5 Important Things To Know About Toe Jam

Many of us are often ignorant about cleaning our feet thoroughly, and think that just having water flow over the feet is enough to ensure good feet hygiene. If you too belong to this league, it is time to give it a serious second thought. Improper cleaning of feet together with some common and yet improper activities could often trigger a condition like “toe jam.” Here are five important things you need to know about the condition.

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What is it?

Put simply, toe jam refers to the development of residue and debris between the toes. When left improperly cleaned, areas between the toes can become a breeding ground for debris, which in turn leads to the onset of fungal infections.

Common causes

Some of the common factors that can contribute to toe jam include:

· Dry skin: Conditions like psoriasis, eczema etc can trigger dry skin flakes that can merge with sweat, thus creating gunk between the toes.

· Sock lint: Seemingly harmless sock lint, which refers to the fuzzy bits of particles that rub off between the toes, can lead to toe jam.

·  Foot problems: Corns, which are thickened layers of the skin, can develop between the toes. Often sweat or other sources of moisture come into contact with the corns to make them softened, which can lead to toe jam.

·  Athlete’s foot: Fungal infections like athlete’s foot develop in moist, warm environments like shoes, and can become a source of toe jam.

Factors that could make you more prone to toe jam than others

  

Although causes of toe jam are almost unavoidable, certain factors like footwear choice, medical conditions, and certain lifestyle factors can make you more vulnerable to developing gunk between your toes. For instance, people who usually sweat excessively, individuals who keep standing for a prolonged time, people who wear shoes with poor ventilation, and those who are overweight, tend to be more vulnerable to developing a toe jam.

Could toe jam lead to or indicate more serious health conditions?

Just as people having psoriasis or eczema are more prone to suffer from toe jam,  it can also be an indicator that you may be suffering from one of these conditions, though you may not yet have been diagnosed with these ailments. Apart from psoriasis and eczema, toe jam may even indicate bacterial infection.

In cases where an infection triggers toe jam, it may quickly lead to a serious medical condition like cellulitis, where the bacterial infection spreads up the leg and could even require the patient to be hospitalized. Usually, people with pre-existing diseases like diabetes, or those with reduced immunity (such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy) are found to be more prone to toe jam that quickly turns serious.

Steps to prevent toe jam

You can reduce the risk of developing toe jam by addressing the triggering factors. Additionally, you need to maintain good foot hygiene to prevent the condition, which includes:

·    Using a pumice stone to smoothen calluses and corns.

       ·    Thoroughly washing your feet including the areas between the toes, usually with soap and water, and drying them properly.

       ·    Preventing infection and keeping the areas between the toes dry by sprinkling cornstarch or talcum powder.

       ·    Washing new socks before wearing them to lower the amount of lint coming off them.

While it may not be possible to control the medical conditions or circumstances that enhance the likelihood of developing toe jam, it is always easy to follow the above steps to prevent it. However, if you still suspect that you may be having a fungal infection or toe jam, it is strongly advisable to reach out to a podiatrist to get treated right away.

5 Indications That Your Feet Need A Podiatrist Right Away

Your feet are probably one of the most overworked yet under appreciated parts of the body. You may not realize how important they are until they suffer from dysfunction, discomfort or pain. Suddenly, even walking may seem like an uphill task. Most people do not see a podiatrist until the problem becomes unbearable. But this delay can spell trouble for your feet, and at times, even to your overall health. Here are five indications that need the immediate attention of a podiatrist:

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      1. Conditions affecting your normal activity:

If you experience pain in your feet every time you move around to perform normal activities, you may have a foot injury that has not healed properly. Without prompt and proper treatment, this injury can get worse over time and may make it increasingly difficult to live your normal, active life.

      2. Structural problems with bones, muscles and more:

Structural problems with bones, muscles and different connective tissues do not heal themselves. Instead, they only get worse if left untreated. These problems often happen due to mechanical dysfunctions that can lead to protruding bony prominence and gradual shift in the bone alignment. Once these things happen in one part of your body, they can impact other areas significantly, especially when they are connected just like how your feet, knees, ankles, and hips are. These appendages can trigger crucial discomfort in your overall health, since you walk upright on the feet.

