Five Myths About Foot Care

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Five Myths About Foot Care

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/81008.php

" Don't cross your eyes, they'll stay that way! " Old wives' tales and

myths like that example are fun to laugh at. We believed them

growing up. " Step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back. "

But there are other myths that are no laughing matter, especially

when they involve your health.

From bunions to broken toes, doctors with the 6,000-member American

College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) have heard it all. Here

are five myths about foot care and the realities behind them. For

five additional myths, visit the ACFAS consumer Web site,

http://www.FootPhysicians.com.

Myth: Cutting a notch (a " V " ) in a toenail will relieve the pain of

ingrown toenails.

Reality: When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and

grows into the skin. Cutting a " V " does not affect the growth of the

toenail. New nail growth will continue to curve downward. Cutting

a " V " may actually cause more problems and is painful in many cases.

Myth: My foot or ankle can't be broken if I can walk on it.

Reality: It's entirely possible to walk on a foot or ankle with a

broken bone. " It depends on your threshold for pain, " as well as the

severity of the injury, according to Nava, DPM, FACFAS, a

Dallas-based spokesman for the College. But it's not a smart idea.

Walking with a broken bone can cause further damage.

It is crucial to stay off an injured foot until diagnosis by a foot

and ankle surgeon. Until then, apply ice elevate the foot to reduce

pain.

Myth: Shoes cause bunions.

Reality: Bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty

mechanical structure of the foot. It is not the bunion itself that

is inherited, but certain foot types make a person prone to

developing a bunion. While wearing shoes that crowd the toes

together can, over time, make bunions more painful, shoes themselves

do not cause bunions.

Although some treatments can ease the pain of bunions, only surgery

can correct the deformity.

Myth: A doctor can't fix a broken toe.

Reality: Nineteen of the 26 bones in the foot are toe bones.

" What I tell patients is, there are things we can do to make a

broken toe heal better and prevent problems later on, like arthritis

or toe deformities, " Nava says.

Broken toes that aren't treated correctly can also make walking and

wearing shoes difficult. A foot and ankle surgeon will x-ray the toe

to learn more about the fracture. If the broken toe is out of

alignment, the surgeon may have to insert a pin, screw or plate to

reposition the bone.

Myth: Corns have roots.

Reality: A corn is a small build-up of skin caused by friction. Nava

says many corns result from a hammertoe deformity, where the toe

knuckle rubs against the shoe. The only way to eliminate these corns

is to surgically correct the hammertoe condition.

Unlike a callus, a corn has a central core of hard material. But

corns do not have roots. Attempting to cut off a corn or applying

medicated corn pads can lead to serious infection or even

amputation. A foot and ankle surgeon can safely evaluate and treat

corns and the conditions contributing to them.

For more foot care myths, or to search for a local foot and ankle

surgeon, visit the ACFAS consumer Web site

http://www.FootPhysicians.com.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) is a

professional society of more than 6,000 foot and ankle surgeons.

Founded in 1942, the College's mission is to promote research and

provide continuing education for the foot and ankle surgical

specialty, and to educate the general public on foot health and

conditions of the foot and ankle through its consumer website,

http://www.footphysicians.com.

American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

http://www.acfas.org