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3320 North Buffalo Drive
Suite 107
Las Vegas, NV 89129

(702) 256-8454

January 2022

Tuesday, 25 January 2022 00:00

I Think I May Have Broken One of My Toes

With the vast majority of foot bones being in the toes and metatarsals in the midfoot, it is no wonder that broken toes are a fairly common occurrence. Broken toes are usually traumatic (due to impact or a direct injury) but can also be stress related (hairline cracks due to repetitive stress). Traumatic breaks in a toe bone may be accompanied by an audible sound that occurs when the toe is broken, pain at the site of the break, bruising and swelling the following day, and an abnormal or crooked appearance. Stress fractures occur over time and are often due to repetitive movements that place pressure on the bone of a toe. They can also be caused by deformities or abnormalities in the foot’s structure, medical conditions that cause bone weakness and fragility (osteoporosis), and due to wearing improper shoes. Stress fractures can cause swelling and pain that is pinpointed, or that comes and goes, coinciding with periods of activity and rest. It is a misconception that if you can walk on a toe, it is not broken. If you believe you may have broken a toe, call a podiatrist. All breaks should be evaluated and treated by a podiatrist to allow proper healing and to avoid future complications such as deformities, arthritis, and chronic pain.

Broken toes may cause a lot of pain and should be treated as soon as possible. If you have any concerns about your feet, contact one of our podiatrists from Summerlin Foot & Ankle. Our doctors will treat your foot and ankle needs.

What Is a Broken Toe?

A broken toe occurs when one or more of the toe bones of the foot are broken after an injury. Injuries such as stubbing your toe or dropping a heavy object on it may cause a toe fracture.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

  • Swelling
  • Pain (with/without wearing shoes)
  • Stiffness
  • Nail Injury

Although the injured toe should be monitored daily, it is especially important to have a podiatrist look at your toe if you have severe symptoms. Some of these symptoms include worsening or new pain that is not relieved with medication, sores, redness, or open wounds near the toe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Las Vegas, NV . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about What to Know About a Broken Toe

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail grows into the surrounding skin on the sides of the nail. This condition can affect people of all ages (even babies). Ingrown toenails can be quite painful and may even become inflamed and infected. Rounding your toenails off when trimming them (rather than cutting them straight across) or cutting them too short can lead to an ingrown toenail. Wearing high heels and improperly fitted shoes that force the toes to squish together can also lead to ingrown toenails. Other possible contributing factors to ingrown toenails include injuries to the toenail, fungal toenail infections, nail deformity, and certain medications which can sometimes cause nail dystrophy. If you develop an ingrown toenail, make an appointment with a podiatrist who can treat your ingrown toenail with a variety of methods, while avoiding possible infection and preventing it from becoming ingrown again.

Ingrown toenails can become painful if they are not treated properly. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact one of our podiatrists of Summerlin Foot & Ankle. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows sideways into the bed of the nail, causing pain, swelling, and possibly infection.

Causes

  • Bacterial infections
  • Improper nail cutting such as cutting it too short or not straight across
  • Trauma to the toe, such as stubbing, which causes the nail to grow back irregularly
  • Ill-fitting shoes that bunch the toes too close together
  • Genetic predisposition

Prevention

Because ingrown toenails are not something found outside of shoe-wearing cultures, going barefoot as often as possible will decrease the likeliness of developing ingrown toenails. Wearing proper fitting shoes and using proper cutting techniques will also help decrease your risk of developing ingrown toenails.

