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Ganglion Cyst
Category:
Nails and Skin
What Is a Ganglion Cyst?
A ganglion cyst is a sac filled with a jellylike fluid that originates from a tendon sheath or joint capsule. The word “ganglion” means “knot” and is used to describe the knot-like mass or lump that forms below the surface of the skin.
Ganglion cysts are among
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Ganglion Cyst
Category:
Nails and Skin, Ganglion Cyst
What Is a Ganglion Cyst?
A ganglion cyst is a sac filled with a jellylike fluid that originates from a tendon sheath or joint capsule. The word “ganglion” means “knot” and is used to describe the knot-like mass or lump that forms below the surface of the skin.
Ganglion cysts are among
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Gangrene
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Gangrene occurs when there is a lack of blood supply to tissue, depriving it of oxygen, and thereby causing death and decay of the tissue. The two types of gangrene are wet (caused by bacterial infection) and dry (no infection). Most common causes of gangrene are diabetes, arteriosclerosis, tobacco abuse,
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Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
Category:
Fitness and Your Feet
Although golf doesn’t involve running or jumping, injuries do occur to the foot and ankle. Golfers should be aware of the following risks:
Heel pain (or plantar fasciitis) can be exacerbated by excessive walking on the golf course.
The golf swing can also place stress upon the feet and
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Gout
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is Gout?
Gout is a disorder that results from the build-up of uric acid in the tissues or a joint. It most often affects the joint of the big toe.
Causes
Gout attacks are caused by deposits of crystallized uric acid in the joint. Uric acid is present in the blood and eliminated in the urine,
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Haglund's Deformity
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is Haglund's Deformity?
Haglund’s deformity is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. The soft tissue near the Achilles tendon becomes irritated when the bony enlargement rubs against shoes. This often leads to painful bursitis, which is an inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac
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Hallux Rigidus
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is Hallux Rigidus?
Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the joint, and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe. ‘Hallux” refers to the big toe, while “rigidus” indicates that the toe is rigid and cannot
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Hammertoes
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is Hammertoe?
Hammertoe is a contracture (bending) of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth, or fifth (little) toes. This abnormal bending can put pressure on the toe when wearing shoes, causing problems to develop.
Hammertoes usually start out as mild deformities and get progressively
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Heel Fissures
Category:
Nails and Skin
There are many potential causes of "cracked heels." Dry skin (xerosis) is common and can get worse with wearing open-back shoes, increased weight, or increased friction from the back of shoes. Dry cracking skin can also be a subtle sign of more significant problems, such as diabetes or loss of nerve
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Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon, Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome when a spur is present. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or, rarely, a cyst.
Because there are several potential
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High-Arched Foot
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What is Cavus Foot?
Cavus foot is a condition in which the foot has a very high arch. Because of this high arch, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball and heel of the foot when walking or standing. Cavus foot can lead to a variety of signs and symptoms, such as pain and instability. It
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Inflammation: Actue
Category:
Nails and Skin
What Is Acute Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s normal protective response to an injury, irritation, or surgery. This natural “defense” process brings increased blood flow to the area, resulting in an accumulation of fluid. As the body mounts this protective response, the symptoms of inflammation
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Ingrown Toenails
Category:
Nails and Skin
What Is an Ingrown Toenail?
When a toenail is ingrown, it is curved and grows into the skin, usually at the nail borders (the sides of the nail). This “digging in” of the nail irritates the skin, often creating pain, redness, swelling, and warmth in the toe.
If an ingrown nail causes a break
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Instructions for Using Crutches
Category:
Instructions for Using Crutches
Sizing Crutches
Even if you’ve already been fitted for crutches, make sure your crutch pads and handgrips are set at the proper distance, as follows:
Crutch pad distance from armpits: The crutch pads (tops of crutches) should be 1½" to 2" (about two finger widths) below the armpits, with the
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Intermetatarsal Neuroma
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is a Neuroma?
A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton’s neuroma, which occurs between the third and fourth toes. It is sometimes referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma. “Intermetatarsal” describes
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Intoeing
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Intoeing (pigeon toes) is a condition in which the feet point inward when walking. It is commonly seen in children and may resolve in very early childhood with no treatment or intervention. The child should be examined by a foot and ankle surgeon if the intoeing is causing significant tripping, difficulty
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Joint Pain in the Foot
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
The foot contains 26 bones and more than 30 joints. Many people experience pain involving one or more of these joints. The pain may be accompanied by swelling, tenderness, stiffness, redness, bruising and/or increased warmth over the affected joints.
