally invades the skin through small or invisible cuts and abrasions.