| Services We Provide Podiatrists may be the first to recognize a serious health problem from examining your feet. Dr. Nelson provides expert care, diagnosis and treatment of ankle and foot disorders for children, adults, and seniors. He treats a wide variety of conditions such as: Shockwave Therapy for Heel Pain Arthritic Foot Conditions Athlete's Foot Bunions Children's Foot Problems Corns and Calluses Diabetes Flat Feet Foot Odor Fractures (Foot or Ankle) Fungal Nails Geriatric Foot Problems Hammertoes Heel Spurs and Fasciitis Ingrown Nails Muscle, Tendon, and Joint disorders Diabetic Shoes Trauma of the Foot and Ankle Rupture of the Achilles Tendon or related tendons of the Foot and Ankle |
| Foot and Ankle Clinic of Western Oklahoma 207 South 30th St Clinton, OK 73601 580-323-5800 |
| Foot and Ankle Clinic of Western Oklahoma 2624 West 3rd St, Suite 101 Elk City, OK 73644 580-225-9955 |
Podiatric Foot Problems, Procedures, and Disorders
If you have a foot or ankle problem, you are not feeling the pain alone.
Four out of every five Americans eventually suffer some sort of foot problem.
These problems can eventually cause pain throughout the skeletal structure,
and manifest themselves as pain in the knee, hip or back.
Podiatrists are specially trained physicians whose clinical and surgical training
allow them to diagnose foot and ankle problems and provide a treatment plan
tailored to the specific needs of the patient.
Diabetes
When you have diabetes, daily wear and tear can take its toll on your feet, especially in the areas that absorb
the most pressure. Because of poor blood circulation, or loss of feeling in your feet, even a minor problem
such as a tiny crack in your skin, may develop into a serious infection. Diabetic patients can develop what we
call neuropathy which is a damaging effect to the nerves making it difficult to feel pain, pressure, heat and
cold. You may notice irritated skin, pain, or pressure caused by collapsing joints. As the disease progresses
in diabetic patients, blocked blood vessels will bring fewer nutrients to your feet. Without this nourishment,
sores and pressure areas on the foot may not heal. Additionally, diabetic patients may develop weakened
bones, that can slowly shift causing your feet to become deformed, changing the way your foot distributes
pressure. We perform a thorough podiatric evaluation including: a detailed medical history, foot examination,
evaluation of the skin and blood supply, diagnostic testing, which can be very important, including doppler or
ABI studies, to evaluate blood flow. We also do a simple test, called the Semmes-Weinstein test, that is done
in the office with a tuning fork in order to check the level of feeling in the foot. X-rays and other tests, such as
bone scans and MRI, might also be utilized.
Often the best treatment, for our diabetic patients, is prevention. This may be accomplished by the education
of our patients in the care and treatment of their feet. We train all our diabetic patients to examine their feet
on a regular basis, with a regular schedule of podiatric care to help identify and prevent problems that can
become long term. Dr. Nelson will examine your feet regularly, teach you about self-care, provide foot
maintenance and might even recommend special footware.
For additional information on diabetic foot visit:
Diabetes and how it affects the foot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reconstructive Foot Surgery
Pain and discomfort in your feet and ankles can be helped with podiatric surgery. Conservative treatment,
such as a protective pad or cushion, only alleviates your pain temporarily.
Reconstructive foot surgery can correct conditions that are caused because of the following:
Inherited at Birth
Improper Footwear
Physical Stress
Accident
Infection
Neoplastic Disorders
Arthritic Disorders
Surgery can help alleviate pain from sprains, fractures, bunions, warts, corns, flatfeet and other common
problems. Foot surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and your recovery time varies depending upon
the condition being corrected.
For additional information on reconstructive foot surgery visit:
Forefoot Surgery (bunion, hammetoes, ect)
Rearfoot Surgery (plantar fasciitis, Achilles Repair, Ankle Surgery, etc)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arthroscopic & Laser Surgery
Problems that occur within the joints of the foot and ankle will require surgical repair. Arthroscopy allows our
doctors to inspect, examine and correct problems in the joints with the use of needle-like probes. Since
arthroscopy uses smaller instruments and requires only small openings to be made, your recovery time is
shortened and causes less damage to the joints and surrounding areas.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problems and Disorders
Bunions
"Bunion" is a lay term describing a painful swelling of the soft tissue overlying the big toe of the foot. The
deformity arises when a progressive dislocation of the joint causes the big toe to drift toward the second toe.
