Author: Julius Marco

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Plantar warts, also known as a verruca, are a common skin condition that can impact people of all ages although they are particularly common in children. As podiatrists, we are often the first point of contact for patients seeking treatment for their plantar warts.

What causes warts?
Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can enter the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions on the soles of the feet. The virus thrives in warm, moist environments such as swimming pools and communal showers, which are often frequented by children. Unfortunately, another example of a warm, moist environment is a sweaty foot in a shoe! Once the virus has entered the skin, it causes a rapid growth of cells on the outer layer of the skin, leading to the formation of a wart.1 

How can warts be treated?

Podiatrists offer a range of treatment options for plantar warts, tailored to the child’s age, overall health, and the severity of the warts. Some of the treatments podiatrists offer are listed below.   Read more

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By Rainer Maier

Having warts on the bottom of the feet that won’t go away is a frustrating, ongoing problem that can last months or even years. They can make walking unpleasant but also painful. While many people are told that they should just wait for the wart to go away on its own, or to use padding in the meantime that only ever provides a little temporary relief, the reality is that when left untreated, warts can stick around for a very long time.

What are plantar warts and how are they caused?

Plantar warts are small, rough, round growths that are medically known as verrucae and present on the bottom of the foot. They’re caused by a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in the outer skin layer and are often contracted in childhood. Once you’ve contracted the virus, you’ll always have it in your system, so plantar warts may pop up spontaneously throughout your lifetime. Read more

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By Cameron Chaplin

Diabetes is a complex condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Podiatrists play a crucial role in supporting people with diabetes by providing expert foot care and helping to prevent lower limb complications. In this blog, we’ll explore how podiatrists can help people with diabetes.

Prevention 

Preventing foot complications is a top priority for podiatrists who work with people with diabetes. Rather than focusing on the risks and negative outcomes of foot problems, podiatrists take a positive approach by empowering their patients to take control of their foot health. This can include education on proper foot care, wearing appropriate footwear, and engaging in physical activity to control their diabetes. Read more

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By Rainer Maier
Ingrown toenails on a woman’s foot, pain in the big toe closeup

Ingrown toenails, also known as onychocryptosis, are a common and painful complaint. A true ingrown toenail is when a spike or edge of nail pierces the skin at the nail edge. This is known as the sulcus and can cause inflammation and even lead to infection. 

There are a variety of factors that can cause ingrown toenails. The most common cause is due to improper cutting of your toenail and leaving a spike of nail in the sulcus. It can also be a result of a curved nail, known as an involuted nail, from external pressure. 

If you are experiencing pain, redness, and swelling around your toenail, it may be time to consider seeing one of our podiatrists. With over 30 years of combined experience in treating foot and ankle conditions, we have successfully treated many cases of ingrown toenails. Read more

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By Rainer Maier
Using ankle foot orthosis at flaccid foot drop, adjusting tightening straps with velcro for fixed brace on leg.

Welcome to the world of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs)! If you’re new to the concept of AFOs, you may be wondering what they are and how an AFO may benefit you. An AFO is a medical device (orthosis) that is used to support and/or correct the alignment of the ankle and foot.

There are several different types of AFOs available, each designed for a specific purpose. For example, a solid AFO is typically used to provide stability and support to a weak or unstable ankle. On the other hand, a hinged AFO allows for some movement at the ankle joint and can be useful for people who need more flexibility and have some muscle strength.

Another type of AFO is the dynamic AFO, which uses springs, hinges, or other mechanisms to assist with movement. This type of AFO is often used for people with foot drop or gait abnormalities. Materials used to fabricate an AFO can vary from lightweight plastics to carbon fibre. Read more

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By Madison Knight

As podiatrists, we see a lot of people who are dealing with calluses and corns on their feet. These are common foot conditions that can be caused by a variety of factors, but one of the most common is footwear.
Wearing ill-fitting shoes or shoes that don’t provide enough support can cause your feet to develop calluses and corns. These conditions can be painful and unsightly, and they can make it difficult to walk or stand for long periods of time. In this blog, I’ll explain how footwear can contribute to the development of calluses and corns, and what you can do to prevent them.

What are calluses and corns? What’s the difference?

The skin is our largest organ and protects us from external threats. When the skin undergoes continuous moments of stress or trauma, the body recognises this and signals the skin to thicken. This defence mechanism strengthens our skin to these outside forces – which is a good thing. A callus is a diffuse thickening of a patch of skin, whereas a corn has the defining feature of a central core. Read more

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By Cameron Chaplin

When it comes to foot health, calluses and corns are common issues that many of us face. These hard, thick patches of skin can be painful and unsightly, and can often be caused by a variety of factors. But did you know that having a stroke can also increase your risk of developing calluses and corns on your feet?

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, either by a blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel. This can cause a range of symptoms, including weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding language, and vision problems. Read more

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Distance running is becoming increasingly popular. Marathons across the world are now getting some of the highest participation rates ever.
At the same time, distance running can sometimes lead to injuries. In fact, it is estimated that the incidence of injury in endurance runners is between 30-80% – and most of these are foot and ankle injuries.
Here are some examples of common injuries, and how you can lower the risk of injury, from distance running.

Common injuries in distance running sports

  • Stress fractures

Stress fractures in runners most typically affect the tibia and fibula leg bones as well as bones of the foot and ankle. High-risk foot and ankle fractures include fractures of the fifth metatarsal, and of the navicular bone on the medial (inner) side of the foot.
These types of injuries sometimes arise from suboptimal training loads that can lead to an imbalance between the cells that breakdown and re-build bone tissue. This in turn can result in micro fractures and breaks.
Symptoms include localised pain during training – at first towards the end of the run, but if left untreated, then earlier in the run or even during rest.

  • Ankle sprains

Ankle sprains represent about 1% of running-related injuries. Sprains to the ankles tend to be more common in sports involving stop-and-go motions, such as football and tennis.
In some cases, ankle sprains can result in persistent pain years after the injury occurred. Read more

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Morton’s neuroma is a fairly common condition that affects the ball of the foot and the toes. People with the condition may experience pain and discomfort and difficulty walking.
For some people, the condition can lead to chronic pain that makes it very difficult to bear any weight on their foot at all.

However, there are also some people with Morton’s neuroma that do not experience any symptoms.
Let’s look at what a Morton’s neuroma is, the symptoms and what you can do about it.

What is Morton’s neuroma?

Morton’s neuroma refers to a thickening of the tissue around the small nerves leading to the toes. Morton’s neuroma most typically affects the area between the third and fourth toes.
Despite the name, the condition is not a true ‘neuroma’, which is a benign tissue tumour. It is a fibrosis of the nerve – meaning excess connective tissue growth. Read more

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Over 40 and participating in high-intensity activities?

Tips to avoid developing peroneal tendinopathy.

Peroneal tendinitis (or peroneal tendinopathy) is a condition that causes pain around the outer side of the ankle and foot. There are two main tendons on the outside of your ankle – the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis. The role of these tendons is to stabilise the ankle, stabilise the arch of the foot when walking and to turn the foot outwards.

They can become painful when structural changes occur in response to increased load and overuse of the tendons, without ensuring sufficient recovery time between activities. Around the ankle and foot, tendons are often protected by layers of connective tissue known as tendon sheaths. If symptoms are left to progress, inflammation of this tendon sheath worsens, and this causes greater ankle pain, and dysfunction. Read more

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