Your grandmother probably complained about her bunions, but the fact is, anyone can develop this misaligned and swollen joint at the base of the big toe. Your big toe contains two joints. The larger one is the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, located where the first metatarsal (long foot bone) meets the...
You love the way high-heeled shoes make you look, but you probably don’t like what they’re doing to your feet, legs, and even your posture. High-heeled shoes are responsible for a number of podiatric and mechanical problems that should give you pause. At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, board-certified podiatrist Dr. Robert Sheffey and...
You may have heard that you can get warts from touching toads, but that’s not true. Warts are the result of an infection from certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that produces noncancerous growths in the topmost layer of your skin. Warts are classified by where...
Playing sports can be good exercise and lots of fun. But it’s not much fun when you sustain an injury, especially to your foot or ankle. Up to 25% of sports injuries affect the ankles and feet. There are steps you can take, though, to prevent injuries. If you’re looking...
Ankle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries. A 2019 research review indicated about 2 million acute ankle sprains occur every year in the United States. Like most injuries, you need a period of rest and rehabilitation before you can return to your normal activities. But that same review...
A stress fracture is a repetitive motion or overuse injury in the weight-bearing bones of your body that produces a hairline crack. Left untreated, such an injury can weaken your feet and ankles and put you at risk for a more serious fracture. At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, our team...
Ingrown nails mostly affect the toes, especially the big toe, because of the pressure of the body’s weight. A nail becomes ingrown either because the skin grows over the nail or the nail grows into the skin around it. Regardless of the cause, you end up with a painful, hard,...
Gout is a form of arthritis once referred to as the “disease of kings,” because people erroneously associated it with the savory meats and wine only the rich could afford. It causes inflammation in the joints like any other form of arthritis, but the causes are different than osteoarthritis (wear...
A hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third, and/or fourth toes on either foot. The toe bends at the middle, or proximal interphalangeal (PIP), joint, so the whole toe takes on a hammer-like appearance. Hammertoes can be flexible, which are easily correctable, or rigid, which require surgery. At Chicagoland...
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the cord-like tissue that runs from the heel to the ball of your foot and supports the arch. About 2 million people a year seek treatment for it. But if you have plantar fasciitis, you may also...
Diabetes is a common disease, becoming more common as Americans become more overweight and less active. It’s a condition where blood sugar levels remain elevated due to a lack of the hormone insulin (Type 1) or a resistance to insulin’s effects (Type 2). About 34.2 million Americans have diabetes, including...
An ankle fracture consists of one or more bones in the ankle joint suffering a partial or complete break. Fractures primarily occur when the ankle rolls either inward or outward. Many of our patients mistake a fracture for a simple sprain, but they’re entirely different conditions that require an early...
The plantar fascia ligament starts at the calcaneus bone at the back of your heel, stretching like a bowstring to the front of your foot and helping to maintain your foot arch. When the fascia becomes inflamed, the condition is called plantar fasciitis, and it often comes with a characteristic...
About 8 million Americans suffer from the sudden painful symptoms of gout. The excruciating and immobilizing pain that occurs with this condition is so severe that Hippocrates called gout “the unwalkable disease.” Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that results from hyperuricemia, a condition that occurs when too much...
A hammertoe (also called a mallet toe) is a condition that results in an unnatural bend in one or both joints of an affected toe. It is often related to an imbalance in the ligaments, tendons, or muscles that bend your toe and keep it straight. The condition causes the...
Ingrown toenails cause swelling, redness, and pain. In mild cases, you can relieve your symptoms by soaking your feet in a warm bath with Epsom salts. Ingrown toenails can also sometimes grow out on their own, especially if you trim your toenails correctly. However, in some cases, you need medical...
A stress fracture is one of the most common overuse injuries related to exercise and sports. Though this condition is typical among athletes, a stress fracture can affect anyone who participates in repetitive or high-impact activities. Almost 50% of all sports injuries are overuse injuries. A stress fracture in your...
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually everyone’s lives have changed in significant ways. The rapidly spreading virus has also greatly impacted how people go about seeking medical care and the ways medical professionals tend to patients’ needs. Throughout this unprecedented time, your foot and ankle health remains important,...
When you have diabetes, you have a lot to manage. From eating a healthy diet to remembering to take your medicine and scheduling regular doctor appointments, it can get overwhelming. Your feet may not seem like a priority, but foot problems are common among diabetics. This is explained by the...
