Blog Archive
Why might you want to lose weight? You might be trying to reduce stress on your cardiovascular system, to fit back into your favorite clothes, or to look your best for a big event. Those are all potential, and good, reasons to pursue healthy weight loss. But if you suffer...
Foot pain makes it challenging to get to everything you want to fit into your busy days. When just walking across a room can leave you in agonizing pain, your life shrinks around you, leaving you feeling stressed, isolated, and uncomfortable. At Town Center Foot & Ankle of Kingwood, Texas,...
Do you suffer from recurring ingrown toenails? This podiatry condition is painful and exposes your toes to potential infection. You might be surprised to learn how much preventing ingrown toenails comes down to clipping your nails correctly. Could the way you trim your nails be setting you up for repeat...
Do you have bunions? These bony lumps appear at the base of your big toe, often due to pressure on the wrong parts of your front foot. While a bunion may look like a growth, it’s actually a type of foot deformity. Foot deformities often become serious issues requiring surgery...
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to stop abusing your feet and ankles with footwear that doesn’t properly support them? It should be. You might be amazed at how much wearing the wrong shoes can harm your feet and ankles, leaving you prone to strains, sprains, hammertoes, bunions, and...
You may be surprised to learn how much your ankle strength and stability matters. Maybe you think more about hips or knees when it comes to trips, falls, or lower body issues. But strong, stable ankles are essential to prevent falls, injuries, ankle pain, and other biomechanical issues. Whether you’re...
Your feet take a lot of wear-and-tear. Small foot injuries and wounds like scrapes and scratches happen frequently. Corns and calluses form easily, especially if your shoes don’t fit just right. And issues like ingrown toenails affect many adults at least once over the course of a lifetime. For most...
Do you have warts on your feet, also known as plantar warts? Caused by an underlying viral infection, foot warts can become a painful problem, making it difficult to walk comfortably, and you may struggle to find shoes that don’t produce pain and friction. Getting rid of warts at home...
Fall is an ideal time to get serious about running. If you’ve already started running and want to increase your speed, stamina, and athleticism, we can help. At Town Center Foot & Ankle of Kingwood and Atascocita, Texas, expert podiatrist Dr. Stephen Eichelsdorfer can advise you on the best way...
Diabetes affects how your body uses or produces the naturally occurring chemical messenger insulin. That might not sound like it has much to do with your feet or your long-term podiatry health. But diabetes presents a surprisingly strong risk to your feet. At Town Center Foot & Ankle, we’re experienced with...
When you have plantar fasciitis, stabbing foot pain lets you know about the chronic inflammation in your feet’s connective tissues. This condition occurs when the tissues that connect your front foot to your heel become inflamed. It’s a common cause of heel pain in adults. At Town Center Foot & Ankle, expert...
Summertime is a great season for being active outdoors — swimming, bike riding, playing tennis, and hiking. There are lots of upsides to summer fun, but it’s also the peak season for athlete’s foot. This type of fungal infection targets warm, damp parts of your feet, like the areas between your...
You might start to suspect that you have a bunion when your shoes stop fitting right or when foot pain starts to intrude on your quality of life. A bony protrusion or bulge forming near the base of your big toe might not let you get your foot into your shoes, or...
Running can help you keep your heart healthy, help you stay in shape, and leave you feeling good in your body. But without the right preparation and approach, you might end up hurting your feet or ankles, resulting in injuries that take time to heal. You want your running routine...
There are lots of reasons why you could need physical therapy. Maybe you’ve recently had foot or ankle surgery and need extra support for full and correct healing. You might have been injured, and need physical therapy to break down scar tissue and restore proper alignment in your feet or ankles. ...
Warts that appear on your feet are known as plantar warts. These rough growths are most likely to appear on your heels or the balls of your feet. Warts can worsen or spread to other areas of your feet and body. Did you know that warts are the result of...
While you mostly need your feet for practical reasons, like getting around, it’s nice not to feel embarrassed about how your bare feet look. That’s especially true if you end up in a situation in which others can see your toes. If your toenails are affected by a fungal infection,...
