Accurate Foot & Diabetic Care - Dr. Siegerman Podiatry

Learn More About The Foot Conditions Accurate Foot & Diabetic Care Can Treat

Taking care of your feet, particularly when you have diabetes, can help to improve and prevent many medical conditions. To learn more about foot care and diabetes, take a look at these articles:

• This information from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse explains the conditions and problems that can occur in the body, particularly the feet and skin, when diabetes is not treated correctly.
• If you want to learn about common toe deformities, including mallet toe, claw toe, and hammer toe, take a look at this informative page from WebMD.com.
• Find out what you need to know about the causes of and treatments for bunions on this webpage from PubMed Health.
• Learn about the differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis on this page from ABC News.
• Check out this informative article provided by the American Diabetes Association about proper foot care.

With two locations in Pennsylvania, Accurate Foot & Diabetic Care is here to help you with your foot care, orthotic needs, foot surgery, and toe deformities. Contact us at Springfield Podiatry in Drexel Hill at (484) 880-4526 or in West Chester at (610) 436- 5883 for more information. 

Fun Foot Friday!

Did you know that is it normal to have one foot slightly larger than the other, and you should be properly fitting shoes to fit the larger foot.

Must-Know Diabetes Foot Care Tips

People with diabetes have a high risk for foot complications due to the restriction of blood flow caused by the disease. In fact, one in four diabetic people have foot ulcers due to these restrictions and improper foot care.

In this video, you can hear the story of Lorraine Dacko, a diabetic who almost had to have foot surgery requiring amputation. Had she not gotten a second opinion from her new podiatrist, she would have lost her foot. You can also hear about the benefits of podiatrist and vascular surgeon teams who work together to help diabetic patients improve the conditions of their feet.

Allow the experienced podiatrists at Accurate Foot and Diabetic Care to assist you with your diabetic foot care needs. With two locations in Pennsylvania, Accurate Foot & Diabetic Care is here to help you with your foot care, orthotic needs, foot surgery, and toe deformities. Contact us at Springfield Podiatry in Drexel Hill at (484) 880-4526 or in West Chester at (610) 436- 5883 for more information. 

What's the Difference Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis?

Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are painful conditions that can affect the feet and toes. Both types of arthritis cause inflammation in the joints of the body, creating pain and swelling. Additionally, foot ailments, such as hammer toe, claw toe, mallet toe, and bunions, can occur due to either type of arthritis. If allowed to advance without proper treatment, foot surgery is often necessary to correct ailments caused by arthritis.

Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a swelling and inflammation of the joints, most commonly experienced in people over the age of 40. As people age, their bodies experience wear and tear. In some joints, this can cause osteoarthritis, especially in larger joints of the body that have been frequently used, such as hips and knees.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is chronic condition that affects the tissue surrounding the joints and causes inflammation in the joints. This type of arthritis can affect nearly any joint of the body, but most commonly occurs in the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, and ankles.

Differences: Much more common than rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis can develop in any joint of the body at any age. Osteoarthritis occurs equally in both women and men, whereas rheumatoid arthritis affects three times the number of women than it does men. The pain caused by osteoarthritis usually lasts only a few minutes, but the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis can last for extended periods of time. Osteoarthritis causes ailments in the joints only and is caused by the wear and tear on the body, whereas rheumatoid arthritis can cause problems throughout the entire body and is caused by the immune system attacking the body.

Allow the specialists at Accurate Foot and Diabetic Care to help treat your feet at one of our two locations. Located in Pennsylvania, our podiatrists specialize in the type of foot care you need. Call us in Drexel Hill at our Springfield Podiatry location at (484) 880-4526 or in West Chester at (610) 436-5883.

Common Toe Deformities That a Podiatrist Can Treat

Despite what people may think, toe deformities are fairly common. An experienced podiatrist can treat these irregularities, often without the need for foot surgery. Here’s a look at some of the most common toe deformities:

• Bunions: When the bones in your big toe shift toward your second toe, a bunion forms. The movement can cause a painful bump at the joint due to inflammation, which can worsen over time.
• Claw Toe:  Claw toe occurs when your toes bend downward at the middle and top joints. However, the toes bend upward at the joints at the balls of your feet, causing your toes to curl under into a claw-like position. 
• Hammer Toe: In patients who suffer from hammer toe, the middle joint of the toe is bent, causing the toe to curl toward the floor. The toe appears to resemble a hammer, hence the name of the deformity.
• Mallet Toe: Similar to hammer toe, mallet toe is a bending of the toe at the joint nearest the end of the toe.
• Ingrown Toenails: Sometimes, toenails grow in an irregular shape and dig into the tissue of the toe, causing pain and inflammation. This condition can be hereditary or caused by improper nail grooming. Unfortunately, besides discomfort, ingrown toenails can also lead to infection. Usually, ingrown toenails affect the big toe.
• Crossover Toe: With this condition, one toe completely overlaps the other. This condition mostly common occurs to the second toe or the fifth toe.

The podiatrists at Accurate Foot and Diabetic Care can help you treat these common toe conditions and other types of foot deformities. Give us a call at one of our two locations to help you with your foot care needs. Contact our Accurate Foot & Diabetic Care office in West Chester at (610) 436-5883 or our Springfield Podiatry office in Drexel Hill at (484) 880-4526. We specialize in all types of foot support, including orthotics, trauma care, and diabetic care.