Feet Street Podiatry News

Who's secretly happy to hide their feet again now boot-season is upon us? You're not alone. Just because feet inevitably go into hiding in Autumn and Winter though, doesn't mean you should let 'em go. Far from it in fact, the temperature drops this time of year can cause havoc with your feet, all the more reason to maintain your foot care. Our Podiatrist  explains that your feet have a blood supply that is affected by climate. "As the temperature fluctuates the skin is left hot or cold. When your feet feel cold, it means the skins blood supply to the top layers of the skin have been reduced to preserve heat." No wonder they get as dry our chapped lips – even without being exposed to the elements. Tight-tights…

What is it? / What causes the problem? When we walk or stand, our body weight is carried first on the heel and then on the ball of the foot, where the skin is thicker to withstand the pressure. When this pressure becomes excessive, some areas of skin thicken in the form of corns and callus, as a protective response to the body’s reaction to the friction of skin rubbing against a bone, shoe or the ground. Callus (or callosity) is an extended area of thickened, hard skin on the soles of the feet. It is usually symptomatic of an underlying problem such as a bony deformity, a particular style of walking or inappropriate footwear. Some people have a natural tendency to form callus because of their skin type. Elderly…

If you are worried about your verrucae and/or self-treatment is not working and/or the verrucae appears to be getting larger or more painful, you should seek the help of a HCPC registered podiatrist. What is it?Verrucae are plantar warts that commonly occur on the soles of the feet or around the toe area. They are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which is highly contagious through direct person to person contact. There are various forms of HPV which all relate to various parts of the human body. What causes the problem?The virus is thought to thrive in moist, damp environments such as swimming pools, changing room floors and communal shower areas. It is possible to contract verrucae simply by walking across the same floor area as someone with a…

Smelly feet - the medical name is bromodosis - can affect anyone. It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. The main cause is sweaty feet and there are simple steps you can take to help prevent this. What causes sweaty and smelly feet? The function of sweat glands is to keep the skin moist and therefore supple, and to regulate temperature when the weather is hot or while you are exercising. There are more sweat glands in our feet than anywhere else in the body. However, unlike sweat glands elsewhere in the body, the sweat glands in the feet secrete all the time, not just in response to heat or exercise. Feet smell when bacteria on the skin break down sweat as it comes from the pores. A cheesy smell is…

Athlete’s foot is a skin fungal infection. It can lead to intense itching, cracked, blistered or peeling areas of skin, redness and scaling. It can occur on moist, waterlogged skin usually between the fourth and fifth toes initially, or on dry, flaky skin around the heels or elsewhere on the foot. Large painful fissures can also develop and the condition can also spread along all five toes and sometimes to the soles of the feet if left untreated. What causes the problem? It’s caused by a number of fungal species which you can pick up from someone else shedding affected skin (typically in communal areas such as pools, showers and changing rooms) or where you may walk around barefoot. Athlete’s foot can also be passed on directly from person to…

What is it? More than 15% of women in the UK suffer from bunions, but what is a bunion? A bunion, also known as ‘hallux valgus’ is a deformity of the big toe in which the big toe excessively angles towards the second toe and leads to a bony lump on the side of the foot. This can also form a large sac of fluid, known as a bursa, which can then become inflamed and sore. What causes the problem? There is no one cause of having a bunion and contrary to popular opinion, bunions are not generally caused by shoes. They are most often caused by a defective mechanical structure of the foot which is genetic and these certain foot types make a person prone to development of a…

Read our top 10 tips on how to look after your feet, with special advice for the over-60s. Your feet take the weight of your whole body, so foot problems can quickly lead to discomfort and affect the way you walk. This can in turn cause knee, hip and back pain. Research from The College of Podiatry shows that nine in 10 of us experience some sort of foot problem, with one in five admitting to suffering with foot pain often or constantly. Podiatrist Lorraine Jones says: "What this research shows is that a huge amount of people are willing to put up with sore, aching and painful feet. She adds: "Your feet shouldn't hurt on a daily basis. If you are experiencing discomfort it is usually because you aren't…