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How Do You Handle a Toenail That’s Falling Off?

Toenail FungusWhy do toenails fall off?

It’s either because of sudden, intense trauma or gradual stress over time. For example, a particularly intense stubbing of your toe can lead to it falling off. But, this can also happen due to conditions like athlete’s foot, which is a fungus that grows because you keep your feet warm and moist too long.

Diabetes can also restrict circulation to your feet, which creates the right conditions for fungus to grow and your toenail to fall off. When fungus grows untreated on your foot, it can sever the connective tissue between your toenail and your foot. And eventually, that causes to your toenail falling off.

Prevention is the Best Route, When Possible

You can’t completely prevent all causes that lead to your toenail falling off. But, if you’re the athletic and active type, whether you’re in sports now or not, definitely give your feet time to breathe and get exposure to the air.

You should also wash your feet daily. Wear shoes in locker rooms so you don’t find yourself getting athlete’s foot from someone else. Wear socks specially designed to keep your feet dry. Use perspiration-reducing powder.

Running frequently can also cause enough stress to your foot to lead to your toenail falling off (and this wouldn’t be a result of athlete’s foot). For runners, the solution lies in having footwear that fits perfectly, as that minimizes the impact on your foot.

What If Your Toenail Begins Falling Off Anyway?

Despite your best efforts, you can still find yourself with a toenail that’s ready to fall off. And let’s assume that this looks inevitable. What do you do then?

For starters, don’t rip it off. That only leads to more damage.

Instead, clip off the portion that’s falling off (so it doesn’t catch on your socks) and file down the rough edges. Clean off the affected area. Apply antibiotics to prevent infection. Cover your toe with a bandage. Continue to do this as your toenail regrows. Keep your feet dry and change your socks frequently to ensure your feet stay dry.

It will take around 18 months for your toenail to completely regrow.

If you have any complications during the process, that’s the time to see your podiatrist. They can save you an awful lot of future pain.

If your toenail won’t stop bleeding, or if your entire toenail falls off, those are also times to see a podiatrist.

Now you know how to handle a toenail that’s falling off so you save yourself pain and aggravation.

Why You Might Have Pain on the Outside of Your Foot

Conditions like calluses and athlete’s foot are immediately obvious and you know the causes. But sometimes, the outside of your foot hurts.

And when that happens, it can be difficult to know the true cause. That’s because the pain that happens on the outside of your foot doesn’t necessarily have an immediately direct cause.

If you notice the outside of your foot hurting, it could be happening because of these injuries:

1. Stress Fractures

These happen from repeated stress to your foot. They most frequently happen among athletes in training and people with high dedication to running.

Stress fractures are actually tiny breaks in your bones, and they can happen even in those in good shape living healthy lifestyles. Typically, you experience a stress fracture in the long bones leading to your toes or in the back of your foot.

Stress fractures typically get treated with rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE). You may need to switch to a form of exercise that doesn’t place pressure on your feet (swimming). In some cases, you may need crutches or surgery (extremely rare).

2. Peroneal Tendinosis

The peroneal tendons run on the outside of your foot. Just like stress fractures, repetitive stress to your foot leads to injuries to these tendons. Long-distance running, soccer, and ballet can lead to injuries to your peroneal tendons.

You can simply strain these tendons, but it’s also possible to tear them.

Treatment is simple and works basically just like it does for stress fractures. Rest helps you heal. In some cases, you may need a boot. And if you tear these tendons, you’ll need surgery. However, surgery on these tendons is known, proven, and effective.

3. Ankle Sprains

You know all about these. However, you may not know that an improperly treated ankle sprain can result in lifelong ankle instability. And, ankle sprains can be hiding bone fractures.

When should you seek professional treatment?

Your ankle pain should only last at its initial intensity for a day or so. If the pain remains severe for several days, you likely have a fracture or torn tendon.

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation should heal up your ankle.

So, those are reasons you could have pain on the exterior of your foot. Now that you know why, you also know what action to take if you find yourself experiencing the painful symptoms of any of these injuries.

How to Help Your Teen Protect Their Ankles from Fall Sports Injuries

Has your teen already begun practice for football, volleyball, soccer, or another Fall sport?

As a parent, it’s your personal nightmare that your son or daughter experiences a devastating foot or ankle injury that sidelines them for the season, and causes pain into their adult years. Ankle injuries, after all, are the most common high school sports injury.

Injuries happen. You can’t prevent them all.

