14 Foot Care Travel Tips for Happier Feet

14 Foot Care Travel Tips for Happier Feet

Are you ready for summertime travels and adventures? Maybe you’re planning a day of fun at an amusement park. Or, perhaps, you’re headed to a national or state park for a trek in the woods. Wherever your journey takes you – a bustling city, a quiet country retreat, or...
Build Foot Strength to Prevent Injuries

Build Foot Strength to Prevent Injuries

Did you know your abdominal muscles aren’t your body’s only core muscles you need to be strengthening? At a recent medical conference, Irene S. Davis, Ph.D., PT, FACSM, FAPTA, FASB, professor in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical...
Runners: 3 Common Causes of Foot Pain

Runners: 3 Common Causes of Foot Pain

Your foot is an incredible machine comprised of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles all working in harmony as you run. But, as a runner, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your feet. These feelings can be for several reasons. Maybe you’ve had...

How to Fix Your Ugly Feet

Are your feet less than perfect? Maybe they’re cracked, swollen, discolored, bent or bumpy? Below are 4 common causes of ugly feet and suggestions on how to fix these foot problems, so you don’t have to continue hiding your ugly feet in your shoes. Athlete’s Foot...

How to Avoid Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is a major problem in the U.S. In 2013, 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries and 800 deaths were caused by people driving while fatigued, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driver fatigue isn’t just a problem for long-distance...

Controlling Foot Odor Causing Bacteria

We’ve all known someone who has stinky feet. Heck, even you have probably had foot odor at some time or another. Foot odor can happen to anyone, but teenagers, pregnant women, the elderly, people with heart disease or diabetes, and people under a lot of stress are...

Are You Suffering from Pump Bump?

Do you have a bony lump on the back of your heel? Is this lump painful, especially when you wear stiff, closed-heel shoes? You likely have a condition called Haglund’s deformity – otherwise known as pump bump. What is Haglund’s deformity?  Pump...

Proper Foot Care for Diabetics

If you have diabetes, it’s important that you take care of your feet. People with diabetes are more vulnerable to having foot problems. Diabetes can lower blood flow to your feet. Also it can damage your nerves, causing pain or a loss of feeling. Poor foot care for...

High Heels Can Lead to Instability over Time

Many women love to wear high heels. Perhaps you’re one of those women who can’t go a day without wearing a pair of your favorite high heels. But high heels can affect the shape and functioning of your feet. Additionally, a recent study published in The International...

Importance of Regular Health Screenings

Photo credit: 123RF/convisumDo you remember that old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Well, this same concept applies to regular health screenings.Health care professionals believe that regular health screenings are important in fighting...

What’s Causing Your Foot Pain?

Photo credit: iStockphoto/paisan191Do your feet hurt when you walk? You might think you have a heel spur, but there’s more than one culprit that can contribute to foot pain. Could Your Pain Be a Heel Spur?A heel spur is caused by calcium deposits on the underside of...

Pamper Dry Cracked Feet

Photo credit: 123RF/Juriah MosinHave you noticed that your feet are rough with cracks on your heels? Or, maybe the skin on your feet is flaky or peeling? These are signs of dry cracked feet.Winter air can be especially drying when humidity levels in your home or...

High Heels Elevate Your Risk of Painful Conditions

Do you suffer from pain when wearing high heels? If so, you’re not alone. 71% of women say they experience pain when they wear high heels, according to a 2014 American Podiatric Medical Association survey. But that doesn’t seem to stop women from continuing to wear...

Footbeds Versus Custom Orthotics

Have you been experiencing foot pain? Or, maybe, you’ve also been having pain in your knees, hips and back, too? You know you need to do something to relieve your pain. So you head to the nearest drug or discount store to check out the footbeds for sale. But what you...

Too Small Shoes Cause Foot Pain

Are your shoes squeezing your toes? Or, maybe they’re rubbing against your heels. If this is the case, you’re likely wearing shoes that are too small (not to say that shoes that are too big, don’t cause foot problems, too). As the WalkEZStore has discussed in recent...

Measure Your Feet for Proper Shoe Fit

Did you know that Thursday (Jan. 23) was Measure Your Feet Day? No?? Well, I didn’t know it either. And, yes, it really is a recognized holiday. Although no one seems to know how it originated. But why not have a holiday recognizing the importance of measuring your...

How to Overcome Holiday-induced Gout

If you’ve been eating a lot of fatty holiday meals containing red meats, poultry or shellfish and drinking beer or alcoholic beverages, all of this overindulgence may lead to an episode of gout and a not-so-merry holiday season. Gout is a type of arthritis that’s...

