Foot and Ankle Blog - Page 5 of 8

What is osteoarthritis? What causes osteoarthritis? Learn about how we diagnose & treat the condition at University Foot and Ankle Institute.

Dr. Bob Baravarian discusses diabetic foot infections. Osteomyelitis (also known as “Diabetic Foot Infection”) is one of the most significant complications a diabetic patient can have. If you or someone you know are living with diabetes mellitus you probably already know your feet are at risk, but you might not yet know how severe it can be. Today, we’re going read more »

If your toe is deformed into a semi-circle (or a crossover toe) and it hurts a lot, it’s got to be a hammertoe, right? Well, maybe not!

Learn what our experts have to say metatarsalgia and capsulitis of the second toe, including causes, symptoms, and advanced treatment options.

Many confuse bunions and big toe arthritis, but they are different, especially for treatment. You can delay bunion treatment but early hallux limitus treatment is critically important.

At some point during your lifetime, you may experience a foot or ankle problem. How do you locate the best resource for foot care? Here's 9 tips!

As in all sports, the type and fit of your gear is just as important as its quality. Ski boots are your direct connection with your skis. So the boot you use will have an enormous impact on your feet.

Satisfactory treatment has long been available for early-stage ankle arthritis. And effective procedures, including ankle fusion and total ankle replacement, are available for end-stage ankle arthritis. But one of the last great barriers in the treatment of ankle arthritis has been how to handle moderate ankle arthritis. Until recently, some of the greatest podiatric challenges were moderate ankle arthritis cases. read more »

Researchers at Duke University just published a breakthrough study in the journal Science Advances showing that humans have the ability to repair and regrow cartilage similar to other species like salamanders, lizards and zebrafish.  This has important implications for the treatment of joint injuries and arthritis. Humans have always had the ability to regrow tissue For years, scientists have acknowledged read more »

Pain from your little toe (or baby toe or pinky toe) could be telling you something important. Here are four things to know about pinky toe pain.

Your big toe is more than just a device to locate bedposts and chair legs in the dark. The big toe is the only toe significant enough to get its own medical name. It’s dignified with the appellation “hallux”. The other four little piggies have to be satisfied with mere numbers. Whenever you are upright, there are crucial moments when read more »

A lot of bunion sufferers come to us stating that they avoided bunion surgery for years because they “heard” terrible things that are simply untrue about bunion surgery. Two examples of this are “bunion surgery hurts like crazy” and “why bother getting a bunion surgically repaired since they come back anyway.” There are many bunion surgery myths and we are read more »

What causes stinky feet? Find out about the opportunistic bacteria that can invade your feet and start killing cells -- and what you can do about it!

Many troublesome foot and ankle conditions occur in children just as they do in adults. But the bones of growing children haven’t themselves finished growing, so some children’s foot problems require extra attention. What is a child’s growth plate? Sites of active bone growth in children are called growth plates. They exist near the ends of bones in pre-adolescent children. read more »

The ankle is an amazing example of anatomical ingenuity, until it starts hurting. Inside ankle pain indicates several possible problems. Here are a few examples.

Can surgically implanted metal Screws and pins become a thing of the past? Yes, thanks to a new invention that is being used at UFAI today.

What is chronic plantar fasciitis and how is it treated? The plantar fascia is the amazingly strong thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. It supports the arch and helps keep your foot from curling into a ball. Chronic plantar fasciitis is defined as plantar fascia pain experienced for at least 3-6 months without resolution. read more »

Catching diabetic foot complications early will allow for proper intervention and prevention of ulcerations, infections, and limb loss. That is why routine exams with a foot and ankle specialist are so critical. At the first sign of diabetic foot pain, ulcers or other diabetic foot issues, get it checked out and do not wait for your next checkup. Otherwise, our read more »

The Cartiva implant was considered to be a revolution in great toe arthritis therapy. It came out with a splash and the original studies to get the implant through FDA approval showed incredible results. Our group, University Foot and Ankle Institute, and me in particular, were involved with helping launch the product and educating surgeons on how to use the read more »

Like most parts of a newborn’s body, your infant’s feet are undeveloped at her time of birth. As she grows and learns to walk, the soft, pliable tissue that structures her feet will solidify into bony tissue in a process known as ossification. Her feet will continue to grow and develop well into her late teens. You can help your read more »