As any foot doctors will tell you, running in the wrong shoes can mean serious trouble for your foot health. Shoes that don’t give you the proper support can cause pain, increase your chance of injury, lead to blisters, and diminish your performance. How can you find the perfect running shoes for you? Start by knowing your foot type. There are three different classifications of feet, based on arch type. Your foot doctor can identify your foot type if you’re unable to determine it on your own. Find out how to match your running shoes to your feet in this infographic from Advanced Foot and Ankle Specialists . Our podiatrist in Sugar Land can provide treatment for a range of foot and ankle conditions, including hammertoes, toe fungus, and ganglion cysts. Wearing the wrong shoes is a common problem for runners, so spread the word about how to choose the right pair by sharing this infographic.

Arthritis is a chronic disorder that can affect any joint in the body, including feet and ankles. The majority of people who are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis will develop foot and ankle problems during the course of the disease. If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you should visit a podiatrist or foot and ankle specialist near Sugar Land for treatment that may slow the progression of the disease.

Symptoms

The primary symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the foot or ankle are pain, swelling, inflammation, and stiffness of the joint. These symptoms typically occur in both feet at once and affect the same joints in each foot. Early indications of arthritis in the ankle include increased difficulty walking up ramps and stairs. As the disease progresses, walking and standing can also become painful and difficult. Early indications of arthritis in the foot include difficulty walking on uneven ground, flat feet, bone spurs, and bunions.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis has no cure, but a foot and ankle specialist or podiatrist near you can provide a variety of treatment options that may ease your symptoms. These treatments may include medication, rest, physical therapy, orthotics, and steroid injections. You will typically have a treatment team of foot and ankle specialists that consists of a rheumatologist, physical and occupational therapist, an orthopedic surgeon, and a rehabilitation specialist.

Surgical Treatment

Your foot and ankle specialist will recommend foot surgery if non-surgical options have proven unsuccessful, or if you have extensive cartilage damage. Surgical treatment typically involves a surgical procedure called fusion, during which two bones that form a joint are fused together to create one bone. During the healing process, a new bone will grow between the two fused joint bones. This surgery limits joint motion, which reduces the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. It is particularly effective for the ankle joint, as that tends to be the most painful joint when affected by arthritis.

If you think you’ve sprained your ankle, you should visit a podiatrist or foot and ankle specialist near you for a diagnosis. The symptoms for of a severe ankle sprain and a fractured ankle are often very similar, and a foot doctor in Sugarland can determine whether your ankle is broken, or just badly sprained. Here are some helpful tips on how to deal with an ankle sprain before you visit your podiatrist.

At-Home Treatment

Even if you’ve made an appointment to see a foot specialist about your sprained ankle, you’ll still be waiting at home in discomfort until your appointment time. There are a few things that you can do at home to ease your pain and promote healing. Avoid walking or standing to allow your ankle time to rest. Lie down and elevate your leg so that your ankle is above the level of your heart to minimize swelling. You should apply ice to your ankle regularly, and take ibuprofen, to reduce pain and inflammation. You should also apply a compression wrap or elastic bandage to your ankle to reduce swelling.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Your podiatrist or foot doctor will X-ray your ankle to ensure you haven’t broken or fractured any bones. He will prescribe you painkillers if the ibuprofen you’re taking isn’t effectively treating your pain. He may also suggest that you use crutches so that you avoid putting pressure on your ankle. If you do not follow your podiatrist’s treatment plan, you may develop ankle instability, which happens when your ankle ligaments do not heal correctly.

Surgical Treatment

If your ankle sprain is severe, you may have also torn ligaments or tendons in your ankle. Your podiatrist will examine you carefully to diagnose any serious problems that may require reconstructive ankle surgery. If you are an athlete who has a torn lateral ankle ligament, your podiatrist may recommend immediate surgery. In other instances of torn ligaments or tendons, a foot and ankle specialist will try non-surgical methods first.

A bunion is a foot deformity that causes one of the bones of the big toe to become enlarged and dominant against the outer edge of the toe. The deformity looks like a large bump, and it is made up of bone and soft tissue. Bunions can develop as a result of certain diseases, such as arthritis or polio, or regularly wearing ill-fitting shoes. If you’re in need of bunion treatment in Sugar Land , a podiatrist or foot specialist near you may recommend bunion surgery. Here are some important facts about bunion surgery.

Who Can Benefit from Bunion Surgery?

Your podiatrist or foot doctor will recommend bunion surgery if all other non-surgical bunion treatment options have failed. The surgery is typically recommended for those who suffer from these symptoms as a result of their bunions: intense pain, difficulty walking, chronic inflammation, and toe stiffness and deformity.

Types of Bunion Surgery

The main goal of bunion surgery is to realign the joint, correct a deformity, and relieve pain. A foot specialist may choose from a few different procedures to accomplish this. Osteotomy is a type of surgery in which the joint bone is cut or realigned to correct deformity or relieve pressure on the joint. Arthrodesis is the removal of damaged joint areas, and the insertion of screws, wires, or plates to hold the joint together. Your surgeon may also need to repair the tendons and ligaments around your big toe to add structure, flexibility, and strength.

