Big toe and heel pain care in Wisconsin

Nearly one-fourth of all bones in the body are in your feet. Do you have a good footprint? Big toe or heel pain with or without bunions can cause balance problems and stop you from putting your best foot forward. 

Don’t ignore big toe pain

When you stub your big toe, the pain is generally short-lived, but sometimes turf toe occurs. If the big toe gets hyper-extended (a common problem for athletes and dancers), our foot and ankle specialists have treatments to heal damaged ligaments and joint pain.

Podiatry conditions associated with big toe pain:

• Arthritis
• Bunions
• Calluses
• Gout prevention and care
• Impingement syndrome
• Ingrown toe inflammation

Big toe arthritis is common problem as we age. For all the times you dropped a can on your toe or stubbed it hard, arthritis in the joint may now be the problem. This pain can also extend into the arch of your foot. We have non-operative and surgical options for adults suffering from all types of toe and foot pain. If your toe joint is stiff and swollen, we evaluate the joint for cartilage damage, arthritis and infection. To repair cartilage defects, our podiatrists can perform Cartiva synthetic cartilage implantation. This procedure can improve toe joint mobility and reduce pain. Other surgical procedures (including fusing the joint) can also relieve pain but limit the range of motion.

Treating a troublesome bunion does not always involve surgery. As the big toe leans into the second toe, the bunion changes the framework of your foot. Talk to an Ascension foot and ankle specialist about how your bunion can be best treated to relieve nagging foot pain.

Sometime big toe pain is caused by gout. More common in older adults, this pain feels like the big toe is on fire. Our foot and ankle clinics use a clinical lab test to determine if uric acid crystals (associated with gout) are present. If so, dietary and lifestyle changes often improve gout. We’ll also education you about medication management and how certain prescriptions affect foot health.

Flat feet and plantar fasciitis

Being born with flat feet (little or no arch) is more than a foot problem. This condition affects your ankle stability, knee and hip alignment, and balance. Our podiatrists see pre-school age children and address all types of foot deformities. We recommend age-specific therapies and use night splints and orthotics to improve overall growth and development.

We also provide therapeutic arch support for adults, as well as do arch reconstruction surgery to enhance your quality of life.

As we age, plantar fasciitis is a common foot problem. The band of tissue connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes becomes inflamed. We all have a fat pad in the heel to cover this tissue, but it can become very thin, causing stabbing heel pain during weight-bearing activities. Plantar fasciitis is a common problem for overweight individuals, as well as physically active adults who are on their feet for long periods. This pain may be worse in the mornings when the tissue is tighter from inactivity. This pain is not normal and can easily be treated.

There are many causes of heel pain: Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, bursitis, and nerve pain. At Ascension, we pinpoint the cause of your pain and evaluate how this condition affects the movement of your hips, knees, legs, and feet while standing, sitting or walking. We’ll assess your gait and how well you can balance while doing daily activities. At Ascension, we offer a full spectrum of non-surgical and surgical treatment options. We’ll educate you about the type of footwear and orthotics to better distribute the pressure on your foot more evenly. Our doctors and physical therapists apply the optimum medication therapies and exercises to help you regain full mobility.

For some patients with chronic heel pain, ultrasound-guided injections may be recommended. If significant bone spurs are present, a minimally invasive procedure removes the heel spurs and arthritic buildup and releases the fascia.

Treating cracked heels with wound healing treatments

Hard, tough, callused skin on the heels and around your toes can crack, especially with conditions, like diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, and thyroid problems. Our foot care team has advanced skin healing techniques. Proper fitting shoes, orthotic inserts, and foot braces can help relieve the pressure on your footpad, especially while the heel of the foot or toes are healing.