Blisters: they’re an enemy that most of us are far too familiar with – often accompanied by a fantastic new pair of shoes that we were initially very excited about. Instead, we’re left in pain and uncomfortable, searching for anything we can place over the blisters to cover them up and stop the stinging.Blisters develop when the skin on your feet rubs against shoes or other surfaces, leading to a buildup of fluid under the skin. Blisters can be caused by a variety of factors, including friction, pressure, or heat that damages the outer layer of skin. Specifically, ill-fitting shoes, repetitive rubbing movements, excessive moisture, and sunburn (less common for the feet, but still possible) are all culprits.
Preventing Blisters on Your Feet
Given the severe level of pain that these tiny but powerful bubbles can inflict on us, it’s always a good idea to take steps, where possible, to prevent them. This includes:Choosing The Right FootwearOne of the best ways to prevent blisters on your feet is to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes. Shoes that are too tight or too loose can cause friction and pressure on your feet, leading to blisters. Look for shoes with a wide toe box that allows your toes to move freely, and avoid shoes with high heels or pointed toes.Break in New ShoesNew shoes can be stiff and tight, which can cause blisters on your feet. To prevent this, break in new shoes gradually by wearing them for short periods of time at first and gradually increasing the length of time you wear them. You can also try stretching the shoes before wearing them to help loosen them up.Wear Moisture-Wicking SocksMoisture can contribute to the formation of blisters on your feet. To prevent this, wear moisture-wicking socks that help to keep your feet dry. Avoid cotton socks, as they tend to trap moisture and can contribute to blister formation.Use Protective PaddingIf you have a spot on your foot that is prone to blisters, and you’re about to go for a long walk or hike, re recommend using protective padding to prevent friction and pressure. Moleskin or gel pads are good options for protecting your feet from blisters – and your podiatry clinic may have their own preferred recommendations, or even some available for purchase.Treating Blisters on Your FeetOnce blisters have developed, there’s only one goal: to get them healed up as quickly as possible and to prevent further irritation that will worsen your symptoms and pain. Here are our tips for treating blisters at home:Leave Blisters IntactIf you do develop a blister on your foot, it is important to leave it intact. The blister provides a protective layer over the damaged skin and helps to prevent infection. If the blister breaks, clean the area with soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover it with a sterile bandage.Use CompressesTo help relieve pain and reduce swelling, you can apply a cold compress to the blistered area. A bag of ice wrapped in a towel or a cold, wet washcloth can provide relief. You can also use a warm compress to help reduce pain and speed up healing.Use An Antibacterial OintmentIf your blister has popped, apply an antibacterial ointment to help prevent infection. Cover the blister with a sterile bandage to keep it clean and protected.Rest Your FeetIf you have a blister on your foot, it is important to rest your feet and avoid putting pressure on the affected area. This will help to prevent further irritation and allow the blister to heal. Absolutely avoid doing the activities that caused your blister to form in the first place.
Should You Drain A Blister?
Generally, we do not recommend popping blisters. This is because this ‘opens’ up the blister and makes it more vulnerable to further damage, as well as infections. However, in some cases, like when the blister is large or in an area like the back of your heel where you know it’s going to be exposed to pressure that is likely to take the top of the blister off anyway, it may be necessary to lance the blister. To do this, take a clean, disinfected needle and poke the blister from the side to drain the fluid. Once the fluid is removed, the pressure will subside. Then, soak your feet for 15 to 20 minutes in lukewarm water with Epsom salts. Using Betadine to help dry up the blister will speed up the healing process, keeping it safely covered and protected. You should notice your blister and the area around it getting better over the following days. If it’s not, contact your podiatrist immediately.
Need Advice On Blisters, Or Help Treating Or Preventing Them?
Then our team is here for you. We’re proud to be Auckland’s leading podiatry team, and understand the impact that painful blisters can have on your daily life and in helping you meet your health and fitness goals. Book your appointment by calling us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
You call it having smelly or stinky feet, we call it bromodosis. Unpleasant foot odour is a relatively common, albeit often embarrassing, problem that affects approximately one in five people. It occurs when sweat and bacteria accumulate on the feet, creating an unpleasant odour. While foot odour is not usually a serious medical condition given that it often poses little threat to a person’s overall health and wellbeing, it can definitely make people feel self-conscious. The good news is that there are several ways to prevent and treat foot odour that often require little effort and can be done at home. Here’s a few things you can start with.
