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Footwear models & designs change frequently, therefore consult a qualified podiatrist to determine the correct shoe style.
Skin and Nail Conditions
Athletes Foot
Athlete's foot is a skin infection caused by a fungus, usually occurring between the toes or on the soles of the feet. The signs of athlete's foot can include dry skin, itching, scaling, and blisters. Blisters often lead to cracking of the skin. When blisters break, small raw areas of tissue are exposed, causing pain and swelling.
RECOMMENDATION: Daily washing of the feet with soap and water, drying carefully between the toes and changing shoes and socks regularly. A topical medicament such as Lamisil cream or tea tree oil are commonly used for foot tinea.
Prevention tips
- Do not be barefoot when using public showers or toilets eg. swimming pools, gyms, caravan parks, suspect hotels
- Reduce shoe perspiration by using foot-shoe powder
- Do not wear socks on consecutive days
- Do not wear synthetic shoes
- If you suffer sweaty, malodorous feet or are prone to tinea. Go to the library to download further information and to the online store for suitable products for treatment
The library has relevant articles about athletes foot which may be downloaded:
- The malodorous foot (PDF)
For athletes foot products which can be purchased online please visit the online store
Diabetes
Australia has one of the highest recorded prevalences of diabetes for a developed nation. Foot care for people with diabetes are important because diabetes affects the feet in two ways. Diabetes can reduce blood circulation and also damage the nerves to the feet.
How to prevent foot problems
A few simple steps can help prevent foot problems. A checklist of simple strategies to care for feet include:
- Check feet daily for any signs of skin abrasions, blisters, corns or changes in colour
- Wash feet daily and dry well between the toes
- Keep toenails trimmed. Cut toenails straight across and file rough edges
- Avoid foot trauma by wearing well-fitting, protective shoes
- Do not treat corns or callus using home remedies or using commercially available corn pads. Rather have your feet treated by a podiatrist
- Avoid wearing tight shoes. Have enough toe room within the shoe to prevent over-crowding of the toes
Regular foot inspections and treatments by a qualified podiatrist will aid in an overall foot diabetic management program The Centre For Podiatric Medicine has a diabetic foot health strategy which is based upon scientifically proven methods promoted by the Australian Podiatry Council and Diabetes Australia. It is recommended that people with diabetes (especially insulin dependent diabetics) organise a regular appointment with one of the Podiatrists on our team to care for toe nails and hard skin. Furthermore a foot vascular-neurological assessment should be performed annually.
The library has relevant articles about the foot and which may be downloaded. For diabetic products which can be purchased online, please visit the online store
Blisters
Blisters are typically caused by friction eg. new shoes, tight shoes, wet socks. The outer layer of skin rubs against another surface, causing friction. Blisters appear as a raised fluid-filled sack. They most frequently appear on the heel, on the toes, or even between the toes. Do not pop blisters because of the risk of infection. They generally mend over time (approx. 7 days).
RECOMMENDATIONS: Properly fitted shoes are the best defense against blisters. Protective padding, gel sleeves, toe pads, blister packs and Betadine antiseptic are products to use.
For footinjury.com blister products which can be purchased online please visit the online store
Sweaty-malodorous feet
Sweaty feet can be an embarrassing condition which is all too common. It is more common in teenagers who live their lives in joggers and socks. Industrial occupations where enclosed safety footwear and hot summer conditions, exacerbate the prevalence of sweaty feet. While the condition is generally benign and easily managed, the condition can be severe (plantar bromhy-hyper-hydrosis).
The cause is linked to an over actice sympathetic nervous system. The cause of sweat overproduction may be due to runaway firing of the sympathetic nervous system or by over secretion of the sweat glands themselves. Genetics and heredity have been determined to be contributing factors in the prevalence of sweaty feet. Severe cases of sweaty feet can be a precursor to global foot skin problems.
Circumstances such as athlete's foot (tinea pedis), fungal toenails (onychomycosis), bacterial infections (staph or strep impetigo) and many forms of dermatosis can cause or be worsened by severe cases of the sweaty-malodorous foot.
The library has relevant articles about the sweaty malodorous foot which may be downloaded:
For sweaty-malodorous foot products which can be purchased online please visit the online store.
