The foot and ankle are necessary to provide stability for the body’s weight, yet remain flexible for walking, running or jumping. Should anything limit the stability of the ankle and/or foot, the result is likely to cause pain.

Many adults will eventually suffer from some sort of foot disorder such as:

Achilles Tendonitis – Stress placed upon the tendon (walking, running or jumping) can cause inflammation known as Achilles Tendonitis. The most common stresses are overpronation, a high-arch foot, inappropriate shoes and stiffness of the calf muscle. It is commonly experienced by athletes, and can be difficult to treat due to their reluctance to slow down training.

Arthritis – Arthritis refers to the variety of conditions that cause inflammation and the degeneration of the cartilage and lining of the body’s joints. It can occur at any joint, but is especially prevalent in the feet and ankles. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, causing severe deformities of joints, which restricts motion and causes pain. Osteoarthritis can be a result of a previous injury to the joint, or can result from normal “wear and tear”.

Bunions – Bunions cause pain in the region of the first (big) toe. This problem is typically caused by overpronation (flattening out of the foot when the heel strikes the ground), in conjunction with the wearing of ill-fitting shoes. The condition is ten times more common in women than in men.

Callous’ – A callous is the thickening and buildup of the outer layer of skin on the sole of the foot. This is the body’s way of protecting itself from excessive pressure. The most common areas of growth are under the ball of the foot, and at the 2nd and 5th toes.

Metatarsalgia – Metatarsalgia is inflammation of the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot area). It is often caused by an abnormal function of the forefoot, ill-fitting footwear or disease such as arthritis that attacks the joints themselves. Callous formation corresponds with this condition in the ball of the foot area.

Plantar fasciitis – This is the most common form of heel pain. It is an inflammation of the thick fibrous band that support the arch of the foot. The inflammation occurs when this band becomes overstretched and pulls away or tears at its attachment on the base of the heel. If left untreated, a heel spur (bony growth) may develop.

Diabetics and foot care - Because of the effects of diabetes on circulation and nerve endings (neuropathy), diabetic patients become susceptible to risky conditions involving the extremities. Most often these occur in the feet. Footwear can contribute or actually cause some of these conditions, so diabetic footwear has been developed to avoid, treat or accommodate, and lessen the risk factors.