When your toes are under too much pressure, bony deformities called bunions can start to appear in the area beneath your big toe. Genetic factors can predispose you toward bunions, as well. Bunions can be painful, and can make it difficult to wear shoes, as the deformity grows and progresses. At Town Center...
Neurofibromas are nerve tumors that develop on just about any nerve in the body. In children, it’s usually a sign of neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic condition that is characterized by benign nerve tumors, as well as bone and hormone problems. The tumors are usually noncancerous (benign). About 1 in 3,000...
Your toenails provide exactly the kind of warm, dark, damp environment where various fungal organisms like dermatophytes are likely to take root and flourish. That’s why toenail fungus problems are so common, especially as you get older. A case of toenail fungus can leave your nails discolored or misshapen. It might be...
Strong feet and ankles protect you from severe consequences of falls and sports injuries. When your feet and ankles are in good shape, you can stay moving, active, and engaged in your day-to-day life. If foot pain, ankle pain, or ankle instability prevent you from doing the things you love, get in...
There are lots of reasons you might need physical therapy to support your feet. You might be recovering from an acute injury, healing after surgery, or living with a chronic condition that negatively affects your feet. No matter why you need physical therapy, you can rely on Dr. Stephen Eichelsdorfer and our team of...
One of most common podiatry issues that Dr. Stephen G. Eichelsdorfer, aka Dr. Ike, sees in our patients at Town Center Foot & Ankle are bunions and bunionettes. Bunions are bony deformities that form below your big toe, and bunionettes are similar protrusions below your little toes. If you have bunions or bunionettes,...
Common summer activities like hanging out at the pool or just walking around with bare feet can increase your risk of picking up a case of athlete’s foot. This highly contagious fungal infection results in unsightly and uncomfortable symptoms including a scaly, itchy rash around your toes. The good news is...
You don’t want to mess around with toenail fungus infections. A case of nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, can compromise the strength and integrity of your nails, resulting in cracks or splits if left untreated. The corner drugstore can sell you over-the-counter antifungal solutions that promise to remedy the problem. But...
Neuromas are sometimes referred to as tumors, but these benign thickenings of your foot tissue aren’t cancerous, nor are they tumors. Yet neuromas can leave you suffering from debilitating foot pain, making it difficult for you to manage daily life activities. At Town Center Foot & Ankle of Kingwood and...
If one or both of your ankles hurt, getting through your day turns into a challenge. Walking on a painful ankle isn’t easy, and you might even be distracted by painful aches when sitting down. Your ankle joints take a lot of wear-and-tear, because your ankles have to bear the...
Gout isn’t just a medieval foot condition. Although gout famously hampered several medieval kings, this painful form of arthritis that affects the feet is still a problem for many Americans today. At Town Center Foot & Ankle, board-certified podiatrist Stephen Eichelsdorfer, DPM, and his expert team can help you understand...
Injuries to your feet can be tricky at the best of times, as the force of gravity works against your circulatory system’s ability to supply your extremities with fresh blood and needed nutrients. And if you’re living with diabetes, you have additional risk factors to worry about when it comes...
Viral infection of your skin with the human papillomavirus (HPV) may cause warts to form on your hands (palmar warts) or on the soles of your feet (plantar warts). Untreated plantar warts can grow to form a large lump that hurts when you walk. The good news is that you...
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, especially as you get older. The foot pain associated with plantar fasciitis — a condition that results in chronic inflammation of the tissues connecting your toes to the bone of your heel — can become intense and debilitating....
You can get an ingrown toenail for a variety of reasons: a sharp edge to a nail after trimming, pinching from tight footwear, or even due to decreased blood flow to your feet from conditions such as diabetes. Some ingrown toenails improve with simple home care, but if an ingrown...
Athlete’s foot is a fungal podiatric infection that causes uncomfortable and unsightly symptoms. Also known as tinea pedis, this fungal infection is easy to catch and likes warm, dark, and damp conditions, like those found between your toes. If you've spent time having summer fun at a public pool or...
