BUNION

Symptom;
                  A bunion is a "bump" of bone that most often forms on the inside of the foot at the base of the big toe. A bunion can also occur at the little or fifth toe. Bunions may develop in children as the bone grows (positional bunion) but can progress further as in an adult where the bones actually move to an abnormal position (structural bunion). Without treatment, a bunion deformity may become more severe due to abnormal mechanics, such as the flattening of your arch. Bunions are usually inherited, but tend to worsen with time. Bunions may be associated with skin redness, infection, joint pain and arthritis. Your body may compensate for the bunion deformity and create leg, knee, hip or lower back pain. An untreated bunion may cause the big toe to drift toward the other toes. In time, this can create other toe problems and pain in the ball of the foot.

Evaluation;
                    Your Podiatrist will discuss your symptoms and activity as it relates to your condition. The Podiatrist will then examine, palpate and perform range of motion exercises to determine the extent of the deformity. He or she will probably perform gait analysis or observe your feet and legs throughout the walking cycle. Standing x-rays are taken to evaluate the bone structure, mechanics and deformity as it appears with weight on the foot.


Treatment;
                   Conservative treatment includes padding, proper shoe gear, and custom functional foot orthoses. If conservative measures fail, then surgical correction is necessary.

 

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HAMMERTOE

Symptoms;
                   A hammertoe is a condition in which one or more toes appear to be "bent" or "curled." This condition may cause redness, callus or aching pain in and around the toes. Some individuals tend to get callus at the tip of the toe, blood under the toe nail or pain around the nail itself. Other individuals may suffer from shin splints or leg pain due to an imbalance in the leg muscles that end in the toes. Hammertoes are a progressive condition that can worsen over time. The toes may start to "stiffen" up as arthritis sets in, create shoe fitting problems or cause the patient to walk differently.

Evaluation;
                   Your Podiatrist will discuss your symptoms and activity as it relates to your condition. The Podiatrist will then examine, palpate and perform range of motion exercises to determine the extent of the deformity. He or she will probably perform gait analysis or observe your feet and legs throughout the walking cycle. Standing x-rays are taken to evaluate the bone structure, mechanics and deformity as it appears with weight on the foot.


Treatment;
                  Conservative treatment includes padding, proper shoe gear, and custom functional foot orthoses. If conservative measures fail, then an outpatient procedure can be performed to correct the deformity and realign the toe.

 

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