Hallux Rigidus: A Painful, Stiff Big Toe

Has the joint at the base of your big toe caused you pain and stiffness? Has it progressively gotten worse that you now have lost all motion in the toe and it’s rigid? You likely have hallux rigidus. A form of degenerative arthritis, hallux rigidus causes pain and...

Morton’s Toe: A “Classic” Foot Disorder

Do you have a second toe that is longer than your big toe? If so, you have Morton’s toe, a common forefoot variation that’s found in up to 20% of the population. This disorder is also known as “Greek toe,” since the ancient Greeks considered a longer second toe to be...

Creating Your Family’s Health History

Did you know that certain diseases can be heredity? If anyone in your family has had medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, you may have an increased risk of developing the same health problem. Some hereditary diseases can even cause problems with...

How to Treat and Prevent Hammertoe

Do you have a toe or toes that curl? Do these toes resemble a hammer or claw? Do these toes have corns and calluses on them from rubbing the inside of your shoes? Do you have a hard time moving these toes? Do these toes give you pain when walking or performing other...

Is Your Child a Toe Walker?

Toe walking is a foot condition in which the child walks on the balls of the feet without putting much weight on the heel or other parts of the foot. Typically, we refer to it as walking on our tiptoes. Small children usually begin to walk around the time that they...

#%&*$!!! Did I Just Break My Toe?

Have you ever walked through your home barefoot, thinking about something else, and, suddenly – bam – you run into a piece of furniture? The next second, you’re yelling or cursing in pain because you’ve stubbed your toe. Stubbing your toe can be very painful...

#%&*$!!! Did I Just Break My Toe?

Have you ever walked through your home barefoot, thinking about something else, and, suddenly – bam – you run into a piece of furniture? The next second, you’re yelling or cursing in pain because you’ve stubbed your toe. Stubbing your toe can be very painful...

Don’t Let Foot Pain Ruin Your Vacation

Summer is a popular time to take a vacation. Some people want nothing more than to lounge around the pool or lie on the beach the whole time they’re away. Other people pack their vacation time with a constant stream of historical sites, museums and other places of...

Heel Fissures: “Heeling” Your Foot Pain

Now that summer is here, you’ve probably been wearing sandals or flip-flops. Have you noticed your sandals rubbing against the bottom outer edge of your heels, causing calluses to form? Over time, if you don’t treat these calluses, the skin can become thick, hard, dry...

Be on Your Guard for Basketball Injuries

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, more Americans play basketball than any other team sport. Maybe that’s because basketball can be an incredibly exciting, fast-paced game. However, whether you play professionally, in a league, in a pick-up game or...

8 Tips for Treating an Ingrown Toenail

If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail, you know they can be painful. Your toe can become red and swollen around the nail. While you may be able to treat your ingrown toenail at home on your own, if you develop an infection (or if you have diabetes or a circulation...

The Cost of Fashion Shoes – Foot Pain and Injury

Recently, someone sent a link to me about these L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stafani sandals. And the note read, “Not exactly an ‘arch support.’” Well, you can say that again! I feel shoes like these need to come with a tag saying, “Buyer Beware.”   These shoes are nothing more...

Common Children’s Foot Problems

Are you aware that a lot of the biomechanical deficiencies of the feet are inherited? If you have problems with your feet, then you should look at your children’s feet – because not all children are born with perfect feet. Do your children have feet that look like...

Weed Out Foot Pain While Doing Yard or Garden Work

It’s spring! Depending on where you live, the trees and shrubs may be budding; the flowers may be blooming; and the grass may be growing greener and higher. Usually that means it’s time to start doing yard and garden work – mowing the lawn; putting down fertilizer;...

Beware of What’s Lurking in the Locker Room

So, you’ve been taking advantage of that fitness center membership you got at the first of year. You’ve been losing weight and toning your body. You’ve even used the Jacuzzi to relax your aching muscles. But lately, you’ve noticed that your feet have been itching and...

Boomers: Tips on Cycling for Fitness

Do you remember how much fun you used to have riding your bike as a kid? Well, it can still be just as fun as an adult. Cycling can be a great way to add more exercise into your daily routine. It provides you with a low-impact aerobic workout that’s great for toning...

Shin Splints: Are Not What You Think

Are you a runner or a dancer? Are you in the military? Do you have a throbbing, aching pain in the shins of your legs? If so, you may have shin splints. Shin splints – also called tibial stress syndrome – are a common lower leg complaint, especially among runners,...

Your Feet Affect Your Whole Body and Your Health

Imagine a house on a hill. Over time, rain and snow erodes the ground surrounding the house. Eventually, the foundation develops cracks, and then shifts, causing problems with the house’s structure, such as cracks in the walls or slanting floors. Your feet are like...

