What would you answer if we asked what one body part people forget to take care of? I would answer your foot. It is one part that bears all the body load and is prone to wear and tear but is the least thought of. If you. Some common foot issues arise due to several reasons. These common issues are corns, calluses, and bunions. These can be prevented with proper care and precautions by a podiatrist in North Sydney.
Sometimes, the foot issues are not visible in the initial pain but have symptoms like persistent pain in feet and ankles, slight changes in the skin of feet and colour of nails, peeling on foot, redness and itching. All these can be an indication that you should seek medical care. Let’s understand the common foot issues and how to prevent them.
Corns & Calluses
These are formed generally after a lot of pressure, irritation or rubbing on the areas of the foot that have bone. One common reason is wearing ill-fitted shoes that don’t fit well. Corns and calluses are similar; they occur in different areas. Corns are rounder and smaller and develop around toes. Calluses are thick skin that appears as a big hard patch on the bottom of the feet and even a big toe. You can prevent them by wearing socks and well-fitted shoes. Regular exercise will maintain the shape of your feet and good blood circulation.
Bunions
Bunions are misalignments at the big toe joint that become tender. Slowly, the big toe’s joint slightly slants outwards, and the toe slightly angles towards the second toe. You can use a spacer. Bunions become worse when you wear shoes with narrow front parts. Surgery can often be performed in such cases, but the best is to take precautions in the first place.
Hammertoe
Hammertoe is caused due to muscle imbalance. For people who have a hammertoe, their toe starts to look like a claw. It can affect any toe, commonly occurring on the second toe when the bunion slants the big toe towards the second toe. You can wear shoes and socks that do not cramp the toes and don’t worsen the condition.
High Arches
An arched or Cavus foot is a condition with a big arch in the middle of the foot. This leads to excessive pressure on the heel and ball of the foot. No DIY can help, so it is best to seek expert advice and get it treated. It can happen in just one foot or both feet. A foot doctor in North Sydney can give you customised orthotics, drastically reducing the force put on the heels and balls of the feet.
Collapsed Feet
Collapsed feet or arches can be seen in people with flatter toes than usual. Their arches have collapsed, and they experience extreme pain. It is important to visit a specialist as it is a biomechanics problem where feet are not a sitting problem. The causes can be wearing high heels constantly, pregnancy, genes, arthritis, and posture problems. You can visit a foot clinic in North Sydney that can give treatment like orthotics. They can also help with other preventive measures like avoiding high heels, correcting posture issues, etc.
Conclusion
If you have persistent foot pain or other issues like calluses or corns, consider taking care of your foot by exercising, wearing comfortable shoes, using the correct size of footwear and socks, and doing posture-correcting exercises. The best way is to visit a podiatrist in North Sydney, as they will analyse the pain point and then propose a solution. Barefeet Podiatry can be the ultimate solution to all your foot issues. Consult your Podiatrist today and protect yourself from escalating your problem.