In foot care, vascular testing may be required in the diagnosing and treatment of certain podiatric conditions. Vascular testing is particularly relevant for patients with high-risk diabetes, poor circulation, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Procedures typically involve the examination of blood vessels throughout the body for blockages or buildup.
Vascular testing is very important for the diagnosis of various conditions, including peripheral artery disease and chronic venous insufficiency, as these conditions can greatly affect one’s quality of life and cause pain in the lower limbs. Circulatory problems in the feet and ankles can reflect issues throughout the body, making testing of the blood vessels pertinent.
Testing methods vary between practitioners and can be specific to certain foot and ankle problems. Modern technology has brought about the ability to perform vascular testing using non-invasive methods, such as the cuff-based PADnet testing device. This device records the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)/Toe-Brachial Index (TBI) values and Pulse Volume Recording (PVR) waveforms. Contact your podiatrist to determine what vascular testing is available for your needs.
An Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) test is a screening tool that is used to assess circulation in the lower limbs. During an ABI test, the doctor takes your blood pressure at various points along your arms and lower legs and compares the numbers to determine your risk of having full or partial blockages in the blood flow of your lower limbs. Not everyone needs an ABI test. They are typically done for people who are at risk of peripheral artery disease, a condition characterized by poor circulation in the extremities. People who are at risk of having peripheral artery disease include those with a history of smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, as well as older adults and people who have a family history of peripheral artery disease. To learn more, please consult with a podiatrist.
Vascular testing plays an important part in diagnosing disease like peripheral artery disease. If you have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or diabetes, consult with one of our podiatrists from Achilles Foot Clinic. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
What Is Vascular Testing?
Vascular testing checks for how well blood circulation is in the veins and arteries. This is most often done to determine and treat a patient for peripheral artery disease (PAD), stroke, and aneurysms. Podiatrists utilize vascular testing when a patient has symptoms of PAD or if they believe they might. If a patient has diabetes, a podiatrist may determine a vascular test to be prudent to check for poor blood circulation.
How Is it Conducted?
Most forms of vascular testing are non-invasive. Podiatrists will first conduct a visual inspection for any wounds, discoloration, and any abnormal signs prior to a vascular test.
The most common tests include:
These tests are safe, painless, and easy to do. Once finished, the podiatrist can then provide a diagnosis and the best course for treatment.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one our office, located in the South of Calgary, Alberta. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Gout is a painful, inflammatory form of arthritis. Those affected will typically feel an intense stiffness in the joints of their feet, particularly in the big toe. Schedule a visit to learn about how gout can be managed and treated.
Getting a case of athlete’s foot can be annoying, for several reasons. First of all it causes itching between the toes, as the skin becomes dry and scaly. Second, in more severe cases, it can form blisters, cracks, and inflammation. Lastly, it spreads very easily, so try to avoid touching the affected area. Athlete’s foot is caused by a virus that thrives in moisture and dampness and is especially virulent in warmer temperatures. It is often picked up in swimming pools, locker rooms, and gyms, and it can be spread within the home in the shower or tub. It’s a good idea to wear protective foot coverings in damp or moist areas, keep your feet clean and dried – especially between the toes – as much as possible, and change your socks often if your feet have a tendency to become sweaty. There are several antifungal sprays and creams available over the counter that may bring some relief. If the condition persists, it may be a good idea to consult a podiatrist who can evaluate its severity and offer appropriate treatment options for you.
Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot is often an uncomfortable condition to experience. Thankfully, podiatrists specialize in treating athlete’s foot and offer the best treatment options. If you have any questions about athlete’s foot, consult with one of our podiatrists from Achilles Foot Clinic. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality treatment.
What Is Athlete’s Foot?
Tinea pedis, more commonly known as athlete’s foot, is a non-serious and common fungal infection of the foot. Athlete’s foot is contagious and can be contracted by touching someone who has it or infected surfaces. The most common places contaminated by it are public showers, locker rooms, and swimming pools. Once contracted, it grows on feet that are left inside moist, dark, and warm shoes and socks.
