It’s easy to take your feet for granted. Day after day they perform without a hitch until that one day when something is just not right. Sit in a busy podiatrist’s office one day and watch the people hobble in on crutches canes, splints and bandages, and you’ll quickly get the drift of this problem

Problems with the feet can be categorized in a number of ways. One category would be trauma, which would include fractures, sprains, lacerations and other soft tissue injuries. A second category would be inflammatory conditions like arthritis or gout. A third category would be mechanical problems of a non-traumatic nature like bunions, tendonitis, or flat feet. A fourth category would be vascular and nerve problems like those which occur with diabetes or peripheral artery disease, or both. A final category might be a miscellaneous category, which would include plantar warts, toe nail disorders, and calluses, as well as dermatological conditions like athlete’s foot and toe nail disorders.

Foot fractures can result from direct blows as well as crush injuries, as well as from exaggerated inward or outward turning of the foot. Anytime a foot is swollen and painful after an injury, a fracture evaluation with x-rays should be accomplished. All the bones in the foot are joined together by ligaments which are prone to strains and tears. Ligaments do not show directly on x-rays, but sometimes there is an inference of sprain or strain when the bone spaces are widened or displaced. When fractures and sprains occur, there can be injury to nerves, arteries, and other soft tissues which must be sought and treated. Foot fractures are most commonly treated with casts and splints, but open fractures and more severe ones may require surgical intervention.

The second category of foot problems is conditions of inflammation with subsequent joint dysfunction. The feet are prone to osteoarthritis, which is wear and tear arthritis, from their chronic weight-bearing function. Concerning rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disorder, eventually nine out of ten diagnosed sufferers get the condition in their feet. It causes stiffness, pain, and swelling, and eventually leads to great difficulty walking. Other forms of arthritis that may affect the foot are gout, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, and ankylosing spondylitis. Treatment of these foot disorders involves systemic specific treatments for the underlying medical problem.

A third category of painful foot problems is mechanical abnormalities of a non-traumatic nature. One such problem is a bunion. The bone at the base of the great toe begins to enlarge as the other toes deviate to the outside of the foot. This makes fitting ordinary shoes very difficult and causes painful walking. Treatment is often surgical with a bunionectomy. Other deforming abnormalities include hammer toes, claw foot, and flat feet. Treatment is often special shoes, though sometimes surgery is an option.

A fourth category is the problems seen with foot circulation abnormalities as in diabetes and peripheral artery disease. The principal manifestation is the foot ulcer which is extremely difficult to heal. The foot ulcer can enlarge or go progressively deeper, or it can lead to gangrene and amputation. The sensory nerve function is also abnormal in diabetes, so that the normal foot sensations of weight-bearing are compromised, and unrecognized damage ensues. Peripheral artery disease is treated either with vasodilating medicine, or surgical stenting or obstruction bypass to restore normal blood flow. Diabetic foot ulcers are treated with careful control of blood sugar, debridement of the wound areas, and restoration of maximal blood flow.

The fifth category is the miscellaneous foot conditions like those affecting the nails and skin. Athlete’s foot is a common condition caused by fungus growing in the skin between the toes. Because the shoed feet are moist, dark, and warm, ideal conditions for fungal growth are created. This is usually treated with antifungal creams or solutions, along with antifungal powder to dry the feet. The same conditions are true for the nails; however, the fungus may be present for years and years and require several weeks of oral antifungal treatment.

The purpose of this article is to provide an outline of common foot disorders. The ultimate message is to take care of foot problems as they arise in a timely manner so they do not get worse. Your feet are your wheels, and if they are not working as they should, you’re grounded. Be sure to discuss any foot problems you may be having with your doctor. This is especially true if your foot problems are related to chronic medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, or peripheral artery disease.

John Drew Laurusonis

Doctors Medical Center

www.doctorsmedicalctr.com

Author's Bio: 

Dr. Laurusonis was conferred his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983 and has been actively taking care of patients since completing his Internal Medicine residency in 1987 in the Garden State of New Jersey. Dr. Laurusonis has been licensed in four states but ultimately chose to permanently relocate to Georgia with his family and begin a private practice. Through his extensive experience in Internal Medicine, as well as in Emergency Rooms throughout the United States, Dr. Laurusonis saw how traditional Emergency Rooms were often overwhelmed by patients suffering medical conditions that were urgent but may not need the traditional “Level I Trauma Center”. Patients often waited six to twelve hours to be seen by a physician, were riddled with thousands of dollars in medical bills, and were generally unhappy with the system.
Dr. Laurusonis decided to open an Urgent Care Center instead of a 9-5 doctor's office. Through the last fifteen years he has received accolades from the community and his patients. He has expanded his practice to include many cosmetic therapies that have previously been treated with painful and extensive plastic surgery. He has been invited to the White House numerous times, has been named Physician of the Year, as seen in the Wall Street Journal, and has served as Honorary Co-Chairman on the Congressional Physicians Advisory Board
Dr. Laurusonis and his practice, Doctors Medical Center, is open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm offering such services as lab, x-ray, EKGs, aesthetics (Botox, dermabrasion, sclerotheraby and veins etc.), cold/flu, sore throats, fractures, sprains, lacerations, GYN, Pediatrics, Anxiety/Insomnia/Depression Treatment, skin tag/mole removal, veins, allergies, asthma, physicals--just to name a few. Dr. Laurusonis welcomes you to either make an appointment or just walk-in to see him. Dr. Laurusonis will take the time to speak with you about your concerns--no problem is too big or too small. If you need additional services we have specialist referrals available or we can refer you to the neighborhood hospital emergency room. Give Doctors Medical Center a call--Dr. Laurusonis will be happy to speak with you.

John Drew Laurusonis, MD
Doctors Medical Center
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Suite 110
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-1101
www.doctorsmedicalctr.com