Dry Your Feet Well After Every Shower
Drying your feet well after every shower, bath and any time you get wet – like after swimming – is an essential part of helping to prevent ongoing foot odour. This is because moisture creates a favourable environment for bacteria to grow, which is the leading cause of foot odour. When your feet are damp or wet, bacteria can easily multiply.By drying your feet thoroughly after every shower or bath, you can help remove excess moisture, which can limit the growth of bacteria. It is especially important to dry between your toes, as this is an area where moisture easily becomes trapped, particularly if you have hammertoes, claw toes, bunions or other foot problems which keeps the toes close together.
Wear Breathable Shoes And Socks
When your feet are enclosed in tight, non-breathable footwear, such as plastic or rubber shoes, they easily become moist and warm, creating a favourable environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi. These microorganisms thrive in warm and moist conditions, leading to smells developing.Breathable shoes and socks, on the other hand, allow air to circulate around your feet, helping to keep them dry and cool. This makes it difficult for bacteria and fungi to grow, reducing the likelihood of foot odour. Materials such as leather and canvas are excellent choices for shoes, as they are naturally breathable and allow air to circulate around the feet. Socks made of natural materials such as cotton or wool are also good choices, as they can absorb moisture and allow air to circulate around the feet.
Switch Between Different Pairs Of Shoes
Rotating your shoes allows your shoes to dry out completely between wears. Moisture is one of the main causes of foot odour, as it creates an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. When you wear the same pair of shoes every day, they may not have enough time to dry out completely, allowing bacteria and fungi to multiply. As an aside, when shoes are worn moist, they also wear out faster.By rotating your shoes, you can give them time to dry out completely, reducing the likelihood of bacterial and fungal growth. This is especially important if you sweat excessively or live in a humid environment, as your shoes may become damp more easily. Plus, you can also help prolong the lifespan of your shoes.
If You Have A Known Fungal Or Bacterial Foot Infection, Treat It
Given that the causes of foot odour are bacterial and fungal foot infections, treating existing infections can help solve a lot of the foot odour problem. Bacterial and fungal nail infections occur when bacteria or fungi invade the nail bed and nail plate. They can cause a range of symptoms, including thickened, discoloured, and brittle nails, as well as an unpleasant odour. These infections can also spread to the surrounding skin, causing additional symptoms such as redness, swelling, and itching.To treat bacterial or fungal nail infections, antifungal medications, topical antibacterials, or a combination of both may be used. This is something that should be discussed with your podiatrist or doctor, as your specific treatment plan will depend on the severity of the infection and your medical history. It should be noted that some smells may persist even after fungus and bacteria have been eliminated, as other factors such as sweating and poor hygiene can also both contribute to foot odour.
Wash Your Insoles
Periodically washing your shoe liners, if they’re removable, may also help. If you have orthotics, these can also be cleaned – just make sure to follow the instructions from your podiatrist carefully and ensure they are completely dry before putting them back in your shoe.
See A Podiatrist
While home remedies including the suggestions above can go a long way in treating fungal nail infections, if they’re not working for you, it may be time to see a podiatrist. Your podiatrist will evaluate your feet, understand the cause of the persistent odour and why it’s not responding to other treatment options, and recommend stronger treatments, such as prescription-strength antiperspirants or topical medications.If you’re struggling with foot odour and need help, book your appointment by calling us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
Heel spurs are a hot topic in our clinic – particularly around whether they’re the underlying cause of a person’s ongoing or recurring heel pain. There’s a lot of confusion and misconceptions around heel spurs, especially in relation to plantar fasciitis heel pain. Here’s what you should know about heel spurs from the heel pain experts.
What Is A Heel Spur?
A heel spur is a bony growth that develops on the underside of the heel bone (calcaneus). It typically forms in response to repeated stress or pressure on the heel, which causes calcium deposits to accumulate and harden over time. Heel spurs can range in size and shape, and they may or may not cause pain or discomfort. They are often associated with plantar fasciitis, a condition that involves inflammation of the tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes.It should be noted that bony spurs can develop in areas all around the body where a tendon attaches to bone. This includes a spur at the back of the heel bone, at the Achilles tendon.
What Causes Heel Spurs?
Bony spurs develop when soft tissues repetitively apply stress to the bone that they are attached to. This may be the result of overdoing it during exercise, poor foot mechanics that overload the tendons, medical conditions like arthritis or gout, wearing unsupportive footwear that leads to excess strain on the tendons, and may even be linked to the ageing process, where our bones and tissues naturally grow weaker.
What Are The Symptoms Of Heel Spurs?
Interestingly, the majority of people we see with heel spurs do not experience any symptoms, painful or otherwise, and the spurs are often detected incidentally on X-rays or other imaging tests. However, when symptoms do occur, they can include:
Pain: this is felt on the bottom of the heel. The pain is often described as a sharp, stabbing sensation that worsens with standing, walking, or running.
