Achilles Tendon Rupture: The Achilles Tendon is the heel cord located in the back of the heel. Achilles tendons can rupture for a variety of reasons, including age, sex (males are more at risk), and sports injuries.  

Arthritis: The Latin root artho means joint and itis means inflammation. There are many causes of arthritis and most of these conditions affect the human foot. The most common condition is osteoarthritis. This is the wearing and tearing away of the cartilage from the joints. Basis causes of osteoarthritis include age, excessive weight, ill-fitting shoes and trauma (injury). This condition is very treatable.

Blood Clot or Deep Vein Thrombophebitis (DVT): Deep Vein Thrombosis (also referred to as DVT) is a blood clot that develops in the leg. This is a various serious condition requiring immediate treatment as it can move to the lungs (pulmonary embolus) and cause death. It can also lead to Post-Phlebitic Syndrome which causes permanent damage in the leg.

Bunion: A bunion is the more common term for a medical condition known as Hallux Valgus. Hallux Valgus is caused by the tilting of the toe away from the mid-line of the body. This is usually identified by a lump or bump on the inside of the foot in and around the big toe joint that is red, swollen and can be painful. There are a variety of causes of bunions, but the main sources are high heels; tight, improperly fitting shoes; or shoes that constrict the forefoot over a long period of time.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome:  Please see the entry for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.

Corns, Calluses, IPK: Corns and calluses are the most commonly found conditions on the skin of the foot. A corn is a thickening of the outer layer of skin and usually occurs on the tops of the toes. Calluses are the same condition on the bottom of the feet. Calluses are caused by sheering pressures. One of the more severe forms of calluses is an IPK (Intractable Plantar Keratosis). This condition is usually very painful and can respond to only the most conservative of care.

Cosmetic Foot Surgery: Cosmetic foot surgery is undertaken for the sole purpose of affecting the appearance or the size of the foot.

Diabetes: Diabetes may be the most damaging disease that a patient can develop with regards to their feet. Diabetes occurs in two basic types; type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is typically associated with juvenile diabetes and is usually hereditary. Type 2 diabetes, is often referred to as adult onset diabetes and is usually distinguished by elevated blood sugars in people who are overweight and often suffer from poor diets.

Dry Cracked Heels: Dry, cracked heels (xeorosis) is a condition where the bottom part of the heels suffer from thickening and fissuring of the skin. In most cases this is merely a cosmetic problem. Occasionally, if the problem persists, especially in individuals with diabetes or those who suffer from impaired vascular sufficiency, it can lead to a serious medical condition.

Economy Class Syndrome: Economy Class Syndrome refers to conditions such Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary embolus, or death can be caused by the constrictive, cramped conditions found on economy airline seats.

Endoscopic Surgery:  The Latin root endo means the end of, and the Latin root of scopic means to look at. Putting the two roots together, endoscopic describes an instrument that looks at the end of a closed space. Endoscopic surgery of the foot is most commonly performed to treat plantar fascia.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT): ESWT has emerged as a possible treatment option for patients with chronic heel pain or plantar fasciitis. ESWT delivers focused shock waves, in high energy and low-energy form. This induces micro trauma to stimulate a repair process in the foot that will relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

Flat Feet: Having flat feet is not necessarily a problem. But people with flat feet or the opposite condition, highly arched feet, can suffer pain and thus would be in need of treatment. Flat feet and high arches can also cause pain in the ankles, knees or low back.

Foot Ulcers: Foot ulcers are typically a breakdown of the skin on the plantar region (bottom) of the foot. There are many causes, with the most common being diabetes and vascular insufficiency. Diabetes or vascular insufficiency could lead to an impending loss of limb.

Fracture: A fracture is considered a break in a bone. Fractures can be divided into traumatic fractures (fractures occurring as a result of an injury) and stress fracture (fractures that occurring as a result of repetitive micro-trauma). Fractures can take several weeks to heal properly. In some cases, fractures that fail to heal are described as non union.

Fungus Nails: Fungus nails noticeable as thickened, deformed, and often painful toenails that have been caused by an infection of fungus. The nail becomes infected with fungus, decays and causes the nail to thicken.

Gout: Gout is the common name for hyperuricemia or elevated uric acid. Gout is typically a hereditary disease, but there can be a variety of causes including increased levels of purine intake, sudden weight loss as a result due to dieting and diuretics can also cause elevated uric acid and mimic gout symptoms. In exceptional cases, leukemia's and/or blood dyscrasias can be the cause of elevated uric acid.

