There’s more to foot care than cutting nails and washing them daily. In the medical world, routine foot care involves a thorough feet check-up to inspect it for any signs of abnormalities that a disease may be causing. Some of the physical characteristics that podiatrists look at include:

• The temperature of the feet
• Discoloration at any part of the feet
• The texture of the skin (e.g., thickening)
• Abrasions or cracks
• Abnormal growth in the feet
• Changes in shape

Foot care is even more essential for people with health conditions, such as diabetes. So if you’re experiencing any problems with your feet, then you’ve come to the right place.

Florida Foot & Ankle Associates specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the foot and ankle. We have locations throughout South Florida, our specialists serving the Greater Miami Area, including Miami-Dade (Miami, Kendall, Miami Beach, Hialeah, Coral Gables), Broward County (Hollywood, Pembroke Pines), and Palm Beach County (Boca Raton).

Keep on reading below as our expert podiatrists discuss everything you need to know about routine foot care and the common conditions, injuries, and traumas we handle.

What Is Routine Foot Care?

Routine foot care refers to different medical services involving care and management of the foot. It also deals with hygienic and preventive maintenance to ensure the health of the feet. Some of the specific services and treatment under this medical service include:

• Physical examination of the feet
• Cleaning and nail trimming
• Removing and treating corns and calluses.
• Debridement of the nail with fungal infection
• Treating ingrown 
• Massaging the feet to enhance blood circulation
• Application of ointment or topical medication.

Additionally, foot care can also involve treating other common foot problems that don’t need surgery. This includes blisters, abrasions, and other lesions that may affect the systemic parts of the feet.

Who Performs Routine Foot Care?

Since routine foot care involves treating and managing foot diseases, only a podiatrist or foot doctor can do it. A podiatric physician specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and parts of the lower limbs. 

Besides routine procedures, they also perform surgical procedures to treat injuries, trauma, and other foot-related health conditions.

What Common Foot Problems Do We Treat?

During routine foot care, our podiatrist will closely inspect the feet to look for specific symptoms that might indicate a developing disease or condition. Some of the most common foot problems we treat include the following:

Corns and Calluses

Corns and calluses in the feet are thick skin that builds up due to irritation or repeated pressure and friction. These two are both made up of hardened layers of skin, but they also have their differences, such as:

• Corns have a small, rounded shape that usually develops on the top and sides of the feet or toes.
• Calluses usually develop as a spread-out patch of skin on the bony areas of the foot. It typically forms in the areas of the feet that carry your weight.

These two can develop anywhere in the body, especially in areas frequently used, such as the hands and feet.

Friction Blisters

Blisters are painful lesions that likely develop when you wear ill-fitting shoes or during long periods of walking and standing. These round-shaped pockets of fluid can usually be seen at the heel and toes.

Normally, blisters heal naturally once the source of friction gets taken away. You can also correctly drain the liquid found inside the blister using sterile equipment. Just make sure to apply an ointment to it and cover it with a bandage.

But when blisters persist and worsen over time, then it’s time to seek the help of a licensed podiatrist at Florida Foot and Ankle Associates.

Other Skin Conditions in the Foot

Besides the two mentioned above, some of the other skin conditions affecting the foot are:

• • Athlete’s foot - a contagious fungal condition characterized by itchiness and stinging pain.
  • Plantar warts - are small growth of hardened skin that commonly occurs at the heel part of the feet. They are caused by a bacteria called HPV, but they’re usually harmless and go away on their own. But if you have warts that get painful and seem to spread, then you need a foot doctor to check that out.

• Pitted keratolysis - this is a superficial bacterial infection that can be seen at the soles of the feet. These are itchy, whitish small holes that may make the foot smelly.

• Dyshidrotic eczema appears as small, red, fluid-filled blisters or rash that tends to spread throughout the feet. 

Ingrown Toenails

Another common and painful foot problem is ingrown. This happens when the nails at the corner of the toes suddenly curve and grow into the surrounding skin. An ingrown usually causes swelling, redness, and intense pain, especially when walking.

Your podiatric specialist may recommend lifting the nail or partially trimming the ingrown nail. But for severe cases, podiatrists usually remove the nail together with the underlying tissue to prevent it from growing back.

Fungal Nail Infection

Besides the skin, the fungus may also affect your toenails, which can cause yellow discoloration and thick, cracked nails. This fungal nail condition is called onychomycosis.

Fungal infections in the nail can happen as a complication of an Athlete’s foot, diabetes, or nail injury. This condition rarely gets better with at-home treatments, so it’s best to see your podiatrist so that they can treat it effectively.

Bunions

A bunion refers to a common foot deformity characterized by a bulging bump at the base side of the toe. Internally, it’s a bony structure that forms on the joint due to injury, foot stress, genes, or a health condition.

Doctors may prescribe conservative treatments (e.g., painkillers or shoe inserts) to relieve pain and ease mobility. But they might opt for surgery if the bunion causes persistent pain that interferes with your daily activities.

If you’re experiencing such conditions, then you can visit one of the many locations of our Florida Foot and Ankle Associates clinic. Check out our office locations to find the best foot and ankle doctor near you!

Diabetic-Related Foot Conditions

Diabetes is a common condition that may cause different foot problems, such as ulcers, ingrown, fungal infections, and many more. This happens due to decreased blood circulation and nerve damage caused by diabetes in the feet and lower limbs.

So, if you have diabetes, you should make it a point to undergo routine foot check-ups every now and then. Diabetic patients must monitor feet changes to avoid severe complications, like tissue necrosis and amputation. 

Heel Pain

Heel pain is a common problem encountered by about 2 million people yearly. It can be due to several different causes一from feet overuse and traumatic injury to medical conditions, like arthritis. 

If you struggle with heel pain, check out our website and learn more about the nature of heel pain, what causes it, and when you need to see our heel pain doctors.

Foot Injury and Trauma

Routine foot care can also help in diagnosing different foot injuries and physical trauma. Podiatrists regularly treat fractures, sprains, strains, and other conditions related to sports medicine.

Trauma and injury to the soft tissues and muscles of the feet usually result in pain and inflammation. Diagnosing such conditions may include gait analysis, stability testing, and radiographic imaging. 

When Should I See a Podiatrist?

Ideally, seniors and people with health conditions should regularly see their podiatrist for routine foot care and check-up. It’s okay for regular individuals to visit a podiatrist once a year as long as foot self-care and hygiene are maintained.

However, you may need to seek medical help if you’re experiencing some of these symptoms for some time:

• Continuous pain, swelling, or numbness in the foot or ankle.

• Sudden pain and swelling after doing an activity.

• Abnormal changes in color or shape.

• Sores, ulcers, or abscesses in the feet.

• Recurring foot condition

• If you have diabetes.

Where to Get Routine Foot Care in the South Florida Area?

If you think you or someone you know may benefit from routine foot care, then we have got you covered!

At Florida Foot and Ankle Associates, we provide quality care and treatment for your foot ankle problems. With decades of experience, our team of expert podiatrists offers a wide range of services一from routine procedures and diabetic foot ulcer care to foot and ankle surgery.

You can visit one of our clinics throughout the South Florida area to consult our leading podiatrists. Feel free to visit us in any of our convenient locations:

• Miami Dade County (including Miami, Miami Beach, Kendall, Hialeah, Coral Gables) 
• Broward County (Hollywood, Pembroke Pines)
• Palm Beach County (Boca Raton) 

You can also contact us or visit our website to learn more about our services and treatments. 

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.