My Happy Feet

Almost all men don’t care about their foot. Sometimes they don’t even bother if they have foot problems. But according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons there are five foot problems men shouldn’t ignore. This includes Heel pain, Ankle sprains, Big toe stiffness and pain, Achilles tendonitis, and Ingrown toenails.

Heel pain is the most common problem affecting the foot and ankle. The most frequent causes of heel pain are not single injuries, such as a fall or twist, but repetitive or excessive heel pounding.

An ankle sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments in the ankle, usually on the outside of the ankle. Sprained ankles often result from a fall, a sudden twist, or a blow that forces the ankle joint out of its normal position.

The most common site of arthritis in the foot is at the base of the big toe. This joint is called the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP joint. It's important because it has to bend every time you take a step. If the joint starts to stiffen, walking can become painful and difficult.

Achilles tendonitis is a painful and often debilitating inflammation of the Achilles tendon (heel cord). Achilles tendonitis may be caused by a single incident of overstressing the tendon, or it may result from a series of stresses that produce small tears over time (overuse).

When a toenail is ingrown, the sides or corners of the nail curl down and dig into the skin, causing swelling, pain and redness. The major causes are shoes that don't fit well and improperly trimmed nails. Shoes that are too tight press the sides of the nail and make it curl into the skin. Nails that are peeled off at the edge or trimmed down at the corners are also more likely to become ingrown.