Blog Archive
Maybe you noticed something unusual: Unlike many other people, you don’t seem to have a defined foot arch. You might even observe this difference when you look at your footprint: Rather than seeing an indentation on the inner edge of your footprint, yours might look more undefined and blob-like. If...
Surprisingly, almost one-third of healthcare visits that involve musculoskeletal conditions are related to tendon problems, including tendonitis — when the thick cords that attach your muscles to your bones become inflamed and painful. If you’re experiencing persistent pain, foot ache, and mobility issues, you may well be suffering from tendonitis....
Sometimes in life, a small annoyance develops into a major pain. Think walking with a sharp pebble in your shoe: A few minutes of discomfort isn’t that bad, but an hour might really pose a painful challenge. Or that nuisance of a splinter may be easily removed, but if it...
Having your foot fall asleep and no longer being able to feel anything is a nearly universal experience, but should you be worried if you notice persistent numbness in both feet? If you’re experiencing numbness in your feet regularly, it may be a cause for concern because this is a...
Our bodies have miraculous healing capabilities, and it’s important to remember how interconnected seemingly distant systems are. For example, we now know that your oral health is closely associated with cardiovascular health. When it comes to your feet, it’s important never to let a foot wound go untreated if you...
Our feet never stop working, so it shouldn’t surprise us that as we walk, run, jump, hike, bike ride, and more, foot wounds develop. Think cuts, bruises, and scrapes. The trusted providers at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers help you do all you can to avoid foot mishaps, but...
If you live with diabetes, you know that even the slightest break in the skin of your foot can lead to a dangerous infection and worse — quickly. That’s why it’s a critical part of your self-care to examine your feet daily for injuries and other easy-to-miss problems, especially if...
If you’ve ever had a bunion, you know it's a foot condition that can cause real problems. You’re also not alone: About one-third of adults live with bunions, and most are women. The talented, experienced podiatry team at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers is well versed in diagnosing and...
Does your footprint look different from that of most people? If it mirrors your entire foot, instead of your foot dipping inward, you have either very low arches or flat feet. You might also notice that your shoes wear out more quickly, particularly at the heel. Having flat feet means...
Have you noticed that your big toe tends to curve inward toward your other toes, rather than look straight ahead? If so, you could be among the nearly one-third of Americans who live with bunions. These prominent bumps develop on the big toe joint and can cause pain and even...
We often think of osteoarthritis — which more than 32.5 million adults have — as affecting your hands, knees, and hips. Unfortunately, it can really do a job on your feet and ankles as well. It’s imperative to seek treatment for life-limiting arthritis symptoms, since your ankles and feet keep...
It’s nearly always sandals season in Florida, but are funky-looking toenails causing you to feel self-conscious and keep them hidden? If you notice that one of your toenails is discolored, crumbly, thickened, or even has a strange odor, you could have toenail fungus. You should know that it’s a common...
Peripheral neuropathy is a painful condition marked by nerve damage, and it plagues 20 million people. However, neuropathy disproportionately affects those who have diabetes — about half of them suffer with neuropathy symptoms. The condition typically affects a person’s legs and feet, but it can also impact the arms and...
Foot problems can lead to intense pain and mobility problems, which may wreak havoc on your life. Among many examples, the bumpy bunion on your big toe joint can throb and chafe against your sock or shoe; arthritis can slow you down considerably; and flat feet can lead to painful...
If you have flat feet, they might not give you any trouble, but the potential is there. If you’re diagnosed with flat feet, the bottom of one or both feet sits fully on the ground, with no part of the sole having any upward curve. Babies are born without arched...
When we have foot discomfort, we can often try to soldier through it or opt for a quick fix, like slapping a bandage on a blister. Sometimes that’s enough, but other times it pays to seek help from a skilled podiatrist. Heel pain is something that plagues a whopping 2...
Have you developed a prominent bump on the joint of your big toe that is causing you discomfort? If so, you could be joining the one-third of American adults who suffer with bunions. On their own, bunions cause an array of unpleasant symptoms, but they can also lead to other...
Prepare to be surprised. Gout, a type of arthritis that typically affects the big toe joint, is the most prevalent type of inflammatory arthritis, and it affects 8.3 million people in the United States — mostly men — outstripping even the numbers who experience osteoarthritis. Gout pain can be debilitating,...
If you’ve noticed you have a wart — or a cluster of them — don’t panic. Though warts can make you self-conscious, these small, noncancerous skin growths are treatable. Warts are just one of the many conditions that the expert podiatrists at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers treat so...
If you’ve noticed that one or more of your toenails looks discolored, hard, crumbly, misshapen, or has even developed a bad odor, these signs could indicate that they’ve been invaded by a fungal infection. Toenail fungus is frustrating because it’s not easy to treat in the first place — especially...
Typically, we don’t spend much time thinking about how we trim our toenails — we just kind of do it on autopilot, like brushing our teeth. However, the way you trim your toenails matters, and if it’s not done correctly and carefully, you can wind up in significant pain due...
Normally, a minor cut or scrape on your foot or toe isn’t something to worry about. As long as you clean the cut and bandage it, healing is generally quick and uncomplicated. If you live with diabetes, however, even a minute injury can turn serious in a hurry. Diabetes prevents...
Have you eschewed exposing your toes because of unsightly toenail fungus? This strategy doesn’t work as well in the summer, when you want to show your tootsies off in sandals. And with Florida’s year-round warmer climate, you could really wear toe-bearing styles during every season. Toenail fungus is a common...
Many people have flat feet, meaning their feet lack sufficient arches. If the condition affected only how a person’s foot looked, it wouldn’t be an issue. But having flat feet can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms. The dedicated team of podiatrists at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers offers...
