Peripheral vascular disease

Peripheral vascular disease or PVD is a name given to a group of problems that causes poor circulation to the feet and legs. The most common cause of this is artherosclerosis in which there is a gradual thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries. Diabetes is the most common cause of PVD.
Symptoms include a dull cramping pain in the calf muscle after walking that is relieved by resting. This is called claudication. There can be numbness in the foot or toes. You may notice changes in the color of the skin where it becomes pale, bluish or reddish. Also some patients notice a change in skin temperature where the foot becomes cooler. Skin breakdowns, infection and sores do not heal as well as they should.

Tarsal Tunnel

Tarsal Tunnel syndrome is a condition caused by entrapment of the tibial nerve on the inside of the ankle.
It is very tight in this area of the foot so there is very little room for any expansion if the nerve becomes inflamed or enlarged. This inflammation of the nerve causes the entrapment.
When this entrapment compresses the nerve it could cause pain, burning, and tingling on the bottom of the foot. You could notice that this worsens as the day progresses. It is relieved by rest, elevating the foot or rubbing the area. A doctor may order an EMG which may reveal decreased nerve conduction around the tarsal tunnel. If a Dr. thinks a soft tissue mass is causing the entrapment then he may order a MRI.
People with very flat feet or if they pronate then they are more likely to develop tarsal tunnel.
Some systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can cause a swelling in joints that may compress on the nerve.
Conservative treatment consists of the use of an orthotic especially if the feet are very flat. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be helpful and sometimes steroid injections can be effective.

web toes

Webbed toes is the common name for syndactyle affecting the feet. It is characterised by fusion of two or more digits of the feet. It is common in ducks and amphibians, but in people it is considered unusual only occurring in one in 2,000 live births.
Various levels of webbing, from partial to complete. Mot commonly the second and third toes are webbed or joined by skin and flexible tissue.
Webbed toes are also known as "twin toes", "duck toes" or "tiger toes".
The exact cause of the condition is unknown. In some cases close family members may share this condition.
Web toes is purely cosmetic. It does not impair ability to perform any activities like walking, running or swimming. It does not improve swimming abilities however.
Surgery can be performed to separate the toes. The end result depends on the extent of webbing and bone structure. There is scarring and skin grafts may be required. Nerve damage may lead to loss of feeling in toes and a tingling sensation.

cracked heels

Cracked heels are a common foot problem that is sometimes referred to as heel fissures. They are caused by dry skin and made more complicated if the skin around the rim of the heel is thick. For most people this is a nuisance and cosmetic problem but when the fissures or cracks are deep they are painful to stand on and the skin can bleed.

Some people tend to have naturally dry skin that predisposes them to the cracks. The dry skin around the heel that is more likely to crack is often due to mechanical factors that increase pressures in that area like the way you walk.

Other factors that can be involved in the cause of cracked heels include prolonged standing, being overweight, open back on the shoes. This allows the fat under the heel to expand sideways and increases the pressure to crack. Some medical conditions predispose to a drying skin.

At Advanced Foot Care Clinic we offer Gormel 20 cream. This has 20% urea which is the highest amount of urea that is offered over the counter. Urea is a exfoliate and a moisturizer. This is very effective if you are experiencing heel problems.