Simultaneously, the first metatarsal bone separates or spreads in the opposite direction, creating a bony
enlargement on the inside of the foot. The pain and swelling you experience with a bunion are a result of
shoe pressure against the bony prominence.
Illustration shows a foot with
both a bunion and hammertoe.
There are two ways to treat bunions, live with the problem and avoid excessive shoe pressure or correct the
problem with surgery. Bunion surgery is categorized into three category types which depends upon the type
of bunion deformity. Surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure. Most patients will be able to return to
full activity in three months.
For additional information on bunions visit:
Bunions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammertoes
A hammertoe is a term used to describe a crooked, deviated, or contracted toe. Although the condition
usually stems from muscle imbalance, it is often aggravated by poor-fitting shoes or socks that cramp the
toes. Over a period of years, the tendons that move the toe up and down begin to pull the toe with unequal
tension, and the toe then begins to buckle or become contracted. Normally hammertoes by themselves are
not painful, but with foot wear the prominent knuckle of the toe rubs the shoe, producing an area of irritation
which eventually forms a corn.
Hammertoes can be treated with protective pads, orthotic devices, specially fitted shoes, medication and also
surgically.
For additional information on hammertoes, visit:
Hammertoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fractures
A fracture (break) of your ankle usually happens due to a fall, an accident or hard blow. There are different
types of fractures that occur depending upon the severity of the injury. Spiral, hairline, open, crushed bones
are names used to describe fractures.
Our doctor is an expert in fracture care and will perform x-rays to determine the type fracture you have.
Realignment of the bones is sometimes needed, this is done through a process called reduction. Casting of
the fracture, a walking boot, brace or splint are used to hold the bone in place during healing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sprains
If an injury to your ankle doesn't result in a fracture, then it is likely sprained. An ankle sprain is a common
injury, especially during sporting activities, and results in the stretching or tearing of the ligaments in the
ankle. Usually all sprains occur on the outside of the ankle joints. Ankle sprains commonly happen from
twisting your ankle, but some people are more prone to them due to their bone structure.
Our doctor will examine your ankle and x-rays
might be taken to see if their might be other
injuries or problems with your ankle.
For additional information on sprains visit:
Sprains and Fractures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neuromas
Commonly called a Morton's neuroma, this problem begins when the outer coating of a nerve in your foot
thickens. This condition has a number of different symptoms and side effects. The most common symptoms
are:
Burning and stinging between the toes radiating
toward the ball of the foot. An acute stabbing
pain in the foot that comes and goes
Numbness and tingling of the toes
Sudden cramps or pain in the forefoot
Some of the side symptoms associated with
these neuromas are leg aches, low back pain
with muscle spasm, chronic fatigue,
a feeling of nervous tension, and cramps in the arch.
Although medication, physical therapy, injections, and arch
supports may offer a temporary decrease in symptoms,
the only permanent relief is minor outpatient surgery.
For additional information on neuromas, visit:
Neuromas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Painful Flat Feet
Causes: The normal arch is made up of bones and joints which are held tightly together in a precise
relationship. In order for the arch to flatten out, the ligaments and tendons which hold the bones and joints
together must be more flexible than normal. This abnormal flexibility may be a result of: the genes we inherit
from our parents, the weakening of muscles and ligaments caused by advancing age, neuromuscular
diseases, or injury. Injuries may include one severe trauma, or years of standing for long periods of time in
the wrong types of shoes (those with high heels or those with poor support). This flexibility of the bones,
joints, and soft tissues is what causes the foot problems which are related to flat arches or feet. The following
conditions are the most common foot problems seen in flat feet:
1. PRONATION is the most common and damaging
medical problem that may occur as a result of flat arches.
Pronation is a turning outward of the foot at the ankle,
so that one has a tendency to walk on the inner border
of the foot. You can test for pronation by looking at the
leg and foot from the back. Normally you can see the
Achilles Tendon run straight down the leg into the heel.
If the foot is pronated, the tendon will run straight down
the leg, but when it lies on the heel, it will twist outward.
This makes the inner ankle bone much more prominent
than the outer ankle bone. Because pronation is a
twisting of the foot, all of the muscles and tendons which
run from the leg and ankle into the foot will be twisted.
