Debunking Foot Care Myths
Posted by JB Smith, Co-Owner on
When it comes to foot health, there are lots of myths, misunderstandings and partial-truths out there. Maybe you’ve heard some of this questionable info from your friends and family, read only part of an article, or caught the last few minutes of a news segment. It’s even possible that you saw some dubious facts on (gasp!) the internet. Well, foot and ankle surgeon Timothy M. Downs and the Podiatrists at New England Foot and Ankle News have gathered the top five foot care myths and corrected them, so that we all be more informed about our precious lower extremities:
Five Myths about Foot Care:
Myth: Cutting a notch in a toenail will relieve the pain of ingrown toenails.
Reality: When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and grows into the skin. Cutting a notch in the toenail does not affect its growth. New nail growth will continue to curve downward. Cutting a notch may actually cause more problems and is painful in many cases.
Myth: My foot or ankle can’t be broken if I can walk on it.
Reality: It’s entirely possible to walk on a foot or ankle with a broken bone. It depends on your threshold for pain, as well as the severity of the injury, says Dr. Downs. But it’s not a smart idea. Walking with a broken bone can cause further damage.
It is crucial to stay off an injured foot until diagnosis by a foot and ankle surgeon. Until then, apply ice and elevate the foot to reduce pain.
Myth: Shoes cause bunions.
Reality: Bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty mechanical structure of the foot. It is not the bunion itself that is inherited, but certain foot types make a person prone to developing a bunion. While wearing shoes that crowd the toes together can, over time, make bunions more painful, shoes themselves do not cause bunions.
Although some treatments can ease the pain of bunions, only surgery can correct the deformity.
Myth: A doctor can’t fix a broken toe.
Reality: Nineteen of the 26 bones in the foot are toe bones.
What I tell patients is, there are things we can do to make a broken toe heal better and prevent problems later on, like arthritis or toe deformities, Dr. Downs says.
Broken toes that aren’t treated correctly can also make walking and wearing shoes difficult. A foot and ankle surgeon will x-ray the toe to learn more about the fracture. If the broken toe is out of alignment, the surgeon may have to insert a pin, screw or plate to reposition the bone.
Myth: Corns have roots.
Reality: A corn is a small build-up of skin caused by friction. Dr. Downs says many corns result from a hammertoe deformity, where the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. The only way to eliminate these corns is to surgically correct the hammertoe condition.
Unlike a callus, a corn has a central core of hard material. But corns do not have roots. Attempting to cut off a corn or applying medicated corn pads can lead to serious infection or even amputation. A foot and ankle surgeon can safely evaluate and treat corns and the conditions contributing to them.
Original Article here: http://www.nefootankle.com/newsdesk/foot-health/five-myths-about-foot-c…
Got any other foot care myths to debunk? Leave them in the comments section below!