      3. Numbness, tingling or burning sensations:

These things can be symptoms of neuropathy that can trigger decreased sensation in the feet. If your feet feel numb rarely, it should not be a big cause for concern. But if they are happening quite regularly, you should head straight to a podiatrist. If the numbness is accompanied by burning or tingling sensation, it can be a sign of nerve damage – a condition that diabetics are particularly susceptible to. Diabetic neuropathy is something that needs immediate attention of a podiatrist. Or else, it can put you at a higher risk of developing foot ulcers.

      4. Sore or wounds that refuse to heal

If you have a wound or an open sore on the ankle or foot, you should see your podiatrist. This is  particularly important if you have diabetes because such conditions would then take longer to heal. You will have a better chance of timely healing if you consult a podiatrist immediately and get the recommended treatment started. If you have an open sore for a prolonged time, your risk of getting a bone or skin infection increases.

      5. A lump/bump/mole that grows or hurts

A mole that bleeds, gets bigger, or changes color needs to be examined by a podiatrist closely to identify the key reason. A bump or lump that hurts and grows should also be looked at by a podiatrist. It may turn out to be a sort of cyst, but there is also a probability of it being something more hazardous like a tumor. Though tumors in the feet are rare, they do occur sometimes.

The health of the feet is crucial to your overall wellbeing. Podiatrists have years of professional training under their belts, making them highly qualified to care for your feet. No matter how small your ankle or foot condition is, if you observe any of these conditions, it is important to have your podiatrist diagnose the problem right away so as  to that ensure your quality of life doesn’t get comprised.

5 Foot Care Tips for Diabetics

For diabetics, the foot often becomes one of the most problematic areas of their body. The extremities can get deprived of adequate blood flow because of diabetes, leading to deprivation of oxygen and nutrients. Apart from problems like blisters taking more time to heal, and numbness in the feet, the area may also become more prone to infections. All these make it more important for diabetics to take good care of their feet to avoid serious complications. Here are some essential diabetes foot care tips to keep your feet healthy.

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      1.       Manage your diabetes well

      There is a direct relationship between diabetes and damage to your nerve cells. The better you manage your diabetes, the healthier your feet will be for a prolonged time. If you have a foot infection, uncontrolled diabetes can make it difficult for the body to fight it. So, it is important that you work with your doctor to manage diabetes and keep your blood sugar level within range.

      2.       Stay active

      Staying active can help your feet to function properly and feel stretched. While exercise for diabetics certainly isn’t one-size-fits-all, low impact fitness programs that include walking, swimming, yoga etc can prove to be helpful as they don’t put excessive pressure on the feet. However, it’s crucial to ensure you have proper footwear for whatever activity you prefer to get started with. If you choose the wrong footwear that offer inadequate support to your feet, you may end up hurting your feet, which could create complications due to your pre-existing diabetes.

      3.       Check your feet daily and keep them clean

      Carefully observe your feet everyday to identify blisters, cuts, swelling, soreness and red spots. It’s good to have a mirror to thoroughly check the bottom of your feet. If you have difficulty seeing, ask a family member to do it.It’s also important to wash your feet everyday properly. Remember to use lukewarm water instead of hot water. Drying your feet after washing should be done the right way since the space between your toes is heavily airtight, and leaving the region moist may lead to infections. Towel off thoroughly to prevent this from happening.

     4.       Trim toenails carefully

      Trim your toenails every week or as and when needed. Trim them straight across without cutting too short. File the edges with a nail file or an emery board. Remember to avoid knife or conventional scissors, and don’t bite, pull or tear the toenails. Have them trimmed by a professional if you find it difficult to see or reach them.

    5.       Protect your toes from cold/hot temperature 

      Always wear shoes when walking on a hot pavement or at the beach. Avoid putting your feet into hot water. People with diabetes often develop neuropathy, which makes it difficult to feel the right temperature of hot water that may lead to scalding of the skin. You can use the elbow to check the water temperature instead. Also, if your feet get cold at night, wear socks.