If left untreated, pronation may be the cause of heel spurs,
plantar fasciitis, frequent ankle sprains, shin splints,
weak and painful arches, and eventually knee, hip,
and lower back pain.
2. STRUCTURAL DEFECTS are foot problems that
may occur because the bones and joints of the foot
are not held together with the normal amount of tension.
This allows the bones and joints to move into abnormal
positions causing: bunions, hammertoes, neuromas,
calluses, and corns. If these problems are left untreated,
they become progressively more painful and debilitating.
Treatment can be done by immbolization, custom molded orthotics, new shoes, but sometimes a
reconstructive surgery is required when all conservative therapy fails.
For additional information on flatfeet, visit:
Flexible Flatfoot
Pediatric Flatfoot
Adult Flatfoot
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the ligament running from your heel to the ball of your foot, which is
called the plantar fascia. The bottom, or inside, of your heel may hurt when you stand. The pain usually
decreases after you walk a few steps, but it may return with prolonged movement. Plantar fasciitis can occur
in patients whose foot flattens too much, or whose foot doesn't flatten enough.
An additional source of heel pain can be tendonitis around the ankle, which is an inflammation of the tendon
or tissue, that surround it. This is called tendonitis. You may feel pain when you move your ankle or when
your heel shifts from side-to-side. The Achilles and peroneal tendons are common sites for this problem.
A heel spur is a bony outgrowth at the base of the heel bone near the plantar fascia. A spur may cause pain
on the bottom of the heel when you stand. As with plantar fasciitis, the pain may decrease after standing or
walking a short time. The pain you feel is not from the spur itself. Your heel hurts because the inflammation
from the irritation of the plantar fascia, near the spur is irritating a nerve or pressing against a plantar bursa.
If the bursa becomes inflamed, a secondary bursitis can also develop.
A source of heel pain in children is called Sever's disease, or calcaneal apophysitis. This is an inflammation
of the area between the sections of the bone that make up the heel. It occurs in young people whose bones
have not yet fused and matured. The back of the heel may hurt on walking, forcing the patient to limp.
Haglund's deformity or bony outgrowth on the upper part of the back of the heel may cause pain and irritation
with shoes. Rubbing the back of the bone against the Achilles tendon causes redness and irritation.
A final possible source of heel pain is a stress fracture. A stress fracture is a crack in the heel bone, usually
behind or below the subtalar joint, which is the last bone of the foot beneath the ankle. You may feel pain
during extended activity and when you touch the area.
For additional information on heel pain & plantar fasciitis, visit:
Heel Pain
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corns & Calluses
Painful corns have probably caused more foot pain and misery than any other single problem. The cause is
usually a bone enlargement or a spur. Sometimes the toe will not lie down because of a contracted tendon:
this is known as hammertoe. The shoe cannot fit comfortably over the toe and the patient suffers the agony
of a viselike squeeze of the skin between a prominent bone and the shoe.
Calluses spread across your foot or along the outer edge of the heal or
big toe. Treatment for these two conditions usually requires a change
of shoes and/or use of orthotics, which cushion these problems. Surgery
is another alternative if corns or calluses become too severe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ingrown Nails
Ingrown toenails are quite common in all age groups. It is a result of a nail growing into the skin that
surrounds it. The improper trimming of the nails, tight shoes, or injury to the nail can cause ingrown toenails.
Often they seem to occur for no reason at all.
If they become infected, you should soak them in warm water and Epsom salts, apply an antibiotic ointment
and make an appointment to have them treated. Treatment is simple and painless in most situations. You
can resume normal daily activities within a day.
For additional information on ingrown nails of the foot visit:
Ingrown Toenails
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fungal Nails
Fungal toenails are toenails that have become infected with one of a group of microorganisms we call fungus.
This fungus is similar to the organism that causes athlete's foot. As the fungus invades the nail and the nail
bed, it may go unnoticed for a period of time because it is rarely painful. It usually appears at the nail edge
and works its way under the nail, progressing back to the root of the toenail. Once it invades the root it
begins to distort the way the nail grows and becomes more difficult to treat.
Treatment, if performed early, might simply be to clip away the problem portion of the nail and apply an
anti-fungal cream. Once the conditioned has progressed, oral medications may be used with or without nail
removal.
