An ingrown toenail occurs when your nail grows into the skin of your nail bed, instead of extending beyond it. The result is pain, swelling, and inflammation. You can get an ingrown toenail on any toe, but your big toe is most at risk. Without treatment, an ingrown toenail can...
As many as 14% of Americans suffer from onychomycosis — toenail fungus — and the thick, yellowed, unattractive nails that go along with it. It’s not just the appearance of fungal nails that’s worrisome. When the nail bed is compromised by a fungal infection, it can also increase the risk...
You may have heard of psoriasis, a skin condition that causes scaly, red, and inflamed rashes. But did you know it often goes hand in hand with a disease known as psoriatic arthritis? Like psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease. However, this condition impacts the joints, typically where ligaments...
Look down at your feet for a moment and consider all that these relatively small appendages are responsible for — supporting your body, balance, and mobility. Given this enormous workload, it makes sense that you do what you can to support your feet. Unfortunately, many people accomplish quite the opposite...
The arch of your foot helps you stay balanced, supports you as you stand, and makes movements like running, walking, and jumping more comfortable. Your arch helps you absorb the impact from physical activity and distributes your body weight evenly across your feet. If you have flat feet, your arch...
A Morton's neuroma is a pinched nerve or nerve tumor that occurs when growths of nerve tissue form in the bottom of your foot between the third and fourth toes. It can stem from foot injuries or shoes that don’t fit you properly. David J. Kaplan, DPM, and the rest of our...
Is your big toe turning inward toward your other toes? Perhaps you notice a bump forming on the large joint at the base of your toe. You’re developing a bunion, a foot deformity that worsens without treatment and can cause other foot problems. Dr. David J. Kaplan, a board-certified podiatrist with FootCare...
Are you having foot pain? Do your feet ache at the end of the day? Perhaps you’re flatfooted or have extremely high arches. Your feet have a tough job. Think about it. Your feet and ankles bear the weight of your entire body. What you probably don’t know is that...
You’re looking forward to traveling again now that the pandemic restrictions have eased. Perhaps you’ve already taken a flight, and you noticed that your feet and/or ankles swelled when you were in the air. Why is this happening, and is it a health concern? David J. Kaplan, DPM, with FootCare Specialists is...
It’s not uncommon to observe kids under 2 years old walking almost exclusively on the balls of their feet. This is a stage of learning to walk, and it isn’t a cause for concern. As they develop, kids tend to outgrow toe walking and start using their heels in their...
Given the role your ankle plays in movement, it’s subjected to extreme conditions, even if you’re not an elite level athlete. Loose footwear or uneven walking surfaces are enough to roll and overextend your ankle. A sprained ankle is one of the most common foot injuries that board-certified podiatrist David J....
A normal, healthy foot has an arch in it that helps distribute weight between your heel and the ball of your foot. If your feet are flat, though, the entire sole of your foot spreads on the floor when you stand. Flat feet throw off alignment in your feet, ankles,...
You’re having pain when you walk. When you look at your foot, you discover a growth on the bottom of it. What caused that, and can you get rid of it? David J. Kaplan, DPM, is the expert you want to see for foot problems. If you have a painful...
You know how difficult it is to get through your day with foot pain. That’s why you’ve booked surgery to remediate your bunions, hammertoes, or other podiatric condition. After your surgery, however, you shouldn’t take any steps at all or put any weight on your recovering foot. Making some changes...
Corns and calluses are more than an aesthetic problem that transform smooth, comfortable skin into rough or raised patches. Untreated and allowed to develop, both corns and calluses may cause intense pain, change your gait, or make it difficult to walk. Eventually, corns and calluses may even lead to infections...
Your skin changes with age. So does your eyesight, the color and texture of your hair, and your muscles, and most everything else about your body. It should come as no surprise that your feet, too, can change over time. At FootCare Specialist, Inc., Dr. David Kaplan and his team...
More than 10% of Americans have diabetes, a metabolic condition that changes the way sugar from food converts into energy for your body, and it poses a range of potentially serious health complications. Diabetes can increase your risk of heart disease, nerve damage, vision changes, and more. And if you...
An ingrown toenail is one of the most common issues that can affect your feet. In some cases, if you apply proper home care — like keeping the area clean and dry — an ingrown toenail will correct itself. But if your ingrown toenail doesn’t go away quickly, it can leave...
Nothing leaves you sitting on the sidelines faster than a soft tissue injury. That’s why Dr. David J. Kaplan at FootCare Specialist, Inc. offers the latest and most revolutionary treatments available, including radial pulse therapy (RPT). With these tools, you can recover from foot and ankle injuries fast and get...
Your plantar fascia is a strong band of tissue inside the bottom of your foot that connects your heel to the front of your foot and helps support your arch. When this tissue becomes inflamed, the result is a painful condition called plantar fasciitis that affects more than 2 million...
Diabetes is a disease of insulin control that affects every aspect of your health, including the health of your feet. Spikes in your blood sugar can damage your blood vessels and nerves, leading to complications such as peripheral artery disease (PAD). Because of PAD and other forms of nerve and...