Inflammation: the plantar fascia (the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes and the one affected in the condition plantar fasciitis), can occur alongside heel spurs. This can cause swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected area.
Tenderness: the area around the heel spur may be tender to the touch.
Stiffness: there may be stiffness or reduced flexibility in the affected foot.
Difficulty walking: the pain and discomfort associated with heel spurs can make it difficult to walk normally, especially first thing in the morning or after periods of rest.
How Are Heel Spurs Diagnosed?
The only way to confidently diagnose a heel spur is via x-ray medical imaging. With this said, it’s important to note that the majority of heel pain we see is not caused by heel spurs. Other conditions, primarily plantar fasciitis, as well as Achilles tendonitis, can also cause similar symptoms. Hence, x-rays are not often used to investigate heel spurs specifically further.
What Is The Treatment For Heel Spurs?
The treatment for heel spurs is very similar to the treatment for plantar fasciitis heel pain, given the spur develops at the insertion of the fascia. This includes using custom foot orthotics, wearing good, supportive footwear, and starting a rehab program with stretching and strengthening exercises. Your podiatrist will discuss your management plan in full during your appointment, once we confirm what the cause of your heel pain truly is.
Can Heel Spurs Be Prevented?
While not all heel spurs can be prevented, there are several things you can do to reduce your risk of developing a spur. This includes wearing well-fitting, supportive footwear, stretching regularly before physical activity, maintaining good technique and form during exercise, not going too hard too fast during exercise and straining your tendons, and keeping conditions like rheumatoid arthritis well managed.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Heel Spurs?
The recovery time for heel spurs can vary depending on the severity of the condition and the individual’s response to treatment. With proper treatment, you can expect a significant improvement in your symptoms within six to eight weeks. In more severe cases, recovery may take several months.
Can Heel Spurs Come Back After Treatment?
Yes, if the original cause of the heel spur is not properly addressed, then they can recur when the tissues are again repeatedly strained and overused.
Do I Need Surgery For Heel Spurs?
In most cases, no. Most cases of heel spurs can be effectively managed with non-surgical treatments, such as physical therapy, orthotics, and wearing supportive footwear. Surgery is typically reserved for severe cases of heel spurs that do not respond to conservative treatments.Struggling with heel spurs? Our podiatry team is here to help. We’re proud to offer exceptional podiatry and heel pain care in Remuera, Newmarket and the surrounding areas. Book your appointment with our podiatrists by calling us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
Getting spontaneous waves of burning feelings in your feet? Burning feet are keeping you awake at night? It can be quite alarming to feel unusual sensations moving through your feet, especially when you can’t pinpoint a specific cause or trigger. This is a concern for many of our patients, who aside from feeling burning through their feet may also feel some tingling, numbness, pins and needles, sensitivity to cold, and other altered or heightened sensations. Feelings of burning in the feet can affect anyone, but are most common in those over 50 years. The symptoms tend to worsen at night and ease during the day – though some symptoms get worse when walking. So what could be causing your feet to feel like they’re on fire at night? Here’s a look into the top causes seen by our Auckland podiatrists.
Nerve Damage From Diabetes
Diabetes can cause damage to the nerves in our feet – a condition called peripheral neuropathy. As our nerves are responsible for what we feel, when our nerves become damaged, they can send pain and burning signals to our brain – even when we’re far from any potential source of heat. You can learn more about how diabetes can affect your feet, and how to protect them, here.
Alcohol
Prolonged or excessive alcohol use can lead to a condition called alcoholic neuropathy. Damage to the peripheral nerves usually occurs first, due to the long distance the nerves need to travel from the spinal cord to the feet. It isn’t just the alcohol itself that can affect the nerves – malnutrition can develop as alcohol can impair the absorption of essential nutrients. Like diabetic neuropathy, a burning sensation is just one of many altered sensations that those affected can experience.
Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions or circumstances can also affect the nerves, even just temporarily, and result in burning sensations. These include hypothyroidism, a vitamin deficiency, kidney disease, nerve diseases like Charcot Marie Tooth, arthritis, inflammatory diseases, blood disorders, dermatitis and skin sensitivities, heavy metal poisoning, blood vessel damage (including due to smoking), and many more. It’s also not uncommon to experience burning in the feet a few weeks after bariatric surgery due to malabsorption of vitamin B after the surgery.
Infections Or Injuries
Infections and injuries can lead to burning in the feet because of the associated inflammation and swelling that they produce. When swelling in the feet or lower leg presses against and compresses a surrounding nerve, it can cause a wide range of changes in sensation in the area – including burning. The same can occur if there are changes in the space between the bones where nerves run through, like the tarsal tunnel in the ankle. Interestingly, an Athlete’s foot fungal infection can also cause itching, tingling and burning in the feet.
