Hammertoe is a painful condition in which the middle joint of the second, third, fourth, or fifth toe is abnormally bent, causing pain and deformity. The condition is often caused by an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that are meant to hold the toe straight. Hammertoe is a progressively worsening condition. In the […]
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What is Hammertoe? Causes and Relief for Your Condition
Hammertoe is a common deformity caused by a chronic muscle or tendon imbalance which causes contracture of the second joint in the second, third, fourth, or fifth toe. The bend causes pain, particularly when wearing shoes. The condition may also to the development of corns or calluses on the bent toes, causing further pain. Hammertoe […]
The ABC’s of Ingrown Toenail Surgery : Part C Post-surgical Care
Part C – Postsurgical Care of Ingrown Toenails Welcome to the postsurgical care segment of our 3-part series, The ABC’s of Ingrown Toenail Surgery. In Part A you learned about the anatomy and manifestation of an ingrown toenail, and in Part B we emphasized surgery basics and the urgency of an hour spent in […]
The ABC’s of Ingrown Toenail Surgery : Part B The Basics
Part B – Ingrown Toenail Surgery Basics In Part A of this series, we introduced you to the Anatomy of an Ingrown Toenail. Now you have a better awareness of what an ingrown toenail consists of, the way it manifests, some cautionary warnings, and a few trial home remedies as well. You’ve soaked your foot, […]
The ABC’s of Ingrown Toenail Surgery : Part A The Anatomy
Part A – Anatomy of an Ingrown Toenail Of the various afflictions, your toes may endure, an ingrown toenail may seem to be in the lesser category — unless it is ignored. There are a few home remedies to try, but if symptoms of redness, swelling, and P-A-I-N persist then infection, disease and even […]
Choosing The Right Socks for Healthy Feet
Since we could walk, or before, choosing socks for healthy feet wasn’t the issue. We learned to pull on our socks one at a time before sliding into the shoes which matched the clothes we’d wear that day. It was all about the shoes; the color, the style, the buckles or bows. As far as […]
Sneaker Lacing Techniques For Runners and Hikers
Maybe you think you’ve already checked all the boxes. You’ve assessed your foot type, chosen the activity in which to put your energy (hiking, running, group sports) and determined the size and shape of sneaker that is appropriate. You have weighed various support options for any specific conditions you’re experiencing with toes, feet or ankles. […]
Healthy Feet from Heel to Toe: 7 Things You Didn’t Know
If you’ve never injured an ankle, broken a toe, or found yourself unable to put your weight on your feet in the morning, well then, you’re lucky. At some point in our lives (be it while joining in group sports or dealing with multiple health issues as a senior) not having healthy feet will prevent […]
Healthy Hiking for Salt Lake City Summers
One great reason for living in the Salt Lake area is the wide variety of healthy hiking to be enjoyed – whether you’re a novice or expert trekker. For your convenience, here is a great list of Salt Lake City Trails from which you may narrow your choices by: easy to strenuous, whether or not […]
Flips Flops and Foot Health: A Good Match?
While these open comfy sandals may be your favorite footwear, who knew that (without proper support) flip flops and foot health could be a contradiction in terms? If you’ve worn flip flops for years, this post may contain a few surprises. Flip Flops: There’s a History The narrative of flip flops goes back quite a […]
The Growing Pains of Sever’s Disease
Though you may never have heard the term Sever’s Disease, as a child you certainly experienced growing pains. And no, we’re not talking about the nickname representing those ‘awkward teenage years.’ Remember those achy calves and painful heels at the end of the day, especially just when you were ready to sleep at night? Sever’s […]
Rethink Wearing Those Painful High Heels!
The first depictions of high heels date all the way back to ancient Egypt. Initially made popular by Persian male equestrians in the 1400’s (to help them stand up in their straps and aim firearms). They later became a fashion statement (for men), crossing over into Europe in the 1500’s and adopted by aristocratic men […]
Bunions: What in the World Causes Them?
Video Credit: Bunions: What in the World Causes Them? from Elizabeth Auger on Vimeo Bunions (aka hallux valgus) are probably something you’ve never given much thought to – that is unless you’re unfortunate enough to have them. Bunions may seem to come out of nowhere while, in fact, they are the result of a […]
Morton’s Neuroma: Fast Relief!