At first, an ankle injury might not seem like a big deal. If you rolled your ankle for the first time, for example, your injury may heal at home if you give it the proper time to rest. But there are some instances in which your ankle problem may not...
Most peoples’ toes point straight out from their feet, allowing them to lay flat in their shoes. But if you have a hammertoe, your toe inclines to the middle joint, then curls downard. This elevated middle joint can occur in any of your middle toes and results from an imbalance...
Bunions are more than just painful and inconvenient. They can put stress on other areas of your feet, leading to further issues and pain. If you’ve noticed a red, swollen knot at the base of your big toe, getting your bunion diagnosed and treated early on can reduce your symptoms...
You might think that a long walk is good for you, and it is, but if you don't wear the right shoes or you have an abnormal gait, you might end up with pain in the joints of your lower extremities. Irregularities in the way your feet move when you...
Not all foot pain is created equal. However, if a soft tissue injury is to blame for your symptoms, radial pulse therapy (RPT) could help. At FootCare Specialists, Inc. in San Mateo and Half Moon Bay, California, Dr. David J. Kaplan provides innovative solutions for numerous acute and chronic foot...
Even though it’s not sandal season, it’s still nice to have beautiful nails. If you notice yellowed or thickened nails, resist the temptation to cover up the issues with nail polish. Yellow, crumbly, or thickened nails can be a sign of a toenail fungus. Sometimes a minor fungal infection can...
You may be shocked to learn that noninvasive shockwave therapy could end your foot pain for good. Whether you suffer from chronic foot pain — such as plantar fasciitis — or are trying to heal an acute injury, a type of shockwave therapy called radial pulse therapy (RPT) jump-starts your...
Your Achilles tendon runs from the back of your heel and attaches the heel bone to the calf muscle. You use it every day to jump, run, and walk. This thick, strong band of tissue is actually the largest and strongest band of tissue in your body, but that doesn’t...
Did you know that at least half of all people with diabetes have chronic and debilitating foot pain? People with diabetes are also more likely to develop problematic foot ulcers. The good news is that you can prevent diabetic foot issues and stop complications before they start by practicing good...
An ingrown toenail sounds like a minor issue, but it can be a painful reminder of a toe you barely notice is there. Home remedies such as soaking the toe, trimming the nail correctly, and using antibiotic ointments can help ease the discomfort and prevent infection. But if your strategies...
High heels may be good for your style but they’re tough on your feet. Regularly wearing high heels for long periods of time can cause all sorts of foot issues. If you regularly wear high heels and notice pain in your toes, you could be experiencing symptoms of Morton’s neuroma. ...
Tendon injuries range from Achilles tendinopathy at the heel to rotator cuff tendinopathy at the shoulder to patellar tendon injuries at the knee joint. They’re common and account for at least 7% of doctor visits in the United States. You may experience a tendon injury due to sports, but they...
The warm weather of summer usually brings the urge to grab the sunscreen and go outside, hit the road for vacations, and plan outdoor activities. However, the warm weather and rise in humidity can also increase your chances of getting athlete’s foot, a fungal infection that most commonly causes a...
It’s normal for your muscles to feel a little stiff in the mornings, especially as you get older. But it’s not so normal to experience intense heel pain with your first few steps out of bed each day. If you find it difficult to walk when you first get out...
Choosing the right running shoes can make all the difference in your well-being and performance. In fact, your footwear can be just as important as conditioning your body well through an effective routine of appropriate workouts and stretching — lowering your risk for common issues runners face, such as shin...
Fungal infections under the toenails are extremely common. While yellowing, crumbling nails can be unsightly and uncomfortable, a podiatrist can prescribe a range of treatments to eradicate your toenail fungus and keep it from coming back. At FootCare Specialists, Inc. in San Mateo and Half Moon Bay, California, Dr. David...
Are bunions making life a pain? You're not alone. Bunions impact nearly a quarter of people between 18 to 65, and more than a third are over the age of 65. Bunions can cause intense pain, swelling, and even deformities of your feet if left untreated. Fortunately, there’s a new...
If you’ve avoided foot pain until now, you’ve been lucky, since three out of four Americans will experience foot pain at some point in their lives. Not everyone develops chronic foot trouble, but it doesn’t take long with sore feet to realize what an important role your feet play in...
When arthritis affects your ankle, surgery is never the first option for treatment. Ankle surgery may be necessary in the case of an injury like a broken bone or severe sprain, but since most forms of arthritis are progressive, it takes time for the joint to deteriorate to the point...
Over 30 million people in the United States have diabetes. If not managed well, this chronic condition can lead to a variety of health complications. One of those health complications is foot infections and lower extremity amputations. In fact, diabetic-related foot complications account for more than half of the foot...
Your feet may be relatively small appendages compared to other parts of your body, but the load they carry is vital to your well-being. Your feet are responsible for support, balance, and mobility, all crucial functions. When these are disrupted, it can have a negative cascading effect on your other...