Arthritis is a frequent component of complex diseases that may involve more than 100 identifiable disorders. Arthritic feet can result in loss of mobility and independence, but early diagnosis and proper medical care can help significantly. More information is available from the Arthritis Foundation.

Athlete’s foot is a skin disease caused by a fungus, usually occurring between the toes.

A bunion is an enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe-the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint-that forms when the bone or tissue at the big toe joint moves out of place.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the lives of nearly 26 million people in the United States. Additional information is available from the American Diabetes Association.

Diabetes is the leading cause of nontraumatic lower extremity amputations in the United States. Additional information is available from the American Diabetes Association.

Foot and ankle emergencies happen every day. Broken bones, dislocations, sprains, contusions, infections, and other serious injuries can occur at any time. Early attention is vitally important. Whenever you sustain a foot or ankle injury, you should seek immediate treatment from a podiatric physician.

Many foot problems do not respond to “conservative” management. Your podiatric physician can determine when surgical intervention may be helpful. Often when pain or deformity persists, surgery may be appropriate to alleviate discomfort or to restore the function of your foot.

Heel pain has many causes. It is generally the result of faulty biomechanics (walking gait abnormalities) that place too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissues that attach to it. The stress may also result from injury, or a bruise incurred while walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces; wearing poorly constructed footwear; or being overweight.

Ingrown nails, the most common nail impairment, are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling.

Toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, is an infection underneath the surface of the nail caused by fungi.

A neuroma is a painful condition, also referred to as a “pinched nerve” or a nerve tumor. It is a benign growth of nerve tissue frequently found between the third and fourth toes that brings on pain, a burning sensation, tingling, or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot.

Orthotics are shoe inserts that are intended to correct an abnormal, or irregular, walking pattern.

PAD is short for peripheral arterial disease. PAD is caused by a blockage or narrowing of the arteries in the legs when fatty deposits called plaque build up.

We often view the sun’s harmful rays as the primary cause of skin cancer, but this does not hold true of cancers that arise on the skin of the feet. A podiatrist’s knowledge and training is of extreme importance for patients for the early detection of both benign and malignant skin tumors.

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.