Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPlantar FasciitisBunionMorton’s NeuromaCorns & CallusesToenail FungusIngrown ToenailHammer ToesPlantar WartsAthlete’s FootAchilles TendinitisLateral Ankle SprainAnkle ArthritisAnkle Fracture
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Plantar Fasciitis
Bunion
Morton’s Neuroma
Corns & Calluses
Toenail Fungus
Ingrown Toenail
Hammer Toes
Plantar Warts
Athlete’s Foot
Achilles Tendinitis
Lateral Ankle Sprain
Ankle Arthritis
Ankle Fracture
It’s important to pay attention to foot and ankle issues as they can get worse over time if left untreated. While some problems can be treated with over-the-counter products and at-home options, others require a healthcare provider’s care. Here’s a look at what you need to know about some of the most common foot and ankle problems.
Jim Arbogast / Photographer’s Choice RF / Getty Images
Healing a Sprained Foot
When there is increased stress on the arch of the foot, microscopic tears can occur on theplantar fascia, a band of tissue that stretches from toe to heel. It’s a common condition that many people experience at some point. Runners and people who stand most of the day are especially at risk.
Symptoms
Plantar fasciitis usually causes pain and stiffness on the heel bone. The symptoms are usually worse in the morning when you start to walk after getting out of bed.
Treatment
Bunions can cause pain at the joint near the base of the toe. As the bunion worsens, it may cause increased swelling and redness on the bump.
Check with your healthcare provider if these at-home treatments don’t provide relief. Surgery is sometimes an option to correct the joint abnormality.
Morton’sneuromaoccurs when a nerve at the base of the toe becomes irritated and swells up. It usually develops between the third and fourth toes because of pressure or trauma to the area. Tight, narrow shoes can aggravate the condition.
Pain from a neuroma is usually felt on the ball of your foot. You may also feel pain or numbness in your toes.
If you still have pain after trying these tips, speak with your healthcare provider. Injections of a corticosteroid medication can help decrease inflammation of the nerve. If the condition worsens, surgery may also be an option to release tissue around the nerve.
Corns and callusesare areas of hard, thick skin that develop due to rubbing or irritation. Corns tend to develop on the toes while calluses usually appear on other areas of the foot, particularly the soles.
Corns usually look like a yellow ring of skin around a firm center. They may cause pain, especially with the pressure that comes from walking or tight shoes.
Calluses tend to cover a larger area with thick skin that’s more evenly distributed. They aren’t usually painful but can cause some discomfort when walking.
If your corn doesn’t go away or continues to cause pain, check with your healthcare provider.
9 Effective Corn Removal Methods (With Instructions)
Toenail fungal infections(onychomycosis) tend to occur in a warm, moist and dark environment, like inside a shoe. They affect about 10% of the population.People with athlete’s foot, diabetes, or poor circulation are particularly at risk.
A fungal infection in your toenails may cause the nails to become discolored, thickened, crumbly, or loose. The nail may start to separate from the nail bed.
Your healthcare provider can diagnose a toenail fungus based on appearance as well as a sample viewed with a microscope. Toenail fungal infections are usually hard to completely cure but rarely cause complications.
Topical treatments, including efinaconazole and tavaborole, are available but not considered as effective as oral drugs. Oral drugs, such as terbinafine and itraconazole, have a higher success rate but can potentially cause liver damage and drug interactions. For this reason, healthcare providers may not treat mild cases of toenail fungus.
As an ingrown nail progresses, it may cause redness, swelling, and pain. If it leads to infection, pus may form under the skin near the nail.
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to help remove the nail and treat any infection. If the ingrown toenail is in its early stages, the healthcare provider can lift it away from the skin and place sterile cotton under the nail. If it’s more advanced, the healthcare provider will use a local anesthetic before cutting the skin to remove the nail.
People who have hammertoe can experience pain at the top of their knuckle, redness, swelling, and pain when moving the toe.
At-home treatment can help ease the discomfort of hammertoe. Mild cases where the feet are still flexible may be corrected with gel pads and wider shoes to minimize pressure and irritation.
If the condition doesn’t correct itself, your healthcare provider may suggest surgery. This involves lengthening the tendons and possibly removing bone to allow the toe to straighten.
Plantar warts are hard and flat with a rough surface. They can be painful when you walk on them.
Athlete’s foot causes redness, itchiness, scaling, and/or peeling skin, usually between the toes or on the bottom of the feet. In severe cases, it can cause painful cracking of the skin.
Antifungal medications can be applied topically. These include over-the-counter medications like itraconazole and miconazole. Athlete’s foot often recurs, so these medications may be need to be used periodically. If your symptoms don’t improve with topical medications, your healthcare provider may suggest taking oral antifungal drugs, such as itraconazole and terbinafine.