Even seemingly harmless feet hazards may turn into serious conditions if you ignore them,    especially when you have diabetes. Ideally, you should consider consulting a podiatrist when developing your diabetes healthcare routine instead of heading straight to the pharmacy for over-the-counter products for taking care of your feet.

Five Tips for Buying Football Boots This Summer

With the impending football season, there is a rush among football novices and pros alike to shop for their football boots. If you take the sports seriously and want to play at your best, while staying away from foot injuries as much as you can, these tips to buy your best football boot would surely help you: 

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        1.   Getting the right fit while wearing your kits: Purchasing boots is best done while wearing the kits that you will use on the field. So, have your thick, footy socks on (which are different from your regular ones) when trying out a new pair of football boots. Wear your ankle braces and shin guards too in case you wear them when playing football. 

        2.   Selecting the material carefully: Investing in leather boots would mean having a comfortable footwear since they usually stretch to match your feet’s contour. Buying synthetic boots that don’t get deformed easily would ensure durability. You should ideally stay away from boots made of cheaper materials like plastic as they generate excessive friction, thus increasing your feet’s chances of being rubbed and getting blisters. The general rule while buying football boots is to steer clear of lighter materials since they don’t offer your feet adequate support.  

        3.  Getting the boots professionally fitted: Buying footballs boots isn’t just picking any one that catches your fancy.  Rather, you have to consider several factors like your foot shape, gait, player position, foot function and history of injuries, if any, to buy the best pair of boots that will meet your personal requirements. The ideal step is to consult your podiatrist and get your boots professionally fitted for injury prevention and optimum comfort. 

        4.  Deciding on the type of studs: While boots with screw-in studs are ideal for wet and/or soft grounds where you need a better grip, those with molded studs (which are shorter than screw-in studs) are best for dry and/or hard surfaces. You can also look for boots with changeable or multidisciplinary stud patterns that can be adjusted based on the game’s variable conditions, and the surfaces you play on. 

        5.  Wearing them in: You should never wear new boots on your game day. The norm is to wear in your boots gradually. The ideal time frame for wearing a new pair in is two training sessions at the least, before you wear them on your match day. 

Apart from the above, you should ensure to wear your orthotics (in case you are advised by your podiatrist to use them) while getting fitted for the new pair of boots. Even when testing a new pair, you should have your orthotics on. Those who need to wear orthotics could choose boots with a removable insole since that would let them make some room inside. 

Football boots are available from different manufacturers in a wide range, and you can buy many through online stores. But since you need to try them on with your playing kit for the right fit and may even need some customized changes to suit your individual needs, it’s best to buy them from brick-and-mortar stores.  

Five Foot-care Tips for Pregnant Women

During pregnancy, a woman’s weight gain causes her centre of gravity to change, which in turn alters her weight-bearing stance and puts additional pressure on her knees and feet. Water retention, overpronation, edema and swelling are some other conditions causing discomfort and pain in the feet. But pregnancy is that time of your life that you should enjoy, not worry incessantly about foot pains, aches, and other conditions causing distress and discomfort. If you are pregnant and your feet are already hurting, these five foot-care tips will help: 

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      1. Getting medical advice for foot swelling/aches:If your foot aches and/or swelling seem to be troublesome (like when they happen all of a sudden, or are restricted to just one foot) or become too much to handle on your own, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor. Apart from prescribing some medications to offer you relief, your doctor can also ensure that these are triggered by your pregnancy and not any other factor.

          2.   Wearing the right shoes with adequate support: Choosing comfortable,shock absorbing shoes with the right fit and arch support is crucial during pregnancy. Due to loosening of your ligaments during pregnancy, your feet seem to be getting bigger (though they aren’t actually growing bigger). Swelling and water retention can also make your feet feel bigger during pregnancy. Going up in your shoe size can help in such cases since you will no longer have the pain and discomfort caused by tight shoes.

          3. Doing daily stretches for the legs and feet:From doing some fundamental leg stretches tostretching your shins and toes out, stick to some simple stretching routinesthroughout the day that will ease your foot pain and offer relief from the overall discomfort that you experience during pregnancy.