For additional information on fungal nails of the foot visit:
Fungal Nails
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plantar Warts
What are warts? A wart is an infection caused by a virus which can invade your skin through small cuts or
breaks. Over time, the wart develops into a hard rough growth on the surface of the skin. A 'plantar wart' is
most commonly seen on the bottom of the foot. It can also appear on the top of the foot. Children, teens and
people with allergies, or weakened immune systems, are more vulnerable to the wart virus. Symptoms may
appear as a spongy type of tissue with tiny red-brown, or black spots. They can grow to an inch or more
across, occurring alone or with smaller clusters nearby, commonly called mosaic. Warts are sometimes
mistaken for corns and calluses. They could persist for years and re-occur in the same spot. If left
untreated, they can spread to other parts of the feet, or even to the hands or other parts of the body. Dr.
Nelson will examine your wart carefully, determine that it is not a corn or a callus, and then after debridement
of the lesion, prescribe the appropriate treatment. Oftentimes, the wart is treated cryosurgically, which is a
rather painless procedure to free the deep layers of the wart. A medication will be prescribed for you to apply
at home. In certain cases, depending upon size, location and resistance, sometimes surgical removal, using
laser or electrocautery, is utilized to remove the wart.
For more information about plantar warts, visit:
Warts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Foot Problems
Foot and Ankle Clinic of Western Oklahoma also treats many other foot problems:
Athlete's Foot
Black-And-Blue Nails
Tendonitis
Thickened Nails
Plantar Warts
Pressure Ulcers
For more information on all types of Foot and Ankle Problems, visit:
Foot and Ankle Info
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Foot Care
Geriatrics
Older patients have distinct foot problems usually related to circulatory impairment or arthritis. Routine visits
help to monitor secondary foot disorders and prevent further complications.
For additional information on geriatrics, visit:
Our feet as we age
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pediatrics
Growth should not be a painful process. Soreness and cramping in the feet and legs are not normal. Often
parents are told that their children may "grow out of it." This may be true in some cases but a level of
reassurance from a specialist can go a long way in easing a parent's concern. We encourage parents to
have their children examined annually. Childhood foot conditions like flat feet, curved feet, toe walking,
in-toeing and out-toeing, can cause the child to walk or run in ways that are unnatural. This can lead to more
serious foot, leg and motor problems later in life.
For additional information on pediatric feet, visit:
Children's Feet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orthotics
Orthotics are a custom-made biomechanical device fabricated from a plaster cast of your foot. Structural
deficiencies and damaging compensatory habits can be modified with the use of properly fitted orthotics.
Orthotics are molded right at our facilities and take less than 30 minutes to be fitted. It then takes a few days
for the orthotics to be created from the cast.
For additional information on orthotics, visit:
Orthotics
If you have a foot or ankle problem, you are not feeling the pain alone.
Four out of every five Americans eventually suffer some sort of foot problem.
These problems can eventually cause pain throughout the skeletal structure,
and manifest themselves as pain in the knee, hip or back.
Podiatrists are specially trained physicians whose clinical and surgical training
allow them to diagnose foot and ankle problems and provide a treatment plan
tailored to the specific needs of the patient.
Diabetes
When you have diabetes, daily wear and tear can take its toll on your feet, especially in the areas that absorb
the most pressure. Because of poor blood circulation, or loss of feeling in your feet, even a minor problem
such as a tiny crack in your skin, may develop into a serious infection. Diabetic patients can develop what we
call neuropathy which is a damaging effect to the nerves making it difficult to feel pain, pressure, heat and
cold. You may notice irritated skin, pain, or pressure caused by collapsing joints. As the disease progresses
in diabetic patients, blocked blood vessels will bring fewer nutrients to your feet. Without this nourishment,
sores and pressure areas on the foot may not heal. Additionally, diabetic patients may develop weakened
bones, that can slowly shift causing your feet to become deformed, changing the way your foot distributes
pressure. We perform a thorough podiatric evaluation including: a detailed medical history, foot examination,
evaluation of the skin and blood supply, diagnostic testing, which can be very important, including doppler or
ABI studies, to evaluate blood flow. We also do a simple test, called the Semmes-Weinstein test, that is done
in the office with a tuning fork in order to check the level of feeling in the foot. X-rays and other tests, such as
bone scans and MRI, might also be utilized.
