What are Corns and Calluses?

Corns are cone-shaped lesions that present as circular and thickened areas of skin. They are usually found on the tops, sides of or in between toes. They often develop because of excessive pressure or friction from poorly fitting shoes or deformities, such as bunions. Corns tend to be more painful than calluses due to their size, location, and a central core or nucleus. Calluses, on the other hand, are larger and typically form on the bottoms of feet, especially on weight-bearing areas, such as the heel or ball of the foot. Unlike corns, calluses generally cover a more diffuse area and tend to be less painful, but if left untreated, they can become uncomfortable over time. These hardened skin lesions are natural defense mechanisms that develop to protect the skin from excessive rubbing and pressure.

Common Causes of Corns and Calluses

1. Ill-fitting footwear: Shoes that are too tight, loose, or have high heels can cause the skin to rub against the shoe, leading to the formation of corns and calluses.
2. Foot deformities: Structural abnormalities like hammertoes, bunions, or flat feet can create pressure points that increase friction and cause corns or calluses.
3. Activity level: Walking or standing for extended periods, especially on hard surfaces, can result in calluses developing on weight-bearing areas.
4. Inefficient gait / walking: An issue with the way you walk can lead to uneven distribution of body weight, contributing to areas of excessive pressure on the feet.
5. Not enough cushioning: If the fat pads on the bottom of feet are atrophied or thinned, the feet are more susceptible to developing calluses.

How Can Orthotics Help with Corns and Calluses?

Orthotics can be custom-made or prefabricated (off-the-shelf insoles).  They are devices that are placed inside shoes to provide support and offloading. They are effective in managing foot lesions, such as corns and calluses by addressing the cause…pressure and friction.

• One of the primary functions of an orthotic is to redistribute pressure in the foot. This is crucial for individuals who experience localized pressure that leads to corns or calluses. By spreading the load more evenly, orthotics can reduce the friction and pressure points that cause these skin issues.
• Poor alignment or gait issues can cause an uneven distribution of weight, leading to excessive pressure on certain parts of the foot. Custom foot orthotics are designed to help correct biomechanical imbalances and realigning foot joints. The goal is to minimize pressure on vulnerable areas, reducing the formation of corns and calluses.
• Custom foot orthotics are designed specifically for YOUR feet. A customized fit will offer more comfort as it will provide adequate support and relief on specific areas. Off-the-shelf orthotics, while not custom-made, can also provide significant relief for some conditions, especially when designed for people with specific foot issues like flat feet or high arches.
• Orthotics can help treat existing corns and calluses but can also help prevent them from forming in the first place. By maintaining proper foot alignment, providing sufficient cushioning, and reducing friction, orthotics are effective at reducing the recurrence, allowing you to walk and stand more comfortably.

Additional Tips for Reducing Risk for Developing Corns and Calluses

• Always wear properly fitted shoes. Avoid tight or narrow shoes that cause excessive pressure on the toes.
• Moisturize regularly to keep your skin soft and hydrated.
• Examine your feet on a regular basis and pay attention to any changes or discomfort in your feet so you can act early to prevent small issues from big issues.

Come See Us!

Corns and calluses can be a source of discomfort, but with the right approach, they are manageable and even preventable. If you suffer from corns or calluses, book an appointment today at BioPed Footcare.  Our lower limb footcare clinicians can address your concerns and help you do more in life!

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Fungal Toenails

Fungal nails can be thick, discoloured, crumbly and smelly and are treated with topical or oral antifungals.  Photodisinfection therapy (PDT) is a topical treatment that uses light to increase its anti-fungal effect.  For topical solutions to be effective, the nail must be thin enough for the treatment to penetrate to the nail bed where the fungus resides. A Chiropodist can significantly reduce the thickness of the nail plate or remove the nail plate altogether. If the nail is removed completely, once it has fully healed, a topical treatment is applied directly to the nail bed where the fungus resides.

