7 Common Foot Problems
Seven common foot problems plague many individuals, impacting daily activities and overall well-being. Understanding these issues is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective management.
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Bunions: A bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint of your big toe. It's caused by misalignment, making the big toe slant outward and the second toe angle inward. This often leads to swelling, pain, and tenderness. [Source: Penn Medicine, AARP, Medical News Today, Everyday Health, FASA]
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Hammertoe: This deformity affects the toes, causing them to bend abnormally at the middle joint, resembling a hammer. It often results in pain, calluses, and difficulty wearing shoes. [Source: Penn Medicine, Everyday Health]
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Heel Spurs: These are bony growths on the heel bone, often caused by plantar fasciitis or repetitive stress. They cause heel pain, especially in the morning or after rest. [Source: Penn Medicine]
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Ingrown Toenails: A toenail grows into the surrounding skin, leading to pain, inflammation, and potential infection. This frequently affects the big toe. [Source: Penn Medicine, Medical News Today, Everyday Health]
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Plantar Fasciitis: This is an inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) on the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain and arch pain, typically worse in the morning. [Source: Penn Medicine, AARP, Medical News Today, WebMD]
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Neuroma: This is a benign growth of nerve tissue, usually between the third and fourth toes, causing burning, tingling, or numbness. [Source: Penn Medicine]
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Sesamoiditis: This involves inflammation of the sesamoid bones (small bones under the big toe), causing pain and tenderness in the ball of the foot. [Source: Penn Medicine]
Note: While shin splints are mentioned in some sources, they are technically a leg condition, affecting the shin bone rather than the foot itself. Therefore, they have been excluded from the main list of seven common foot problems. Other conditions like athlete's foot, corns, calluses, blisters, and diabetic neuropathy are also common foot problems but were not selected for this specific list due to the limited scope of the initial question and to maintain the list at seven items.