But you can minimize your teen’s risk of a severe foot or ankle injury. Here’s some tips for helping them avoid those:

1. Make Sure Your Child Gets a Preseason Physical

In most cases, this will be required for your teen to participate. If they are in a league where a physical isn’t required for whatever reason, make sure they get one.

A physical can reveal any personal vulnerabilities they may have to injuries. And the doctor can give you suggestions on additional gear your teen could wear to greatly reduce their chance of serious injury.

2. Good Nutrition

This is one your child’s sports team can’t monitor. For example, children and teens today frequently have vitamin D deficiency because they spend so much more time inside with technology rather than playing outside.

Your primary source of vitamin D comes from the sun shining on your skin. You can make your kids play outside more frequently. They only need about 10 minutes per day in shorts and a tank top without any sunscreen on to get what they need. You can also have them take a nutritional supplement.

Children deficient in vitamin D are 3.7 times more likely to experience a fracture that requires operative repair, according to a New York times article.

When they get a physical, talk to their doctor about healthy nutrition for sports.

3. Rest

Yes, your teens and children need rest. Injuries commonly result from overuse. This could happen if your child plays the same sport in two different leagues, for example. They may excel at one sport and want to play only that sport all year long.

That’s okay, but you should take certain measures to help your child prevent injury. Basically, they should only practice their sport 1 hour per year of age per week. So if they’re 16, they should practice that sport 16 hours per week – and that’s it. If they hit that limit with the team, then they should rest at home.

Ideally, they participate in different sports throughout the year. If they don’t, their practice time should be limited. And if they experience pain of any kind, especially persistent pain, get them to the doctor because the pain only gets worse or causes more serious injury when ignored. Children typically don’t want to discuss their pain because they want to play – so watch them closely to see if they favor any part of their body.

Yes. You’ve heard the standard advice about ankle braces. Those are important too. But, so are these tips – and especially so in Texas, where we take our sports seriously.

Here’s to a healthy and fun season for you and your child!

The Right Shoes to Prevent Foot & Ankle Injuries If You’re Overweight and Getting Back in Shape

If you’ve got a few more pounds on than you’d like and you’re making a personal commitment to getting back into shape, your ankles are at risk.

You don’t want to start off strong and lose several pounds, only to experience an ankle injury that sidelines you (and all your awesome progress) for several weeks.

So if you’re a little overweight, and you want to protect your ankles until you get back in better shape and feel more confident in your stability, here’s what to look for in footwear to support your goal:

1. Look for “Motion Control”

“Motion control” actually is a popular feature you can easily find with many shoes. It’s designed to counter the effects of overpronation.

Every person pronates when walking or running. That simply means your foot rolls inward as you walk or run. During overpronation, your heel hits the ground first, with your foot following as it rolls inward onto its arch. This frequently happens with people who have “flat feet.”

Overpronation results in greater foot and ankle instability. And “motion control” shoes account for this effect so you reduce your chance of injury.

2. Make Sure You Include Orthotics

More weight on your body means a more powerful impact when you exercise. Custom-designed orthotics you get from a podiatrist fit the contours of your feet specifically.

The problem with the orthotics you get from the store is that they’re designed for masses of people. That means they may not provide your feet the comfort and relief they need.

Custom orthotics are useful for anyone’s foot. However, they’re most useful if you currently experience significant and persistent pain and discomfort as you exercise.

3. A Stable Base

Besides comfort, the most important feature for your shoes to have will be stability. When you exercise vigorously, you won’t be used to controlling your body weight when moving at a higher speed.

Just a small misstep or slightly falling off-balance could lead to a severely sprained ankle.

So, to start, you want shoes that make you feel nearly 100% stable. If you have serious concerns, you can always talk to a podiatrist so you make a wise purchase.

Good for you to want to get back into shape! That only improves your physical and emotional quality of life. It’ll reduce your health care expenses and boost your self-esteem too.

Just make sure to keep these tips in mind so you don’t find yourself derailed by a foot or ankle injury.

The Right Summer Footwear for Nearly Every Occasion

Ever try to go for a run in sandals?

Maybe you can do it for a few yards or so. But you’d never do it if you wanted to truly run and get a workout.

So, you make a decision and wear athletic shoes if you want to run or walk a decent distance.

That’s an obvious one. But, many forget to wear the right footwear for the activity they’re about to do.

And that increase your chances of catching a disease or injury. So here’s a gentle reminder and easy-to-follow guide of various types of summer footwear, and which situations they work best in:

1. Boat Shoes

Well, it’s quite clear where you wear these.