Ingrown Toenails

A nail that digs into the surrounding skin causing pain and discomfort is considered an ingrown nail. This can occur when there is an exaggerated curvature of the nail or when a spike of nail punctures the skin. Ingrown toenails usually respond well to consistent nail care and properly fitted footwear.  Education on the cause of an ingrown toenail is key and can help guide care at home.  Select BioPed locations offer Onyfix® nail correction, which helps alleviate pressure at the sides by improving the shape of the nail. Chiropodists can also perform partial and total nail avulsions to remove the offending nail and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Callus & Corns

These lesions appear as thickened skin on the bottoms of the feet, top of or in between the toes.  Calluses and corns are often painful and to offset the pain experienced, a person may alter how they walk. Chiropodists are trained to remove calluses and corns using a scalpel blade and can also prescribe custom foot orthotics to help correct gait and offload high pressure areas. Chiropodists will assess footwear and recommend a style that is suitable for foot type and chosen activity.

Plantar Warts

Warts typically have a cauliflower-like texture, contain black dots (blood vessels), and may be painful when squeezed.  They can occur suddenly and unlike calluses and corns, can appear anywhere on the foot, not just weightbearing areas. Caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), warts can be challenging to eradicate. Chiropodists debride wart tissue to allow chosen topical treatments to work better. Common treatments include liquid nitrogen, silver nitrate, salicylic acid and cantharidin. In addition to these more conservative treatments, Chiropodists can also perform dry needling and wart excision. Dry needling relies solely on an immune response in the body and is one the most effective treatments available.

Toe Deformities

Hammer toes, claw toes and bunions, oh my! These toe deformities can cause pain and discomfort and make finding the right footwear a seemingly impossible task.  Chiropodists can fabricate toe props using a mouldable material to help straighten toes when standing. Custom foot orthotics can be modified to lessen the pressure on toes and rebalance muscles around the toes.  Footwear must always be wide and deep enough to accommodate toes and feet.

Diabetes & Feet

People who have diabetes are more susceptible to complications, such as peripheral neuropathy or altered protective sensation, and infection. To maintain healthy feet, it is important to see a Chiropodist regularly for routine nail and skin care treatments. Diabetes Risk Assessments are performed to determine the risk for complications and provide advice on how to inspect and care for feet at home between appointments.

Biomechanical Treatment

Chiropodists are trained in assessing gait and the range of motion quality of joints in the feet. Depending on lower body mechanics and presenting issue(s), a Chiropodist might prescribe custom foot orthotics to correct the way a person walks or runs and improve alignment and balance.

Whether you’re an elite athlete, a recreational runner or someone who wants to stay active, a BioPed Chiropodist can help you move and function better, which can prevent injury and alleviate pain and discomfort!

The post What does a Chiropodist do? appeared first on Relieve Foot Pain & Leg Pain.

Why is it that we often lose weight where no one notices? For example, in our feet! Did you know that as we age, the fat pad under our feet that cushions our heels and balls of our feet wears thin? Foot experts refer to this as fat pad atrophy.

How does fat loss cause foot pain?

At one time our feet were quite cushioned…

With age or certain medication use, the fat wears thin underneath our feet and we feel pain from walking on our foot bones with little cushioning. Sometimes the pressure can result in a callus or a corn. For some patients, this explains why they suddenly have a callus under the ball of their foot that was not previously there as a young adult.

In the heel specifically, the fat pad is composed of columns of adipose tissue separated by fibrous sheets. It is located directly beneath the heel bone and acts as a hydraulic shock-absorbing layer. Some patients are misdiagnosed with a “heel spur” or “plantar fasciitis” when in fact, the diffuse pain is simply a result of fatty tissue wearing thin and the heel bone making contact with the delicate skin.

Find relief from foot pain

Our Pedorthists and Chiropodists conduct thorough biomechanical exams to determine why you are having foot pain. If they determine that in fact your heel pain or ball of foot pain is due to fat pad atrophy, they can create a custom orthotic for your foot, with a deep heel cup, metatarsal pad and extra cushioning throughout. Isn’t it time that you felt like you’re walking on a cloud?

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