Joint pain may be caused by trauma, infection, inflammation,
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Joint Swelling in the Foot
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
The foot contains 26 bones and more than 30 joints. The body’s natural response to any type of joint injury is to increase blood flow to the affected area. This results in an accumulation of fluid in the tissues in and around the joint, resulting in swelling. Depending on the cause of the injury, joint
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Jones Fracture
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon, Fracture
What is a Fifth Metatarsal Fracture?
Fractures (breaks) are common in the fifth metatarsal – the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe. Two types of fractures that often occur in the fifth metatarsal are:
Avulsion fracture. In an avulsion fracture, a small
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Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
Category:
Fitness and Your Feet
The running and side to side cutting in lacrosse are common causes of injuries to the foot and ankle. Lacrosse players should be aware of the following risks:
Inversion ankle sprains can damage the ankle ligaments, and can also be associated with peroneal tendon injuries and fractures.
Ankle
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Lisfranc Injuries
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
The Lisfranc Joint
The Lisfranc joint is the point at which the metatarsal bones (long bones that lead up to the toes) and the tarsal bones (bones in the arch) connect. The Lisfranc ligament is a tough band of tissue that joins two of these bones. This is important for maintaining proper alignment and
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Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
Category:
Nails and Skin
What is Malignant Melanoma?
Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the cells of the skin that produce pigmentation (coloration). It is also called malignant melanoma because it spreads to other areas of the body as it grows beneath the surface of the skin. Unlike many other types of cancer, melanoma strikes
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Orthotics
Category:
Orthotics and Footwear
Custom orthotics are medical devices prescribed by a foot and ankle surgeon. These shoe inserts, which support and align the foot and lower extremities, are formed by making a plaster mold of the foot.
Additional valuable information:
Pedatric Flatfoot
Heel Pain
PTTD
Flexible Flatfoot
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Os Trigonum Syndrome
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What is the Os Trigonum?
The os trigonum is an extra (accessory) bone that sometimes develops behind the ankle bone (talus). It is connected to the talus by a fibrous band. The presence of an os trigonum in one or both feet is congenital (present at birth). It becomes evident during adolescence when
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Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage (the connective tissue found at the end of the bones in the joints) protects and cushions the bones during movement. When cartilage deteriorates or is
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Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Osteomyelitis (an infection of the bone) can be caused by a variety of microbial agents (bacteria, fungus), the most common of which is staphylococcus aureus.
This serious infection can occur from a number of sources:
• It may enter bone through an injury, such as an open fracture with the bone
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Osteopenia
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Osteoporosis, which means “porous bone,” is a condition in which bones become weak and thin due to lack of calcium. People with osteoporosis have an increased risk of bone fractures (breaks).
Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because many people do not realize they have it.
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Osteoporosis
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Osteoporosis, which means “porous bone,” is a condition in which bones become weak and thin due to lack of calcium. People with osteoporosis have an increased risk of bone fractures (breaks).
Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because many people do not realize they have it.
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Peroneal Tendon Injuries
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Are the Peroneal Tendons?
A tendon is a band of tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. The two peroneal tendons in the foot run side-by-side behind the outer ankle bone. One peroneal tendon attaches to the outer part of the midfoot, while the other tendon runs under the foot and attaches near
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Pigeon-toes
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
Pigeon toes (intoeing) is a condition in which the feet point inward when walking. It is commonly seen in children and may resolve in very early childhood with no treatment or intervention. The child should be examined by a foot and ankle surgeon if the intoeing is causing significant tripping, difficulty
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Plantar Fibroma
Category:
Nails and Skin
What is the Plantar Fibroma?
A plantar fibroma is a fibrous knot (nodule) in the arch of the foot. It is embedded within the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes on the bottom of the foot. A plantar fibroma can develop in one or both feet, is benign (non-malignant),
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Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
Category:
Nails and Skin
What is a Plantar Wart?
A wart is a small growth on the skin that develops when the skin is infected by a virus. Warts can develop anywhere on the foot, but typically they appear on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. Plantar warts most commonly occur in children, adolescents, and the elderly.
There
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Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
Category:
Bone/Joint/Tendon
What Is PTTD?The posterior tibial tendon serves as one of the major supporting structures of the foot, helping it to function while walking. Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is a condition caused by changes in the tendon, impairing its ability to support the arch. This results in flattening
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Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
Category:
Nails and Skin
What Is Hallux Rigidus?
Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the joint, and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe. ‘Hallux” refers to the big toe, while “rigidus” indicates that the toe is rigid and cannot
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Puncture Wounds
Category:
Nails and Skin
What Is a Puncture Wound?
Puncture wounds are not the same as cuts. A puncture wound has a small entry hole caused by a pointed object, such as a nail that you’ve stepped on. In contrast, a cut is an open wound that produces a long tear in the skin. Puncture wounds require different treatment from
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