Haglund's Deformity: This is a condition that causes pain and discomfort to the posterior region or the back of the heel at the location of the insertion of the Achilles tendon.

Hammer Toes / Bone Spurs: Hammertoes is another name for exostosis or bone spurs. It can also be considered as an arthritic condition. This is caused by an imbalance of the muscle structures of the toes. The condition occurs as a result of biomechanical imbalance when the toes become crooked, bent, or buckle under which causes a protrusion of the joints.

Heel Spur / Plantar Fasciitis: This is a condition which causes extreme pain in the bottom of the heel. A heel spur is result of a bony overgrowth occurring on the bottom of the heel bone. A heel spur occurs as a result of an inflamed ligament or plantar fascia on the bottom region of the foot where it attaches to the heel bone. Constant abnormal stress on this ligament irritates the heel bone and the body generates a bone spur as a protective measure.

Ingrown Nails or Fungus Nails: This is a condition in which the toenail is growing into the flesh. This condition is very painful and is commonly associated with an infection of the toe. A nail becomes ingrown when one or both corners or sides of the toenail grow into the skin of the toe. Ingrown toenails can cause irritation, redness, uncomfortable warming sensations, swelling, pain and infection.

Metatarsal Problems, Callus, Intractable Plantar Keretosis (IPK): In cases where calluses occur on the plantar aspect or bottom region of the foot, an IPK can develop. Intractable means that the condition will not go away. Plantar refers to the bottom of the foot. Keretosis refers to a painful callus that usually occurs under the weight bearing on long bone of the foot better known as the metatarsal.

Neuroma: A neuroma is an irritated, swollen nerve in the ball of the foot which causes pain in the ball of the foot between the base of the third and fourth toes. The swollen nerve is irritated by the adjacent heads of the metatarsal which causes a painful neuroma to develop. Typically, people with this condition experience a painful sensation while walking and can experience sharp pains that extend to the two toes where the nerve ends. People with this affliction can sometimes feel a swelling that occurs between the toes, or a sensation akin to having a rock in the shoe

Non-Union: Non-union refers to the failure of a bone to fuse back together following a fracture or surgery. There are a variety of causes of non- union.

Osteomeylitis: Osteomyelitis is an infection of a foot bone. This treatment for this can condition can include several weeks of intra-venous antibiotic treatment and often involves surgery on the affected bone.

Plantar Fascia:  Plantar refers to the bottom of, and fascia refers to the thick ligament that runs from the back part of the heel to the front part of the foot.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD): Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a severe and debilitating condition that can occur when the nerves in the leg cease to function properly. This can be caused by traumatic injury such as slipping and falling. If treated early enough the results can be a complete remission of the symptoms. In cases where the diagnosis is not promptly made or treated in a timely manner, then reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RDS) can become debilitating to such a degree that stage 3 of the disease can result in permanent disability.

Shin Splints: This is where anterior tibia muscle tears away from the bone. Shin splints, or tenosynovitis of the anterior tibia muscle affects the muscle that runs from the mid section of the foot up from the front of the leg, just below the knee area or on the inside front region of the calf. This is usually caused by over-use for the muscle. Novice joggers or other sports enthusiasts who have not sufficiently built up their muscle tone through a proper conditioning program can suffer from shin splints. Over-training can also cause this condition. Also people with biomechanical foot problems such as excessive or over pronation or supination of the foot can also develop shin splints.

Stress Fractures: Stress fractures are usually the result of altered biomechanics, in that the structures of the foot are either mechanically not stable and/or the bones of the foot are subjected to repetitive micro trauma.

Sweaty Feet and Foot Odor: Sweaty feet, also known as hyperhydrosis, and smelly feet, also known as bromohydrosis are very common conditions of the feet. However, in some cases these symptoms can be indicative of more serious health problems such as anemia or low blood count; or hyperthyroidism which is an overactive thyroid.

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: Tarsal refers to the lower ankle area of the foot. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that can affect the medial or inner part of the ankle. There are various systems that run through this area including tendons, veins, arteries and nerves. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome can occur when the posterior tibia nerve becomes inflamed from trauma, extreme pronation, arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and can even be caused by obesity.

The Foot Surgery Centre provides foot surgery in London and foot surgery in Surrey. For more information on The Foot Surgery Centre please contact us via phone on 020 8846 7760 or by e-mail: info@thefootsurgerycentre.co.uk.