Key Takeaways:

• No one is immune to foot and ankle problems and may need to see a podiatrist.
• A podiatrist is a specialty trained doctor that treats common conditions of the foot and ankle.
• Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a ligament that is on the bottom of the heel.
• Hammertoes are diagnosed when the toe bends or curls downward/
• A bunion is a bony bump on the inside of your foot at the big toe.

St. Joseph’s/Candler Podiatrist Dr. Prianka Sharma explains some common foot conditions that may bring you into her office 

Maybe it’s the region we live in, but it’s fair to say our podiatrists see a high volume of active military soldiers and retired service members. They also treat many first responders, nurses and mail carriers.

Why is this? Because they are on their feet so much, which can lead to common wear and tear injuries, says Dr. Prianka Sharma, podiatrist with St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Network – Podiatry.

But no one is immune to foot and ankle problems, especially because many of them are hereditary. Let’s take a look at some:

Undiagnosed flat foot: While Dr. Sharma sees this in our service men and women a lot, no one is immune, even children. Flat foot is a condition in which the arch of the foot collapses and the entire sole of the foot completely or nearly completely touches the ground upon standing. The arch falls when tendons in the foot are dysfunctional, resulting in little or no arch. This can be painful when you are marching or standing for long periods of time.

Tendonitis: Each foot is made up of 28 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Tendons are the strong cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. When a tendon is inflamed, it’s called tendonitis and can cause swelling, pain and discomfort.  

Plantar fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common conditions Dr. Sharma sees among all her patients. It’s inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a ligament that is on the bottom of the heel. It attaches to the heel bone, expands along the arch and then attaches to the ball of your foot. Basically, it runs the entire bottom surface of your foot. Where it most commonly gets inflamed is on the heel. Plantar fasciitis can be triggered by many things, such as starting a new job, a new pair of shoes, pregnancy, weight gain or trauma.

Hammertoes: A hammertoe is when the toe bends or curls downward. This causes the proximal joint of the affected toe to protrude or poke up. Hammertoes can be caused by the shoes we wear and how often we are on our feet, but more commonly, hammertoes are hereditary.

Bunions: Have you ever looked at your feet and noticed a bony bump on the inside of your foot at the big toe? You wouldn’t be alone. That deformity is called a bunion and nearly three million Americans have one. A bunion is a painful bump that is actually an anatomic bone that is malaligned. Bunions develop slowly over time but as they become larger they also become more painful. Severe bunions can also cause pain while walking because the big toe plays such an important role in gait

Regardless if you are male or female, military or school teacher, there is a chance you may end up at one of our podiatry offices someday. (We have offices in Savannah, Pooler and Richmond Hill.) The good news is these conditions are very curable, and often with conservative treatment versus surgery. We typically start with X-rays and then consider next steps, whether that’s orthotics, injections, physical therapy or other medical modalities such as cushions, splinting or padding, Dr. Sharma says.

If surgery is necessary, it’s all outpatient surgery. Dr. Sharma does 99 percent of her surgeries at the St. Joseph’s/Candler Pooler Campus, while we also do foot and ankle surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital.

Dr. Sharma does have a “Golden Rule” when it comes to foot and ankle care that may keep you out of the operating room.

“If you are going to be on your feet for more than 20 minutes, make sure you have a tennis shoe on with support, and not one of those slide-in shoes, but one with laces that you would actually wear if you were to run or walk for exercise,” Dr. Sharma says. “You always want to have support, because when a shoe doesn’t have arch support, you’re causing excess pressure on your joints and arch and parts of your foot and ankle. You may not necessarily think is going to be a problem short-term, but long-term it ends up becoming one.”