They make good sense for boating because they have extra grip on the bottom so you don’t slip and fall.

You can wear them with no-show socks. And boat shoes have grip on the inside so you don’t slip out of the shoe.

They’re definitely intended to look a little nicer than just your regular shoe, but without placing an intense focus on class at the same time.

Boat shoes are also meant to be stain-proof and water-repellant.

2. Athletic Trainers

These are your go-to for the summer. They’re made with the ability to allow your feet to breathe so you don’t soak up too much perspiration and become vulnerable to fungal diseases.

They’re also light and offer some protection from ankle rolls and sprains.

Even better than athletic trainers are custom orthotic shoes designed specifically to fit every contour of your feet.

They carry a higher price, but they’re more comfortable and offer the greatest protection against injuries.

3. Flip-Flops and Sandals

These are for short-distance walking only. Let go of the temptation to do anything more while wearing them.

You’ll more than likely notice they cause extra strain on your feet and ankles. And since they’re not designed for anything more intense than walking, they expose you to a greater risk of injury.

They can also lead to blisters and calluses.

However, on the plus side, they allow your feet to breathe, which reduces your risk of fungal infections. And they protect your feet from catching disease in public restrooms and showers.

4. Mules

These don’t enclose your feet, which allows your feet to breathe. They’re also dressy, while at the same time being able to be dressed down enough to be considered casual.

The main thing you’ll want to evaluate is the height of their block heel.

You can get some with a short block heel, which improves your safety and stability, and reduces risk of injury.

A higher heel would be more classy, but would also put more strain on your feet and ankles, possibly leading to aches and pains.

There’s more types of footwear for various occasions. But those cover the most common.

The point is that you do your research, try on different pairs, and buy the one that’s comfortable – and which fits your intended use perfectly.

That leads to the lowest risk of injury, and a long and fun summer.

5 Steps to Fit and Fabulous Feet this Summer

In Texas, we’re lucky because we get a longer summer than the northern states. They really only get summer from about mid-May until mid-September, and possibly shorter.

And during summer, you think of all the ways you can relax and enjoy the outdoors. Visions of stretching out in the golden sun with no shoes pop into your head.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the outdoors when the weather’s nice. And along with that, you want to make sure you care for your feet properly so you don’t end up with sore feet, aches, pains, blisters, callouses, or anything else that makes walking, running, biking, or doing whatever it is you love unpleasant.

So here’s the top steps to take to keep your feet in great shape all summer long:

1. Generally, Don’t Walk Barefoot

You should certainly avoid walking barefoot in public places. People throw their garbage around, lose stuff, and unwittingly spread disease.

Protect yourself by wearing at least some kind of footwear to avoid ringworm, plantar warts, and cuts.

You may be able to go barefoot on private, and your own, property. But even then, you’re taking a slight (and unnecessary) risk.

2. Keep Fungal Infections Away with the Right Socks

The right socks (made from synthetic acrylic) wick moisture away from your feet, which prevents fungal infections.

To up your odds of avoiding fungal infections further, wear any footwear that exposes your foot to the air. A damp, moist environment with no exposure to the air is the best situation for fungal infections.

3. Always Wear the Appropriate Footwear for the Situation

This one requires some judgment. If you’re going to the beach or swimming pool, you can get away with sandals because you don’t need to walk much.

But if you have to walk extensively, you’ll want some sort of closed-toe shoes because they’ll help you avoid blisters and painful ankle sprains.

And since they trap more heat and require socks, they also increase your risk of fungal infection. However, you can counter that by taking off your shoes immediately after use and allowing your feet to air out.

When you choose sandals for walking short-distances, you’ll also want to make sure they don’t rub on a certain part of your foot consistently, which causes blisters. If you do have a pair you like to use, simply use moleskin or a liquid bandage to protect your feet.

5. Don’t Forget Sunscreen!

Yes, your feet need sunscreen too. Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. It helps you prevent skin cancer and premature aging of your skin.

Re-apply the sunscreen if your feet get wet due to swimming or perspiration – even if the sunscreen claims it’s waterproof.

If you follow those 5 steps, you greatly reduce your exposure to many common foot injuries.

And you help yourself have a healthy and fun summer!

4 Most Opportune Times to See Your Podiatrist

Heel PainWhen you experience a foot injury, or if you’re planning a big change in your exercise routine, are you best off taking care of things yourself, seeing your regular general practice doctor, or going to a specialist podiatrist?