Bunions and bunionettes can look unsightly. The bump that forms on the outside of your big or little toe’s base joint develops when the affected toe is pressed against your other toes. Bunions are more common in women than in men, because women tend to wear tighter shoes and high...
Nail fungus can make your feet look unsightly, with warped and discolored toenails. You’re most likely to develop a fungal infection in your big toenail, but all of your toes can become affected. Without treatment, a fungal infection can worsen and cause structural damage to your nail beds. You might...
If you suffer from instability in key joints like your ankles, knees, or hips, you have an increased risk for falls and accidents, as well as the injuries that come with them. Reduce your risk of injuries from slips, trips, stumbles, and falls by building strength and stability in your...
Pain due to plantar fasciitis can be a chronic problem, stabbing at you in the morning when you first wake up, or flaring up agonizingly when you’ve been sitting still too long. The pain often gets worse after exercise. You don’t have to live with the pain of plantar fasciitis....
Your feet contain nerves that refer stimulation and sensation to your brain, letting you feel the environment around you. If you have a neuroma, also known as Morton’s neuroma, benign thickening in the tissues surrounding the nerves in your feet can lead to uncomfortable symptoms, including intense foot pain. At...
Sprained ankles happen when your ankle shifts rapidly in the wrong direction, stretching, straining, or even tearing the ligaments that hold your ankle joint together. Depending on the severity of your injury, you might need rest and other home treatments or medical care. At Town Center Foot & Ankle in...
Your toes provide essential stability for your feet, helping you adjust as you move across uneven terrain. But if your toes have been getting pinched in your shoes for too long, you can develop lasting podiatry problems like hammertoes. Hammertoes don’t tend to get better by themselves. The good news...
Fungus can grow in the most unexpected places. Thriving in damp and darkness, fungus can take root in your feet. Many people deal with toenail fungus infections at some point in their lives. If you have fungal growths on your nails, make 2021 the year you kick your foot fungus...
You might not notice a stress fracture right away. These tiny cracks in your bones tend to happen after you’ve recently stepped up your activity level, often as a result of transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to more physical stress. You might write your pain or discomfort off as just...
Bunions that form on the outer base joint of your big toe can appear unsightly and may cause significant discomfort. Women are more likely to develop bunions than men thanks to their footwear options and the relationship between bunions and high heels. Tight shoes that force your toes into unnatural...
If you have conditions like chronic tendinopathy that haven’t responded to other, more conservative forms of treatment, you should know about extracorporeal shock wave therapy (SWT). For chronic foot and ankle pain, particularly around your large tendons, SWT might be the answer you’ve been looking for. At Town Center Foot...
Your feet contain numerous complex components that work together to give you full mobility. Because your feet handle so many stresses, they can be vulnerable to pain. But not all foot pain feels the same. The differences in types of foot pain can indicate the underlying cause. If you have...
If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you're familiar with the symptoms of your foot pain: aches in your toes, arches, heels, or ankles that make you want to sit down forever. If you have foot conditions like bunions or hammertoes, you could end up suffering from...
Do your feet sometimes feel numb? Do you ever feel like there's a stone in your shoe when you're out for a walk, only to find there's nothing there? If you have a neuroma, also called a pinched nerve or a nerve tumor, you could experience symptoms like pain and...
Fungal infections can show up in locations around your body, but the warm, damp, dark environment around your feet and toes provides a perfect space for infections to flourish. Athlete’s foot, also known as tinea pedis, is one of the most common fungal infections that affect feet and toes. The...
Ingrown toenails are most common on your big toes, but you can have this uncomfortable condition on any of your toes. When you have an ingrown toenail, or onychocryptosis, the side or corner of your nail presses into the soft flesh on the side of your nail bed. This can...
You may have fractured an ankle in a fall or other accident, or you might be recovering from surgery. Or you might be experiencing ankle pain as part of a condition like arthritis. The delicate joint formed between the bone of your foot, called the talus, and the tibia and...
