With Mother’s Day around the corner, let us take care of your mother by offering her an initial assessment and Urea based heel cream for only $80, valued at $107! Mothers hold a special place in our hearts and work tirelessly on their feet to make sure we’re happy!
In this article today, we will discuss common conditions that may affect our mums’ feet, and why it’s important to see a Podiatrist to look after them.
Women tend to suffer from foot pain and are more prone to certain foot conditions due to their build, biomechanical structure and design of footwear worn throughout the years.
Footwear including narrow fitting toe boxes squeeze the toes together, causing issues including involuted nails, corns and callouses which can be extremely painful if not attended to. High heels put pressure on the ball of the foot, which may cause long-term issues, include shortening of the Achilles tendon and pain to the balls, arches, and heels of feet.
Involuted nails
Let’s talk Involuted..Involuted nails is one of the most common nail conditions we see in the clinic. It involves the nail growing into the skin, causing a lot of pain with shoes or sometimes with the pressure of the bed sheets on top of the nail bed! Involuted nails have different pain depending on the degrees of the curvature of the nail bed.
A Podiatrist can help remove this nail in a safe and sterile manner. Podiatrists are also able to figure out the cause of the involuted nail bed changes. These may include:
- Change of shape due to the position of the toe or a result of a bunion. The help of a prefabricated or custom- made orthotic device may help reduce the friction of the nail on the shoe.
- Correct cutting technique – Incorrect cutting technique can cause the nail to become involuted. A Podiatrist would be able to help gradually correct your nail shape and help direct the growth away from the site pain.
- Depending on the severity of the curvature, a small procedure in clinic may be required to cut the nail away with the use of local anaesthetic.
Callouses & Corns
Callouses are also commonly seen in women. Callouses are a hard yellow thick skin that forms on healthy skin to protect it from consistent pressure on that region. Callouses are a normal part of the skin and nothing to be concerned about for healthy individuals. If left untreated, patients with conditions including Diabetes or Peripheral neuropathy, may cause a concern including wound development under the formed callous.
Treatment for formation of callouses include seeing a Podiatrist for a safe and effective treatment to remove the hard skin using sterile instruments. This procedure is safe and not painful to do. Long term treatment may include the implementation of orthotics or modifying footwear.
Corns are like callouses, differentiate due to being localised to a certain region. Corns may form on the bottom of feet or on top of or in between toes. If not safely removed by a Podiatrist, it may cause great pain, especially in footwear.
Other conditions seen in Women include:
- Musculoskeletal injury and joint pain during Menopause.
- Pregnancy stimulates a hormone relaxin which makes the muscles and tendons laxed, making them more prone to injury. Women’s feet also elongated and flatten after pregnancy, making them more prone to injury.
- Bunion development: Two times more likely in women than men. Footwear also contributes to this condition.
- Morton’s Neuroma – involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to your toes. It may feel like a ‘pebble’ stuck under your foot and sometimes is associated with a burning or stinging pain affected in your toes. High heeled or narrow fitted shoes may contribute to this condition.
- Plantar fasciitis – Inflammation of the tendon of the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of each foot. It is one of the most common causes of heel pain.
- Shortening of the Achilles tendon – Pain on the back of the foot, which may extend to the calves, and cause great amounts of pain.
Let us take care of your mum this Mother’s Day and treat her with our special foot package! Our friendly Podiatrists will make your mum feel right at home from the moment she walks in. Book online, call us on 9480 4935 or pop into our podiatry clinic to prepare your wonderful mother a gift voucher for this Mother’s Day!