Morton’s Neuroma is more correctly termed as interdigital nerve compression, and is not a cancerous condition. It is a thickening of nerve tissue in the toes (most often between the 3rd and 4th). Symptoms are foot pain and burning in the ball of the foot, and possibly numbness in the toes. Most often, your symptoms are caused […]
Treatment for Nighttime Leg and Foot Cramps
Waking up to leg and foot cramps is such a painful experience, and one most everyone has had happen at some point in their lives – hopefully not very often. These sudden nighttime skeletal contractions can be excruciating and certainly something we’d like to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately, no one really knows what causes […]
Blister Relief: 5 Tips for Healthier Feet
You need blister relief. We’ve all been there. You put on a new (or worn-in) pair of shoes,and walk for miles, only to discover a painful blister on your toe or the back of your heel. Maybe you’ve even developed a blister on the ball of your foot. Ignoring a blister can ultimately lead to […]
Rheumatoid Arthritis Foot Pain Hacks
People with rheumatoid arthritis frequently experience pain and stiffness in the balls of their feet or toes. Swelling in the ankles is another common issue. The American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society says that 90 percent of people dealing with RA complain of these foot pain symptoms. While RA sufferers should align themselves with a […]
When Do Ingrown Toenails Need Medical Attention?
Ingrown toenails can be bothersome at minimum and become infected at worst. Your toenails may actually burrow into the skin when they are clipped too short, or you went with oval-shaped toenails during your pedicure. Poorly fitted shoes are another culprit. Wearing high heels for long periods is a contributing factor, as well as […]
How Copper Socks Can Help Healing
Whether you have diabetes or are dealing with foot trauma unrelated to the condition, you may be interested to know that one of the easiest things you can do to promote healing is to wear socks. Not just any socks, but those that contain copper. What many may consider a bit of hocus pocus has […]
Exercises That Can Strengthen Your Feet
We rely on our feet more than we ever give them credit for. They carry us from place to place and if we don’t keep them healthy, we can experience discomfort all the way to the tops of our bodies. Keeping your feet strong can have a tremendous impact on your health. If you are […]
Children’s Shoes: Yes or No for Foot Health?
Think back to when you were a child. You ran and romped through the yard and maybe even the park sans shoes. Your bare feet served you just fine outside of the occasional bee sting you suffered. As you got older, your parents made your wear shoes when you went outside. Did your gait change? […]
Can a Low Carb Diet Prevent Diabetic Neuropathy?
If you have diabetes, you already know that you have to watch your diet with what feel’s like the eyes of a hawk. Eat the wrong thing and your blood sugar can spike. Don’t eat enough and your sugar can plummet. It can be tricky knowing how to maintain a healthy diet that helps you […]
Feet Hurt? Ask Your Hips and Knees for the Answer
Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Harvard Medical School got together and found something pretty interesting. When it comes to lower extremity pain, there is a strong link to the knees or hips. When your feet hurt, taking a closer look at your knees and hips may be in order. What the study […]
Foot Care Services Key to Reducing Amputations
Researchers in the United Kingdom have recently released a report that says increasing the provision of foot care services to those people with diabetes can be a key to reducing amputations. They also found that proper foot care can reduce the instance of ulcers in the same group of patients. People have long known that […]
Ballet Is Beautiful…But Not for Feet
The art of ballet has been enjoyed by people around the world for centuries. There may be nothing more beautiful than watching a dancer seemingly float across the stage. Unfortunately, dancers’ foot health is risked for the privilege of being able to entertain audiences. Years of practice can take its toll on the feet and […]
Caution: Pedicures Can Be Harmful to Your Health
Caution: Pedicures Can Be Harmful to Your Health Caution: Pedicures Can Be Harmful to Your Health! from Elizabeth Auger on Vimeo. Who would guessed that your delightful pedicures can be harmful to your health? Pedicures are an affordable luxury, treasured by people around the world. Pampering your feet in this way is a great way […]
4 Foot Remedies to Detoxify Your Body
One practice of ancient Chinese medicine was using reflexology techniques as foot remedies to detoxify your body. These methods were based on the belief that the energy zones in the feet are connected to internal organs. Both Chinese and Japanese cultures believed that you could cleanse the entire body by extracting accumulated toxins via the […]
Preventing Winter Sports Injuries to Your Feet