Achilles tendinitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, located in the back of the heel. If the tendon stays inflamed long enough, it can lead to thickening of the tendon from scar tissue. In some cases, it can become a long-term problem or can lead to rupture of the tendon.
Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the back of the ankle, especially when your foot stretches back with climbing stairs and walking uphill. You may also experience swelling along the area of the tendon.
Check with your healthcare provider if you have pain or stiffness that doesn’t improve with rest. For mild cases, you can take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen). Your healthcare provider might suggest wearing orthotics like heel lifts or wedges that help relieve pressure on the tendon.
If these conservative treatments don’t alleviate symptoms after six months, you healthcare provider may suggest surgery to repair the damaged tendon.
Lateralankle sprainsare very common, whether from playing a sport or just hurrying to catch the bus. About 23,000 ankle sprains happen in the U.S. every day.It usually happens when the foot rolls inward and stretches or tears the ligaments of the outer ankle.
When you have an ankle sprain, your symptoms can range from mild to severe pain, swelling, or bruising. You may have difficulty walking or bearing weight on that ankle.
If you have a sprained ankle, make an appointment with your healthcare provider to check for broken bones or ligament damage. If the sprain is mild, your healthcare provider may suggest at-home treatment using R.I.C.E. therapy (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Keep weight off the ankle and use an ice pack for 20 minutes a few times a day.You may consider purchasing an over-the-counter brace to wear during recovery.
When using ice or ice packs, make sure you cover the ankle with a thin cloth to protect it from frostbite. Wrap the ankle lightly with an elastic bandage and elevate your ankle above your heart level to help with swelling.
The symptoms of ankle arthritis include pain, stiffness, and swelling in the ankle joint and difficulty walking.
If you suspect that you have ankle arthritis, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may order X-rays to look for signs of arthritis. Nonsurgical treatments include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, braces to support the ankle, and steroid medication injections. Your healthcare provider may suggest surgery if your symptoms don’t improve with nonsurgical treatments.
Symptoms of an ankle fracture include swelling, pain, and difficulty putting weight on ankle. If a fracture happens suddenly, you may hear a popping sound.
It’s important to see your healthcare provider right away if you think you have an ankle fracture. Early treatment and rehabilitation can help ensure that you have a complete recovery.
Your treatment options may be surgical or nonsurgical, depending on the injury and the amount of displacement. With nonsurgical treatment, you’ll likely wear a boot or cast, and later go through rehabilitation. If you need surgery, you may have screws and plates inserted to help the bones heal in position.
A Word From Verywell
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider for any foot or ankle issues when you’re unsure what’s causing it, when your symptoms aren’t improving, or if they’re getting worse. With the correct diagnosis and treatment, you can get back on your feet and return to a healthy, active life.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tahririan MA, Motififard M, Tahmasebi MN, Siavashi B.Plantar fasciitis.J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(8):799–804.King CM, Hamilton GA, Ford LA.Effects of the lapidus arthrodesis and chevron bunionectomy on plantar forefoot pressures.J Foot Ankle Surg. 2014;53(4):415–419. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2013.08.007American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Morton’s Neuroma.American Academy of Dermatology.How to treat corns and calluses.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Christenson JK, Peterson GM, Naunton M, et al.Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Onychomycosis.J Fungi (Basel). 2018;4(3) doi: 10.3390/jof4030087Geizhals S, Lipner SR.Review of onychocryptosis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.Dermatol Online J. 2019;25(9)American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hammer Toe.Witchey DJ, Witchey NB, Roth-kauffman MM, Kauffman MK.Plantar Warts: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(2):92-105. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2018.024Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: A comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.178099American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Achilles Tendinitis.Hayman J, Prasad S, Stulberg D.Help patients prevent repeat ankle injury.J Fam Pract. 2010;59(1):32-4.Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, et al.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline.Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the foot and ankle.Lampridis V, Gougoulias N, Sakellariou A.Stability in ankle fractures: diagnosis and treatment.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(5):294-303. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170057Additional ReadingFoot and Ankle Guide. Cleveland Clinic website.Morton’s Neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Ayub A, Yale SH, Bibbo C.Common foot disorders.Clinical Medicine & Research. 2005;3(2):116-119. doi:10.3121/cmr.3.2.116Dinulos J.Warts. Merck Manual website.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tahririan MA, Motififard M, Tahmasebi MN, Siavashi B.Plantar fasciitis.J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(8):799–804.King CM, Hamilton GA, Ford LA.Effects of the lapidus arthrodesis and chevron bunionectomy on plantar forefoot pressures.J Foot Ankle Surg. 2014;53(4):415–419. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2013.08.007American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Morton’s Neuroma.American Academy of Dermatology.How to treat corns and calluses.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Christenson JK, Peterson GM, Naunton M, et al.Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Onychomycosis.J Fungi (Basel). 2018;4(3) doi: 10.3390/jof4030087Geizhals S, Lipner SR.Review of onychocryptosis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.Dermatol Online J. 2019;25(9)American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hammer Toe.Witchey DJ, Witchey NB, Roth-kauffman MM, Kauffman MK.Plantar Warts: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(2):92-105. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2018.024Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: A comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.178099American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Achilles Tendinitis.Hayman J, Prasad S, Stulberg D.Help patients prevent repeat ankle injury.J Fam Pract. 2010;59(1):32-4.Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, et al.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline.Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the foot and ankle.Lampridis V, Gougoulias N, Sakellariou A.Stability in ankle fractures: diagnosis and treatment.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(5):294-303. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170057Additional ReadingFoot and Ankle Guide. Cleveland Clinic website.Morton’s Neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Ayub A, Yale SH, Bibbo C.Common foot disorders.Clinical Medicine & Research. 2005;3(2):116-119. doi:10.3121/cmr.3.2.116Dinulos J.Warts. Merck Manual website.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tahririan MA, Motififard M, Tahmasebi MN, Siavashi B.Plantar fasciitis.J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(8):799–804.King CM, Hamilton GA, Ford LA.Effects of the lapidus arthrodesis and chevron bunionectomy on plantar forefoot pressures.J Foot Ankle Surg. 2014;53(4):415–419. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2013.08.007American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Morton’s Neuroma.American Academy of Dermatology.How to treat corns and calluses.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Christenson JK, Peterson GM, Naunton M, et al.Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Onychomycosis.J Fungi (Basel). 2018;4(3) doi: 10.3390/jof4030087Geizhals S, Lipner SR.Review of onychocryptosis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.Dermatol Online J. 2019;25(9)American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hammer Toe.Witchey DJ, Witchey NB, Roth-kauffman MM, Kauffman MK.Plantar Warts: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(2):92-105. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2018.024Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: A comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.178099American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Achilles Tendinitis.Hayman J, Prasad S, Stulberg D.Help patients prevent repeat ankle injury.J Fam Pract. 2010;59(1):32-4.Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, et al.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline.Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the foot and ankle.Lampridis V, Gougoulias N, Sakellariou A.Stability in ankle fractures: diagnosis and treatment.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(5):294-303. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170057
Tahririan MA, Motififard M, Tahmasebi MN, Siavashi B.Plantar fasciitis.J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(8):799–804.
King CM, Hamilton GA, Ford LA.Effects of the lapidus arthrodesis and chevron bunionectomy on plantar forefoot pressures.J Foot Ankle Surg. 2014;53(4):415–419. doi:10.1053/j.jfas.2013.08.007
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Morton’s Neuroma.
American Academy of Dermatology.How to treat corns and calluses.
Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.
Christenson JK, Peterson GM, Naunton M, et al.Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Onychomycosis.J Fungi (Basel). 2018;4(3) doi: 10.3390/jof4030087
Geizhals S, Lipner SR.Review of onychocryptosis: epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.Dermatol Online J. 2019;25(9)
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hammer Toe.
Witchey DJ, Witchey NB, Roth-kauffman MM, Kauffman MK.Plantar Warts: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(2):92-105. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2018.024
Sahoo AK, Mahajan R.Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: A comprehensive review.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.178099
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Achilles Tendinitis.
Hayman J, Prasad S, Stulberg D.Help patients prevent repeat ankle injury.J Fam Pract. 2010;59(1):32-4.
Vuurberg G, Hoorntje A, Wink LM, et al.Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline.Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(15):956.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the foot and ankle.
Lampridis V, Gougoulias N, Sakellariou A.Stability in ankle fractures: diagnosis and treatment.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(5):294-303. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170057
Foot and Ankle Guide. Cleveland Clinic website.Morton’s Neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website.Adigun C.Onychomycosis. Merck Manual website.Ayub A, Yale SH, Bibbo C.Common foot disorders.Clinical Medicine & Research. 2005;3(2):116-119. doi:10.3121/cmr.3.2.116Dinulos J.Warts. Merck Manual website.
Foot and Ankle Guide. Cleveland Clinic website.
Morton’s Neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website.
Ayub A, Yale SH, Bibbo C.Common foot disorders.Clinical Medicine & Research. 2005;3(2):116-119. doi:10.3121/cmr.3.2.116
Dinulos J.Warts. Merck Manual website.
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