The truth is it depends. Your situation is unique. As you decide what to do, these are reasons why you might consider seeing a podiatrist:

  1. When You’re Planning a Big Change in Physical Activity

Say you’re considering running a half-marathon in a few months,  after years of little physical activity. You’ve grown sick and tired of not being in shape or as healthy as you could be.

That’s an opportune time to see a podiatrist because they can analyze your feet and ankles and prevent future problems from ever happening. They can recommend the right orthotic or athletic shoe that helps you reduce wear and tear and can decrease the chance of a severe ankle sprain, for example.

  1. You Experience a Foot Injury

Podiatrists understand how to treat painful nail conditions, foot or ankle sprains, shin splints, fractures and more. Seeing an expert for your foot or ankle injury can lead to quicker diagnosis and faster recovery – potentially with fewer trips to the doctor.

  1. If You Want to Save Money

Yes, whenever you hear about going to any kind of doctor, you immediately have some anxiety about the costs. Let’s be honest: going to your podiatrist will cost you money.

But, you may actually save money in the long run because of their expertise in solving your foot problems. Other physicians may not perform the procedure you need, or end up referring you to see a Podiatrist any way. Less visits can mean fewer Co-Pays and less money out of your pocket.

  1. If You Have a Long-Term Medical or Neurological Condition

Individuals with Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s, or people who have suffered from strokes, often times develop associated foot problems. Preventative care can help keep potential problems in check.  Visiting with your Podiatrist before complications arise can help you stay active and on your feet.

So, those are the most opportune and beneficial times you can see a podiatrist.
Do any apply to you?

6 Things Your Podiatrist Wish You Knew

Feet today get more attention than they ever did in the past. Technology has enabled society to grow to the point where you have the time and money to care about the issues that happen with your feet.

Do you know everything that’s important to know about foot and ankle care? Here are some things to be aware of that maybe you haven’t thought about:

1. Bunions Get So Painful Patients Ask for Their Toes to Be Amputated

You’re much better taking care of a painful bunion now rather than later. The pain and discomfort it causes only gets worse, and more painful and expensive to fix.

If you have issues caused by bunions, get those taken care of now.

2. Over-the-Counter Custom Orthotics Are Good…But Not Great

OTC custom orthotics do help with arch support and padding, so you do feel more comfortable with them. However, they’re nothing like the orthotics podiatrists can make after taking a mold of your feet.

These precision molds correct the specific mechanics of the way you walk. That means lasting comfort you can’t get with over-the-counter custom orthotics.

3. Many Patients Who Experience Foot And Ankle Injuries Go Straight to the Surgeon…But Don’t Need To

Orthopedic surgeons may make sense if they have specific training in foot and ankle injuries. However, in most cases, you’re better off going to a podiatrist first.

You may be able to avoid the pain and discomfort of surgery, insurance hassles, and the larger financial costs. Your foot or ankle injury may be entirely treatable to the point of full recovery without any of that!

4. Running Barefoot is Fine…But Only on Sand

Barefoot running has become more popular of late. It’s fine to do at the beach. But do it on concrete, and you’re asking for stress fractures and painful inflammation.

You may also have to make an unexpected trip (or trips) to your podiatrist. Go ahead and run barefoot – just be smart about where you do it.

5. Be Smart about How You Wear Flip-Flops

Wearing flip-flops all day every day greatly increases your chances of ending up at a podiatrist’s office.

Flip-flops are not designed for walking long distances. If you want to walk long distances, find another comfortable form of footwear designed specifically for such a purpose.

Flip-flops are fine to wear for short distances – simply from your house to your car, and then from your car to the pool or beach.

6. The Best Socks Wick Moisture Away

Cotton socks are not the best socks. They hold onto moisture from your feet. In turn, that makes it more likely your feet will grow a fungus.

You’ve heard of moisture wicking workout clothes – so look for the same in socks.

Those are just some facts your podiatrist wants you to know. You can save your feet serious pain and discomfort, and your wallet a good chunk of money, by following them.

How to Find the Right Diabetic Shoes

Do you remember those big, ugly, black, square-toed shoes diabetics used to have to wear?

Fortunately, you don’t have to resign yourself to such hideous footwear anymore if you’re a diabetic. Footwear has changed a lot. And it certainly improves your life with diabetes in many ways it couldn’t before.