Morton’s Neuroma
Having a Morton’s neuroma means that the lining around the nerve that runs down between the long bones of your feet has become irritated and swollen – and is another potential source of burning. A good way to test for a neuroma is to squeeze your feet from the sides (from the inside and outside of the foot, not from the top and bottom). If this produces notable pain, and perhaps some shooting sensations or any tingling, it could be a neuroma. Don’t worry – just book an appointment with our team.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Also referred to as peripheral vascular disease, this can be a cause of impaired blood flow that may also cause burning sensations as well as other sensation changes, which may be exacerbated by walking.
Sometimes, Further Testing Is Needed
If you feel like you can’t relate to any of the causes above, you may need further testing. Here, your podiatrist will look at any injuries or problems that may be affecting your nerves and producing your symptoms. If the pain is severe and unmanageable, we may refer you to a neurologist.
How Do I Stop My Feet From Burning?
Stopping or preventing burning sensations in the feet is done by addressing the underlying cause of the nerve irritation or damage. If it’s a specific medical condition, getting it under control, like taking thyroid medication for hypothyroidism can help manage and prevent burning in the feet. Where there’s an infection or an injury that is causing the nerve to be compressed, managing the problem through the various podiatric treatments we have available will help ease the symptoms. In some cases, like where the nerve damage is significant and permanent like it may be in diabetes, the focus must stay on preventing the symptoms from getting worse. At home, you can may find the following to be helpful:
Ensuring your shoes are comfortable, supportive and not too tight
Soaking your feet in cold (not freezing) water for 15 minutes may give some temporary relief
Avoid exposing your feet to hot temperatures
Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications if your feet are inflamed or swollen
Get Started With Auckland’s Leading Podiatry Team
If you’re experiencing unusual sensations in your feet – whether it’s burning or something else – and you’re unsure where to start, come in and see our experienced podiatry team here in Remuera, Auckland. We’ll help you identify the cause of the changes you’re experiencing, and can refer you for further testing if needed. If the cause is an injury or foot problem, we’ll help you manage it using our world-class treatments and services.Book your appointment online by clicking here or call us on 09 523 2333
While most of the time our patients are confident about an ingrown toenail diagnosis, we thought we’d share the case of a recent patient who thought she had a very painful ingrown toenail – only to discover that she actually had a corn in the area where an ingrown toenail would normally be found.
The Symptoms
Jess* has had several ingrown toenails in the past, treated by another provider, prior to coming to see us, so she knew the symptoms she was looking out for. Aside from knowing that her work shoes that she spent 8-10 hours in per day weren’t there best for her feet and made her toes feel cramped, she also experienced:
Pain and tenderness at one edge of her right big toenail
Redness that was isolated to one side of the toenail
Mild swelling around the area
Pain when pushing down on the side of the nail from the toe
She didn’t have any bleeding or discharge, and she didn’t normally have that with her previous ingrown toenails. There were no signs of infection or indications of anything sinister. It just felt like another ingrown toenail. Jess had always had her nails “temporarily” managed where the offending nail edge was removed, but nothing was done to stop it from coming back. She found us through our reputation of being Auckland’s leading providers of ingrown toenail treatments, including permanent solutions that would keep the ingrown toenail gone.
What Was Found
During Jess’ exam with our podiatrist, we uncovered that she didn’t actually have an ingrown toenail. The ridge that her toenail naturally followed as it grew out (on the painful side of the nail) looked like it had been rubbing against the skin (likely contributed to by her footwear) and it had actually formed a small, hard corn down the side of the nail. As corns are firm, dead skin that often blend into the appearance of the surrounding skin, Jess never even saw it until we pointed it out.The thing with corns – and you’ll know if you’ve had one in the past – is that despite their small size, they can be incredibly painful. When present on the bottom of the foot, many of our patients describe them as constantly walking on a painful pebble. All her symptoms made sense – especially if the nail kept pressing against the corn, leading to her pain and redness.
Treatment
The best part for Jess was that her treatment was very simple and straightforward. All we had to do was use a fine surgical scalpel to remove the corn – a procedure that is painless given that corns do not have any living tissue. Once the corn was removed and the toenail was no longer pressing against anything, she felt immediate relief, and was completely pain-free by the following evening.
Did She Have Ingrown Toenails Previously?
