Skin and Toenail Care FAQs

An ankle wrap with a compression bandage is a common way of stabilizing a joint and discouraging swelling without entirely restricting movement, but it needs to be done correctly. A wrap that’s too loose won’t help at all, while one that’s too tight can cut off the blood flow to the rest of your foot. When you wrap your ankle correctly, the joint should be stable but still able to move somewhat. The bandage should cover your foot and several inches above your ankle joint. You should still be able to slide a finger under the wrap.

If it’s done incorrectly, a number of problems might develop. A bandage that’s too loose won’t alleviate swelling. One that’s too tight may cause numbness, tingling, or coldness in your foot. You may notice your skin turning blue or redness that wasn’t there when you put the bandage on. If this is the case, your wrap is too tight and needs to be re-adjusted immediately. Let our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. know if you’re having trouble with ankle wraps. We’ll be happy to help you. Contact us online, or call our Parker, Cherry Creek, or Castle Pines, CO, offices at (303) 805-5156.

RICE treatment is a common and effective first aid therapy for soft tissue injuries, like sprains. It’s actually an acronym, standing for “Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate.” It explains the basic steps you follow to decrease swelling and inflammation and encourage healing immediately after you injure yourself.

Rest involves stopping the activity that caused the problem, and taking a break from everything that causes discomfort in your injured limb. Ice involves applying a cold pack to the damage as soon as possible. Cold decreases and discourages swelling around an injury. A compression bandage stabilizes your lower limb while making it harder for fluid to leak into other tissues. Elevating your foot prevents gravity from pooling fluid in your foot while you heal.

RICE treatment is meant to be a temporary first aid method for handling an injury, but it is effective. After the initial pain is gone, you’ll need to move on to rehabilitation and reconditioning. Our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. in Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, and Parker, CO, can help you through the whole process. If you’re not sure how to use RICE, or you need more treatment for an injury, call for an appointment at (303) 805-5156.

Although fractures and sprains can both be painful and debilitating, they are two different injuries that affect totally different structures in your limbs. A fracture is a break in bone tissue. A sprain is a severe overstretching or possibly tearing in the ligaments that support a joint. Sometimes these injuries can happen at the same time, depending on how you hurt your foot or ankle. Even so, they are not the same thing.

The most accurate way to tell if you have a fracture or a sprain is to have your foot examined. A fracture will show up on an x-ray. Experts like our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. will be able to test your ligaments for a sprain, though our specialists may still use diagnostic images as well. Whether you have a fracture or a sprain, though, you need immediate care to get the best healing. Contact our offices in Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, and Parker, CO, for an appointment to take care of your lower limbs today. You can reach us online, or by calling (303) 805-5156.

An ingrown toenail could have several different causes. One of the most common culprits is actually your footwear. Shoes that are too tight, too short, too narrow, or two pointed can encourage the toenail to curve and curl, growing into your skin instead of above it. Cutting your nails too short or leaving them too long could also contribute to the problem. Nails that are too short may end up growing into the skin instead of above it. When the keratin is too long, it’s more susceptible to being pinched and curved by your footwear.

Even an injury could play a role. Sometimes stubbing your toe or dropping something heavy on it can damage the nail so it becomes ingrown. Sometimes preexisting infections or conditions may change the nail’s shape as it grows, increasing your risk as well. A few people simply have naturally curved nails that may be prone to the problem. Whatever the cause, the sooner you deal with it, the easier it is to manage it. Our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. in Cherry Creek, Parker, and Castle Pines will help you. Just call (303) 805-5156 or use the web request form to reach us.

Although called “athlete’s” foot because of how common it is among athletes, anyone can develop this fungal infection. The condition is actually a skin problem. It’s caused by a fungus that thrives in warm, damp environments, particularly places like locker rooms, community showers, and pools. It can grow on the skin of your feet if they are frequently warm, sweaty, and enclosed in shoes. You develop the infection when your skin is exposed to the pathogen and then provides the favorable kind of atmosphere the fungus needs to survive and thrive.

Unfortunately, cleanliness alone doesn’t help you avoid the problem, since the causes of athlete’s foot are connected to how damp or sweaty your feet and footwear are. If you generally have moist feet, particularly between your toes, you risk getting a fungal infection. Let our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. in Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, and Parker, CO, help you prevent the condition before it sets in. Call (303) 805-5156 to make an appointment right away, or use our online request form to reach us.

