Complete Footcare

Achilles tendinitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a band of tissue that connects the calf muscle to the heel. Depending on your lifestyle, footwear and the mechanics of how your foot works during physical activity, increased tension on the Achilles tendon can lead to inflammation and pain. For more information, see Achilles tendinitis.

An acute injury, sprain, fracture, arthritis or a biomechanical abnormality can cause ankle pain. An ankle sprain is a common cause of ankle pain that occurs when the ankle joint is forcefully twisted leading to excessive stretching or tearing of one or more ligaments of the ankle. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be performed in order to determine the likely cause of the ankle pain. Depending on the location and the cause of the ankle pain, treatment can include resting, icing, stretching exercises, ankle bracing, proper supportive footwear and custom-made orthotics. If you have concerns about ankle pain, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

An acute injury, tendinopathy or an underlying biomechanical abnormality such as overpronation can lead to arch pain. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be performed in order to determine the likely cause of the arch pain. Depending on the location and cause of the pain, treatment can include icing, stretching exercises, proper supportive footwear and custom-made orthotics. If you have concerns about arch pain, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Hallux abductos valgus (HAV) or commonly known as bunions is seen when your big toe deviates towards your second toe, leading to the development of a boney prominence or “bump” on the side of your big toe. Hallux abductos valgus can occur due to poor footwear, medical conditions and having biomechanical abnormalities. HAV alters the joints and soft tissues of the foot leading to changes in foot function and coupled with ill-fitting footwear can lead to irritation, pain and the development of corns and calluses. Treatment can include footcare treatment, bracing, proper footwear and custom-made orthotics. If you have concerns about bunions, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

A callus is an area of thickened skin caused by excessive pressure such as compression. Excessive pressure causes the skin to thicken in response to protect the area and in doing so forms the callus. Calluses can develop on your feet for many reasons such as wearing ill fitting shoes, altered way of walking and having an underlying biomechanical issue. Calluses need to be removed when they become irritating and painful. Treatment can involve callus removal, pressure offloading with custom-made orthotics and proper footwear. If you are having problems with calluses, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

A corn is a small area of callus with a deeper center of thickened hard skin. Corns can develop from direct pressure such as excessive rubbing or irritation from wearing improper fitting shoes, altered way of walking and having an underlying biomechanical issue. Corns need to be removed when they become irritating and painful. Treatment can involve corn removal, pressure offloading with custom-made orthotics and proper footwear. If you are having problems with corns, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

During the winter season, as the heat is constantly turned on in our homes, our skin tends to become dry. Skin needs to be well moisturized for it to withstand the stresses from walking and standing. Dry skin can become itchy and can crack under the stress of our daily activity leading to pain and risk of infection. Using a cream or lotion regularly to moisturize your skin can help to prevent your skin from becoming dry and cracked. Urea is an emollient and when used in a cream or lotion helps your skin to retain moisture and stay hydrated. Some over-the-counter creams that contain urea include Uremol 10, Uremol 20, Flexitol Heel Balm and Urisec. If you have concerns with dry and cracked skin on your feet, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Flat feet are a condition where the feet have an abnormally low medial longitudinal arch. Having a low arch creates greater stress on the surrounding joints and soft tissues leading to painful, tired arches and instability in the foot. However, not all people with flatfeet develop pain. For those that have achy flat feet, treatment can involve stretching and strengthening exercises, custom-made foot orthotics and proper footwear. If you are suffering from painful flat feet, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

A fungal infection of the toenail can cause the nail to become discoloured, thickened and brittle. While having fungal nails is generally not painful, it is unappealing and can eventually spread to affect all your toenails. There are many options to treat the fungal toenails including using topical anti-fungal medication, laser surgery and surgical intervention.

