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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…