Prevention
The most effective ways to prevent athlete’s foot include:
Symptoms
Athlete’s foot initially occurs as a rash between the toes. However, if left undiagnosed, it can spread to the sides and bottom of the feet, toenails, and if touched by hand, the hands themselves. Symptoms include:
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis is quick and easy. Skin samples will be taken and either viewed under a microscope or sent to a lab for testing. Sometimes, a podiatrist can diagnose it based on simply looking at it. Once confirmed, treatment options include oral and topical antifungal medications.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one our office, located in the South of Calgary, Alberta. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Athlete’s foot is an extremely contagious infection caused by a fungus that results in itching, burning, dry, and flaking feet. The fungus that causes athlete’s foot is known as tinea pedis and thrives in moist, dark areas such as shower floors, gyms, socks and shoes, commons areas, public changing areas, bathrooms, dormitory style houses, locker rooms, and public swimming pools. Athlete’s foot is difficult to treat as well because of the highly contagious and recurrent nature of the fungus.
Tinea is the same fungus that causes ringworm, and is spread by direct contact with an infected body part, contaminated clothing, or by touching other objects and body parts that have been exposed to the fungus. Because the feet are an ideal place for tinea to grow and spread, this is the most commonly affected area. It is, however, known to grow in other places. The term athlete’s foot describes tinea that grows strictly on the feet.
The most commonly infected body parts are the hands, groin, and scalp, as well as the feet. Around 70% of the population suffer from tinea infections at some point in their lives, however not all of these cases are athlete’s foot. Just like any other ailment, some people are more likely to get it than others, such as people with a history of tinea infections or other skin infections, both recurring and non-recurring ones. The extent to which a person experiences regrowth and recurrent tinea infections varies from person to person.
Sometimes people will not even know that they are infected with tinea or that they have athlete’s foot because of a lack of symptoms. However, most experience mild to moderate flaking, itching, redness, and burning. However, some of the more severe symptoms include cracking and bleeding skin, intense itching and burning, pain while walking or standing, and even blistering.
Because of the recurring nature of the tinea fungus and the athlete’s foot it causes, the best way to treat this condition is with prevention. You can take some preventative measures such as wearing flip flops or sandals in locker rooms and public showers to reduce contact with the floor. It also helps to keep clean, dry feet while allowing them to breathe. Using powders to keep your feet dry is a good idea, as well as keeping your feet exposed to light and cool air, to prevent the growth of tinea. If you do happen to get athlete’s foot, opt for using topical medicated creams, ointments or sprays. These treatments help eliminate and prevent it from coming back.
If it becomes more and more difficult to flex your big toe, you may have a condition known as hallux limitus. This condition affects the joint between the big toe and the foot, making the area inflexible and causing pain when you walk. As the condition progresses, it can lead to arthritis and bone spurs. Symptoms include a bony lump on the top of the big toe, numbness or tingling if the bone spurs press on a nerve, and a callus building up under the joint. These conditions may also affect your gait, as you try to compensate for the pain, and further affect the knee, hip or low back. Hallux limitus can be caused by injury, arthritis, overuse and genetics. Home treatment options include wearing low-heeled shoes that fit properly and have a thick or rigid sole; wearing gel pads or other orthotics in your shoes; and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. But if your big toe pain continues, or worsens, it is a good idea to seek the professional opinion and diagnosis of a podiatrist as soon as possible.
Foot Pain
Foot pain can be extremely painful and debilitating. If you have a foot pain, consult with one of our podiatrists from Achilles Foot Clinic. Our doctors will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
Causes
Foot pain is a very broad condition that could be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:
Diagnosis
To figure out the cause of foot pain, podiatrists utilize several different methods. This can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment depends upon the cause of the foot pain. Whether it is resting, staying off the foot, or having surgery; podiatrists have a number of treatment options available for foot pain.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one our office, located in the South of Calgary, Alberta. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Our feet are arguably the most important parts of our bodies because they are responsible for getting us from place to place. However, we often don’t think about our feet until they begin to hurt. If you have pain in your feet, you need to first determine where on the foot you are experiencing it to get to the root of the problem. The most common areas to feel pain on the foot are the heel and the ankle.
