Advice on Foot Care

A corn is a buildup of dead skin on the top of a toe, at the end of a toe or in between the toes. Corns develop as a result of excess pressure, either pressure from shoes or from the other toes. The most common place for a corn to develop is on the top of a hammertoe. Unequal pull from the tendons in the foot and leg can cause hammertoes to develop. This unequal pull is usually the result of an abnormal foot position or abnormal motion in the foot. As the toes pull up and the tips of the toes curl down, this creates an unusual toe position and results in excessive rub on the toes. Continue Reading »

Callused feet and toes are common in runners and many times go unnoticed. But, a callus on the heel or the big toe can cause a lot of pain for a runner. The callus can develop an even more painful blister underneath and can limit performance or simply decrease the enjoyment of run. Some rub the area with a pumice stone, some apply cremes and others take a razor blade to the offending callus. Unfortunately, the callus always returns.

Callus tissue is a build of dead skin in response to pressure or friction. The medical term for callus is hyperkeratosis (hi – per – care – uh – toe – sis). A callus is actually a bone problem and a foot mechanics problem, not a skin problem. A foot deformity will cause excess pressure to that area from the shoe or the ground. The body’s natural defense mechanism will kick in and start building up the top layer of skin in response to the excess pressure. This is a protective response from the body in an attempt to prevent the pressure from wearing down the skin layers and resulting in an open sore. The problem is that as long as there is pressure, the body will continue to build up the skin. The continual build up of dead skin can become excessive and painful.

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