So how do you find the right shoes if you have diabetes? Here’s some tips:

1. Have at Least a Yearly Checkup from Your Podiatrist

At minimum, you should see your podiatrist annually. If at any point they find peripheral arterial disease or peripheral neuropathy, agree to see them more frequently as requested so you make sure your footwear doesn’t cause you further issues.

If you don’t, you greatly increase your risk of a simple open wound or infection turning into the amputation of your lower leg. Diabetes is the second leading cause of lower leg amputations, right behind accidental trauma.

2. A Quick Checklist, Which Starts with Your Comfort

You should want to wear the shoes you buy. If you don’t find them comfortable, you won’t want to wear them.

Second, you want to find shoes with no seams because this reduces the chances of friction to your foot and blistering.

Lighter shoes also reduce your chances of tripping, falling, and getting an open wound.

You also want non-slip shoes to greatly reduce your chances of slipping and injuring yourself.

Your shoes should also expand to account for your foot swelling.

3. Have a Podiatrist Fit You – And Don’t Panic about Costs

When it comes to getting the right shoe, your podiatrist is your best friend. Diabetic shoes come in a range of sizes, from AA (narrow) to 6E (extra wide). You also may want a deeper shoe that accommodates orthotics for the best comfort and safety.

Custom shoes can be quite expensive. However, Medicare and health insurance can help you make the cost affordable. Make sure your podiatrist is aware of your ability to afford diabetic shoes.

4. Remember, It’s Okay to Consider Style Too

Today’s diabetic shoes come in as many styles as any other shoe. So, regardless of what you find the most attractive, you can certainly find a shoe you like.

Having diabetes is enough. You don’t have to add to your condition by wearing a hideous shoe you feel ashamed and embarrassed of on top of it.

You can absolutely have a shoe that gives your feet all the protection and comfort they need – along with a good-looking style.

If you have diabetes, finding the right shoe gets a little more complex. But, with the right help, it certainly gets much easier.

4 Benefits of Walking for Diabetics

In addition to your diet, the best thing you can do to keep your diabetes in check is to walk regularly.

But, as you know, a simple scrape can turn into a lot more trouble. So, first start by making sure it’s okay to walk or do your desired form of exercise by checking with your doctor.

Once you’re cleared and ready to go, or even if you’re simply considering beginning regular exercise, here’s why (and how) you might do it:

1. First: The Benefits

Walking does a lot more for you than it seems as first. If you’re diabetic, you may be most interested in that walking improves your body’s ability to use insulin, and that it also lowers blood glucose levels.

It also strengthens your muscles and bones, which means you have a much lower risk of experiencing a simple injury that turns into something far worse.

And on top of all that, you also reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. You lower your stress levels. You raise your good cholesterol and reduce your bad cholesterol.

If you walk with a friend, you get to enjoy time with them too.

2. How to Begin

No need to set huge goals at first. Simply start by finding ways to take more steps during the day.

You can use a pedometer or Fitbit to help you and make it more interesting. Fitbit has a number of social features that allow you to compete with friends or to achieve your own challenges. Depending on the model you get, you can also monitor your heart rate and sleep.

3. Step It Up

After your body feels used to walking, you’re ready to move on to aerobic exercise. You may want to talk with your podiatrist prior to beginning more rigorous activity.

When you first begin, make sure to do light stretching to get your muscles ready. Do about 5 minutes of light walking at first to warm-up, and then another 5 minutes after your faster walking to cool down.

When you do walk faster, use proper form. That means making sure your heel hits the ground first. Then, the rest of your foot should follow.

Consciously swing your arms. Your chin should be up, and your shoulders back. Watch for potholes and uneven surfaces so you don’t trip and sprain your ankle.

4. Increase Your Endurance

Believe it or not, “race walking” has been an event in the Summer Olympics since 1956. It gets almost no publicity. The longest event goes 50 km, or slightly more than 31 miles.

Go ahead and watch some YouTube videos to find out more about it!

Anyway, the point is that walking can be quite a serious, beneficial thing. You don’t have to walk 31 miles in a single crack.

But when you walk longer distances, like a few miles, and at a higher pace, you win even more personal benefits.

You can get rid of higher stress levels if you have quite a stressful life. You can lose weight.

It’s hard work, but it only makes your life better.

Make sure you monitor your blood sugar levels before, during, and after your workout. Increase the distance you walk by 15 minutes each week, until you get to a manageable time and distance that improves your life the way you want.

Should you walk? Absolutely. You simply have a few additional things to look out for, but the benefits more than make up for any of the risks.