Now that winter is closing in, our thoughts are turning to snow covered mountains. From skiing to snowboarding, people will be hitting the slopes in hopes of an adrenaline rush. If you will be counting yourself among these folks, it’s important to take the proper precautions to avoid serious winter sports injuries to your feet […]
5 Solutions for Dry and Cracked Feet
Dry and cracked feet are not only unsightly, but they can be uncomfortable. You may be experiencing this condition for any number of reasons. Maybe you stand on hard surfaces all day. Perhaps you are a bit overweight. You might even fail to moisturize your feet like you do the rest of your body. […]
Home Remedies for Athlete’s Foot
It’s a popular misconception that only athletes get athletes foot. The condition is known medically as tinea pedis. It’s a fungal infection between and around the toes. Those dealing with the condition find that their toes itch and burn, there are peeling patches of skin, there is excessive dryness along the sides or bottoms of […]
5 Foot Strengthening Tips for Runners
As a runner, your feet take a pounding. You know that you need to stretch your leg muscles before you run, and you may even stretch your upper body. But what are you doing for your feet? There are tiny muscles in your feet that may not be used to pounding the pavement. If you […]
Want to Stay Mobile? Go For a Walk
We have all seen the elderly person walking down the sidewalk looking as though every step is painful. We have all been behind the senior walking into a store at a pace slower than we would like. Is this just an inevitable part of aging? The answer is no. A recent study looked at people […]
How to Keep Your Feet Bacteria Free
You take off your shoes at the end of a long day and wonder what in the world that smell is. You’ve got stinky feet. It’s something that most of us run into at least once in our adult lives, and it is typically those of us who love wearing shoes sans socks, especially in […]
Curious About Your Health? Ask Your Feet
Many people wonder how healthy they are, especially when they reach their 30s or 40s. We start to question whether or not we are as healthy as we can be, and what changes we need to make in our lifestyles. If you are curious as to your state of health, your feet can tell you […]
5 At-Home Remedies for Your Swollen Feet and Ankles
5 At Home Remedies for Your Swollen Feet and Ankles from Elizabeth Auger on Vimeo. Swollen ankles and feet are not typical. If you find that your lower extremities are filling with fluid, known as edema, there is a reason. You may be suffering with high blood pressure or kidney problems, you may be pregnant, […]
What Your Heel Pain Might Mean
Do you know which bone in your foot is the largest? If you don’t know, the answer is this – your heel. The heel is also one of the most important, if not the most important bone, in your foot. By it’s design, it is made to withstand and support the weight of your body. […]
The Most Common Foot Injuries for Runners
You come home from your daily run feeling great. You’re filled with energy and adrenaline but notice as your body settles itself that your foot doesn’t feel quite right. If you run regularly, it is possible that you will have this experience at least once in your life. Foot injuries are common in runners and […]
Plantar Fasciitis: How to Spot It and When to See a Doctor
If you have ever experienced the pain of plantar fasciitis, you know exactly what the condition is. It hurts to step out of bed, it hurts to walk – it hurts to put any sort of pressure on your heels at all. If you’ve never experienced the condition, consider yourself lucky. Plantar fasciitis occurs when […]
Recognizing and Dealing with Hammertoes
Stand up and take a look at your feet. Do your toes stretch straight out in a normal position or are they slightly curled under as if you were trying to grip something? If your toes are slightly bent or curled, you may be experiencing what medical professionals call hammertoes. What Are Hammertoes? When people […]
Bunion Treatment Begins at Home
If your foot is screaming, you need to listen and take a good look. If you notice a deformity along the side of your foot at the base of your big toe, you may have bunion. Bunions are progressive deformities of the foot caused by a realignment of the joint. They are most often caused […]
Top 5 Worst Shoes for Your Feet
People want to be stylish from their heads to their toes. This desire leads people to often think of form over function when it comes to their footwear. Unfortunately, form is not always the best option and can ultimately be damaging to your feet and toes. If at all possible, podiatrists in the know suggest […]
Ingrown Toenails Are More Than Just Painful
If you have ever had an ingrown toenail, you know what pain is. Every step you take can be excruciating as the top of your shoe presses against your toe. Ingrown toenails are not only painful, they can quickly become a medical problem that can’t be ignored. What is an ingrown toenail and who is […]
Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetes is a serious condition which can affect your whole body. Not only do you have to manage your blood sugar, but you must take special care to prevent damage to your feet. Diabetic patients who suffer cuts to the feet are at risk for infection which can lead, in the most severe cases, to […]