Leading Indiana Podiatrist and Surgeon Talks About Common Foot and Ankle Problems
Dr. Jeffrey Agricola’s Prestige Podiatry practice in Indianapolis and Carmel, IN, cares for your foot health if you live in Indianapolis, Carmel, and other surrounding areas such as Greenwood.
Our esteemed board-certified podiatrist is a leading foot and ankle surgeon caring for various foot and ankle issues. Our doctor wants to discuss the common daily foot and ankle problems he sees in his thriving practice.
Common Foot/Ankle Issues
Our foot and ankle surgeon at Prestige Podiatry in Indianapolis and Carmel, IN, lists the following more common foot and ankle conditions.
Plantar Fasciitis: pain and stiffness at the bottom of the heel
Treatment:
- Foot and calf muscle stretching exercises
- Supportive shoes
- Avoid walking barefoot
Bunion: painful growth base of the great toe
Treatment:
- Wear wider shoes
- Ensure shoes are comfortable
- Bunion pads
- Surgery to remove the bunion
Corns and Calluses: areas of painful, thick, hard skin
Treatment:
- Rub with a pumice stone
- Corn pads (consult us before using pads with salicylic acid, contraindicated with certain conditions like diabetes)
Consult with us for further treatment.
Toenail Fungus: discolored, thickened, loose, cracking nails
Treatment:
- Difficult to heal
- Topical medications: efinaconazole, tavaborole
- Oral medication, terbinafine, itraconazole
Ingrown toenails: redness, pain, swelling, infection at the sides of the nail
Treatment:
- Doctors can remove nail
- Doctor lifts the side of nail away from the skin
- Treatment infection
- Local anesthetic before cutting skin to remove the nail
Hammertoes: toes bend downward at the first joint
Treatment:
- Gel pads
- Wider shoes
- Surgery to correct and straighten toes
Plantar Warts: flattened growths at the bottom of the foot, cause pain when walking
Treatment:
- May go away on its own
- Doctor must diagnose correctly
- Salicylic acid to remove it
- Cryotherapy to freeze
Athlete’s foot: affects anyone, fungus infection, contagious
Treatment:
- Antifungal topical medications
- Itraconazole, miconazole OTC
- Oral antifungal medications, itraconazole, terbinafine
Achilles Tendinitis: inflammation of Achilles tendon (back of the heel), the tendon can thicken and scar, can be chronic, the tendon can rupture, pain, stiffness
Treatment:
- OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Orthotics (heel lifts, wedges to relieve pressure)
- Surgery
Ankle sprains: injury to the ligament, foot rolling inward, stretches, tears ligements
Treatment:
- RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression, elevation)
- Avoid putting weight on the foot
- Ice times 20 minutes 3–4 times a day
- OTC brace while healing
Seeking Foot and Ankle Doctor/Surgeon?
Call Dr. Agricola, leading foot and ankle surgeon in Indianapolis and Carmel, IN at Prestige Podiatry today for all your foot and ankle issues, so he can start treatment immediately and correct your problem. Call the Carmel office at 317-846-4111 or his Indianapolis office at 317-881-0856 to schedule your consultation and treatment appointment.