When fungus takes up residence under your toenails, it causes unsightly symptoms like discoloration, warped shape, and thick nails. A fungal toenail infection can even produce an unpleasant odor. It's understandable why your first impulse might be to hide your feet inside of heavy footwear for as long as possible....
Bunions on your big toes can look unsightly, but even worse, the lumps they form make putting on a pair of shoes downright painful. In fact, your footwear might be part of the problem in the first place. We think that one of the reasons women are more likely to...
Foot pain, whether it’s from a deformity, injury, or biomechanical issue, can make it difficult to do simple things, like walk or wear certain shoes. But with orthotics, you can rid yourself of aches and pains in your feet or ankles. Here at Town Center Foot & Ankle, Dr. Stephen...
Having flat feet is a common condition that can affect your overall health by leading to other problems like pain in the hips and knees when walking or running. If you have flat feet, let board-certified podiatrist Stephen G. Eichelsdorfer, DPM help you at Town Center Foot & Ankle in...
Does your heel hurt? You may be among the 2 million people living with plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain. Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing foot pain in the morning that may subside as your day gets going. Runners, dancers, women, and those who are...
Your ankle is a small joint that endures a lot of force with every step you take. One misstep or awkward landing and you can easily overstretch or tear the ligaments, resulting in an ankle sprain. While it may seem like a minor injury, without the right care your sprained...
Those new to the world of diabetes are sometimes surprised to learn about the far-reaching effects that high blood glucose can have on their bodies. After all, glucose is the fuel that your body needs to function and therefore you might wonder why high levels are a problem, since there’s...
The first time you spied an outdoors-lover wearing the popular shoes that are like custom-fitted second skins for the feet — also known as “five fingers” shoes — you may have been intrigued, horrified, or immediately sold on them. Whatever your first impression was, they and other so-called “minimal shoes”...
An ingrown toenail will announce its arrival in painful and unsightly ways and is always a most unwelcome guest. The condition’s hallmark is a toenail — often the big toenail — that grows in the wrong direction or curls so that it cuts into and breaks your skin. This puts...
Most of us consider aches and pains a normal part of daily life. Don't get us wrong, some aches are in fact normal. But others can be indicative of a severe health problem. Don't ignore sharp or dull ankle pain. Instead, visit Town Center Foot & Ankle. Dr. Stephen Eichelsdorfer...
Yes, jogging and jumping are great for your heart. But for your heels? Not so much. Constant pounding on hard surfaces can create a heel spur, a half-inch bony protrusion on the bottom of the heel bone. If you’re lucky, heel spurs are painless, more an oddity than a condition...
While toenail fungus is common — about 10% of all Americans and 50% of people over 70 get it — it’s still an unpleasant and embarrassing condition. It’s also contagious and difficult to treat. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid treating it. In the early stages, toenail fungus will...
Whether you’re an athlete or not, chances are that you or someone in your family has had an episode of athlete’s foot, also called tinea pedis. It’s a common and contagious fungal infection that affects up to 15% of the US population. While it’s not a serious condition, it can...
Whether you’re a small size 6 or your friends joke about your clown shoes, your feet are still extremely small relative to their task. These compact appendages are not only responsible for supporting your entire body; they provide balance and mobility, which are critical to any athletic pursuit. If they...
Bunions often start out innocently enough — a small bump begins to form at the base of your big toe, creating a minor cosmetic inconvenience. Before you know it, that minor bump pushes your big toe over or under your second toe and throws your foot into a world of...
Each day Americans face the difficult predicament of having a lower limb amputated as a direct result of diabetes complications. That’s why it’s crucial to take the best care of your feet if you’re living with diabetes -- because blood sugar problems and foot problems go hand in hand. In...
Running is an excellent form of exercise and sport for children and adults alike, but as with any form of physical activity, it brings injury risks. Each year more than half of runners will deal with an injury, but many can be prevented. Whether you’re new to the game or...