Blog Archive
Diabetic foot care 一 a service that our board-certified podiatrists at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists are passionate about 一 includes many different treatments to help prevent and treat diabetic foot complications. Diabetic foot care can include nail trimming, neuropathy treatments, and routine exams. One of the most important aspects of diabetic foot care...
If you've ever experienced pain or discomfort accompanied by a hammer-like bend in your toes, you might be dealing with hammertoes. It's a common foot condition that affects the middle joint of the second, third, fourth, or fifth toes, causing them to bend downward instead of pointing forward. Due to the...
Did you know that about half of people with diabetes have some sort of nerve damage? High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves in any part of your body, but nerve damage in the feet is rather common. Unfortunately, nerve damage is just one of the many ways diabetes can...
Tendon rupture 一 a debilitating and painful injury that affects your mobility and overall quality of life 一 occurs when the tissue that connects muscles to bones tears. These tears can happen in any tendon, but athletes suffer 80% of Achilles tendon ruptures. Whether you're an athlete, an active individual,...
Officially known as hallux valgus, bunions can be a source of significant pain and discomfort, affecting the quality of life for many men and women. While seeking professional help from our team here at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists in southeast Florida is essential for treating bunions, taking preventive measures can go a long way to...
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is a well-established therapy designed to boost the oxygen levels throughout your body. It involves inhaling pure oxygen while you sit in a special pressurized chamber. It’s the go-to treatment for treating decompression sickness, but it also promotes healing in individuals with various medical conditions, including diabetic...
Diabetes is a group of conditions 一 Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes 一 that affects your body’s insulin and blood sugar levels. While Type 2 diabetes often develops as a result of lifestyle factors, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that usually develops during childhood....
As one of the most common ankle injuries, sprains result in over 2 million ER visits each year. The actual number of ankle sprains is likely much higher, since not everyone goes to the ER after spraining an ankle. Regardless of how you sprained your ankle, the resulting pain and...
Secondary lymphedema 一 a common condition that affects about 1 in every 1,000 Americans 一 refers to swelling from increased lymphatic fluid in your arm or leg that develops as a result of a primary condition. Lymphedema often develops in people who have undergone lymph node removal surgery, but it...
Psoriasis is a type of autoimmune skin condition that causes red scaly patches of skin that may itch, burn, or sting. Psoriasis can flare up and often affects the scalp, knees, and elbows. Psoriatic arthritis develops in people with psoriasis. On top of itchy red patches of skin, you may...
Cancerous tumors 一 including those associated with Ewing's sarcoma as well as metastases一 can develop in the bones of your feet. Tumors in any bones can cause pain and swelling, but when they develop in your feet, they can severely affect your mobility. While the tumors themselves affect your feet,...
Plantar fasciitis is a common overuse injury in which your plantar fascia becomes inflamed and tender. If you experience stabbing pain when you walk, especially your first few steps each morning, you might be dealing with plantar fasciitis. Unfortunately, as the condition progresses, exercising 一 and even just walking 一...
You might not think much about your heel until heel pain sets in. Then it’s hard to ignore. Plantar fasciitis 一 a main source of heel pain 一 accounts for 10% of all running-related injuries and 15% of all podiatric issues requiring medical care. Achilles tendinitis is another condition that causes pain in the...
Your ankle joint is a hinged synovial joint that allows you to move your feet upward, downward, and side to side. You might not think much about your ankles until they’re hurt, but ankle injuries are all too common. Because of the many tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles in your...
When foot pain arises, it’s tempting to think that one of the 26 bones in your foot is broken, but there are many other conditions that can affect the 30 joints or the 100-plus ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Not only do underlying conditions, such as arthritis, contribute to foot pain, but lifestyle habits...
The key to finding relief from foot pain is pinpointing the source of your pain so you can treat it appropriately. Take note of when your feet hurt the most. If it’s first thing in the morning, you might be dealing with plantar fasciitis, a common foot condition that flares up...
Because chronic high blood sugar levels make it harder for your skin to heal itself, even a small cut can become a big problem for diabetics. Poor immune response and slow-healing wounds can contribute to serious complications such as diabetic ulcers, gangrene, and even amputation. Understandably, diabetic wounds aren’t to be taken...
Your Achilles tendon, which connects your heel to your calf muscles, is prone to overuse injuries. Achilles tendinitis happens when the tendon becomes overused and inflamed, and in serious cases, the tendon can even rupture. At Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, our board-certified podiatrists are experienced when it comes...
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic pain and inflammation in your body. Although more than 5,000,000 women, men, and children have lupus globally, it’s still an often-misunderstood illness. At Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, our board-certified podiatrists understand that misconceptions about lupus can affect the way you feel about yourself and how you...