If you think you may have a fungal infection of your toenails, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

A heel spur is a boney protrusion that forms on the heel bone. Repetitive stress and inflammation of the connective tissue attached to the heel can lead to the development of heel spurs. Not everyone with heel spurs experience symptoms. Treatment can include icing, stretching exercises, offloading with custom-made orthotics and proper footwear. If you have concerns with heel spurs, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Pain in your hallux can be caused by several reasons such as an acute injury or a chronic underlying biomechanical abnormality such as hallux limitus or overpronation. It is unusual to have pain in your hallux and continued pain can eventually impair your daily activity. Depending on the location and the cause of the pain, treatment can include resting, icing, stretching and strengthening exercises, custom-made foot orthotics and proper footwear. If you have concerns about hallux pain, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Pes cavus is used to describe feet with a higher medial longitudinal arch. Having a higher arch can lead to poor shock absorption causing pain, clawing of toes and the developing of heavy callus on the bottom of the heels and the ball of the foot. However, not everyone with high arches will experience symptoms. Treatment can include stretching exercises, proper footwear and pressure offloading with custom-made orthotics. For more information about high arches, you can call us at 416-299-1508.

An acute injury, poor choice of footwear, bone spur, plantar fasciitis, or a long standing biomechanical abnormality can cause heel pain. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be conducted in order to determine the likely cause of the heel pain. Depending on the location and cause of the pain, treatment can include icing and stretching exercises, topical or oral medication, therapeutic ultrasound, custom-made orthotics, proper footwear and extracorporeal shockwave therapy. If you are suffering from heel pain, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Ingrown toenails can occur when the edge of the toenail has grown into the nearby skin fold causing irritation and possibly infection. Ingrown toenails can be caused by poor nail trimming, wearing improperly fitting shoes and trauma. There are many ways to treat ingrown toenails such as routinely removing the ingrown nail edge or permanent surgical removal of the affected nail edge may be needed. If you are having problems with ingrown toenails, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Pain in the lower back and leg can be due to several reasons such as an acute trauma, overuse injury, or an underlying biomechanical abnormality of the feet. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be conducted in order to determine the likely cause of the pain. Depending on the location and the cause of the pain, treatment can include resting, icing, topical or oral medications, proper footwear and custom made foot orthotics. For more information, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

An acute injury, Morton’s neuroma, arthritis, fat pad atrophy or an underlying biomechanical abnormality can cause metatarsal pain or pain at the ball of the foot. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be conducted in order to determine the likely cause of the metatarsal pain. Depending on the location and the cause of the pain, treatment can include resting, icing, topical or oral medications, proper footwear and custom-made orthotics. If you have concerns about metatarsal pain, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Pronation is used to describe the movement of the foot as it rolls inwards. Pronation is part of normal walking to help with shock absorption. Overpronation refers to excessive pronation as the foot rolls inwards and the medial longitudinal arch lowers extensively. Long standing overpronation can lead to several complications such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, Achilles tendonitis and hallux abductos valgus. An assessment of your legs and feet need to be conducted in order to determine if overpronation is a problem. Treatment can include stretching and strengthening exercises, proper supportive footwear and custom-made orthotics. For more information, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that involves excessive stress on the plantar fascia, a band of thick connective tissue that originates from the heel and attaches to the ball of the foot. Depending on your footwear, lifestyle and the mechanics of how your foot works during activity, increased tension on the plantar fascia can lead to inflammation and pain. For more information, see plantar fasciitis.

Shin splints is pain experienced on the front (anterior shin splints) or back (posterior shin splints) of the leg due to muscle or tendon inflammation. Improper footwear, tight Achilles tendon or an underlying biomechanical abnormality can cause shin splints. Treatment can include icing, stretching exercises, proper supportive footwear and custom-made orthotics. If you have concerns about shin splints, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

An acute injury, repetitive damage to the nail, poor blood circulation, disease and fungal infection can cause thickened toenails. Depending on the cause of the thickened toenails, treatment can involve foot care treatment to reduce the thickness of the toenails, topical medication and proper footwear. If you have concerns regarding thickened toenails, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

Tinea pedis,or more commonly known as Athlete’s foot is a superficial fungal infection of the skin on your feet. It can appear as an itchy, dry and scaling patch of skin on your feet or between the toes. Treatment for tinea pedis can involve the use of topical anti-fungal medication and education about proper foot hygiene and footwear. If you think you may have Athlete’s feet, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.

A virus that infects the outer layer of the skin causes a wart. A wart on the bottom of your foot may appear as a rough and scaly area of skin with tiny dark spots and can become irritated and painful. There are many ways to treat warts including applying topical medication, cryotherapy, laser surgery and surgical intervention. If you are having problems with warts on your feet, you can contact us at 416-299-1508.