          4.  Keeping the foot elevated:Try to keep your feet elevated as much as is possible, and take adequate rest to prevent swelling. Though it’s best to keep them elevated above your hips (thus not allowing the blood to pool and making gravity direct the blood flow out of your feet and to the rest of your body), it’s not possible until you lie back. But even just using a stool to put your feet up while being seated would be helpful.

          5.  Wearing orthotic shoes: As you cope with the additional weight gained during pregnancy, experiencing achy, tired and sore feet is a common phenomenon. Your doctor or podiatrist may suggest you to use customized orthotics for added support and optimal comfort, which will take the pressure and stress off your foot’s relaxed ligaments. However, you should make sure to get your orthotics fitted by a professional.

             

       These nine months of carrying your little bundle of joy inside you need not be a distressing or scary time for your feet.You just need to stick to a foot care routine as advised by your doctor or podiatrist, and seek medical attention at the slightest hint of trouble. Above all, stay away from popping over-the-counter painkillers or other medications and put your complete trust in your doctor – for both, your own health and the health of your unborn child.

4 Conditions Faced by Ballet Dancers that Podiatrists Can Help with

Leaping in your Pointe shoes or maneuvering those highly athletic moves may give you an adrenaline rush as a ballet dancer, but they could be causing you foot pain and injuries too. From improper technique and fatigues to wearing toe shoes or thin slippers that aren’t designed to absorb shock (and thus making your lower extremities absorb most forces of impact), there are several factors that can make your life and especially, your feet, prone to problems and injuries. Here are four such common foot conditions that a podiatrist can help you with:

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1. Corns and calluses: Ill-fitting shoes that trigger fiction between your feet and the shoes, or wearing pointe shoes without breaking them in, can cause corns and calluses. Apart from being painful and interfering with your performance, these may even cause ulcers, if left untreated. If you already suffer from corns or calluses, a podiatrist can help treat and remove them. If you aren’t yet affected by these conditions, a podiatrist can help you select the right shoes, suggest tips on proper foot care and even offer insights into breaking in pointe shoes the right way to prevent corns and calluses.

2. Cuboid syndrome: This condition is triggered when the ligaments and joint close to your foot’s cuboid bone become torn or injured. When you perform pirouettes or jumps, your foot may sometimes fail to hold its proper alignment, which in turn may cause cuboid syndrome. With joint manipulation, assessing your technique, strapping, and use of in-shoe devices for offloading pressure, a podiatrist can help you continue with your dance moves while letting the injured region get healed.

3. Epiphysitis: Extreme bio mechanical demands that ballet places on the dancer may cause this condition when the first metatarsalphalangeal joint is subjected to extensive (90 to 100 degrees of) dorsiflexion. Epiphysitis is characterized by inflammation, tenderness and pain that subside with rest. A podiatrist can help by suggesting modified activities that you should continue with for four to five weeks until your symptoms subside. After this, your foot doctor would let you resume your normal routine gradually, based on your tolerance level.

4. Stress fractures: Ballet’s repetitive movements often trigger stress fractures, particularly of the metatarsals and toes. When diagnosed with a stress fracture, your podiatrist would suggest you rest, to let your bone get healed properly. This is usually followed by a series of rehabilitation exercises (dance-specific) that would let you return to your dance routine sans any discomfort or pain. Since healing bones is a long procedure that can take about six weeks, consulting a podiatrist is the best way to keep yourself well-conditioned (by following the advised strategies and exercises) while letting your injured bone have the rest necessary for its healing.

Ignoring your foot pain or dancing with troubling issues can often worsen the situation and may even threaten your career as a professional, or even force you to stay away from your dancing shoes in case you are a hobbyist. So, it’s best to consult a podiatrist at the first signs of a problem to make sure the root cause is diagnosed the right way and treated promptly. After all, you don’t want to hang up your dancing shoes due to a foot injury or serious foot condition, right?

Childhood Obesity and Foot Problems

Childhood obesity is a growing threat worldwide today. Considerable focus is on various health problems related to this threat that may continue onto teenage years and adulthood.

