Blog Archive
Having trouble walking doesn’t just affect how you look. It can also affect the health of your feet. Often, these problems with walking (better known as gait abnormalities) aren’t your fault. They can be caused by a number of conditions, including injury and improper footwear. Still, walking improperly takes its...
There are a lot of myths about athlete’s foot. A highly contagious fungal infection that generally develops between your toes, this condition can result in dry, red, or itchy skin, and it’s more common than you might think. Athlete’s foot is one of the most common skin infections that affect...
Having diabetes increases your risk of developing foot problems, especially infections. While foot infections can have serious complications for a diabetic — including amputation — you can do a lot to prevent them. The providers at Great Lakes Foot and Ankle Institute, with locations in Michigan and Illinois, are diabetic...
If you’ve ever experienced the pain and swelling of an ingrown toenail, you already know that it hurts. Having an ingrown toenail can really interfere with your life, much more than you think it would. The bad news is that if you’ve gone through this once, you’re likely to go...
Gout is a form of arthritis that affects joints, often in the big toes. And when it comes to gout attacks, food can have a lot to do with them. The good news is you can reduce your chances of experiencing attacks by avoiding certain foods. In this blog, the...
Foot calluses are very common. And, they’re rarely a problem. Calluses are hard patches of skin that develop due to repeated pressure that is placed on an area. Extra layers of skin grow on top of each other to help protect the area from what’s irritating it. While calluses are...
Ankle injuries are very common. Although this joint is small, it can cause a great deal of pain if you injure it. Your ankles are especially prone to injury because they support your entire body weight. Some injuries to the ankle are more common than others. Most ankle injuries resolve...
If you have plantar fasciitis, you already know about the pain it can cause. It commonly causes sharp, stabbing pain in the heels, and it’s usually at its worst right after waking up. If you’ve tried various treatments only to find limited relief, there’s hope. Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology®, or...
Gout is a condition in which high levels of uric acid lead to the formation of urate crystals, and these crystals then get inside joints and cause pain and inflammation. While gout can affect any joint in the body, it most often affects the big toe. Gout tends to come...
In some situations, injuries — such as ankle sprains and torn ligaments — can take a while to heal. Does this describe your injury? If so, are you wondering if there’s anything you can do to speed the healing? There is: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Platelet-rich plasma uses healing properties...
Because ingrown toenails are common, many people don’t think they’re a big deal. However, ingrown toenails can be quite painful, and they can even lead to infection, which can cause a variety of health problems. Ingrown toenails should never be ignored. You should always make an appointment for a professional...
If you have a hammertoe, you may experience discomfort or even pain while standing or walking. With a hammertoe, the affected toe forms an arch, with the middle joint at the peak. It most commonly occurs in the second, third, or fourth toes. If you’ve only had the condition for...
Anyone can get plantar warts, but children and teens have a higher chance of getting them than adults. Plantar warts are caused by a virus and affect the soles of the feet. Prevention is your best bet when it comes to plantar warts. However, once you notice a plantar wart,...
If you live with the pain and suffering of arthritis, you’re far from alone. In fact, 23% of all Americans — 54 million people — live with the condition. The most common symptoms of arthritis are pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited range of motion. Most treatment options for arthritis, such...
Foot problems can develop at any age, but you might be surprised by how many of them have their roots in childhood. A new school year is a common time to schedule a well-child exam with your child’s pediatrician or family doctor, but it’s also the perfect time to add...
Chances are good that you have experienced an ingrown toenail at some point in your life. This common toe injury can cause swelling, redness, and pain. Sometimes, an ingrown toenail will go away on its own, perhaps with a little bit of help from you. However, there are times when...
Summertime is often a season filled with many activities, from swimming and boating to lounging by the pool. Unfortunately, it’s also a time of year when you’re more at risk of developing itchy, uncomfortable conditions, such as athlete’s foot. Fortunately, you can take a few simple steps to keep your...
