Muscle cramps and muscle spasms are extremely common occurrences where bundles of muscle fibers contract outside of a person’s control. Just about everyone on Earth experiences them at some point in their lives. But what exactly are these sudden jerks and twitches? How are they different from each other? And most importantly, are they a […]
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Podiatrist Blog
Causes and Treatments for Nails That Stop Growing
One of the basic bits of information we learn as early as Kindergarten is that our body keeps growing, and some parts, such as our hair and nails, do so for as long as we live. This makes onychomadesis – the clinical sign when nails stop growing – a perplexing experience for many. At first […]
Reflexology for Foot Pain
Reflexology has been a contentious subject among health professionals since its first mainstream appearance in American culture in the 1900s. On one hand, some people hail it as a natural wonder treatment capable of treating anything from skin rashes to cancer. On the other hand, it has found limited support in the medical community, a […]
Causes & Treatments of Toe Separation
Toe separation is a common occurrence that usually involves the second and third toes. It has many different causes, though the most common are neuromas, plantar plate tears, ligament ruptures, and Morton foot type. Patients usually seek a healthcare provider for toe separation cases when the condition becomes painful, worsens, or is unaesthetic enough for […]
Should I Have My Plantar Heel Spur Removed?
Plantar heel spurs – bony protrusions under the heel bone – are a fairly common condition. And yet, somehow, they tend to also be underdiagnosed and underreported, on account of most people who have them remaining unaware they do. At least, that’s the case until they become symptomatic and they start experiencing pain in the […]
Is It Worth Taking Allopurinol for the Rest of My Life Because I Have Gout?
Gout is a painful and common health problem that can severely affect the quality of life. Gout occurs when the body makes too many purines, or does not secrete enough purines, leading to an increase in uric acid levels in the blood. When uric acid levels are above normal, gout occurs, causing severe discomfort and […]
How Do I Know if I Have a Bone Infection?
Osteomyelitis is a severe condition that is commonly referred to as “bone infection.” This condition mostly affects people suffering from diabetes and associated neuropathy. Patients may first present with a wound or ulcer. The wound may even be hidden under a corn or callous, so it is important never to neglect to debride these areas. […]
What is Fibroma of the Foot?
A fibroma of the foot is a relatively rare condition characterized by the presence of a small lump or nodule on the bottom part of the foot, known as the plantar surface. This nodule is actually a thickening of the fibers in the plantar fascial band, which is a band of tissue that supports the […]
Tailor’s Bunion: Understanding the Condition and Treatment Options
Tailor’s Bunion, also known as a bunionette, is a common foot condition that affects many individuals. It can cause cosmetic concerns, pain while wearing shoes, and a progressive deformity. In this article, we will delve into the two types of Tailor’s Bunion and explore the available treatment options. Whether you’re seeking relief from discomfort or […]
What is Bone Nonunion?
Bone nonunion is a painful and potentially disabling medical condition that occurs when a fractured bone fails to heal properly. This can lead to chronic pain, disability, and decreased quality of life for those affected. In this article, we will explore the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and ways to manage symptoms associated with […]
I Sprained My Ankle: Is It Worth Getting an X-Ray?
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries, and understanding how they are classified and the best treatments for each type are essential for a quick recovery. Most ankle sprains are inversion sprains, which involve damage to the ligaments outside the ankle. The most commonly affected ligaments are (listed in order from most common […]
Underlying Causes of Neuropathy and Solutions
Peripheral nerves are responsible for sending sensory messages to the central nervous system, such as the message that your feet are cold or something you touched was hot. The central nervous system uses the peripheral nervous system to carry signals to the body’s extremities. For example, you want to raise your arm to wave, so […]
The Real Cost of Custom Orthotics
Are Shoe Inserts the Solution to Your Foot Pain? People experiencing foot pain often wonder about insoles and store kiosks that promise to recommend the best shoe insert to end their pain. Maybe you find yourself wandering through the shoe store looking for a pair of shoes that will make your feet hurt a little […]
Announcing the 2022 Elizabeth Auger Annual Scholarship for Students with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Winner: Sophia Salyers
The Elizabeth Auger Annual Scholarship for Students with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes was created to honor the efforts of diabetes patients and assist diabetic students with achieving their dreams. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body converts food to energy. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes, require patients to manage their […]
Toenail Health: 5 Signs of Issues and What They Mean
Toenails! They aren’t just little shields for your toes, nor mere platforms for pretty nail polish. They can also act as a window to your overall health. Certain toenail conditions can reveal at a glance whether your feet — and your body as a whole — are healthy. You can use these signs to clue […]
5 Tips to Make Life More Comfortable When You’re On Your Feet All Day
As anyone who has to work long shifts on their feet knows, standing and walking all day can take its toll on your health and your comfort. While long-term sitting has (appropriately) gotten a bad rap, it turns out that long-term standing can have comparably bad effects, too. “Standing five hours a day contributes to […]
Announcing the 2021 Elizabeth Auger Annual Scholarship for Students with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Winner: Abreanna Shea
For individuals with chronic conditions, being the best version of yourself means not hiding your diagnosis as part of your identity. At the same time, these individuals don’t want their diagnosis to become their entire identity. It becomes a tightrope of acknowledging your medical needs while balancing those needs with the goals and expectations you […]
Nerve Pain and Numbness in the Feet Could Be Coming From Your Back — Even If You Don’t Have Back Pain
We depend on our feet every day, but we don’t really give them much thought — until they are bothering us. Many individuals can feel chronic pain in their legs, on the bottoms or tops of their feet, in their calves, or along their thighs. They may also similarly feel odd tingling, numbness, or shooting […]
Is It Covid Toes or Chilblains?
