Five Oft-Neglected Foot Problems

There's a reason we talk about "getting back on your feet" after an illness or staying "on your toes": healthy feet are necessary for an active life. Yet many doctors don't even look at a patient's feet during checkups, says Valley Stream, N.Y., podiatrist Andrew Shapiro, a spokesman for the American Podiatric Medical Association. That's a mistake, Shapiro argues, because foot problems rarely get better on their own. Feet tend to deteriorate with age, as the pad of fat on the sole slowly wears down and the effects of any structural problems--legs of unequal length, for example--accumulate. Untreated problems can alter a person's gait, bring on other ailments and make it painful to walk or exercise. And when things get bad enough that people limit their movements, inactivity becomes another threat to their health.

The feet also frequently provide the first warnings of diabetes and arteriosclerosis.  So don't ignore your feet—they may be telling you something important. Here are five often-neglected foot problems that require attention. 

• 1.  Pain in your heel, especially when getting out of bed. Better-fitting shoes may be the answer, but if the pain persists, the cause may be the way your foot is built. The problem may be treatable with orthotics, custom-made shoe inserts that realign the foot. Other options include a form of shockwave therapy or surgery, but in all cases, consulting a doctor early can help avoid surgery.
• 2.     Burning, numbness or pins and needles in your feet may be a symptom of diabetes, a serious illness that can lead to foot or limb amputation, so you should tell your doctor about symptoms like these. The American Diabetes Association estimates that almost 6 million Americans suffer from diabetes without knowing it.
• 3.     Yellow nails aren't just hard on the eyes; they've been invaded by the same fungus that causes athlete's foot, which could spread to the skin. Also, a thickened nail can break through the skin and cause bacterial infections. The best therapies are available only by prescription, says Shapiro, so ask your physician.
• 4.     Bunions, knobs at the base of the big toe, come about because of inflammation or arthritis that enlarges the joint. The root cause may be structural problems in the foot or leg, or damage from tight-fitting shoes or high heels. Although not all bunions are painful, they may become so over time. Changing your shoes may help, but if the problem persists, consult your doctor; treating bunions early can help you avoid the need for surgery to remove bunions that may make it painful to walk. 
• 5. If your shoe soles don't wear down in the same way, your legs may be of different lengths, which could cause back pain. But don't worry if the outside of the heel wears down more than the inside—that's a normal result of walking.
   

© 2008