However, foot health related to this issue remains a largely neglected domain. With pain in the lower legs and feet on the one hand and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle on the other, it has become a vicious cycle, which is extremely a tough task for a child to break.

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Foot problems of obese children

Heel pain: Obese children carry an additional body weight; the excessive pressure they put on their feet often flattens it, causing the plantar fascia (the flat band of tissue connecting your heel bone to your toes) abnormal strain. This is a key cause of heel pain of obese children.

Sever’s disease: The heel bone isn’t developed completely until a child is 14 years or older. Overweight children often fall prey to Sever’s disease – a painful inflammation of the heel’s growth plate  due to repetitive stress and muscle strain. Since children are likely to walk or move around a lot, it worsens the pain. Due to the excessive weight obese children put on their feet, their heel bones may even suffer hairline fractures or stress fractures.

Arch/calf muscle pain: Pain in the arch of the foot or calf muscle is another common complaint in overweight children, which often makes it difficult for them to run or walk.

Congenital foot problems: Inherited or congenital foot conditions like the following may be noticed in some obese children: hammertoes, bunions, tarsal coalition (an abnormal bond between two or more bones located towards the back portion of the foot and heel) and pediatric flatfoot.   Overweight aggravates these conditions.

Slower gait: Obese children often face the prospects of developing an unsteady, slower gait; this is because they try to retain balance as they carry around their excessive body weight. They become habituated, over a period, to a wider stance and an increasingly hesitant, slower walk; as their gait slows, their instability increases. They may have less flexible feet and growing discomfort levels.

Making obese children physically active

The following ideas ensure obese children to be physically active:

 ·       Limiting their time for TV, the internet, or onscreen games

 ·       Making them go for a regular morning/evening walk

 ·      Presenting them with a pet  to play with and run about

·   Organizing for them physical/fun group activities in the backyard or the nearby park

 ·      Enrolling them in swimming/dance/soccer classes

 ·      Making them play tag or skipping rope

Combating childhood obesity

It’s best to have a coordinated team approach to address issues related to childhood obesity. Parents, teachers and childcare providers can work together to help children develop and stick to healthy eating habits, follow a workout routine and live an active life.

A reputed podiatrist in your area can: monitor periodically your child’s ankles, feet, knee, hips and legs; create awareness of foot health; suggest how injuries can be avoided; treat potential symptoms of diabetes development and/or bio mechanical issues; correct gait asymmetries, if any; address any other problem that demands attention. 

Childhood obesity has a close connection with several foot problems that are likely to assume psychological dimensions, if unattended. Therefore, it’s important for you as a parent, to ensure that your child eats a healthy meal, avoids untimely snacks and junk food and follows a firm workout routine.

Dealing with Toenail Fungus

When tiny fungal pathogens get under your nail plate to feed upon the nails and skin, they trigger toenail fungal infection. Common causes of toenail fungus include: walking barefoot in damp areas or public places like swimming pools, showers, locker rooms etc; provision of an entry point for the fungi by a microscopic injury; use of unsterilized tools during a pedicure.

People suffering from chronic conditions like circulatory problems, diabetes, or immune-deficiency are particularly at risk of fungal nails. Excessive perspiration and a history of athlete's foot too could be contributing factors that trigger toenail fungus.

This disease causes a progressive change in the color and quality of your toenail; it thickens, suffers yellow or brown discoloration, and eventually, may slowly start getting separated from the nail bed, which is often embarrassing and ugly.

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When to see a podiatrist

Since toenail fungus can be present for years without causing any pain, it’s often ignored. As soon as you notice signs like thickening, discoloration, or abnormal toenails, you should consult a podiatrist. Remember – the sooner the professional treatment, the better would be your chances of getting back healthy nails.

Diagnosis and treatment

Based on the severity and type of infection, the scope and duration of treatments may vary. By detecting a fungal infection early, your podiatrist can culture the nail to find the exact cause, and advise a suitable treatment plan. This may include oral or topical medication, and removal of debris and diseased nail matter from the infected nail (debridement).

