Ankle Sprain

An ankle sprain occurs when the ankle rolls over to the outside of the body causing stretching and tearing of the ligaments.  Anything that makes the ankle “tip over” increases the chance of an ankle sprain.  This type of injury most often occurs in sports while jumping and landing on someone’s foot, walking on uneven surfaces, etc.

The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers classify ankle sprains by their level of severity.

• First degree ankle sprains often involve some stretching or a mild tear of the ligament.  Little or no loss of function, mild pain, some swelling and some joint stiffness often accompany this condition.

• Second degree injuries include severe tearing of the ligaments, moderate instability of the joint, moderate to severe pain, swelling and stiffness.

• Third degree ankle sprains are indicated by a total rupture of a ligament with a loss of motion, gross instability of the joint, severe pain and severe swelling.

The sooner professional treatment begins for a second and third degree ankle sprain, the greater the chance to prevent chronic pain and long term instability.

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is a skin infection in the foot caused by a fungus.  Symptoms include itching and burning feet, peeling skin, and in some severe cases, cracking, pain and bleeding.  The fungus that causes Athlete’s foot can be found on floors and in socks and clothing.  The fungus can spread from person to person, but without the proper growing conditions (a warm-moist environment) the fungus will not spread.

Treatment includes the use of medicated creams and powders and keeping the foot clean and dry.  Shoes made of breathable materials are also recommended.

The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers recommend professional treatment when you notice redness, increased swelling, bleeding, or if the infection is not clearing up on its own.

Bunion

Bunions are hereditary.  Often you will find this condition in other members of the family.  In all cases, bunions are treated by surgical intervention.  At Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers, we have the most advanced techniques in bunion surgery and are considered experts in this area.  We have lectured across the United States on the latest techniques on surgical correction of a bunion.  There are various types of surgical treatments with associated recovery periods.  Call Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for a complete consultation on your bunion deformity.

Corns and calluses

Corns and calluses are areas of thick skin that result from excessive pressure or friction on the toes, the back of the heel, the ball of the foot or the top of the foot.  Hard patches of skin are called calluses and are part of the body’s defense to protect the underlying tissues.  If pressure becomes concentrated in a small area, a hard corn may develop.  Sometimes the pressure of the corn or callus may produce inflammation which can result in acute pain, swelling and redness.

Corns and calluses are generally symptom of underlying problems and in some cases, early warning signals of more complex foot problems.  Because they are caused by continuous pressure in a particular area, they may indicate an abnormality or deformity in bone structure or the way a person walks.  Often calluses and corns are caused by ill fitting shoes.

The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers will recommend ways to relieve pain and eliminate corns and calluses.  Just as important, they will help isolate the cause and prevent the problem recurring.

Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetics experience poor circulation.  In conjunction with decreased sensation of the feet, the blood flow is often restricted.  If these conditions are left untreated, areas of the feet will break down resulting in sores or ulcerations.  This can lead to serious infection and possible amputation of the foot.  Diabetics are advised to visit the offices of Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for a preventative check-up.

Dry Skin

Dry skin causes cracked skin and usually appears on the soles and heels of the feet.  Symptoms included red or flaky patches, peeling and cracked skin and itchy skin. Dry skin can become painful if left untreated.  Cracking of the skin can even lead to infection, especially dangerous for those with diabetes or a lowered immune system due to age or illness.

The best way to treat and also prevent dry skin is to use good therapeutic ointments and creams.  Steer clear of lotions since they often contain alcohol which actually dries the skin out more. Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers offer a wide variety of ointments and creams that can keep dry skin in check.

Flatfoot (Also see Foot Orthoses)

Most flat feet are not painful, especially those seen in children.  In the adult acquired flatfoot, pain occurs because soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments have been torn.  The deformity worsens because once the vital ligaments and tendon are lost, nothing can take their place to hold up the arch of the foot.

Most people who develop acquired flatfoot were born with flatfeet.  The condition is best treated early.  Because there is no recommended home treatment, the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers can best return the patient to a pain free condition following professional treatment.

Treatment consists of a wide variety of options including stretching, special footgear and, in some cases, surgery.  The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers can provide patients with all their options, and it is recommended that a thorough discussion of all treatments be conducted prior to any surgical procedure.

Flatfeet deformities are most often found in children.  Some grow into adults with normal arches.  Others can experience pain throughout their lives unless treated.At the age of 9 to 15 months when the child first begins to walk it is very difficult to determine the tendency to flatfeet.  However, by the age of 2 or 3, a child who exhibits flatfeet tendencies should be examined by a trained podiatrist at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers.

Foot orthoses

An in-shoe brace designed to correct abnormal foot and lower extremity function is a foot orthoses.  To correct the abnormal function the foot orthoses reduces the strain on the injured structure.

The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers can prescribe a wide variety of prescription foot orthoses in order to reduce and eliminate pain in the foot and lower extremity.

The advantages of prescription foot orthoses are many.  First of all, they are custom made for each foot of each patient in order to fit your foot exactly.  The orthoses is also made of rigid, durable materials with a minimal chance of discomfort or irritation to the patient’s foot.  When fitted properly, the orthoses will enable the patient to participant in all daily activities without pain or disability.

