Author: Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM

Growing pains? Are these real or myth? If your child has heel pain and difficulty walking, he or she may be experiencing a heel bone that grows too fast during a growth spurt. Sever’s disease occurs when the muscles and tendons stretch tightly because they don’t grow fast enough to keep up with heel bone growth. Symptoms…

If the holiday season has you aching for foot pain relief, you may be suffering from metatarsalgia. It’s a long word but easy to understand when you break it down: the 5 metatarsal bones run down the foot from the toes to the ankle. When these bones are stressed over a period of time, chronic inflammation…

Because neuropathy causes pain and numbness in the feet, it’s important to choose footwear wisely if you suffer from this condition. The peripheral nerve system ranges all over the body and includes all the nerves except those in the brain and spinal cord. This system links the brain and spinal cord to the body’s muscles,…

Are you embarrassed because of the appearance of your toenails? Do they look ragged or thickened, discolored or dull? If so you may have toenail fungus. Fungal nail is a common problem and is very contagious. It’s caused by a microscopic organism that loves dark, warm, moist environments like the insides of shoes. Since it’s contagious,…

The foot contains two very small bones, pea-size, under the foot near the big toe. They are unusual in that they are not connected to other bones. Instead they are connected to tendons. These bones, called sesamoids, help the foot bear weight and also aid the tendons in transferring muscle force over their surfaces. They…

Did you make a New Year’s resolution – or 2 or 3? Most of us do. In fact, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are losing weight, getting organized and spending less/saving more. But here’s a resolution that is easy and inexpensive to keep: take better care of your feet. After all, they are the foundation…

Have you seen a small, grainy growth on the bottom of your foot or the foot of your child? This spot can be painful when standing on it. You may have a plantar wart. These growths appear on the heel or ball of the foot and, because these parts of the feet receive a lot of…

Are you a winter adventurer? Do activities like cross country and downhill skiing, sledding and ice skating lure you out of doors in the cold weather? Preparation is essential to enjoying winter sports safely. Poorly-fitting equipment or inadequate physical preparation can turn fun in the snow to days or weeks recovering from an injury. Prevent Winter…

Have you turned over a new leaf for 2016 and resolved to eat better? That’s a goal that all of should work toward to look and feel better. Eating right benefits your entire body – and your brain – but did you know that it helps your feet too? Diet and nutrition affect our feet…

What do your feet and your heart have in common? Well, for one thing, you have 2 pulses in each foot that can be detected during a physical examination by a trained doctor. By checking these pulses, a doctor can tell whether the blood flow to your feet is normal. In other words, your feet…