The biggest question that was left for us is whether Jess really did have ingrown toenails in the same spot previously, or if she had had that corn for quite some time and it was misdiagnosed as an ingrown toenail given the symptoms were the same. As she previously had a small part of the nail removed to relieve her symptoms, it would make sense that once the part of the nail that would otherwise rub against the corn was removed, that her symptoms would stop too, so it would appear that her ingrown nail was ‘treated’ – without ever treating the true cause of her problem, meaning that it would be bound to continue recurring as the nail grew out.Interestingly, that’s something that’s almost impossible to determine now – but what we do know is that Jess won’t be having any more pain related to that particular corn.
Ingrown Toenail Facts
Aside from wearing shoes that are too tight or narrow, the biggest cause of ingrown toenails that we see and treat is a person’s nail-trimming technique – especially if they pick at or pull of the nail
Ingrown toenails do not usually get better without treatment – a true ingrown toenail means that part of a toenail has embedded itself down in the skin of your toe (like a sharp dagger) and it must be removed
You don’t have to suffer with repeated ingrown nails – permanent treatments that get rid of the issue once and for all are available. This involves removing a small section of the nail and then applying a chemical that destroys the nail growing cells so they don’t grow back.
We see just as many children (often adolescents) with ingrown nails as adults. We have also successfully treated ingrown nails on young toddlers. They can occur at any age
Having an ingrown nail where the nail has pierced your skin means that you are vulnerable to infection as long as the nail is in there and you have an open wound.
For safe and effective treatment of ingrown nails by Auckland’s leading podiatry specialists, book in at our clinic in Remuera. You can call us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
Summer is here and many of our patients have launched into summer workouts, meeting their fitness goals – and just generally enjoying their time outdoors and getting out in nature. But while working out feels like the most important (and often most difficult) part of getting started, did you know that your recovery after exercise is just as important as the workout itself?Yep – your recovery technique is the reason why sometimes you feel sore after your workout, and other times, you don’t. It affects the post-workout inflammation, the lactic acid build-up in your body, and your injury risk. That’s why when you lie down after your workout, even if it’s from being rightly exhausted, you may be doing your body a massive disservice by not understanding the difference between the two types of recovery – and choosing the right option for you.
Passive vs. Active Recovery – What’s The Difference?
Passive recovery essentially means being still and inactive after exercising. It’s when you finish your run, sit down to rehydrate, and don’t get up. This gives your body the rest it needs to let your muscles repair with minimal effort over the next day. Active recovery, on the other hand, uses continued movement to recover, with the key being that it is non-strenuous and gentle. The goal here is to keep the heart rate from dropping suddenly, and the blood and lymph flow going, while still giving your body the chance to recover.
Which Is Better – Active Or Passive Recovery?
Research shows different benefits for each. For active recovery, the benefits focus on the chemical processes occurring within the body. With the continued blood and lymph flow, metabolic waste is cleared from the body at a faster rate than with rest. Studies showed that when this recovery method was used by runners, they were able to run for three times longer during their next run than those who used passive recovery. When active recovery was used by cyclists, it was found that during their next ride, they maintained their power output, compared to the cyclists who used passive recovery whose power output decreased on their next ride. When examining swimmers, another study showed that active recovery dissipated 68% of the lactate that had accumulated in their blood, and would have otherwise settled in their tissues.When it comes to passive recovery, it is believed by some to help promote endurance through repetitively accelerating and decelerating their heart rates. It is thought that this type of training may decrease the window of time needed to recover between training sessions. The research on the superior effects of passive recovery is limited, though some professional cycling programmes have recently incorporated it into their programmes.
So, How Should You Be Recovering?
Here at Perform Podiatry, given that we work with a variety of sportsmen and women, as well as those just starting their exercise journey, we believe that there is a place for both forms of recovery when used appropriately. While using active recovery immediately following exercise can yield significant benefits, taking days off for passive recovery may also be a beneficial way to let your body rest and recover. The key is understanding the benefits of each, so you can make purposeful decisions about what you’re doing after completing your exercise and how you’re cooling down.
Ways To Recover At Home
Recovery is important – and you don’t need anything fancy or complex to help you do it. Here are three easy ways to additionally support your recovery at home:
Foam rolling: foam rolling your muscles can help to reduce stiffness, minimise post-workout muscle soreness, stimulate blood flow, improve your range of movement and reduce tissue tension – all of which can aid in recovery and performance.
Wear compression clothing: compression clothing creates a tightening force on the encompassed parts of the body and its muscles. This increased pressure can help improve blood flow and subsequently oxygenation to the area. This increased blood flow can also help move toxins out of the tissues, helping them to heal and rebuild quicker, while also helping to reduce inflammation and fatigue. The only limitation is the level of compression available in general, non-medical clothing.