All orthoses are constructed in the offices of Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers. 

Hammertoes

Hammertoe is a bending of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth and fifth toes.  The abnormal bending puts pressure on the toes when wearing shoes, causing pain.  Common symptoms of hammertoe include pain or irritation, corns and calluses. Corns and calluses can be painful making it difficult to find a comfortable shoe, but hammertoe causes pain because the joint itself becomes dislocated.

Because hammertoe is a progressive condition, they should receive early attention by the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers. There are a variety of treatment options for hammertoe.  They include trimming corns and calluses, padding, changes in footwear, orthotic devices, injection therapy to ease the pain, medications, splinting or strapping and surgery in the most severe cases.

Patients who suffer any symptoms of hammertoe should consult Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers immediately.

Heel pain

Heel pain often occurs for no apparent reason and is usually worse when first placing weight on the foot.  The pain can be especially severe when first getting up in the morning or after sitting.  As the condition worsens, patients will complain of severe throbbing pain after getting off their feet.  The soreness may even radiate up the back of the leg and into the arch of the foot.

The diagnosis of heel pain can only be made by a physical exam.  Weight-bearing x-rays can rule out the existence of heel spurs and rare cases of heel pain caused by a stress fracture. Treatment includes a regimen of stretching exercises, anti-inflammatory medication, and the use of arch supports, heel cushions and orthotics.  Surgery is rarely considered unless the use of orthotics fails to correct the condition.

Ingrown toenails

The two most common causes of ingrown toenails are tight shoes and improperly trimmed toenails.  Tight shoes press the nail into the side of the toe, while nails that are peeled off at the edges will often curl back into the toe.

When the problem is mild you may only need to soak your foot in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes daily and place dry cotton balls under the corner of the affected nail.  Signs that the problem is getting worse include increased pain, swelling and drainage.  Sometimes minor surgery is required to remove the part of the nail that is going into the skin. 

If you have an ingrown toenail, this can quickly be eliminated painlessly without loss of work or play.  Contact the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for a consultation.

Morton’s Neuroma

Treatment for nerve damage aims to change the way in which you stand by changing shoes to more supportive athletic shoes and custom molded foot orthotics.  Cortisone injection therapy is also used to reduce the amount of inflammation in the nerve and to relieve pain.

Early treatment of neuroma is important in preventing further nerve damage.  Surgery is reserved for those patients who have not responded to changing shoes, foot orthotics, cortisone injection therapy, rest, and anti inflammation medications.  Call the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for an appointment should you be experiencing foot pain from neuroma.

Plantar fasciitis

When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heal of your foot, you may have Plantar Fasciitis.  This condition begins gradually with mild pain near the heal and progresses to more severe pain as time goes on.  It is more likely to be felt the next morning after exercising. 

Plantar Fasciitis is successfully treated with anti-inflammatories, exercises, strappings, sometimes corticosteroid injections and followed with orthotic control. 

The physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers can prescribe an effective treatment for Plantar Fasciitis that will eliminate this painful heal condition.

Sweaty feet

Sweaty and smelly feet are two very common and annoying conditions.  Most often this condition is local in nature confined to the feet as opposed to the rest of the body.

Wearing shoes made of synthetic materials and socks that are made of man-made fabrics contribute to this condition.

There are a host of medications, lotions and powders that are effective in treating both sweaty and smelly feet.  Contact the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for their advice and recommendations.

Tendonitis

Tendons cross the ankle and allow your foot to function properly during gait.  When these tendons become over stressed they become inflamed and painful.  Swelling may also accompany the inflammation. Most common causes of tendonitis include over exertion during exercise, excessive tightness of the calf muscles and falling of the foot arch.

In mild cases treatment consists of calf muscle stretching and oral anti-inflammatory medications.  In more severe cases treatment may include a removable below the knee cast, calf muscle stretching and anti-inflammation medications.  A long term treatment may also call for including inserts in the shoes. Contact Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers for an accurate diagnosis of tendonitis should you experience these symptoms.

Toenail fungus

A thick, yellowish nail with white splotchy areas is a classic case of fungal toenail.  In the early stages the toenail is only slightly discolored, or slightly thickened.  In the late stages the nail can become very thick and tends to grow up as much as it grows out.  In some cases the nail becomes very loose and many patients will lose the nail, only for it to grow back with the fungus. The causes of toenail fungus are varied.  They include picking up the fungus from gym and swimming area floors, showers and saunas. 

The most effective method to treat toenail fungus is with oral anti-fungal medications that can be prescribed by the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers.

Warts

The common plantar wart is caused by a viral infection of the skin on the bottom of the foot.  The warts have the appearance of thick, scaly skin and can occur as small, single warts or can cluster into large areas.

Warts are caused by direct contact with the virus.  The virus is not spread through the blood stream.  They occur more commonly in children than adults.

treating the wart with painless topical acids, freezing with liquid nitrogen or laser surgery.  Diagnosis and treatment is readily available from the physicians at Hosey Foot and Ankle Centers.