We depend on our feet to give us the gift of mobility, whether that’s walking to the kitchen for a snack or running a marathon. Your feet are vulnerable to a host of skin conditions, however, from eczema to ulcers. Two common problems are corns and calluses. They’re often...
Many conditions can cause heel pain, from plantar fasciitis to arthritis. One uncommon but still painful cause of heel discomfort is heel spurs, which are calcium deposits that cause bony bumps to form on your heel and lead to pain that hinders your normal movement. Fortunately, the compassionate provider team...
Gout was a health condition reserved for the wealthy centuries ago — in fact, King Henry VIII was a sufferer. Gout is a type of arthritis that causes intense pain flares and other symptoms, often in the big toe joint, and is linked to diets that are heavy in rich...
We know that living with diabetes isn’t easy. You have to take special care on many fronts to keep the condition under control, from you and your doctor monitoring your blood glucose levels to staying mindful of what you eat. Diabetes poses special problems to your feet that require the...
When you squeeze those adorable feet of your baby or toddler, they probably feel like malleable little balls of dough, and that’s normal. As children get older, though, most develop an arch in their feet or the raised portion of the bottom of the foot. Its purpose is to help...
If you’re one of the nearly one-quarter of Americans, or 58.5 million, who suffer from pain, swelling, and mobility problems caused by degenerative osteoarthritis, you know that this diagnosis is no laughing matter and that it can affect virtually any joint in your body — including your feet and ankles....
Have you noticed unsightly growths on your feet, and are you puzzled about how they emerged? The problem is likely a wart, and although this type of growth isn’t cancerous, it is the cause of embarrassment. You have options other than keeping your feet covered up forever, fortunately. The care team at South Florida Foot...
How does a toenail fungus problem develop, and who’s at risk? Toenail fungus typically starts out small and results from a fungal infection entering your nail bed. You spy just a little yellow or white spot on a single nail, but the discoloration eventually affects your whole nail and tends...
Even though walking comes as naturally to us as breathing, the act takes coordination between your brain and muscles. Your heart and lungs play important roles too. When you propel yourself forward into a stride, you create a pattern of walking that is known as your gait. As you get...
People who live with diabetes face challenges from the disease that range from vision loss to an increased risk for heart disease. One of the most significant problems is cuts and injuries of the foot due to diabetic neuropathy. Neuropathy typically affects your legs and feet, and symptoms range from numbness...
Diabetes is a condition that affects over 37 million people in the United States, and it causes varied serious problems, from kidney disease to vision loss. One problem that impacts up to 50% of diabetes sufferers is neuropathy — high blood sugar-induced nerve damage. This problem occurs frequently in the feet. It’s critical to...
Warts are the growths that typically pop up on the hands and feet — but don’t worry, they’re not cancerous. Warts are extremely common, affecting a full 10% of the world’s population. They’re also quite prevalent in children, emerging on 10-20% of them. The highly skilled team at South Florida...
Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic in the United States. Of the 37 million-plus individuals living with diabetes, 90-95% have Type 2 diabetes, which typically strikes adults. This is unlike Type 1 diabetes, which is diagnosed more in children and adolescents. Insulin is the hormone that’s vital in helping your body turn...
Your feet are ever faithful, taking you where you need to go over your lifetime. On average, Americans walk 3,000-4,000 steps a day, equating at least 1½ miles, one study found. Elsewhere, researchers in England estimated that people walk nearly 75,000 miles during their years on earth. That’s the equivalent...
If you’re a woman who has spent many a day at work or night on the town in sky-high stilettos, you may suffer from hammertoe, a condition where a toe becomes deformed and develops an extreme, unnatural bend in the middle of the toe. Wearers of high heels aren’t the...
Gout is a type of painful arthritis that typically affects the big toe joint. Gout’s nickname is “the disease of kings” because those wealthy enough to eat rich diets would often be plagued by it. One famous sufferer was King Henry VIII of England in the 16th century. It’s possible...
The pain is unmistakable, and it can be excruciating. When you suffer with a foot condition called plantar fasciitis, the heel pain can make you wince when you take your first steps after waking up or resting for long periods of time. Keep in mind how complex the foot is,...
It’s safe to say that no one loves a wart. These unsightly but benign bumps typically appear on your hands, feet, and knees. The bumps are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has more than 100 types. Plantar warts are a type that develops on the bottom of your...
Many people think of gout as a disease that was prevalent centuries ago, but believe it or not, it’s quickly becoming more and more of a modern malady — to the tune of 8.3 million sufferers. Often associated with the gluttonous King Henry VIII, gout is indeed related to excess....
When you look at a baby’s cute feet, you may notice that they don’t have arches, especially before they learn to walk. Sometimes it takes years for them to develop arches, while some toddlers’ arches are visible when they stand on their tiptoes. About 10-20% of children never develop arches,...
If you suddenly notice persistent throbbing and worsening pain in your big toe, take a look — you may have an ingrown toenail. Visual cues that indicate possible infection include swelling and redness, and the painful area can even feel hot. Though ingrown toenails can be treatable at home if...
There are more than 100 varieties of arthritis, with some occurring often and others rarely. The most commonly diagnosed include rheumatoid arthritis, the autoimmune condition known as lupus, and osteoarthritis, which is the most prevalent, with 27 million sufferers. Arthritis symptoms are varied but painful, and they can dramatically compromise...
If you live with diabetes, you know how vital good self-care is. To stay healthy, you need to keep on top of your blood sugar, be mindful of taking your insulin correctly if you use it, and stick with a healthy diet and exercise to keep your weight in check. ...
You probably don’t think about it often, but your feet and ankles are the foundation for everything you do. That’s why at South Florida Foot and Ankle Centers, our goal is to give the highest quality foot and ankle care to our patients. We know that when your feet are...