Eating for recovery: during exercise, your muscles use their glycogen stores for energy which results in your muscles being partially depleted of glycogen after your workout. As your body tries to restore its glycogen stores, the food you eat can play an important role in getting it done faster. Quality carbohydrates (e.g. quinoa, fruit, oats, pasta and rice) and lean proteins (e.g. eggs, yoghurt, salmon, chicken and tuna) help to replenish your body’s muscle glycogen fuel stores, helping promoting muscle repair and preventing unnecessary breakdown of proteins. 20g – 40g of protein after a workout is recommended, alongside ensuring that you are rehydrating sufficiently.
And If Pain Is Holding You Back From Recovering Effectively?
If pain is holding you back from being able to exercise effectively in the first place – we’d love to help. Give our podiatry team a call. We’re based in Remuera, in the One Health medical building, close to Newmarket. Call us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
There’s a lot that comes to mind when we think of diabetes, and for most people, the risks to their feet and ingrown toenails are not one of them. Yet as podiatrists that specialise in treating ingrown nails, seeing a diabetic with ingrown nails, particularly if they’ve had more than one in the past, rings some big alarm bells for us. Here’s why.
Background: The True Impact Of Diabetes
Diabetes is a whole-body disease that interferes with the way the body removes the sugar from our bloodstream after we eat, leaving high concentrations of sugar in the bloodstream. This becomes dangerous as it produces toxins that negatively affect all body organs and systems, including our vision, heart, kidneys – and the circulatory system and the nerves in your feet and legs, all the way down to the toes. Specifically, diabetes impairs a person’s ability to fight infection, supply enough oxygen and nutrients to their cells, efficiently heal wounds, and feel what is happening to and around their feet. This occurs because two key processes are disrupted:Regular, healthy sensation (feeling)Our nerves are responsible for our ability to feel, detecting everything from a feather being moved across our toes, to standing on an uncomfortable pebble in our shoe. As diabetes can damage the nerves, our ability to feel can fade, become mixed up, and may eventually be lost altogether. This is called peripheral neuropathy. When we can’t properly feel what is happening around our feet, this makes us vulnerable to sustaining damage, even something as simple as a scrape or a blister from our shoes, and not knowing it has occurred. This means that we can’t take the right measures to look after the wound and protect our feet, leaving them vulnerable to further damage, infection, the wound turning into an ulcer, and more.CirculationWhen diabetes damages the blood vessels and impairs your circulation, your tissues aren’t able to receive the blood flow they need to thrive and carry out their essential cellular processes most efficiently. This means that when you sustain a wound, it will take longer for the body to heal, leaving it open and vulnerable to picking up an infection. If an infection takes hold, it is more difficult for your body to fight, exposing you to a range of potential problems. Together, impairments in both sensation and circulation are some of the key reasons why 34% of people with diabetes are expected to develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime, approximately half of which become infected, and 15% of which then require an amputation.
What Does This Mean For Your Ingrown Nails?
It means that if you have diabetes:
You’re at risk of not being able to detect when an ingrown nail starts, as well as when it becomes severe, because your ability to feel pain is disrupted.
Without pain telling you to care for your toe, you may also miss an infection, which may then spread.
Aside from being absolutely not recommended for those with diabetes, attempted home treatments for ingrown nails are far less successful because we can often tell when the entire nail spicule is removed from deep within the skin from the feeling of relief and notable pain reduction – something that can be disrupted in diabetes, meaning you may think you successfully removed the ingrown spicule but only part was removed, and part was left behind. This can be very dangerous.
You may have difficulty healing and closing the wound left from your ingrown nail because of the effects of poor circulation and reduced blood flow to the toes.
Together with the above, attempted home treatment can worsen the problem because it deepens or widens the wound, making it even more difficult to heal. Additionally, any time you have an open wound, it is susceptible to infection.
You may continue to struggle with complications from repeated ingrown toenails if you don’t apply effective and ideally permanent treatment to stop the ingrown nail for good.
Having Diabetes Means You Must Take Extra Care With Ingrown Nails
The bottom line is that having diabetes means that you must take extra care of your feet and ingrown toenails to reduce your risk of significant complications like infections or worse. This is where our podiatry team works extensively with people with diabetes to give them the confidence that their feet are safe and progressing well, as well as provide permanent treatment solutions for troublesome, recurring ingrown nails that can solve the problem for good.Diabetes New Zealand has a formal recommendation for having your feet and ingrown nails cared for by a podiatrist to best support your foot health. You can book an appointment with us online here.
Care Tips For Diabetic Feet
To help you best support your foot health at home, here are a few tips from our podiatrists:
Wash and dry your feet thoroughly every day, including drying well between the toes to prevent moisture from becoming trapped
Check your feet daily by holding them up against a mirror if needed, and check the top, bottom and sides of the feet, including between the toes. Look for marks, spots, cuts, swelling or redness that is not normal.
