The Orthofeet Blog

People who suffer from Diabetes know too well that their health is affected and can sometimes limit their physical activities and even day to day lives. Specifically, living with Diabetes has a direct effect on the feet and legs and special attention is required. How Diabetes Affects the Feet: Diabetic neuropathy occurs in 60-70% off people with diabetes and tends to damage the nerves in your legs and feet causing you to lose feeling in them. This means you might not feel cuts or sores on your feet and when your feet get too hot or too cold, all which...

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction is one of the main causes for fallen arches. The tibialis posterior is a muscle in the lower leg. The tendon from this muscle runs behind the inside bone on the ankle, across the instep and attaches to the bottom of the foot. The tibialis posterior helps hold the arch of the foot up and stops the foot from rolling over. Sometimes the tendon becomes stretched and inflamed. This condition is called Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) or Acquired Adult Flat Foot. Most people refer to this condition simply as fallen arches. How it progresses? Trauma...

How to Relieve Foot Pain Caused by Standing All Day If you’re one of the many people who must stand for extended periods of time, you already know that standing all day or for long periods of time makes your feet hurt! And standing all day doesn’t just affect your feet; it can also cause significant and long-lasting muscle fatigue in the lower-limbs as well as an increased risk for long-term knee and back pain. However, the immediate discomfort and pain you are likely to feel after standing for long periods will be in the feet. Foot pain as a...

Wearing shoes that are too narrow for your feet can cause painful foot conditions such as ingrown toenails, Morton’s neuroma, corns, calluses, and metatarsalgia. If you’re experiencing any of these conditions, switching to wide or extra-wide shoes can provide an amazing level of relief and comfort. However, it’s not always easy to find wide-width shoes as most shoes are developed for the average foot, which requires a medium width shoe. Medium-width shoes, unlike wide-width shoes, can be purchased at conventional shoe stores. Wide shoes, however, can be found at orthopedic shoe companies, which design and develop shoes that can accommodate...

After the long, cold winter months, it’s always a bit of a relief when we can slip on a pair of sandals rather than a pair of thick, warm socks and a pair of thick, warm winter shoes or boots. However, most sandals have a serious drawback: They lack sufficient support for the feet, which can lead to painful foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis or low-back pain, or they can exacerbate the foot pain that you already experience from these conditions. Problems Caused by Sandals without Arch Support: Wearing sandals without arch support can not only exacerbate the foot...

Choosing Walking Shoes for Seniors Like other parts of our body, our feet are not immune to the changes that come with getting older. As the body ages, physiological changes take place that make seniors more susceptible to foot pain and foot problems. In fact, one out of every three people over the age of 65 suffers from aching feet. Furthermore, additional health conditions that are more common as we age, including diabetes, arthritis and vascular disease, can compound these issues. Sadly, people who suffer from foot pain can find that it interferes not just with their daily activities, but...

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot injury that is caused by strain and inflammation of the plantar fascia. People suffering from this foot condition experience a burning pain in the heel or arch of the foot and the pain is exacerbated with the first steps in the morning or when standing after having sat for a long period of time. The plantar fascia is not a tendon; rather, it is a sheet of connective tissue that is more similar in its structure to a ligament. When it is stretched excessively, micro-tears can result, which cause inflammation and eventually necrosis of...

If you have bunions, you already know that too-tight shoes are an open invitation to lots of pain and discomfort. However, we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be this way. There are ways to stretch your shoes so that you can wear them comfortably. Alternatively, you may consider wearing specially designed bunion shoes. Tips on How to Stretch Shoes for Bunions: Use a professional shoe stretching tool. Shoe stretchers usually come with a spray that you spray on your shoe before inserting the shoe stretcher. The spray loosens up the fibers, which makes the stretching process...