Stress fracture treatment is fairly simple, but it does take time. Overuse and pressure caused the problem, so completely resting the foot will heal it. You’ll need to take a break from all hard-impact activities to give your foot time to recover. In some cases, you might need to wear a splint, special boot, or walking cast to help alleviate the pressure on the affected bones. Ice the painful spot to reduce swelling and inflammation so the tissues can repair themselves, too.

Once the bones are mostly mended, you’ll be able to put more weight and pressure on the foot. At this point, you’ll begin to rehabilitate the foot to handle the stress of your normal activities. This will mean slowly getting back into your regular routines and building up to the intensity and duration you were used to before your injury. Moving slowly conditions your foot so you’re less likely to develop a stress fracture again. Let Podiatry Associates, P.C. help you treat cracked bones in your feet. Call (303) 805-5156 to reach our Parker and Castle Pines, CO, offices for an appointment.

 

Sometimes it can be hard to tell that you have developed a stress fracture in your foot. The symptoms, however, should be telling enough to convince you that something is wrong with your lower limbs. Cracks in your bones are quite painful, especially under pressure. Since this is an overuse injury, the discomfort develops slowly, increasing with time as the condition worsens. Often your foot feels better when you rest. You might notice some swelling around the cracked bone. Most likely that spot will be tender to the touch as well. In some cases, you may even notice bruising.

The only way to be sure you have a stress fracture is to have the problem diagnosed. Our team will carefully examine the injury. Typically we use diagnostic images to get a clearer picture of any damage, as well as to rule out other possible problems. If you do have a stress fracture, we’ll move forward with treatment. Don’t wait to have your symptoms investigated! Contact Podiatry Associates, P.C. for an appointment. Call (303) 805-5156 to reach our Parker and Castle Pines, CO, offices.

 

There are a number of different tests that help our physicians and staff at Podiatry Associates, P.C. diagnose neuropathy. We will take a medical history to record any symptoms you may have, as well as past illnesses or injuries. Then we’ll use a number of diagnostic tools to check nerve sensitivity, ranging from simple vibration tests to using more complicated and advanced tools.

The SmartSKAN tests the tiny nerves in your feet’s sweat glands. These nerves are sensitive and prone to early nerve damage, so checking their sensitivity can provide insight into how healthy your peripheral nervous system is. This allows our expert team to catch the problem early so we can diagnose the underlying condition and have it treated, slowing the nerve damage. If you’re at risk for this nerve problem, or have developed nerve pain in your feet, contact Podiatry Associates, P.C. in Castle Pines, Cherry Creek and Parker, CO, for an appointment. Just call (303) 805-5156 or use the web request form for more information.

Here are some tips for cutting toenails to prevent problems like pain or infections. You should cut your toenails straight across, making sure they are not too short. Leaving some of the white part showing heads off the chance of clipping into your skin and opening your toe to infection. Leaving the corners intact reduces your chance of getting an ingrown nail.

Never treat an ingrown toenail on your own, especially if you have diabetes. Instead, call Podiatry Associates, P.C. in Parker or Castle Pines, CO, at (303) 805-5156 and make an appointment to see one of our podiatrists.  Often minor issues can become a much larger problem if self-treated, when they can be taken care of in just a few minutes in the office. We want to be sure your toenails stay healthy, safe, and looking great!

Pain at the back of the heel could be caused by Achilles tendinitis. This condition is the irritation and inflammation of the large tendon that allows your foot to move up and down. This is generally an overuse injury, but it can also be caused by a bony spur growing on the back of your heel. These spurs develop when the heel is under a lot of tension. They then rub against the tendon, irritating it and causing the pain. The doctors need to see exactly what is causing the problem to be able to treat it properly, so X-rays are very important in making this diagnosis. At Podiatry Associates, P.C., we have state-of-the-art imaging technology that can helps us to determine what is causing your pain. If you’re struggling with back of the heel discomfort, don’t ignore it. Achilles tendinitis doesn’t get better without treatment. Contact us at our offices in Castle Pines and Parker for an appointment or more information by calling (303) 805-5156 or by visiting the online contact page.