Severe cases may need surgical intervention, where the infected nail is removed temporarily to apply a topical anti fungal directly to the affected region. In case a chronically painful nail does not respond to these treatments, the podiatrist may decide to remove it permanently for curing the fungal infection and preventing any chances of a distorted nail growth.

Preventive steps

Your first line of defense against toenail fungus is daily inspection of the toes and feet and good foot hygiene. With feet that are dry and clean, you can steer clear of this disease. Here are a few simple preventive steps that can help you deal with toenail fungus: 

•  In damp public areas, wear shower shoes as regularly as possible. 

•  Every time you return home from outdoors, use water and soap to wash your feet and pat           them   dry. 

• Wear well-fitted shoes that let your feet breathe. 

• Cut your toenails straight across to ensure that they do not protrude beyond the tip of the         toe. 

•  Prevent moisture buildup; do not wear excessively tight hosiery.

•  Instead of woolen or cotton socks, wear socks made up of synthetic fiber that keep your feet dry by wicking away moisture faster.       

•            Disinfect all home pedicure tools and instruments you use for cutting nails. 

            ·     If you suffer from athlete's foot, get it treated promptly. 

Toenail fungus is often taken lightly and ignored until it’s too late. Remember to seek medical attention on time; or else, the infection may spread fast and end up impairing your capability to do your daily chores or even jeopardize something as simple as walking.

5 Foot Care Myths Debunked

Many myths and old wives’ tales are fun to laugh at; however, when they involve your health, you must get your facts right, or run the risk of making worse seemingly harmless conditions. From cuts and bunions to broken ankles, you do have anecdotal myths galore; but podiatrists advice getting right the facts behind them instead of blindly believing them. We bust five common foot care myths here for your benefit.

Myth-1: Shoes trigger bunions

Fact: In most cases, bunions stem from either congenital deformities (which refers to deformities present at birth) or inherited faulty foot types. Foot injuries too can trigger bunions. Although many wrongly believe bunions are inherited conditions, the foot type lies at the root of the problem. Wearing high heels or shoes that are too tight and narrow can crowd your toes and increase your risk of bunions or worsen them over time; but shoes are not the culprit to blame.

Myth-2: My injured ankle/foot isn't broken if I can walk on it

Fact: Despite the extent of your injury and the level of pain you can bear, it’s not impossible to walk on a broken ankle/foot. However, podiatrists strictly advice against doing this, since it will worsen the damage already caused by the broken bone. It’s wise not to put any undue pressure on it (by standing, walking, etc.) and to get your injured foot diagnosed immediately by a foot doctor. You may apply ice on the injured foot and keep it elevated to get some relief from the pain.

Myth-3: Foot pain with old age is normal

Fact: Suffering from foot pain isn’t normal, no matter what your age is. Therefore, instead of taking old age as the cause of any foot pain that you might be experiencing and neglecting the condition, you should make an appointment with your podiatrist right away. A proper diagnosis of the condition is necessary for timely treatment and quick relief from the pain. 

Myth-4: Any foot wound would heal on its own

Fact: Remember that a majority of deep wounds won’t heal on their own. It is important therefore to get your foot wound examined by a podiatrist within 24 hours. If you wait for too long, the wound may become infected. In some cases, the condition may worsen and require hospitalization that might end in amputation. Limb loss statistics of the Amputee Coalition of America show that almost 185,000 lower extremity amputations are recorded in the US on a yearly basis and an estimated 2 million Americans live with limb loss.

Myth-5: Duct tape can ‘suffocate’ warts

Fact: Warts are commonly caused by viral skin infection and you can’t suffocate them with duct tape. This is especially true if you have pre-existing conditions like diabetes or suffer from neurological, immunological, or circulatory problems: you need to be extremely careful with warts removal, which should ideally be done under professional care. It’s best to consult your podiatrist for carrying out the right process of warts removal rather than try doing it on your own with duct tape: it could aggravate the harm already done instead of doing any good. 

Don’t neglect your foot and ankle conditions, carried away by common myths. Treat them in earnest by consulting an experienced and reputed podiatrist for the right diagnosis and treatment.