Treatment

Ingrown toenails are a very treatable foot condition. In minor cases, soaking the affected area in salt or antibacterial soaps will not only help with the ingrown nail itself, but also help prevent any infections from occurring. In more severe cases, surgery is an option. In either case, speaking to your podiatrist about this condition will help you get a better understanding of specific treatment options that are right for you.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Las Vegas, NV . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about Ingrown Toenails
Tuesday, 11 January 2022 00:00

Your Baby’s Foot Development

If you’ve ever stopped to look at your baby’s feet, you’ve likely noticed that they are different from a typical adult’s feet. Rather than being born with fully-formed, mini adult feet, children’s feet go through several stages of development. At birth, a baby’s feet are soft and flat. Their bones start out as pieces of cartilage and their toes are almost all equal in length and surrounded by a layer of fat. From 9 to 24 months, a baby’s feet will still be flat, but their bones are slowly developing with gaps between them. At age 2 and beyond, the soft fat in the foot will slowly start to disappear, and the arches of the feet will become visible. The small foot bones develop further, eventually merging so that each foot contains 26 bones. To learn more about healthy foot development and how to best care for your baby’s feet, please consult with a podiatrist. 

The health of a child’s feet is vital to their overall well-being. If you have any questions regarding foot health, contact one of our podiatrists of Summerlin Foot & Ankle. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Tips for Keeping Children's Feet Healthy

  • Make sure their shoes fit properly
  • Look for any signs of in-toeing or out-toeing
  • Check to see if they have Clubfoot (condition that affects your child’s foot and ankle, twisting the heel and toes inward) which is one of the most common nonmajor birth defects.
  • Lightly cover your baby’s feet (Tight covers may keep your baby from moving their feet freely, and could prevent normal development)
  • Allow your toddler to go shoeless (Shoes can be restricting for a young child’s foot)
  • Cut toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails
  • Keep your child’s foot clean and dry
  • Cover cuts and scrapes. Wash any scratches with soap and water and cover them with a bandage until they’ve healed.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Las Vegas, NV . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Read more about How to Care for Your Child's Feet
Saturday, 08 January 2022 00:00

Reminder: When Was the Last Time...?

Custom orthotics, or shoe inserts, should be periodically replaced. Orthotics must fit properly to give you the best results. Protect your feet and ankles!

Tuesday, 04 January 2022 00:00

Various Causes of Heel Pain

Podiatrists treat many types of disorders that cause pain in various parts of the heel. The most common heel pain is caused by plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the plantar fascia tissue), which causes pain on the bottom of the foot. Other common sources of heel pain include a calcaneal (heel bone) fracture, heel pad syndrome (a wearing down of the cushion on the bottom of the heel), nerve entrapment, including tarsal tunnel syndrome (which can also cause tingling, numbness or burning), neuromas (nerve swelling), and Achilles tendinopathy (damage to the tendon that attaches to the heel bone). Growing children may also be prone to Sever’s disease, which is irritation in the growth plate of the heel. If you have heel pain, it is suggested that you see a podiatrist. They will typically begin their evaluation by asking where the pain is located in the heel, along with medical history questions, followed by a physical examination. They may also use various diagnostic tools to determine the underlying cause of your heel pain and how best to treat it.

Many people suffer from bouts of heel pain. For more information, contact one of our podiatrists of Summerlin Foot & Ankle. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Causes of Heel Pain

Heel pain is often associated with plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissues that extends along the bottom of the foot. A rip or tear in this ligament can cause inflammation of the tissue.

Achilles tendonitis is another cause of heel pain. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon will cause pain from fractures and muscle tearing. Lack of flexibility is also another symptom.

Heel spurs are another cause of pain. When the tissues of the plantar fascia undergo a great deal of stress, it can lead to ligament separation from the heel bone, causing heel spurs.

Why Might Heel Pain Occur?

  • Wearing ill-fitting shoes                  
  • Wearing non-supportive shoes
  • Weight change           
  • Excessive running

Treatments

Heel pain should be treated as soon as possible for immediate results. Keeping your feet in a stress-free environment will help. If you suffer from Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, applying ice will reduce the swelling. Stretching before an exercise like running will help the muscles. Using all these tips will help make heel pain a condition of the past.

If you have any questions please contact our office located in Las Vegas, NV . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about Heel Pain
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