Dry, red, itchy skin on the toes and fingers? Known as chilblains or pernio, this condition can affect people who have been exposed to prolonged cold, especially in damp climates. Chilblain is a bit of an uncommon problem, but it can affect anyone who has been exposed to the severe cold outdoors or who lives […]
The Best Shoes for Bunions, Hammer Toe, and Diabetes, According to an Award-Winning Salt Lake City Specialty Shoe Store
When you have a condition like a hammertoe, bunions, or diabetes, purchasing any old shoe can wind up complicating your health problems. We advise that you seek out the opinion of someone with the experience and expertise to recommend shoes specific to your needs. For specialty shoes in Salt Lake City, we would like to […]
Should You Wear Shoes When You Work From Home?
Quarantining during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created a profound shift in the way we live and work. One major effect is that a huge portion of us have started working from home, either occasionally or almost always. Working from home offers many comforts, including the freedom to dress however you want. But some people […]
Elizabeth Auger Proudly Announces Winner of her 2020 Annual Diabetes Scholarship – Ilana Lewis
Enrolling in a higher education program involves enough work to be its own full-time job, but when you must manage a chronic condition on top of that, it becomes a major life challenge. Recognizing the uphill battle many individuals with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes must face, Elizabeth Auger, DPM, has developed an annual […]
5 Tips for Summer-Ready Feet You Can’t Live Without
Feet have their own unique set of needs when it comes to proper skin care. Whether you’re rocking strappy sandals around town or relaxing barefoot by the pool, you’ll want your feet to look and feel as amazing as that vacation you have planned. To help you take care of your tootsies during a time […]
5 Reasons Why You Keep Getting Calluses on Your Feet
Calluses are unpleasant, and they feel like they can sneak up on you. One week, your feet feel fine, and the next, it’s like they’re covered in dry, uncomfortable puff pastry. How to Prevent Calluses on Feet Why do calluses happen, and what can we do to prevent it? Here are five reasons they can […]
7 Exercises That Are Great for Relieving Bunion Pain
For some people, especially women, bunions are a painful fact of life. But with a few simple exercises, you can not only relieve the problems posed by bunions but help rehabilitate your entire foot’s structure. These exercises can help you strengthen your feet, correct the deformity, and make future bunions less likely to form. How […]
What Features to Look for in Running Shoes (Including If You Have a Chronic Condition)
The running shoe you buy can have a profound impact on both your foot health and your enjoyment of the sport. Proper-fitting running shoes reduce injury, and they also reduce the risk of developing painful conditions like an ingrown toenail, hammer toe, or heel pain. Importantly, they also allow you to maximize the forces of […]
Arch Supports & Orthotics: Narrow Your Search!
Feet rarely get our gratitude (or even our attention) until they are in pain. Healthy feet actually provide a strong and stable structural foundation for the entire body, but sometimes they need a little help along the way. Arch supports and orthotics can help to rescue your achy and problematic feet. However, it takes a […]
The Distinction: Paronychia vs. Ingrown Toenails
Foot pain can literally stop you in your tracks, and there happens to be a systemic reason for this. Whether brief, recurring or relentless, pain is the body’s way of commanding your attention to an underlying cause. When you have a burning or stabbing pain in your foot it is likely to inhibit your ability […]
COVID-19 Protocol for SLC Podiatrist, Elizabeth E. Auger, DPM
Given the infectious nature and global outbreak of the Coronavirus-19 Disease, there are many businesses temporarily shutting down but essential services have been directed to remain open. As a medical provider, SLC Podiatry is such a service and our doors are open to the community. You can rest assured that all new and existing patients […]
Ashley Green Wins Elizabeth Auger Annual Scholarship for Students with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
Dr. Elizabeth Auger is proud to announce that Ashley Green has been awarded the Elizabeth Auger Annual Scholarship for Students with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes for the Fall 2019 Semester. This scholarship, worth $1,000, is awarded to students throughout the country who have worked to overcome their diabetes and have achieved excellence in […]
Why Hammertoe Surgery May be Necessary
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 […]
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 […]