Heel pain is most commonly attributed to a condition called plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia, which is the band of tough tissue connecting the heel bone to the toes becomes inflamed. Plantar fasciitis pain is usually worse in the morning, and it tends to go away throughout the day. If you have plantar fasciitis, you should rest your foot and do heel and foot muscles stretches. Wearing shoes with proper arch support and a cushioned sole has also been proven to be beneficial.
Some common symptoms of foot pain are redness, swelling, and stiffness. Foot pain can be dull or sharp depending on its underlying cause. Toe pain can also occur, and it is usually caused by gout, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, sprains, fractures, and corns.
If you have severe pain in your feet, you should immediately seek assistance from your podiatrist for treatment. Depending on the cause of your pain, your podiatrist may give you a variety of treatment options.
Have you noticed a bony protrusion on the side of your big toe? If so, you may have developed the foot condition known as a bunion. Don't let bunions interfere with your daily activities.
Blisters are pockets of fluid that occur under the top layer of your skin. These fluid pockets are usually filled with pus, blood, or serum. Blisters may itch or hurt and can appear as a single bubble or in clusters.
The most common types of blisters are friction blisters. This type of blister may be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight. Friction blisters can also occur on the hands. A change in temperature may also cause blisters on the feet. In the freezing air, frostbite on your toes can lead to blisters, as well as sunburn from hot weather.
The best way to treat a blister is to keep it clean and dry. Most blisters will get better on their own. Once the skin absorbs the fluid within the blister, it will flatten and eventually peel off. You should avoid popping your blister unless you podiatrist does it for you. Additional treatment options include applying an ice pack to the blister or using over-the-counter blister bandages to cover the affected area.
If your blister becomes discolored, inflamed, or worsens it is advised that you speak to your podiatrist. Blisters that are yellow, green, or purple may be infected and require immediate medical attention. Blisters that are abnormally colored may be a sign of a more serious underlying health condition such as herpes.
While most people are somewhat familiar with blisters due to having at least one in their lifetime, here are some things you may not know about these “irritating” fluid-filled bubbles. Blisters fall into one of three categories typically: clear, blood, or infected. Clear blisters are one of the most common types of blisters, and are filled with a clear serum that protects the underlying skin from further damage. When blood vessels are damaged along with skin, the blister that forms may have blood mixed in with the serum. If a blister becomes infected, it can fill with white or yellow pus. Sudden, highly concentrated friction from ill-fitting shoes rubbing against skin on the foot will typically cause a blister, while repetitive, less intense friction will typically cause corns or calluses. Intense temperatures can also cause blisters to form, as in the case of second-degree frostbite or a bad sunburn. Chicken pox, shingles, eczema and other medical conditions may cause blisters as well as exposure to certain chemicals that create an allergic reaction in the skin. If you have developed a blister, do not pop it. If it does not improve, gets worse, or looks like it might be infected, seek the care of a podiatrist.
Blisters are prone to making everyday activities extremely uncomfortable. If your feet are hurting, contact one of our podiatrists of Achilles Foot Clinic. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
Foot Blisters
Foot blisters develop as a result of constantly wearing tight or ill-fitting footwear. This happens due to the constant rubbing from the shoe, which can often lead to pain.
What Are Foot Blisters?
A foot blister is a small fluid-filled pocket that forms on the upper-most layer of the skin. Blisters are filled with clear fluid and can lead to blood drainage or pus if the area becomes infected.
How Do Blisters Form?
Blisters on the feet are often the result of constant friction of skin and material, usually by shoe rubbing. Walking in sandals, boots, or shoes that don’t fit properly for long periods of time can result in a blister. Having consistent foot moisture and humidity can easily lead to blister formation.
Prevention & Treatment
It is important to properly care for the affected area in order to prevent infection and ease the pain. Do not lance the blister and use a Band-Aid to provide pain relief. Also, be sure to keep your feet dry and wear proper fitting shoes. If you see blood or pus in a blister, seek assistance from a podiatrist.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one our office, located in the South of Calgary, Alberta. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
