Foot Conditions
causes and cures

To understand the many foot conditions we can aquire it is best to first understand a little about the foot.

In one of our feet we have a skeleton consisting of 26 bones, there is a small number of accessory bones known as 'sesamoid' bones which are formed within the tendons of various muscle.

The whole weight of the body is carried by our feet.

When we walk and the heel is raised, the whole weight of the body is carried on the metatarsals (of which we have 5 on each foot).

During our everyday activities it is easy to overlook the important role the foot plays in our lives.

Our feet get bashed about during football or soccer.

Huge pressures are put upon them during athletics and sports events, they get twisted and turned and they take up huge impact forces in jumping and landing.

Yet we generally pay little to no attention to the foot at all. With hardly a foot soak at the end of the day to reward our tired and aching feet.

Only during injury or if there is a foot condition affecting the skin or toe do we take some care of them.

Some of these foot conditions are preventable and can easily be taken care of at home, while bathing, drying, grooming and dressing.

Also by seeing that our bodies are getting the right nutrition that will in turn take care of things like skin and toenail conditions, bone growth and our basic general health.

Some foot conditions

Click the links below to find out more about these conditions and ways to cure them.

Athletes foot This is a condition of the skin of the foot. It is non contagious, it is a fungus and it is easily cured and prevented from reappearing.

It can be cured by natural products like Tea tree oil or oils from other herbs and natural plants.

Or there are many over the counter lotions and creams available that will cure the foot condition reasonably quickly and efficiently.

Verrucas This is a virus, it is contagious and is usually found more often on children.

There are many ways to treat and cure this problem and it is easily prevented or avoided. Hard skin Hard skin, usually on the heel, is the due to the build up of dead skin.

This is caused by pressure and the cutting off of a blood supply that would normally nourish the skin.

Again it is easily treated to gain nice soft healthy skin by removing the dead skin and nourishing the new skin.

This cream can also be used as a preventative measure.

Ingrown Toenail Usually caused by poor fitting shoes however it can be passed on genetically through the family.

There are new methods of treatment for this foot condition, and there is also surgery to remove the toenail, however this no longer needs to happen as there are ways to remove only the ingrown part of the nail and ways to train the toenail to grow straight.

Toenail fungus This is a fungal attack to the toenail, it is embedded within the folds of the nail and notoriously difficult to remove.

Again new methods using laser and new medicines are available to treat this condition successfully.

Foot Corns These are due to external pressure on the skin, normally from a shoe.

They can appear on the tops of toes or under the feet whereby pressure would have caused them. A Podiatrist is qualified to treat and remove this condition.

Bunions Is where the toe is forced over towards the other toes.

There is a build up of bone on the joint causing pain and discomfort it is usually caused by ill fitting, tight shoes.

It can be taken care of but is a painful procedure.

It is easily preventable.

We all need our feet to be in tip top condition and it is always easier to prevent certain conditions rather than to treat them once we have a condition.

Some conditions may require surgery and some can be taken care of after stepping out of the bath, either way we need healthy feet in good condition.

At Healthy Toenails we have put together some Top Tips to help you achieve Healthy Feet and Toenails.

Take time and care with your Childrens Toenails to ensure they have correct fitting shoes and understand why.

Have their nails cut correctly, check their skin and foot soles and sides for a possible condition and avoid these problems that can so easily take root and affect the child for life.

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