Corns & Callus
Corns & Callus are thickening of the skin. They are a natural reaction of the skin to pressure or friction caused by footwear, dropped metatarsals, bunions, clawed toes and even excessive walking. As a guide corns occur on top of the foot (toe area) and callus occur on the plantar surface of the foot.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- While changing or using well fitting shoes will help some of these problems, most of the time some intervention is required. The most effective treatment is to remove the lesions performed by a qualified podiatrist. The procedure should not be performed at home because of the risk of infection & causing further corn-callus complications. Click here to make an appointment with one of the qualified podiatrists at Centre For Podiatric Medicine.
- We recommend a variety of gel and cushion products for the toes and ball of the foot. Gel tubing pads for the toes are an effective way to reduce pressure to the toe areas. Gel forefoot pads will help with plantar callus which develops under the ball of the foot. A foot cream is essential for softening hard, painful corns and callus.
- Sometimes an orthotic or cushioned gel insole is required to change foot function.
For corns & callus foot products which can be purchased online please visit the online store
Ingrown Toe nails
Ingrown toe nails are a common, painful condition that occur when skin on one or both sides of a nail grows over the edges of the nail, or when the nail itself grows into the skin. This condition is usually very painful and can be associated with infection of the toe. Some ingrown toenails are chronic, with repeated episodes of pain and infection. Irritation, redness, an uncomfortable sensation of warmth, as well as swelling can result from an ingrown toenail.
Ingrown toenails develop for many reasons. In some cases the condition is congenital, such as toenails that simply are too large. People whose toes curl, either congenitally or from diseases like arthritis, are prone to ingrown toenails. Often trauma, like stubbing a toe or having a toe stepped on, can cause a piece of the nail to be jammed into the skin. Repeated trauma, such as the pounding to which runners typically subject their feet, also can cause ingrown nails.
The most common cause is cutting your toenails incorrectly, causing them to re-grow into the skin. Tight hosiery or shoes with narrow toe boxes only make matters worse. If the skin is red, painful or swollen on the sides of the nail, an infection may be present. This occurs because the ingrown nail is often in a warm, moist and bacteria-rich environment. When the nail penetrates the skin, it provides a convenient entry for germs that can cause infection. Untreated, the nail can go under the skin, causing a more severe infection. In either case, the infection needs to be cured with sterile instruments and antibiotics.
Treatment and Prevention
Ingrown toenails should be treated as soon as they are recognised. In many cases, people with ingrown toenails can obtain relief with the following simple regimen:
- Soak the feet in warm salt water
- Dry them with a clean towel
- Apply a mild antiseptic solution to the area (eg. Betadine)
- Bandage the toe
If inflammation, swelling, pain or discharge is present, the toenail probably is infected and should be treated by a Podiatrist. Click here for an appointment.
Our Podiatry team will remove the infected nail with a minor in-office surgical procedure.
Cutting toe nails properly goes a long way toward the prevention of ingrown toenails. Using a safety nail clipper, cut the nails straight across, so that the nail corner is visible. If you cut the nail too short, you are inviting the nail corner to grow into the skin. It is the natural tendency, when the edge of the nail starts to grow in, to cut down at an angle at the nail edge, to relieve the pain. This does relieve the pain temporarily, but it also can start a downward spiral, training the nail to become more and more ingrown.
Warts
Warts are one of several soft tissue conditions of the foot that can be quite painful. They are caused by a virus, which generally invades the skin through small or invisible cuts and abrasions. Plantar warts tend to be hard and flat, with a rough surface and well-defined boundaries; warts are generally raised and fleshier when they appear on the top of the foot or on the toes.
RECOMMENDATION:It is possible that your podiatric physician will prescribe and supervise your use of a wart-removal preparation.
Click here to make an appointment.
Cracked Heels
Dry skin is the primary culprit behind cracked heels. While the dry skin itself is not dangerous, if untreated and bleeding and infection result, it could be a serious problem for diabetics and older patients. Dry, cracked heels often appear with increased age, poorly fitted shoes, diabetes, and dry indoor air.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Dry, cracked heels are best treated with therapeutic ointments and creams, avoiding lotions that may contain drying alcohol. Eulactol heel is especially formulated for dry, cracked heels and calluses. Apply Eulactol twice daily. For further management apply a generous slab of sorbolene cream to the heel area and use night sucks to assist absorbtion.
For heel products which can be purchased online please visit the online store