PiedRéseau NDG Podiatrists and orthotics

Did you know that this type of pain is often related to unbalanced feet and legs?

Foot pain is very common, and often localized in the heel. The most common heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The forefoot is also often a source of pain. This pain is usually located on the soles of the feet just behind the toes. The term “metatarsalgia” encompasses the majority of these pains, which can then be more specifically classified according to the area affected and the source of pain or discomfort. Morton’s neuroma, hallux abducto valgus (foot bunion) and hammer toes are some of the most common disorders of the forefoot. The condition that affects the top and central portion of the foot often results from osteoarthritis. This osteoarthritis is normally the wearing down of the joints caused by a misalignment of the foot.

Ankle pain can be caused by an old injury such as an improperly healed sprain or fracture and/or a functional foot problem. The onset of...

Ingrown toenails are a frequent nail issue that can be extremely painful and even incapacitating. It's identified by a toenail that grows into the flesh and punctures it.

Ingrown toenails cause irritation and, in the worst-case scenario, infection, resulting in painful toes.

As a result, it is critical to address the problem as soon as possible in order to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.

Let's look at the causes, symptoms, and remedies for ingrown toenails.

An ingrown toenail can be identified by a variety of symptoms. Inflammatory redness, pain when squeezed, and, in some circumstances, blood or pus on the side of your nail are all possible symptoms.

However, keep in mind that an ingrown toenail has three stages;

• First stage: there is a small inflammation and pain when pressed.
• Second stage: we observe an infection and the wound becomes more visible.
• Third stage:...

A viral infection is what causes a plantar wart, which is a skin lesion. It can either stay dormant for years or develop and spread quickly. It's a contagious skin condition that affects you and those around you.

The HPV, or human papillomavirus, creates these lesions. Despite the fact that it is a harmless virus, it is recommended that you get treatment as soon as possible to get rid of it.

The plantar wart frequently appears as a tiny, rough, spherical, and flat lump. It will manifest itself in a variety of ways.

• Appearance: it consists of spongy, brownish or yellowish tissue with small black dots;
• Size: it can measure from a few millimeters to several centimeters in diameter;
• Pain: plantar warts can be painful, even though they are uncommon. Friction or a pressure point can produce this type of pain, which can become severe;
• Posture problem: the foot pain caused by the plantar wart can lead to a foot positioning...

Diabetic foot develops as a result of the neuropathy that comes with poorly managed diabetes. When blood sugar levels are excessively high for an extended length of time, it impairs a person's neurological system.

The injury results in a lack of sensation in the lower limbs, among other things. Peripheral neuropathy is the medical term for this condition.

Blood vessel constriction is also caused by poorly managed blood sugar levels. Wounds and ulcers form more easily and heal more slowly as a result of inadequate circulation.

If left untreated, these two factors explain the dangers of a diabetic foot. A diabetic foot sufferer may have trouble recognizing a wound or a temperature change. As a result, individuals may be unable to discern between discomfort that requires the attention of a podiatrist or other health care provider.

Diabetic foot is a severe disease that can lead to gangrene and, in the worst-case scenario, amputation. That's...

Corns, calluses and severe corns are formations of dead flesh under the feet. They can be embarrassing for people when they walk or exercise.

Often, people with delicate feet tend to suffer more. However, this foot problem is easily treated.

It is common for an individual to develop skin problems. However, it is important to know the difference between the 3 pathologies described below.

• Corn: this is a localized area of skin that thickens a lot. When a cluster forms, it bores into the skin and causes pain similar to that of a pebble in a shoe.
• Callus: a corn has several names, like callosity or hyperkeratosis. It is characterized by an accumulation of excessive layers of skin and can form cracks in the heel if not treated.
• Severe corn: these are also corns, but in their case, they are more advanced. They are painful, with a brownish center. They develop because of excessive pressure on the skin that has thickened,...

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition. A strain or break in the plantar fascia, the fibrous band that supports the arch of the foot, is at the root of this condition.

Heel discomfort is the most prominent sign of this condition. It will be felt from the first steps in the morning or after a lengthy period of sitting.

You can find plantar fasciitis symptoms, causes, and remedies are listed below.

A person with plantar fasciitis will feel discomfort when they first walk in the morning, but it will subside over the day. They will also experience discomfort after sitting for an extended period of time.

Plantar fasciitis can also cause the following symptoms:

• Pain when palpating your arch or when pressing on your heel;
• Standing or walking causes pain, which might worsen over time;
• Tension on the outside of the foot, which can cause compensating foot and leg discomfort;
• A condition...

A musculo-skeletal ultrasound of the foot is a medical imaging technique used to examine pathologies that affect soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, nerves and muscles. Complementary to the clinical examination, a foot ultrasound provides an accurate diagnosis and is used to design a more structured treatment plan for patients.

A foot ultrasound is an imaging technique that does not use radiation, and is completely safe. Children, adults and seniors can all benefit from this service, regardless of their physical condition.

Easily administered, a foot ultrasound provides results almost equivalent to those of an MRI, ensuring rapid diagnosis and management of the condition.

Ultrasound-guided injection can be used to deliver treatment directly to the affected area.

It may contain an anti-inflammatory solution, similar to the cortisone injection in the foot.

Ultrasound-guided injections, however, are more typically utilized to guide a medical practitioner during surgery on minor foot structures.

