eReport 2007-03
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Now that winter has arrived, closed toed shoes and boots are the norm du jour. Since we are in these shoes for longer periods than normal, our feet take the brunt of the abuse from the enclosed environment. One of the side effects of this abuse is the development of corns and hammertoes.
A hammertoe is a deformity where by one or more of the lesser toes are bent and cocked up. This can happen on any of the lesser toes (2-5). One or more toes may be involved, and I have found that the second and fifth toes are most often affected.
How does this happen? Each of the lesser toes has 2 small joints. Many times ill fitting shoes will force one or more toes to buckle in order for the foot "to fit into the shoe". This buckling results in one of the two toe knuckles becoming prominent. This prominence begins to rub on the toe box of the shoe (the part of the shoe above your toes). Shortly a corn develops at that pressure point. This corn, or hard skin, is simply a build up of extra skin over a pressure point. There are NO "roots" to this corn, contrasted to a wart, which sinks roots deep into the skin. The other major factor which may lead to hammertoes is a faulty mechanics of the foot. With improper biomechanics, the foot and leg muscles begin to function out-of-sync, one of the results being the forming of hammertoes.
Treatment of corns can be accomplished by different methods. One treatment modality involves using the over-the-counter non-medicated pads placed over the corn to reduce the friction and irritation from the shoe. Another method involves performing a simple office surgery whereby the involved joint is remolded and reduced.
Finally, the last treatment modality is the use of orthotics, to optimize foot mechanics. Our podiatrists can help in determining your best options.
| Dr. Kel Sherkin, | Printed: March 2007 |
Table Of Contents
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- eReport 2010-08
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For most of my adult life I have dealt with the discomfort of Chondromalacia Patella and Patello-femoral Syndrome. These two conditions effectively ended my competitive cycling and skiing careers. It ultimately became so painful that I thought surgery was the only solution. But thanks to the team of excellent doctors and therapists at Toronto SEMI, I have finally overcome these difficult knee problems without surgery. I am now performing in both cycling and skiing better then I have in years.
