Diabetes can be dangerous to your feet – even a small cut can produce serious consequences. Diabetes may cause nerve damage that takes away the feeling in your feet. Diabetes may also reduce blood flow to the feet, making it harder to heal an injury or resist infection. Because of these problems, you may not …

Inflammation is the body’s normal protective response to an injury, irritation, or surgery. This natural “defense” process brings increased blood flow to the area, resulting in an accumulation of fluid. As the body mounts this protective response, the symptoms of inflammation develop. These include: Inflammation can be acute or chronic. When it is acute, it …

A fracture is a break in the bone. Fractures can be divided into two categories: traumatic fractures and stress fractures. Traumatic fractures (also called acute fractures) are caused by a direct blow or impact, such as seriously stubbing your toe. Traumatic fractures can be displaced or non-displaced. If the fracture is displaced, the bone is …

Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome when a spur is present. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or, rarely, a cyst. Because there are several potential causes, it is important …

Achilles Tendon Rupture Surgery In some cases, surgery is needed to repair a rupture in the Achilles tendon and any related soft-tissue injuries that may have also occurred. The goal of surgery is to help restore length and function of the Achilles tendon. A variety of surgical techniques are available to repair the rupture. In …

An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle, usually on the outside of the ankle. Ligaments are bands of tissue – like rubber bands – that connect one bone to another and bind the joints together. In the ankle joint, ligaments provide stability by limiting side-to-side movement. Some ankle …

What is Gout? Gout is a disorder that results from the build-up of uric acid in the tissues or a joint. It most often affects the joint of the big toe. Causes: Gout attacks are caused by deposits of crystallized uric acid in the joint. Uric acid is present in the blood and eliminated in …

What Is an Ingrown Toenail? When a toenail is ingrown, it is curved and grows into the skin, usually at the nail borders (the sides of the nail). This “digging in” of the nail irritates the skin, often creating pain, redness, swelling, and warmth in the toe. If an ingrown nail causes a break in …

Even though bunions are a common foot deformity, there are misconceptions about them. Many people may unnecessarily suffer the pain of bunions for years before seeking treatment. What Is a Bunion? A bunion (also referred to as hallux valgus or hallux abducto valgus) is often described as a bump on the side of the big …

An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle, usually on the outside of the ankle. Ligaments are bands of tissue – like rubber bands – that connect one bone to another and bind the joints together. In the ankle joint, ligaments provide stability by limiting side-to-side movement. Some ankle …