If you notice anything out of the normal with your feet, book in with a podiatrist or a GP promptly
Ensure you have good, supportive shoes that minimise your risk of damage to the feet
Check your socks – ideally, these should be cotton with no elastic in the tops, as they will absorb sweat and reduce pressure at the top of the sock line. There are also seamless diabetic socks available
Book your diabetic foot assessment every year
If you have difficulty trimming your toenails, or if you get corns or calluses, consider having podiatry nail and skin care every 6-12 weeks, during which your podiatrist will also be able to check for any warning signs related to your diabetes
It was Hanan’s ambition, drive and desire to improve the lives of others that saw her excel in the field of Podiatry. She not only provides the best clinic solutions and treatments for her patients foot and leg problems, but does so with their goals, careers and daily activities in mind. She believes that every person has the right to stay active and continue to do the things thy love across all walks of life, and enabling them to do so is an aspect of her career that she finds extremely rewarding.
Hanan’s ability to connect with and relate to people from a variety of cultures is one of the many things her patients enjoy and value about her. This stems from her diverse background; immigrating to New Zealand from Iran with her family at an early age and completing all her education here.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Health Science specialising in Podiatry, Hanan has undertaken many postgraduate courses in the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation. Her special interest in pain management means she is able to significantly improve the lives of her patients through reducing not only short-term pain, but pain in the long-term, as well as the recurrence of her patients’ injuries.
It is Hanan’s vision to see Perform Podiatry established as the leading Podiatric clinic in Auckland, and she is well on her way to achieving this. Her greatest pride and joy are her children, Cyrus and Arya, and she’s loving watching them grow.
There are 6 primary techniques that Hanan uses to manage lower limb pain:
We all know the feeling of having a knot somewhere in our muscles, whether that’s in our calves, legs or elsewhere in our body. It’s that tender spot that you push down on and feel instant pain that often radiates around. Most people will try to massage it, or have a spouse help, but what actually is a knot, should we really be pushing down on it, and how should knots be treated and importantly prevented? Here’s the low down on what that knot actually is from Auckland’s leading podiatry team.
What is a ‘knot’ in my muscle?
Firstly to clear the air: having a knot does not mean that your muscle fibres have become physically knotted up, like how you and I imagine a sailing knot to look like. A knot is the name for a stiff muscle band where the long fibres that make up your muscles have spasmed and contracted, leading to a palpable lump beneath the skin. You’ll also hear this being called a trigger point, and if we’re getting technical, it’s defined as “a discrete hype-irritable focal spot located in a taut band of muscle”.These trigger points generally feel achy, tense, swollen, and when pressed, the pain tends to radiate through the surrounding area. This small, hard knot can form anywhere where there is skeletal muscle, and the muscle fibres start adhering to one another. It is very common for us to find knots in calf muscles when assessing foot or leg pain or an injury.Knots or trigger points can be classed into two stages: active or latent. Active trigger points can continue to cause you pain throughout the day with movement, whereas latent trigger points will only hurt when you press on them. It is not uncommon for latent knots to progress to active ones, and bring with it a great deal of discomfort for you.
The effect of knots on your body
While knots aren’t pleasant on their own, depending on their location, they can also lead to other recurring problems. In podiatry, this means affecting the way that other muscles and joints function, due to the contracted (tight) state of other muscles. Further up the body, such as around the neck, knots can also lead to problems like tension headaches, which is why we never recommend ignoring them. Interestingly, statistics show that 97% of people with chronic pain have trigger points. Muscles with knots in them are also tight (due to their contracted nature) – and because of this reduced flexibility, it means that these muscles have a higher risk of tearing when placed under strain (overuse injuries) compared to a flexible muscle.
Why did I develop knots?
We think it’s pretty safe to estimate that everyone will experience trigger points in their lifetime, but some people are more prone to getting them than others. A lot of the evidence points to overusing the muscles being a major risk factor, with other known risk factors including:
Poor posture and ergonomics, especially when sitting at work
Stress, both mental and emotional
Muscle tension
Fatigue
Nutritional imbalances and dehydration
Other injuries and pains
We see many trigger points in those that are both active and perform repeated movements without the right stretching routines, warm-down routines and recovery techniques. We also see trigger points in those that have a more inactive lifestyle.
Trigger points signs and symptoms
The biggest sign of trigger points is feeling along your muscles to find a small round bump or nodule that will feel tender when you apply direct pressure on it. You may feel areas of muscle, such as along your calves, that feel tender even without a palpable knot. In this case, we often find that going deeper and tracing along the entire muscle length will reveal several knots.