Often the best treatment, for our diabetic patients, is prevention. This may be accomplished by the education
of our patients in the care and treatment of their feet. We train all our diabetic patients to examine their feet
on a regular basis, with a regular schedule of podiatric care to help identify and prevent problems that can
become long term. Dr. Nelson will examine your feet regularly, teach you about self-care, provide foot
maintenance and might even recommend special footware.
For additional information on diabetic foot visit:
Diabetes and how it affects the foot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reconstructive Foot Surgery
Pain and discomfort in your feet and ankles can be helped with podiatric surgery. Conservative treatment,
such as a protective pad or cushion, only alleviates your pain temporarily.
Reconstructive foot surgery can correct conditions that are caused because of the following:
Inherited at Birth
Improper Footwear
Physical Stress
Accident
Infection
Neoplastic Disorders
Arthritic Disorders
Surgery can help alleviate pain from sprains, fractures, bunions, warts, corns, flatfeet and other common
problems. Foot surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and your recovery time varies depending upon
the condition being corrected.
For additional information on reconstructive foot surgery visit:
Forefoot Surgery (bunion, hammetoes, ect)
Rearfoot Surgery (plantar fasciitis, Achilles Repair, Ankle Surgery, etc)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arthroscopic & Laser Surgery
Problems that occur within the joints of the foot and ankle will require surgical repair. Arthroscopy allows our
doctors to inspect, examine and correct problems in the joints with the use of needle-like probes. Since
arthroscopy uses smaller instruments and requires only small openings to be made, your recovery time is
shortened and causes less damage to the joints and surrounding areas.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Problems and Disorders
Bunions
"Bunion" is a lay term describing a painful swelling of the soft tissue overlying the big toe of the foot. The
deformity arises when a progressive dislocation of the joint causes the big toe to drift toward the second toe.
Simultaneously, the first metatarsal bone separates or spreads in the opposite direction, creating a bony
enlargement on the inside of the foot. The pain and swelling you experience with a bunion are a result of
shoe pressure against the bony prominence.
Illustration shows a foot with
both a bunion and hammertoe.
There are two ways to treat bunions, live with the problem and avoid excessive shoe pressure or correct the
problem with surgery. Bunion surgery is categorized into three category types which depends upon the type
of bunion deformity. Surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure. Most patients will be able to return to
full activity in three months.
For additional information on bunions visit:
Bunions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammertoes
A hammertoe is a term used to describe a crooked, deviated, or contracted toe. Although the condition
usually stems from muscle imbalance, it is often aggravated by poor-fitting shoes or socks that cramp the
toes. Over a period of years, the tendons that move the toe up and down begin to pull the toe with unequal
tension, and the toe then begins to buckle or become contracted. Normally hammertoes by themselves are
not painful, but with foot wear the prominent knuckle of the toe rubs the shoe, producing an area of irritation
which eventually forms a corn.
Hammertoes can be treated with protective pads, orthotic devices, specially fitted shoes, medication and also
surgically.
For additional information on hammertoes, visit:
Hammertoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fractures
A fracture (break) of your ankle usually happens due to a fall, an accident or hard blow. There are different
types of fractures that occur depending upon the severity of the injury. Spiral, hairline, open, crushed bones
are names used to describe fractures.
Our doctor is an expert in fracture care and will perform x-rays to determine the type fracture you have.
Realignment of the bones is sometimes needed, this is done through a process called reduction. Casting of
the fracture, a walking boot, brace or splint are used to hold the bone in place during healing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sprains
If an injury to your ankle doesn't result in a fracture, then it is likely sprained. An ankle sprain is a common
injury, especially during sporting activities, and results in the stretching or tearing of the ligaments in the
ankle. Usually all sprains occur on the outside of the ankle joints. Ankle sprains commonly happen from
twisting your ankle, but some people are more prone to them due to their bone structure.
Our doctor will examine your ankle and x-rays
might be taken to see if their might be other
injuries or problems with your ankle.
For additional information on sprains visit:
Sprains and Fractures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neuromas
Commonly called a Morton's neuroma, this problem begins when the outer coating of a nerve in your foot
thickens. This condition has a number of different symptoms and side effects. The most common symptoms
are:
Burning and stinging between the toes radiating
toward the ball of the foot. An acute stabbing
pain in the foot that comes and goes
Numbness and tingling of the toes
Sudden cramps or pain in the forefoot
Some of the side symptoms associated with
these neuromas are leg aches, low back pain
with muscle spasm, chronic fatigue,
a feeling of nervous tension, and cramps in the arch.
Although medication, physical therapy, injections, and arch
supports may offer a temporary decrease in symptoms,
the only permanent relief is minor outpatient surgery.
For additional information on neuromas, visit:
Neuromas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Painful Flat Feet
Causes: The normal arch is made up of bones and joints which are held tightly together in a precise
relationship. In order for the arch to flatten out, the ligaments and tendons which hold the bones and joints
together must be more flexible than normal. This abnormal flexibility may be a result of: the genes we inherit
from our parents, the weakening of muscles and ligaments caused by advancing age, neuromuscular
diseases, or injury. Injuries may include one severe trauma, or years of standing for long periods of time in
the wrong types of shoes (those with high heels or those with poor support). This flexibility of the bones,
joints, and soft tissues is what causes the foot problems which are related to flat arches or feet. The following
conditions are the most common foot problems seen in flat feet:
1. PRONATION is the most common and damaging
medical problem that may occur as a result of flat arches.
Pronation is a turning outward of the foot at the ankle,
so that one has a tendency to walk on the inner border
of the foot. You can test for pronation by looking at the
leg and foot from the back. Normally you can see the
Achilles Tendon run straight down the leg into the heel.
If the foot is pronated, the tendon will run straight down
the leg, but when it lies on the heel, it will twist outward.
This makes the inner ankle bone much more prominent
than the outer ankle bone. Because pronation is a
twisting of the foot, all of the muscles and tendons which
run from the leg and ankle into the foot will be twisted.
If left untreated, pronation may be the cause of heel spurs,
plantar fasciitis, frequent ankle sprains, shin splints,
weak and painful arches, and eventually knee, hip,
and lower back pain.
2. STRUCTURAL DEFECTS are foot problems that
may occur because the bones and joints of the foot
are not held together with the normal amount of tension.
This allows the bones and joints to move into abnormal
positions causing: bunions, hammertoes, neuromas,
calluses, and corns. If these problems are left untreated,
they become progressively more painful and debilitating.
Treatment can be done by immbolization, custom molded orthotics, new shoes, but sometimes a
reconstructive surgery is required when all conservative therapy fails.
For additional information on flatfeet, visit:
Flexible Flatfoot
Pediatric Flatfoot
Adult Flatfoot
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the ligament running from your heel to the ball of your foot, which is
called the plantar fascia. The bottom, or inside, of your heel may hurt when you stand. The pain usually
decreases after you walk a few steps, but it may return with prolonged movement. Plantar fasciitis can occur
in patients whose foot flattens too much, or whose foot doesn't flatten enough.
An additional source of heel pain can be tendonitis around the ankle, which is an inflammation of the tendon
or tissue, that surround it. This is called tendonitis. You may feel pain when you move your ankle or when
your heel shifts from side-to-side. The Achilles and peroneal tendons are common sites for this problem.
A heel spur is a bony outgrowth at the base of the heel bone near the plantar fascia. A spur may cause pain
on the bottom of the heel when you stand. As with plantar fasciitis, the pain may decrease after standing or
walking a short time. The pain you feel is not from the spur itself. Your heel hurts because the inflammation
from the irritation of the plantar fascia, near the spur is irritating a nerve or pressing against a plantar bursa.
If the bursa becomes inflamed, a secondary bursitis can also develop.
A source of heel pain in children is called Sever's disease, or calcaneal apophysitis. This is an inflammation
of the area between the sections of the bone that make up the heel. It occurs in young people whose bones
have not yet fused and matured. The back of the heel may hurt on walking, forcing the patient to limp.
Haglund's deformity or bony outgrowth on the upper part of the back of the heel may cause pain and irritation
with shoes. Rubbing the back of the bone against the Achilles tendon causes redness and irritation.
A final possible source of heel pain is a stress fracture. A stress fracture is a crack in the heel bone, usually
behind or below the subtalar joint, which is the last bone of the foot beneath the ankle. You may feel pain
during extended activity and when you touch the area.
For additional information on heel pain & plantar fasciitis, visit:
Heel Pain
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corns & Calluses
Painful corns have probably caused more foot pain and misery than any other single problem. The cause is
usually a bone enlargement or a spur. Sometimes the toe will not lie down because of a contracted tendon:
this is known as hammertoe. The shoe cannot fit comfortably over the toe and the patient suffers the agony
of a viselike squeeze of the skin between a prominent bone and the shoe.
