Most people take their feet for granted and avoid seeking medical care for foot problems until the pain or other negative impacts are severe. However, maintaining your feet is vital to your health, safety, and mobility, and a Maryland podiatrist can help.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans will have some type of problem with their feet at some point in their lives. All too often, these problems are ignored, as people chalk them up to aging or normal wear and tear. The truth is that leaving foot problems untreated can affect your mobility and quality of life. Also, some foot problems can be signs of other health problems and having them checked out can help you catch these issues early.
The Foot
The human foot is a lot more complicated than you would imagine. It consists of 26 bones (28 including the sesamoid bones), 19 muscles, 33 joints, and more than 107 ligaments. With all those parts, there’s little wonder that things can and do go wrong from time to time.
Dr. Jordan R. Stewart of the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center, a Maryland podiatrist can help treat your foot and/or ankle conditions. Below are some of the more common conditions seen by Dr. Stewart:
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that occurs when there is repetitive micro-trauma along the plantar fascia, a large ligament on the bottom of the foot. This leads to a build up of scar tissue and impingement of nerve branches to the heel therefore resulting in heel pain. If left untreated, it can cause severe pain and limitation of walking. Early treatment usually consists of stretching, splinting, rest, ice, custom orthotics, and switching to more supportive shoes. If the pain does not respond to conservative treatment, more aggressive measures, including surgery, may be pursued.
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon sheath and usually results from overuse, injury, weight gain, and/or failure to wear supportive shoes. It typically results in pain with walking therefore limiting mobility and physical activity. Treatment usually consists of rest, ice, immobilization, custom orthotics, physical therapy, weight loss and stretching and strengthening exercises. When conservative treatment fails to resolve symptoms, surgical treatment may be necessary.
Bunions
A bunion is a painful boney prominence that appears as a bump at the base of the big toe along edge of the 1st metatarsal bone. With bunions, the big toe usually turns inwards towards the 2nd toe. This can result in chronic foot pain, foot deformity, restriction of physical activity, and limited ability to comfortably wear shoes. Treatment consists of wearing deep and wide shoes, ice, custom foot orthotics, and medication. Surgical options may be necessary with failed conservative care.
Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail is a condition in which the toenail grows into the skin. If untreated, this can cause severe discomfort, difficulty walking, and infection. If the condition does not quickly resolve, it’s more than worth your while to see your local podiatrist, Dr. Stewart.
Toenails Fungus
Toenail fungus, typically caused by dermatophytes, results in thickening, discoloration, yellowing, loosening, and crumbling of the toenails. This common condition can be difficult to treat. Treatment options for toenail fungus include medications, laser therapy, and nail procedures. After evaluating your toenail fungus, Dr. Stewart will determine the best treatment option for you.
Hammertoe
A hammertoe is a deformity in which the toe is bent at the joint leading to prominence of bone. This results in pain, particulary when wearing shoes. Pain from hammertoes can limit physical activity and reduce quality of life. Podiatrists routinely treat hammertoes with conservative treatment including orthotics, medications, and shoe gear modification. When conservative care fails, surgical methods are used to treat hammertoes.
Timonium Foot and Ankle Center
For Maryland residents looking for quality podiatric care, the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center should be your first contact. The Center’s Dr Jordan R. Stewart is a podiatrist trained in the most up-to-date podiatric treatments and will always treat your foot and/or ankle issues conservatively with non-surgical methods of resolving problems and will only recommend surgery if necessary. If you’re in the Baltimore area and you’re experiencing foot pain, don’t put off seeking out a Maryland podiatrist – give the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center and Dr. Stewart a call and schedule an appointment today.