How to Treat Frostbitten Feet

Depending upon where you live, your winter weather may be cold this year. (Here in the Midwest, we’ve had an unusual winter – although it’s been colder in January.) If you have been outside enjoying the winter weather, you need to take care to prevent your feet from...

Do You Have Flat Feet or Fallen Arches?

How do you know? Have you noticed when walking with wet feet across concrete or sand that your foot’s impression doesn’t appear to have an arch? Or have you had a doctor, podiatrist or certified pedorthist tell you have flat feet?  Your foot actually has three arches...

Keep Your Figure Skating from Spiraling into Foot Pain

Figure skating can be great fun during the winter months. However, all the twists, turns, quick stops, and blade work can put a lot of stress on your feet, which can lead to foot pain and injury. Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, bunions, calluses, bursitis,...

Is Weight Loss Your New Year’s Resolution?

If your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, then you’re not alone. About a third of all people who make resolutions want to lose weight as their primary goal. That’s because over 65% of American adults are overweight. Plus, many people pack on a few extra pounds...

Protect Your Feet While You Protect Your Country

In honor of Veterans Day yesterday, if you are one of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces, you know that the difficult training and hard work you do can take a toll of your feet. These activities can lead to a variety of foot problems. Therefore,...

Are You at Risk for a Foot Fracture?

It’s almost Halloween and skeleton decorations are appearing everywhere. Did you know that the foot contains 26 bones? That’s 52 bones if you count both feet. And those 52 bones comprise about 25% of all the bones in your body. Besides these bones, your foot and ankle...

Heel Pain? It May Be a Heel Spur

Contrary to what you may think, a heel spur is not a star-shaped, metal device that cowboys wear on the heels of their boots in order to prod their horse to pick up the pace. A heel spur is actually an abnormal bony growth on the heel bone. Although this bone is...

Fat Pad Atrophy: What’s That?

Everyday our feet are affected by wear and tear. But did you know that by the age of 40, you can lose up to 50% of the fat pads in your feet?  Maybe you’re thinking, “So what? It’s fat. I don’t want fat feet.” Well, you do want these fat pads. The metatarsal fat pads...

Foot Pain: Are You at Risk?

Did you know that the root cause of painful foot conditions can begin in your 20s and 30s? However, on average, most people develop foot pain in their 60s. Unfortunately, most people take their feet for granted. Except for some women who get regular pedicures, many...

Metatarsalgia Pain: Like Walking on Pebbles

Does your job require you to stand and/or walk extensively? Are you pregnant or overweight? Are you a runner or athlete that repetitively puts pressure on your forefoot? Are you a woman who wears high heels constantly? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions,...

Tackle Your Foot Problems Before They Sack You

It’s autumn once again. And time for enjoying some rousing games of football. Whether you’re a high school, college, pro, or recreational player, football can be rough on your body, especially your feet and ankles. The tackles, falls, and quick movements on your feet...

Corns and Calluses: End of Summer Footwear Woes

If you’ve been wearing sandals or flip-flops this summer, you may have noticed that you’ve developed calluses and/or corns on your feet. The constant flapping of flip-flops against your heels have probably caused rough, dry calluses to form. Or if you’ve been wearing...

Don’t Let Foot Pain Throw a Curve Ball in Your Game

Baseball and softball are a national pastime in the U.S., especially during the summer. Whether you’re playing in a formal league or enjoying a game at a family reunion, it’s important to play sensibly and safely. Baseball and softball involve quick starts and stops,...

Summer Sun Can Scorch Your Feet, Too!

Since much of the U.S. is in the midst of a heat wave, you may be heading to the beach or pool to cool down. Once you get there, you may apply sunscreen to your body – or maybe you don’t apply any at all. Then you spend hours splashing in the water, or playing around...

Summer Sandals: Are You Sacrificing Foot Comfort for Style?

Sandals and summer just go together. With so many styles to choose from – flats, gladiators, espadrilles, and high heels, sandals look cute with a variety of summer fashions, including tees and shorts, lacy tank tops and Capri pants, floaty sundresses, summer...

Don’t Let Plantar Warts Spoil Your Summer

It’s a beautiful summer morning. You’re walking through the cool, dew-covered grass in your bare feet, enjoying the simple pleasures of summer. Suddenly, you scrape your foot against a rock in the grass. You inspect your foot and notice a small scratch on the ball of...

Are Bunions Causing You Foot Pain?

Bunions are a common problem of the forefoot. A bunion is an enlargement of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint or the joint at the base of the big toe. When the big toe is bent or pushed up against the other toes (due to heredity or crowding caused by shoes that are...