Items filtered by date: November 2022

A condition commonly known as turf toe is a sprain of the ligaments on the underside of the joint of the big toe. It is common to football players and runners who push off the big toe in a burst of energy when preparing to run. It is also common among dancers, gymnasts, and wrestlers. The injury occurs when the big toe is bent more than 90 degrees as the heel is raised off the ground. Picture a runner who is ready to push off the ground in a race, or a football lineman waiting for the quarterback’s signal. The severity of the sprain will indicate the amount of pain involved. A mild sprain causes pain and swelling that can last a week or two. A moderate sprain may last more than a couple of weeks. A severe turf toe sprain involves a complete rupture of the ligament on the sole of the foot and is quite rare. This injury will take longer to heal. If you believe you have sustained a turf toe injury, it is a good idea to visit a podiatrist for immediate and thorough treatment.

Toe pain can disrupt your daily activities. If you have any concerns, contact one of our podiatrists of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, PC. Our practitioners can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

What Causes Toe Pain?

Most severe toe pain is caused due to a sports injury, trauma from dropping something heavy on the toe, or bumping into something rigid. Other problems can develop over time for various reasons.

Toe pain can be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:

• Trauma
• Sports injury
• Wearing shoes that are too tight
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Corns and calluses
• Hammertoe
• Bunions
• Blisters
• Ingrown toenails
• Sprains
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Dislocations

When to See a Podiatrist

• Severe pain
• Persistent pain that lasts more than a week
• Signs of infection
• Continued swelling
• Pain that prevents walking

Diagnosis

In many cases the cause of toe pain is obvious, but in others, a podiatrist may want to use more advanced methods to determine the problem. These can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatments for toe pain and injuries vary and may include shoe inserts, padding, taping, medicines, injections, and in some cases, surgery. If you believe that you have broken a toe, please see a podiatrist as soon as possible.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our offices located in Gainesville and Dulles, VA . We offer the newest diagnostic tools and technology to treat your foot and ankle needs.

An open sore on the foot is known as a foot ulcer. It can be common among diabetic patients who have cuts on their feet, which they may not be aware of. A simple cut may develop into a foot ulcer as a result of neuropathy, which causes the inability to feel existing wounds, cuts, or scrapes on the feet. There are varying degrees of foot ulcers, which can range from a shallow wound that is on the surface to a deep wound involving the tendons and bones. Any type of wound on the foot needs prompt medical attention, and this may prevent a foot ulcer from developing. A wound on the foot is treated by cleaning out debris that may be inside of it. This is followed by tightly wrapping it with a bandage that can protect the foot, and it is beneficial to elevate it as often as possible. The more shallow the wound is, the greater the chances of a complete healing is possible. If you have a foot wound, please consult with a podiatrist who can offer the correct treatment methods for wound care.

Wound care is an important part in dealing with diabetes. If you have diabetes and a foot wound or would like more information about wound care for diabetics, consult with one of our podiatrists from Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, PC. Our practitioners will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

What Is Wound Care?

Wound care is the practice of taking proper care of a wound. This can range from the smallest to the largest of wounds. While everyone can benefit from proper wound care, it is much more important for diabetics. Diabetics often suffer from poor blood circulation which causes wounds to heal much slower than they would in a non-diabetic. 

What Is the Importance of Wound Care?

While it may not seem apparent with small ulcers on the foot, for diabetics, any size ulcer can become infected. Diabetics often also suffer from neuropathy, or nerve loss. This means they might not even feel when they have an ulcer on their foot. If the wound becomes severely infected, amputation may be necessary. Therefore, it is of the upmost importance to properly care for any and all foot wounds.

How to Care for Wounds

The best way to care for foot wounds is to prevent them. For diabetics, this means daily inspections of the feet for any signs of abnormalities or ulcers. It is also recommended to see a podiatrist several times a year for a foot inspection. If you do have an ulcer, run the wound under water to clear dirt from the wound; then apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover with a bandage. Bandages should be changed daily and keeping pressure off the wound is smart. It is advised to see a podiatrist, who can keep an eye on it.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices located in Gainesville and Dulles, VA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Ingrown toenails are a pesky foot condition that can develop when the sides of the toenails essentially grow into the skin. Sometimes, this can result in the skin around the nail growing over the sides of the toenail. Although some people with this condition might not feel any specific symptoms, others might feel pain. There are important steps that you can take to prevent ingrown toenails. First, you ought to consider wearing shoes that fit properly. Tight shoes can lead to the squeezing of the toes. Second, you can work on trimming your toenails properly. Keeping the nails too short or in a crooked shape can ultimately encourage the surrounding skin to grow over the nail. Contact a podiatrist today to learn about more preventative measures you can take against ingrown toenails.

Ingrown toenails can become painful if they are not treated properly. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact one of our podiatrists of Prince William Foot & Ankle Center, PC. Our practitioners can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows sideways into the bed of the nail, causing pain, swelling, and possibly infection.

Causes

• Bacterial infections
• Improper nail cutting such as cutting it too short or not straight across
• Trauma to the toe, such as stubbing, which causes the nail to grow back irregularly
• Ill-fitting shoes that bunch the toes too close together
• Genetic predisposition

Prevention

Because ingrown toenails are not something found outside of shoe-wearing cultures, going barefoot as often as possible will decrease the likeliness of developing ingrown toenails. Wearing proper fitting shoes and using proper cutting techniques will also help decrease your risk of developing ingrown toenails.

Treatment

Ingrown toenails are a very treatable foot condition. In minor cases, soaking the affected area in salt or antibacterial soaps will not only help with the ingrown nail itself, but also help prevent any infections from occurring. In more severe cases, surgery is an option. In either case, speaking to your podiatrist about this condition will help you get a better understanding of specific treatment options that are right for you.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our offices located in Gainesville and Dulles, VA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.