Our offices in Highland and Sandy Utah offer a full array of podiatrist services to help you maintain healthy feet. A list of common foot problems are listed below as well as links to treatments options and solutions below. We treat all these along with many other foot conditions. Please contact us so we can get you on your way to better foot health.
- Arthritis
- Ankle Sprains/Instability
- Athletes Foot
- Bunions
- Calluses
- Corns
- Custom Orthotics
- Injuries
- Diabetic Foot Care
- Flat Feet
- Fungal Toenails
- Geriatric Foot Care
- Hammertoes
- Heel Pain
- Heel Spurs
- Infections
- Ingrown Toenails
- Injuries
- Metatarsalgia
- Neuromas
- Nail Care
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Tailor’s Bunions
- Tendonitis
- Warts
- Wound Care
- Many more..
CONTACT US HERE WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. FEEL FREE TO CALL ONE OF OUR UTAH OFFICES IN ALPINE AT 801.756.1800 OR OUR SANDY OFFICE AT 801.571.7911. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU!
Alpine Foot and Ankle is a proud provider of Sole Supports custom orthotic inserts.
Keep Your Feet Healthy and Happy
Did you know that most Americans will travel 75,000 miles just on their feet by the time they are 50? A typical car needs an oil change and other maintenance after every 3,000 miles. For a car, 75,000 miles is about 25 oil changes. Are you giving your feet the same consideration? If you invest in proper care, most foot and ankle problems can be prevented or lessened. It is important to detect, intervene, and treat foot problems early. This information page lists common foot conditions and treatments for each.
Arthritis
- Arthritis Between your two feet, you have 66 joints that can be afflicted with arthritis (33 in each). Arthritis is inflammation and swelling in the cartilage and lining of your joints. Another common symptom of arthritis is an increase in the amount of fluid in your joints.
Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease
- Diabetes
Diabetes, or problems with the regulation of sugar in the blood, doesn’t just affect diet. Diabetes can cause complications in your feet as well. Podiatrists can assist those working to manage diabetes to successfully manage the disease and to avoid foot-related complications. For example approximately 15% of patients with diabetes develop diabetic foot ulcers. These open sores or wounds are normally found on the bottom of the foot. A podiatrist can provide diabetic wound care. - High Blood Pressure
You might not think of connecting your feet with your heart, but high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can affect your feet as much as it affects your heart. Podiatrists are very concerned about hypertension and other vascular diseases (heart and circulatory problems). - Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by a blockage or narrowing of the arteries in the legs. These blockages happen when fatty deposits called plaque build up. This buildup of plaque causes the arteries to harden and narrow. This disease can affect blood flow to your feet. - Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral nerves consist of the nerves in your toes and fingertips. These nerves can be damaged by diabetes (this is the most common cause in the United States, though there are others). Peripheral neuropathy has a range of symptoms, from numbness and tingling to burning pain and paralysis.
Foot & Ankle Injuries
- Sprains, Strains & Fractures
One of the more common injuries to the foot, a sprained ankle is an injury where the soft tissues (ligaments) of the foot or ankle are damaged. A fracture of the ankle or foot is a break in the bone(s). A strain is an abnormal stretching of the muscles or tendons (the things that connect muscle to bone). Because the muscles, ligaments, and bones work together to allow the feet and ankles to provide support and mobility to the body, injuring any one of these systems can make it difficult to walk.
Muscle & Tendon Problems
- Haglund’s Deformity
Commonly found in women who wear pumps, Haglund’s Deformity, also called “pump bump,” is a bony enlargement of the back of the heel bone. - Heel Pain
Although the heel bone is the largest of the 26 bones that comprise the human foot, it can still lose some of its integrity because of outside stimulus. This loss of integrity is manifest as heel pain. - Tendinitis
As you might guess from understanding what arthritis is, the suffix “-itis” means inflammation. Tendons are the connectors between the muscles and the bones in your body. So “tendinitis” (tendon + -itis) is the inflammation of a tendon. One of the most common causes of foot or ankle pain is Achilles tendinitis, or an inflammation of the Achilles tendon.
Skin Disorders
- Athlete’s Foot
Fungi love warm, dark, humid places. So one place a particular fungus enjoys hanging out is on your feet, since between your shoes and your body’s natural warmth and sweat, it has the perfect environment to grow. Athletes’s foot is called such since athletes often experience this skin disease. - Corns and Calluses
Calluses and corns are areas of skin that have thickened to protect that part of the skin from irritation. When they develop on your feet, it is usually a sign of rubbing or excess pressure against that part of your foot. - Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin condition where dead skin cells build up on the surface of the skin in dry, whitish-silver patches. This build-up is caused by faster-than-normal turnover of skin cells. The new cells move to the surface faster than the dead ones can peel off. - Skin Cancers of the Feet
Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body, including in the lower extremities. Most skin cancers of the feet are painless, and often there is a history of recurrent cracking, bleeding, or ulceration. - Sweaty Feet
Hyperhidrosis excessive sweating of the feet. It is often found in people who also have problems with overly-sweaty palms. - Warts
Blame viruses when you get a wart. They can appear anywhere on the skin, but are particularly painful when they affect the soft tissue of the foot. Warts are the only painful soft tissue conditions a podiatrist can treat.
Toe Joint & Nerve Disorders
- Bunions
Bunions are caused when the bone or tissue at the big toe joint moves out of place. This movement creates an enlargement of the joint, normally at the base of the big toe. - Hammer Toes
A hammer toe is a contracture, or bending, of the toe at the first joint of the digit, called the proximal interphalangeal joint. This bending causes the toe to appear like an upside-down V when looked at from the side. - Neuromas
A benign growth of nerve tissue, a neuroma is also referred to as a “pinched nerve”. This painful condition is frequently found between the third and fourth toes.
Toenail Problems
- Ingrown Toenails
The most common nail impairment, ingrown toenails are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling. One cause of ingrown toenails is a mistake when trimming the toenail. - Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is an infection underneath the surface of the nail caused by fungi. The disease is characterized by a progressive change in a toenail’s quality and color.
Treatment
- Shoe Inserts and Prescription Custom Orthotics
Shoe inserts are any kind of non-prescription foot support designed to be worn inside a shoe. Custom orthotics are specially-made devices designed to support and comfort your feet. - Surgery
Often when pain or deformity persists, surgery may be appropriate to alleviate discomfort or to restore the function of your foot.
Care for Your Feet
Caring for your feet is an important part of your overall health. What follows are links to advice to care for your feet. These helpful pointers are sure to keep you and your family in step with good foot health.
- Pedicure Pointers Whether you like to get a pedicure in the nail salon or at home, follow these easy tips to keep your feet looking and feeling their best.
- All Toes on Deck Get tips for protecting your feet from the summer heat.
Footwear Selection Tips
Here are some links to our advice on how to select the perfect pair of athletic shoes, running shoes, walking shoes, boots, sandals, flip flops and more!
- Children’s Footwear
Learn the simple “1,2,3 Test” to determine the safety of any children’s shoe. - Flip-flops
Discover some essential tips on shopping for and wearing flip-flops. - Running Shoes
Seek out the best-fitting running shoes using this guide.
Shoe Recommendation lists from the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine can be found at: http://www.aapsm.org/crishoe.html
Educational information contained in this website was used with permission from the APMA
