Heel Fissures and Calluses

Heel Fissures and Heel Calluses are two common heel issues that start as cosmetic problems, but can lead to serious medical problems. Let’s learn about these two conditions.

Heel Fissures

Heel Fissures are cracked heels. They occur when the skin on heel becomes hard, dry and flaky. Heel Fissures can become painful and the cracks can be severe enough to bleed. They can develop from wearing open-backed shoes or from skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Wearing proper shoes and routinely moisturizing feet can reduce the dryness of this condition.

Heel Calluses

Heel calluses develop when one metatarsal bone is longer/lower than the others, causing it to hit to ground with more force than it should. As a result, the skin thickens, resulting in a callus that can be both irritating and painful. Most of the time a physician can treat your callus without surgery. Wearing shoes with proper padding in the heel region will help to reduce the added pressure, which will reduce the severity of the callus.  

If you notice any cracking or thickening of the skin on your heel, see a physician before the problem starts to progress into a more serious issue. 

Image by Quinn Dombrowski. Foot Callus. (2008). Flickr. 

What do you know about a broken foot?

1. The human foot has how many bones?

A. 14

B. 22

C. 26

D. 30

2. 1 out of every “blank” broken bones occurs in the foot.

A. 5

B. 10

C. 15

D. 20

3. There are three parts to the foot. The long part of the foot (forefoot) contains the most bones. True or False?

4. Small cracks that form over a long period of time due to repeated strain on the bones is called what?

A. Tension Fracture

B. Pressure Fracture

C. Stress Fracture

5. Which is more common? A broken bone caused by an accident, or a broken bone caused by the answer to number 4.

6. Are broken bones more common in children or adults?

7. In children, which is stronger? Ligaments and tendons or bone and cartilage?

8. What are the signs of a broken foot?

A. Pain

B. Swelling

C. Bruising

D. All of the above can occur

Check out the answers to the quiz in the comments below.

Image by Valerie Everett. Questions? (2008). Flickr.

Bunion Treatment

Bunions can develop because of genetics, arthritis, leg length discrepancies, or from wearing poorly fitting shoes. Shoes that do not leave enough room for your toes can gradually push the foot bones into a new shape. The unnatural bony hump that forms is called a bunion (at base of the big toe) or bunionette (at base of the little toe). Bunions can be very painful since they occur where the toe bends when you walk. A doctor can confirm your diagnosis via a physical exam and possibly an x-ray.

Depending on the severity of your bunion, he will recommend treatment. Here are some typical treatments:

Pain reliever and/or medication to reduce swelling and inflammation

Heat or ice to relieve pain

Bunion pads, splints and shoe inserts

Correctly fitting shoes or sometimes prescription shoes

Surgery

Some bunions may be the result of another deformity, like flat feet. In these cases, the primary foot problem needs to be treated first. 

Image by andy_5322. My Feet. (2007). Flickr.

Fun Shoe Facts

We all know the importance of finding and wearing a shoe that fits properly. Some good tips to follow are to fit the larger foot, go shoe shopping at the end of the day when feet are their biggest, get sized by a professional, and make sure there is enough room for your toes to move around. Shoes have come a long way over the years. The first shoes were made from animal skins, leather cords, leaves, rawhide, wood, etc. Here are a few fun historical foot facts.

Where did the term “two left feet” come from? Up until the 17^th Century, there was no distinction between shoes made for the left or right foot.

During the 16^th Century, women began to wear such high heeled shoes, that a law was enforced limiting the size of the heels on shoes because of the danger they posed.

Shoes used to be an indicator of class.

In Ancient Egypt, slaves did not wear shoes, commoners wore sandals, and those in higher society wore pointed sandals.

Sneakers were invented in 1917. They were named sneakers by an advertising agency since the rubber soles made the shoes “sneaky”.

Image by YellowBecky. Shoes. (2012). Flickr.