Anyone can develop a stress fracture in their foot, but runners and other athletes are at a heightened risk. But don’t hang up your running shoes just yet. If you learn about the signs of a stress fracture, you may be able to prevent the problem from getting worse. Certain...
Physical activity is a great way to stay healthy. Playing sports allows you to get exercise, build friendships, and boost self-confidence. Unfortunately, along with the fun comes the potential for injuries, especially foot and ankle injuries. Although foot and ankle injuries are common in many sports, many such injuries are...
Corns and calluses are common foot problems. Sometimes, they can even be painful. Both have some of the same causes, including wearing improper shoes and repeated irritation, and both involve a buildup of dead skin cells. Despite the fact that they are often used interchangeably, there are a number of...
Do you suffer from unpleasant and embarrassing foot issues like athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, or plantar warts? If so, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there is a solution for each of these issues, so you don’t have to suffer in silence or forego sandals and open-toed shoes year after year. At...
If you’re living in pain because of hammertoe, you’ll probably find little solace learning that you’re not alone: Approximately 60 million Americans develop this condition. And, even though it’s common, most cases remain undiagnosed and untreated. Only about 10% of hammertoe sufferers undergo surgery in any given year. Unfortunately, without...
A gout attack is one of the most painful experiences you can have. It usually doesn’t give you much warning, and comes on suddenly. According to the National Kidney Foundation, gout is on the rise and affects more than 8 million American adults. In each of our locations in Michigan,...
If both of your feet are quite literally planted to the ground, this is a condition known as flatfoot in which your arches may not have developed, or they collapse later in life. Thankfully, many cases of flatfoot are painless and don’t have any measurable impact on your mobility. For...
Nothing is more frustrating than a slow-healing injury that keeps you off your feet, especially if you lead an active lifestyle. However, you may be surprised to learn that your body has everything it needs to heal your injury, and quickly. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is an innovative treatment that...
There’s nothing good about the term “chronic.” When it accompanies a medical condition, it means that you’ll be managing it for the long term rather than treating it and moving on. If you’ve suffered through multiple ankle sprains, you could be at risk for a condition known as chronic instability,...
Bunions can be incredibly painful and take the joy out of life in a hurry. Day-to-day life with bunions may make you feel like you have no choice but to seek out a surgeon. However, you have many other options to try before it’s necessary to schedule foot surgery. Our...
Looking forward to spending the summer months with your toes in the sand? Running barefoot all summer long may be a tempting thought, but it’s a good idea to keep in mind some general guidelines to ensure your feet stay healthy and safe from injury. If you are experiencing any...
More than three-quarters of Americans suffer from foot pain, according to statistics from the American Podiatric Medical Association, including adults of all ages and from all walks of life. About 83 percent of the survey’s respondents said their chronic symptoms limited their activities, interfering with their ability to exercise, work,...
Arthritis is a painful condition that often gets worse over time. Fortunately, it is possible to manage the symptoms of arthritis effectively and live a full life. Below are some tips to help you reduce pain and maximize mobility. 1. Seek professional care. If you think you may have arthritis,...
Managing diabetes takes a lot of work. You need to monitor your blood glucose levels, take your medicine on a regular basis, see the doctor routinely, keep an eye on everything you eat and make sure you get enough exercise — and that’s just for starters. Because diabetes affects your...
An astounding one out of every 100 people in the U.S. has a painful foot condition called plantar fasciitis, of which 75% say that they've had pain from the condition within the last month. To make walking bearable, 41% of sufferers use pain medicine, but many painkillers present a whole new set...
As sports medicine specialists and doctors, we applaud our active clients who are maintaining optimal health through athletic pursuits. We also understand that athletes are, how shall we say, not so patient when it comes to slow-healing injuries. If you’re champing at the bit to get back out there after...
While it may not be a frequent topic of conversation topic in your household, adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) is one of the most common problems affecting the adult foot and ankle. AAFD occurs when the arch of your foot collapses and no longer provides adequate support for your foot and...