Frequently Asked Questions

Regular foot care is extremely important for those with diabetes. Since injuries can happen and then worsen without you realizing it, you should be doing self-checks of your feet every day. This will allow you to identify any potential issues early on and get prompt medical care. Along with self-checks, you should schedule a full check of your feet and lower limbs with Comprehensive Foot Specialists at least once a year. Those with severe diabetic foot complications may need to be seen by our specialists more often, but since quality foot care is one of the most crucial aspects of diabetes care, these checks should be prioritized.

Those with diabetes are at a higher risk for foot complications, which makes proper foot care extremely important. Due to lack of sensation in the feet from nerve damage and poor circulation, a small injury (like a scratch or blister) can go unnoticed and quickly worsen. Poor blood flow in this area also makes healing more difficult, which can cause the wound to become infected before you even realize it is there. Untreated infections can even lead to major complications, for which amputation may be necessary. Daily checks of the feet are crucial for those with diabetes. You should be looking for any signs of injury or other issues, such as red or dry patches, cuts or scrapes, temperature changes, corns, or calluses. Anything unusual should be reported to your doctor at Comprehensive Foot Specialists right away. You should also prioritize scheduling regular visits with your doctor to ensure the long term health of your feet.

Foot surgery is not painful, due to the precautions that are taken before and during surgery. A majority of podiatric cases are performed under Monitored Anesthetic Case, or MAC anesthesia. This is a type of anesthesia where the patient is typically still aware, but very relaxed and oftentimes does not recall any of the events leading up to the surgery, and/or the surgery itself. Any procedure that requires an incision will utilize some type of anesthetic, whether that anesthetic is localized to the area being treated or is focused on the entire body. Pain associated with foot surgery is usually present after the surgery itself. Swelling and inflammation are common after many types of surgery, including foot surgery. The amount of pain you experience depends upon your personal pain tolerance, as well as the complexity and scale of the procedure that was performed. Minor procedures tend to cause less pain during the recovery period. At Comprehensive Foot Specialists, our doctors are knowledgeable in pain management, and we will provide you with a detailed post-operative recovery plan and instructions so discomfort can be minimized while you heal.

Although many children do grow out of gait abnormalities as their feet develop over time, this is not always the case. Whether or not the child grows out of the issue depends partly upon what part of the feet or legs is causing the toes to point inward. If the bones in the thighs or shins are naturally twisted, a few years of growth may be enough to straighten them without intervention. However, if your child is showing evidence of metatarsus adductus (a curve in the foot bones), taping and stretching will be required to address the deformity. When young children are treated for intoeing, the process will depend on the severity of the issue and how the foot develops over time. Procedures are available at Comprehensive Foot Specialists for children whose gait abnormalities have persisted over time and/or are causing discomfort. As these procedures are generally utilized in severe cases, our specialists will discuss your child’s condition with you so the correct treatment decision can be made.

While shoes are not the direct cause of foot deformities, such as hammertoes and bunions, they can cause these issues to worsen over time. Hammertoes and bunions develop due to the structure of the foot - hammertoes are caused by a tendon imbalance that affects the toes and bunions occur when faulty foot mechanics cause the big toe to become displaced. Both of these conditions can also arise due to an inherited foot shape that makes them more likely. When the feet are squeezed and experience pressure from shoes that are too tight or narrow, these conditions can worsen and become even more uncomfortable. Toes can become more displaced from pointed shoes, and those with generally ill-fitting shoes are more likely to develop hammertoes or bunions. Having shoes that fit properly is essential to long-term foot health and comfort.

Foot odor is easier to treat than you might realize! The smell occurs because of the way that colonies of bacteria on the surface of the skin mix with and break down sweat. This means that the quickest way to address foot odor is to address its underlying cause - sweat. Simple changes to your wardrobe, such as ventilated shoes and moisture-wicking socks, can make a significant difference. You should also be wearing a clean pair of socks every day and give your shoes a rest before wearing them again (rotate between pairs). Also, make washing your feet with soap and water a part of your daily routine. If these at-home methods do not eliminate the odor, certain therapies and stronger products are available as well.

Just like shoes that do not fit properly, shoes that are worn out (especially running shoes) can lead to injury. Runners often wait too long to replace their shoes - the average pair should last between 400 and 600 miles. However, the lifespan of a pair of running shoes can be affected by a number of variables, including your weight, how much you run, and how forcefully you strike the ground. Intense long-distance runners are more likely to wear out their shoes more quickly than someone who goes for a short jog around the neighborhood twice a week. Once you’ve had your running shoes for a while, you should pay attention to how they make you feel. If your feet feel tired after a run or you’re experiencing lower limb pain while you run, it’s time to get a new pair. With that being said, you shouldn’t wait until your shoes are falling apart to replace them. If you wait until the tread is worn flat or the midsole is showing through the bottom of the shoe, then you have likely already been causing damage to your feet through shoes that are not providing proper support.

The easiest way to determine if your flat feet need treatment is to ask yourself a simple question - is the condition causing you pain? If not, treatment is not necessary. Having low arches is not uncommon and you can easily go about your day as normal if this slight deformity is not causing you any pain or disruption to your day. However, if you experience pain or discomfort stemming from your flat feet, certain treatment methods may be able to help. Structurally-supportive shoes or custom orthotics can provide relief. However, if the condition continues to worsen over time, tendon repairs, augmentation, or repositioning may be the most reasonable treatment.

High-quality orthotics should last for several years, but like anything that is used regularly, they are subject to wear and tear over time. Since you are most likely running and exercising in your orthotics, you should be paying attention to their state over time, so you can properly identify when they are no longer comfortable. If you are experiencing pain while wearing them or if you notice that the insole is losing its shape and function, you should look into getting a new pair. Your feet may change over time as well, which can alter the way the orthotics fit your feet. This can quickly lead to discomfort and is another indicator that you should replace them.

Fungal infections of the toenail are not caused by nail polish, but leaving toenail polish on for weeks or months can easily mask a fungal infection and cause it to worsen. Discoloration is often the first sign of toenail fungus and if polish is covering the nail, you may not realize that an infection is present. As the fungal infection develops, it can cause thickening and loosening of the nail plate. At this point, topical treatments will not be nearly as effective if there is still toenail polish on the nail. This is because the treatments are not able to penetrate the nail plate and reach the infected skin underneath the nail. In order to fully eliminate the toenail fungus, oral antifungals may be used, and total nail removal may be necessary in chronic cases.

When it comes to the foot, a fungal infection can occur on the skin or the nails. These infections differ in a few ways - a fungal skin infection will present as dry, scaling skin on the bottom of the foot or between the toes (i.e. athlete’s foot) while toenail fungus causes discoloration, thickening of the nail, and debris beneath the nail. An infection that began either on the skin or within one of the toenails can spread to the other nails on the foot if left untreated. However, these types of infections can be treated with topical antifungal creams or oral antifungals. The best way to ensure that the fungal infection does not spread is to visit one of our highly trained podiatrists at Comprehensive Foot Specialists to determine if any type of treatment is needed.