Lymphedema happens when your arm or leg swells, usually after you have lymph node removal surgery. Although it’s a common complication after cancer surgery, it isn't limited to cancer surgery. You can develop lymphedema after any surgery or infection. Because it’s common 一 affecting 1 in 1,000 Americans 一 you...
Even though advancements in cancer treatments have helped patients live longer, the treatments do cause adverse reactions throughout your body. Most notably, cancer treatments cause nausea, lack of appetite, and hair loss, but they can also affect your feet. Our board-certified podiatrists at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists understand...
Bunions are a common progressive condition 一 up to 25% of people have them 一 in which your big toe joint juts out. Not surprisingly, this condition can make it difficult and painful to wear shoes. While surgery can correct a bunion, it’s not necessarily the only solution. Our board-certified...
If your first few steps each morning are painful, your plantar fascia likely has small tears and inflammation. When the plantar fascia becomes inflamed, the condition is known as plantar fasciitis. It’s a common overuse injury that often affects runners, dancers, and aerobic enthusiasts. Whether you’re an athlete or not,...
If you feel like you always have a pebble in your shoe, you might have a neuroma, which is a benign nerve tumor that surrounds the nerve leading to your toes. Neuromas most often develop between your third and fourth toes, leading to a burning sensation in the ball of...
If you have plantar fasciitis, you’re probably familiar with heel pain, especially first thing in the morning and after you exercise. If so, you’re not alone. Plantar fasciitis accounts for over 2 million trips to podiatrists each year. We know that plantar fasciitis can lead to excruciating heel pain that...
If you're preparing for surgery, especially any surgery that involves your lymph nodes, your doctor may tell you to watch for signs of lymphedema. Lymphedema refers to the intense swelling of a single limb (or both arms or legs). It often develops in those who have had lymph nodes removed...
Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which your immune system attacks your own cells, rather than invading cells (like germs). There are over 100 autoimmune diseases. Some, like alopecia, don’t affect your feet, but there are several autoimmune diseases that do. At Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, our team of...
Most people associate neuropathy with diabetes. That’s because diabetes can contribute to diabetic neuropathy. Neuropathy causes tingling and numbness due to nerve damage. When this happens to your feet, you're more likely to experience foot injuries without even realizing it. But diabetes isn’t the only condition that increases your risk...
An ankle sprain is a very common injury and one that we regularly see here at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists. Below, our team of board-certified podiatrists explains how exercises can keep your ankles healthy and which ones can help you avoid an ankle sprain. How exercise helps you...
Suspicious lumps and bumps can be quite concerning, and if you notice any unusual growths or bumps on your feet or ankles, we encourage you to make an appointment with one of our board-certified podiatrists at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists. In the meantime, we created this guide to...
From pregnancy to deep vein thrombosis to broken bones to medication side effects, there are many reasons you might notice swelling in your arms or legs. While you could be tempted to brush off swelling, you should know why you have swelling so you can take the appropriate steps to...
Has heel pain left you unable to work out or perform your routine tasks? There are many causes of heel pain, including heel spurs. Heel spurs, which are hardened calcium deposits that form as bony-like growths, can cause pain underneath and in front of your heel. Don’t ignore heel pain;...
Diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels, but it doesn’t just affect your blood sugar. Diabetes can affect all parts of your body from your kidneys to your vision to your feet. If you have diabetes and develop a wound on your foot, receiving experienced diabetic wound...
Although high heel sales have dropped 12%, an estimated 39% of women still wear these shoes on a daily basis. While high heels may add a sophisticated flair to your outfit, they can wreak havoc on your feet. If you regularly wear high heels — and you notice pain in...
You rely on your toes more than you realize, so when something goes sideways with your toes, it gets your full attention. Bunions, corns, and calluses are just a few of the toe woes you may face in your lifetime, not the least of which is hammertoe, an involuntary contracture...
When an individual is experiencing the effects of a leg, ankle, or foot wound or nonhealing ulcer, the symptoms can be painful and, at times, debilitating. Wounds can result from a variety of conditions, including: Cancer Diabetes Traumatic injuries Vein disorders Lymphedema Foot and Leg Ulcers Ulcers often occur on...
Foot pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, and if not treated properly by a certified foot and ankle specialist, the pain can begin to affect other parts of the body. Common foot conditions include hammertoes, bunions, and plantar fasciitis. Hammertoes A hammertoe is a bending, also called...
In individuals with untreated diabetes, serious complications can arise, including with the feet. An excess of blood sugar can lead to neuropathy, or lack of feeling due to damaged nerves in the legs and feet. Peripheral vascular disease is also a common complication, which is poor blood flow to the...