Treating muscle knots (trigger points)
Trigger points often aren’t treated alone, but are related to a person’s pain, injury or other symptoms. In this case, as part of your assessment, we’ll complete muscle testing which may identify the presence of tight muscles and trigger points. Often, this is a contributing factor to a person’s pain, and we’ll use a treatment called ‘dry needling’ to release the trigger points.Dry needling uses very thin needles, very similar to the ones used for acupuncture, to get into the trigger points (knots) in the muscles and release the tension. By releasing the trigger points, movement can be restored and pain can be reduced. Dry needling is a fast, simple and effective procedure, and we find it is a fantastic support for our patients’ recovery and rehabilitation.
Dry needling: The process
Once it has been concerned that you have trigger points that are related to your pain or injury, your podiatrist will use very small needles that are lightly tapped into the skin, so it gets to the trigger point. As the needles are so thin, some people feel this while others do not. The needle is guided gently deeper to reach the trigger point, at which point the muscle may twitch. Slight readjustments may need to be made to reach the perfect spot. The needle is then withdrawn, and we start work on the next trigger point.
Tight muscles holding you back?
If tight muscles and trigger points are holding you back from sport, exercise or living life without pain, we can help. Book your appointment with our podiatry team by calling us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
Learning that you have fragile bones can be concerning, and for many, leave them with a lot of questions:
Why have I got fragile bones?
What does having fragile bones mean?
What are my risks?
What can I be doing to improve my bone health?
With many of the patients we see and treat being diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, today our team is sharing what it means to learn that you have “fragile bones”, and how you can best protect your bone health and overall health going forwards.
What Does It Mean To Have Fragile Bones Or Poor Bone Health?
If you have fragile bones, it means that the mineral density in your bones has decreased. Clinically this can either be classed as:
Osteoporosis: a condition that means “bones with holes”, diagnosed when your bone mineral density is significantly reduced. This makes them significantly weaker and more vulnerable to fractures.
Osteopenia: nicknamed as ‘pre-osteoporosis’, osteopenia means that your bone mineral density has decreased below normal values, but is not yet low enough for you to be formally diagnosed with osteoporosis. Osteopenia is a big warning sign that osteoporosis is not far off if your current daily activities and attention to bone health do not improve.
The symptoms of reductions in bone mineral density and either osteoporosis or osteopenia are often difficult to spot and recognise because they are “silent”, meaning that they occur within the bones without you knowing. For many people, they only learn that they have osteoporosis when bone density testing is performed, or if they have a fracture and the cause behind their fracture is investigated.
Am I At Risk For Poor Bone Health?
Looking at osteoporosis specifically, risk factors can be classed as either modifiable, meaning you can change them, or non-modifiable, meaning that you’re stuck with these risk factors.
Modifiable risk factors for poor bone health
Physical inactivity
Calcium deficiency from your diet
Long-term glucocorticoid (steroid) use
Smoking
Being underweight with a low BMI
Hypogonadism
Inadequate vitamin D intake
High alcohol intake
Poor nutrition
Stress
Non-modifiable risk factors for osteoporosis
Your gender (particularly being female)
Entering menopause or having a hysterectomy
Age
Race
Genetic characteristics
Taking certain medications that are essential in treating other medical conditions including thyroid hormone supplements, certain diabetes medications, anti-coagulants, certain chemotherapy agents, proton pump inhibitors, certain immunosuppressants and more
The presence of other diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, kidney disease and more
How Can I Improve My Bone Health?
The first part of this conversation must be had with your GP, as medications are often involved in helping support your bone health and the bone-strengthening process. They may also recommend using hormone-replacement therapy like estrogen, and nutritional supplements like calcium and vitamin D.In the meantime, incorporating regular weight-bearing exercise is a good place to start in helping support your bone health at home as weight-bearing exercise is proven to be a treatment and prevention method for both postmenopausal and age-associated osteoporosis. Aim for at least 30 minutes per day, 5–7 days a week.When patients come to us with complaints about their bone health, they are often finding walking less comfortable than it used to be and may have concerns about their stability and balance. For these patients, we may use custom foot orthotics (insoles) to help optimise their comfort, support their foot function and stability, and help restore their confidence on their feet. We pair this with a footwear review to ensure the risk of falls (and hence osteoporotic fractures) is minimised.If foot pain or discomfort is being caused by nail or skin problems like corns, calluses, cracked heels or painful or thickened toenails, we also perform our skin and nail care for immediate relief.Book your appointment with our podiatrists by calling us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.
Learning that you have fragile bones can be concerning, and for many, leave them with a lot of questions: