If you suffer from: Heel pain, Hammer toes, or Bunions…
You might benefit from: Podiatric Procedures.

Your feet are one of the most crucial yet overlooked parts of your body. They keep you moving through work, exercise, and pleasure activities. “Taking care of your feet is vital,” says Podiatrist Dr. Lindsay Keyes. “About 60% of my patient load is from heel pain, hammer toes, or bunions. These common complaints can be corrected with simple treatments, but they are painfully noticeable problems for my patients.”

Heel Pain

Heel pain can be debilitating because it comes from such a supportive part of your foot. “Heel pain can progress to different pain levels,” says Podiatrist Dr. Joshua Keyes. “Many of my patients don’t even want to complete their routine activities by the end of the day. This becomes very disturbing to a patient’s quality of life because their pain discourages and disables them, often preventing simple trips to the grocery store or running errands after work.”

Flip-Flops Fall Flat

Heel pain can come from a multitude of sources, but a common source during the summer is from flip-flops that so many people enjoy wearing. “Flip-flops give your toes room to breathe, and really don’t bother patients with hammer toes and bunions. Heel pain, however, can be associated with wearing flip-flops because those sandals offer no heel or arch support,” explains Dr. Lindsay Keyes. “For a short period of time, flip-flops are perfectly fine to wear, but for extended periods of time, they can predispose you to different degrees of heel pain. I recommend finding a good leather sandal with arch support to avoid any pain or discomfort.”

Hammer Toe and Bunions

A hammer toe is characterized by a deformity of the lesser toes in which the middle joint bends and causes the toe to resemble a “hammer.” Bunions can form when the joint that connects your big toe to your foot develops a small, sore bump. Dr. Lindsay Keyes notes that the most limiting factor with these problems is finding comfortable shoe gear. “Often patients have difficulty finding shoes that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time,” she says, “and that can really affect your activities and your life.”

Solutions

Heel pain, hammer toes, and bunions can usually be corrected easily. “I start with simple corrective solutions that can help fix the majority of my patients,” says Dr. Joshua Keyes. “Anti-inflammatory medicines, steroids, physical therapy, an icing regimen or custom arches are all options to help manage the pain.” Should the problem persist, Dr. Lindsay Keyes and Dr. Joshua Keyes can also perform corrective surgical procedures that will provide the relief their patients seek. They note that necessity of these procedures is very rare and usually find success with simple solutions.

Where to Seek Treatment

For more information, contact your primary care doctor or Lindsay Keyes, DPM, or Joshua Keyes, DPM.

Logansport Foot and Ankle Clinic

Medical Office Building West
1201 Michigan Avenue, Suite 50
Logansport, IN  46947
574.753.1407