Calluses spread across your foot or along the outer edge of the heal or
big toe. Treatment for these two conditions usually requires a change
of shoes and/or use of orthotics, which cushion these problems. Surgery
is another alternative if corns or calluses become too severe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ingrown Nails
Ingrown toenails are quite common in all age groups. It is a result of a nail growing into the skin that
surrounds it. The improper trimming of the nails, tight shoes, or injury to the nail can cause ingrown toenails.
Often they seem to occur for no reason at all.
If they become infected, you should soak them in warm water and Epsom salts, apply an antibiotic ointment
and make an appointment to have them treated. Treatment is simple and painless in most situations. You
can resume normal daily activities within a day.
For additional information on ingrown nails of the foot visit:
Ingrown Toenails
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fungal Nails
Fungal toenails are toenails that have become infected with one of a group of microorganisms we call fungus.
This fungus is similar to the organism that causes athlete's foot. As the fungus invades the nail and the nail
bed, it may go unnoticed for a period of time because it is rarely painful. It usually appears at the nail edge
and works its way under the nail, progressing back to the root of the toenail. Once it invades the root it
begins to distort the way the nail grows and becomes more difficult to treat.
Treatment, if performed early, might simply be to clip away the problem portion of the nail and apply an
anti-fungal cream. Once the conditioned has progressed, oral medications may be used with or without nail
removal.
For additional information on fungal nails of the foot visit:
Fungal Nails
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plantar Warts
What are warts? A wart is an infection caused by a virus which can invade your skin through small cuts or
breaks. Over time, the wart develops into a hard rough growth on the surface of the skin. A 'plantar wart' is
most commonly seen on the bottom of the foot. It can also appear on the top of the foot. Children, teens and
people with allergies, or weakened immune systems, are more vulnerable to the wart virus. Symptoms may
appear as a spongy type of tissue with tiny red-brown, or black spots. They can grow to an inch or more
across, occurring alone or with smaller clusters nearby, commonly called mosaic. Warts are sometimes
mistaken for corns and calluses. They could persist for years and re-occur in the same spot. If left
untreated, they can spread to other parts of the feet, or even to the hands or other parts of the body. Dr.
Nelson will examine your wart carefully, determine that it is not a corn or a callus, and then after debridement
of the lesion, prescribe the appropriate treatment. Oftentimes, the wart is treated cryosurgically, which is a
rather painless procedure to free the deep layers of the wart. A medication will be prescribed for you to apply
at home. In certain cases, depending upon size, location and resistance, sometimes surgical removal, using
laser or electrocautery, is utilized to remove the wart.
For more information about plantar warts, visit:
Warts
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Other Foot Problems
Foot and Ankle Clinic of Western Oklahoma also treats many other foot problems:
Athlete's Foot
Black-And-Blue Nails
Tendonitis
Thickened Nails
Plantar Warts
Pressure Ulcers
For more information on all types of Foot and Ankle Problems, visit:
Foot and Ankle Info
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Other Foot Care
Geriatrics
Older patients have distinct foot problems usually related to circulatory impairment or arthritis. Routine visits
help to monitor secondary foot disorders and prevent further complications.
For additional information on geriatrics, visit:
Our feet as we age
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Pediatrics
Growth should not be a painful process. Soreness and cramping in the feet and legs are not normal. Often
parents are told that their children may "grow out of it." This may be true in some cases but a level of
reassurance from a specialist can go a long way in easing a parent's concern. We encourage parents to
have their children examined annually. Childhood foot conditions like flat feet, curved feet, toe walking,
in-toeing and out-toeing, can cause the child to walk or run in ways that are unnatural. This can lead to more
serious foot, leg and motor problems later in life.
For additional information on pediatric feet, visit:
Children's Feet
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Orthotics
Orthotics are a custom-made biomechanical device fabricated from a plaster cast of your foot. Structural
deficiencies and damaging compensatory habits can be modified with the use of properly fitted orthotics.
Orthotics are molded right at our facilities and take less than 30 minutes to be fitted. It then takes a few days
for the orthotics to be created from the cast.
For additional information on orthotics, visit:
Orthotics
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