Results of Bunion Surgery

The majority of patients who visit a podiatrist or foot specialist for bunion removal surgery report a dramatic decrease in pain and in the severity of their toe deformity after the surgery. Bunion surgery will not allow you to wear smaller, narrower shoes, and you should not continue to wear these shoes after surgery because it can cause your bunions to reoccur. 85% to 90% of patients who undergo bunion surgery are satisfied with the results.

The symptoms of bunions include a visible bump on the outer edge of your big toe, swelling, pain, and inflammation around the big toe, persistent pain, and difficulty in moving the toe. A podiatrist or foot specialist near you can offer you a diagnosis and treatment options if you believe that you’re in need of bunion treatment in Sugar Land .

Your foot doctor will first recommend non-surgical bunion treatments, such as a prescription or over the counter mediation for pain, and a medication that can reduce the swelling around your big toe. He may also suggest that you use a heating pad or ice pack to relieve you of pain and swelling. You should also wear comfortable shoes that fit correctly to relieve pain and prevent new bunions from forming.

If non-surgical bunion treatment options are unsuccessful, or if you have severe bunions, your podiatrist may recommend bunion surgery. Bunion removal surgery, also called a bunionectomy, is performed in a hospital or foot surgery center. It can be done as an outpatient procedure, under either local or general anesthesia.

There are a few different types of cysts that can develop on the feet. Cysts are a bulging, sac-like structure that fills with pus or liquid. Cysts can be caused by infection, trauma, inflammation, or clogged oil glands. The most common types of cysts are ganglion cysts, synovial cysts, and plantar fibroma. Cysts can be diagnosed and treated by a podiatrist, food specialist, or foot doctor in Sugar Land.

Ganglion cysts are benign growths that are filled with fluid and attach to a tendon or tissue that surrounds the joint in the foot. They are sometimes asymptomatic, but can also cause a burning sensation, skin irritation, and can make walking and wearing shoes difficult.

Plantar fibroma cysts are fibrous and hard knots that are found deep within the skin of the arch of the foot. They are non-cancerous and can be found in either or both feet. A synovial cyst is a small, fluid-filled sac that occurs on the top of the foot, or over a tendon or joint. These cysts are initially soft but can become firmer over time. A foot doctor or foot specialist near you can treat or remove your cysts surgically or non-surgically.

There are three types of cysts that are common on the feet: ganglion cysts, synovial cysts, and plantar fibromas. Ganglion cysts and synovial cysts share several similarities. They appear on the tops of the feet, usually along a tendon or joint, and they can cause tendon, ligament, or joint damage. The main difference between these two types of foot cysts is that synovial cysts are encased in a layer of tissue that completely surrounds the cyst. Plantar fibromas occur on the bottom of the feet, usually in the instep. The cause is unknown, but genetics may play a part. You can learn more about these types of cysts and their potential treatments in this infographic from Advanced Foot and Ankle Specialists. Our foot doctor offers a range of treatments when home care is not enough, including drainage and surgery. If you’re suffering from foot pain in Sugar Land, make an appointment with us to see a foot doctor right away. Help others understand more about foot cysts and pain by sharing this information.

If you are in need of a foot doctor in Sugar Land, TX, visit Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialists or call 281-242-3338.

Foot surgeons, podiatric physicians, or foot and ankle specialists perform reconstructive foot and ankle surgeries for a number of different reasons. The purpose of surgery is typically to relieve the pain, inflammation, and discomfort that may be caused by an injury, arthritis, congenital abnormalities, or infection. Reconstructive surgery should also restore function and mobility. Here are some common surgical procedures that may be performed by a foot doctor in Sugar Land .

Bone Fusion, Bone Osteotomy, or Bone Grafting

Bone fusions are generally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis of the foot or ankle. A bone fusion procedure is performed in the course of a foot surgery. The foot surgeon removes all of the cartilage from the joint, and then fuses the two joint bones together with pins, plates, or screws, so that they cannot move. A bone osteotomy is a surgical procedure in which a foot specialist removes or cuts away at the bones of the foot in a very precise manner. This surgery is performed as part of bunion treatment, heel spur treatment, and hammertoe treatment. Bone grafting is a procedure in which human bone or synthetic bone is used to replace bone that has deteriorated due to disease or injury.

Tendon and Ligament Procedures

Tendon surgery is used to repair severe injuries, or to lengthen or shorten the tendon. Tendons can also be re-routed to improve the function and mobility of the foot and ankle. For those who suffer from flat feet, the ligament that supports the arch of the foot can become stretched out and even torn. A foot specialist can repair this ligament in surgery by rerouting other tendons to help support the arch of the foot.

Skin or Soft Tissue Repair

It is very common for injuries to occur to the skin or soft tissue of the feet. Depending on the type of injury and the severity, your foot doctor may recommend surgery. Conditions that may benefit from skin or soft tissue are fungus on the feet, wart removal, and ganglion cysts.