Common foot problems

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A corn is an inverted cone of hard skin which grows into the tissue. If left alone it can grow deeper leading to discomfort and pain. This can seriously affect the way we walk leading to knee, hip and back problems.

The hard skin on the heel tends to crack and produce fissures that can sometimes bleed. It can be painful when walking and lead to infections. Callus and Hard Skin are one of the most common problems seen by podiatrists. 

The nails become thickened and brittle with a distinctive yellow/brown colour and eventually begin to crumble. Early treatment is recommended to ensure that treatment is succesful

 Verruca's can be very painful but the good news is we have a wide range of ways of treating this problem. Warts and Verrucae skin infections are caused by a virus. They can appear anywhere on the skin with the feet and hands being the most common.

Diabetes increases your risk of foot complications, which is why it is recommended to have a diabetes foot assessment preformed by a podiatrist and ongoing podiatry care if necessary.“ Every 20 seconds a lower limb amputation takes place due to diabetes” 

In-growing nails are basically nails that grow into the skin around the nail, making the toe painful. They can sometimes become swollen, red, infected and have a mixture of yellowy liquid and blood coming from the painful area. They should be treated as soon as possible.

Even children's feet need to be looked after. Spotting the early symptoms of common child deformities /diseases like in-toeing, flat feet, knocked knees or even verruca is essential. As adults when we have pain it can be very stressful, but worries for your children's health can be of much greater concern. At Cheshire Podiatry we understand this.  

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, hence approximately 2 million patients are treated for this condition every year. It occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. The plantar fascia is a long, thin ligament that connects the heel to the front of your foot.

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection. It can lead to intense itching, cracked, blistered or peeling areas of skin, redness and scaling. It can occur on moist, waterlogged skin especially between the fourth and fifth toes, or on dry, flaky skin around the heels or elsewhere on the foot.It’s caused by a number of fungal species which you can pick up from communal areas.

A Mortons Neuroma is a benign thickening of the tissue around a nerve in the the foot. It is most common in the area of your foot above the third and fourth toes between the metatarsal bones and can cause burning and throbbing pain within this forefoot area. The pain often radiates towards the toes and is often associated with a tingling sensation or numbness. 

Hammertoes can be identified by an abnormal bend in the middle joint of the toe. This abnormal bending can lead to added pressure on the toe when wearing shoes. It can also cause pain or discomfort when walking or running. Because hammertoes typically worsen overtime and become increasingly more rigid, it is recommended that you are seen by a podiatrist.

Chilblains (also called erythema pernio) is the name for this abnormal delay between the feet (or fingers) getting cold and warming up too quickly. They are small itchy, red (and sometimes purple) swellings on the skin, which can become increasingly painful, can swell and then dry out leaving cracks in the skin that expose the foot to the risk of infection.