Gone are the days where only middle-aged and old people suffered from foot issues. Today, almost every person experiences foot pain and serious conditions related to it.
The statistics show that few people are born with foot problems, which means you can unknowingly develop a foot condition due to poor foot care or wrong shoe choices.
Check out the foot problems that are worth knowing about in order to prevent them from turning into a serious health disaster.
1. Corns and calluses
Often ignored, corns and calluses aren’t just temporary discomforts caused by wearing badly fitted shoes. Usually occurred on the bottom of the heel or the ball of the foot, calluses cause nagging pain and serious consequences, if not treated immediately.
2. Athlete’s foot
When you walk and run and you have sweaty feet, you have a risk of developing the athlete’s foot fungus. It causes the skin inflammation and a scaly, white rash with a visibly red base. Peeling, itching, and burning are all the symptoms of infection that can spread to the other parts of your body.
3. Gout
The sudden pain, redness, stiffness, and swelling in the large joint of the big toe are the symptoms of gout. Gout also occurs in the ankle and knees. It’s the result of too high levels of uric acid in the body, which crystallizes in the joints, causing discomfort and pain.
4. Hammertoes
If your middle toes are crossed and bent or pointed at a different angle, this foot condition is called hammertoes. Ill-fitting shoes are the biggest culprit. If not treated, hammertoes cause corns and calluses and severe pain. Foot pads may help fix the position of the toes, but sometimes surgery is required.
5. Fungal nail infections
If your nails are brittle, discolored, and extremely thick, you might be dealing with fungal nail infections. Not only does this infection cause the pain, but it’s also transmittable. It can spread to the other nails and affect your family members too.
6. Blisters
If your shoes don’t fit well, be ready to cope with blisters. Even though blisters are harmless, they cause severe pain and you may have trouble walking properly. When buying the shoes, try it a few times to be sure they do fit well.
7. Bunions
That bony bump at the base of your big toe may be a reason why your feet hurt when you walk or run. When ignored, the big toe will start deviating toward the other toes, leading to instability of other joints in your foot.
8. Flat foot
Flat foot is one of the biggest problems of millions of people worldwide. Although this condition is generally inherited, you may get flat foot due to posterior tibial tendon dysfunction or a serious injury. Supportive shoes are all you need to reduce the pain.
9. Ingrown toenails
The last but not the least, ingrown nails can trigger some serious foot conditions as well. They cause the swelling, redness, infection, pain, and bunions. Don’t cut your toenails too short and wear well-fitting shoes to avoid ingrown toenails.
As you can see, most of the foot problems are caused by ill-fitting shoes. Investing in a quality pair that will fit well may solve most of your foot issues.