General Orthopedics

Foot Infections

Foot infections may occur after trauma to the foot or loss of tissue because of contamination from foreign material and/or bacteria or fungus. Infections can occur in healthy individuals as well as in those whose health is compromised.

Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation resulting from the degeneration of cartilage in the joint causing pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints resulting in restricted movements. Arthritis of the foot and ankle joint can occur due to fracture, dislocation, inflammatory disease, or congenital deformity.  The foot joints most commonly affected by arthritis are:

• The joint between the shin bone (tibia) and ankle bone (talus)
• The three joints of the foot that include the heel bone, the inner mid-foot bone, and the outer mid-foot bone
• The joint of the great toe and foot bone

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition that is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels. Diabetic patients are at a high risk for developing chronic wounds, especially in the feet. If left untreated, these wounds can cause serious problems that can lead to infections and eventually gangrene, which may require amputation.

In-toeing

In toeing also called “pigeon-toed”, is an abnormal condition characterized by inward facing of the toe or feet instead of being straight. Parents may observe their children having in-toeing at an early age when they start walking. But usually in-toeing corrects itself without any specific treatment as the child grows up to around 8 years of age. In-toeing can be treated by non-surgical and surgical methods.

Ingrown Toe Nail

Ingrown toenail is a very common and painful condition of the toe. It occurs when the sides or corner of the nail grow inwards and penetrates into the skin of the toe. Pain is often accompanied by swelling and redness. The condition is known as onychocryptosis or unguis incarnatus. It is often seen in adults rather than children and is more common in men than women. Ingrown toe nail can be treated by non-surgical and surgical methods.