This type of infiltration not only relieves pain in pathologies including osteoarthritis of the big toe, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma, and other plantar ailments, but it also allows for viscosupplementation and hyaluronic acid injection into particular joints.

This treatment offers pain alleviation that is both effective and safe.

Discover what makes this modern process unique, as well as how it can be beneficial for you.

Podiatrists can work safely and efficiently with ultrasound injection.

Although such a guiding device is occasionally required for cortisone injection in the...

Minimally invasive and highly effective, the therapeutic laser is a modern treatment for foot pain.

The laser treatment performed in the clinic relies on technology that thoroughly heals the damaged tissue through photobiomodulation.

This method accelerates the body's natural healing process, similarly to ShockWave therapy.

The therapeutic laser treatment provides relief from chronic pain, acute pain as well as post-surgery complaints.

This treatment uses safe beams of light, also known as high-power laser therapy.

When these light beams hit the skin, they penetrate the structures at the surface. Adding slight pressure may also allow the laser to reach deeper into the affected tissues.

Once they have penetrated the epidermis, the beams of radiation that reach the tissue are absorbed by melanin and hemoglobin.

As a result, the patient feels almost immediate relief when this energetic phenomenon is then...

ShockWave therapy was first used to break up kidney stones.

This therapeutic technology, however, has been adapted to other medicinal purposes as well. Nowadays, podiatrists use it in the clinic to treat difficult-to-repair musculoskeletal injuries.Acoustic waves are at the core of the ShockWave therapy. Through a sequence of high-speed shocks, it strengthens the body and aids in the recovery of painful foot disorders. Most notably, it is used to treat plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and heel spur.

In the case of ShockWave therapy, the podiatrist treats plantar conditions with a special device that includes an applicator.

When the applicator emits a high-intensity pulse, it is transmitted through the skin to the tissue that requires treatment.

By inducing microtrauma around the affected region, this technique aims to cause an inflammatory response in the body.

While it may appear counterproductive, it is a powerful...

Digital radiography of the feet is performed at a clinic. This technique creates a medical image using X-rays to view the foot’s bone and joint structure.

With just one visit, digital imaging allows the podiatrist to make a rapid and accurate diagnosis of any issues affecting the feet.

Foot digitization consists of capturing the imprint of the feet using various devices to establish an accurate diagnosis. This technique is particularly useful when it comes to designing custom-made plantar orthotics. 

2D impressions are taken using a podograph. A kind of pressure-sensitive cushion, a scan or a mirror, the podograph detects and shows a perfect image of the foot's plantar surface. 

On the other hand, the 3D scanning method requires the contribution of a three-dimensional sensor. It can accurately reproduce the entire morphology of the foot.

These scanning methods make it possible to conceptualize the foot and determine the source of discomfort extremely rapidly.

For the podiatrist, taking an imprint is both a diagnostic measure and a solution for creating highly sophisticated foot orthotics.

In addition to creating high-precision orthotics, foot scanning plays a key role in understanding postural...

An ingrown toenail is a very unpleasant foot condition that result from various causes. This section will help you assess the best treatment methods and discuss the advantages of surgery for an ingrown toenail.

An ingrown nail (or onychocryptosis) can occur when a section of your nail penetrates the skin of the toe. This phenomenon mainly affects the big toe.

Fortunately, surgery for an ingrown toenail can quickly put an end to redness, inflammation, sharp pain and possible infection. It allows you to avoid more serious complications.

Some people are more likely to suffer from ingrown toenails. These individuals may benefit from ingrown nail surgery to prevent their condition from deteriorating.

Those most at risk include:

• Diabetics: they must consult a podiatrist as soon as the first symptoms appear in order to prevent their condition from deteriorating. In the most extreme cases, an ingrown toenail can cause bone...

Common in podiatry, the biopsy is a minor foot surgery that lets the podiatrist thoroughly analyze suspicious lesions. In this way, the podiatrist can precisely identify the type of their patients’ dermatological pathology. The podiatrist can then outline a treatment based on the analyzes’ results.

In a foot biopsy, a small sample of the soft tissue affected by a suspicious lesion is removed to evaluate the whole, after local anesthesia. It is then sent to a laboratory for analysis.

In particular, the biopsy of a foot lesion allows the podiatrist to assess:

• The extent of the lesion over time;
• Changes in size, shape, and color;
• The severity of the foot lesion;
• The diagnosis of the exact foot pathology.

As mentioned above, in case of uncertainty, biopsy makes it possible to confirm certain diagnoses, thus letting the podiatrist determine the appropriate...

Soft tissue or foreign body surgery on a fingernail, toe, or foot can be performed by a surgical podiatrist when a foreign body has become lodged in a patient's foot. It can be anything, including but not limited to: glass, metal, or wood.

It can also be used to perform a biopsy or remove a lesion that has become too large.

In podiatry, a soft tissue excision is defined by any surgical procedure designed to rid the foot of a deleterious element, whether it is a foreign body, a lesion, or a tumor.A qualified podiatrist can perform this minor foot surgery directly in the clinic under local anesthesia.

Nobody is safe from the possibility of having a foreign object stuck in their foot, because the countless steps that we take every day constantly expose our feet to all kinds of small objects.

The expertise of a podiatrist is fundamental in determining the type of foot surgery that needs to be performed to remove the foreign object...