A foot blister is a small pocket of fluid that forms on the foot. Blisters can be painful while they heal. Foot blisters are caused by several things, including friction, burns, contact with irritants, and autoimmune diseases. Treatment can alleviate your pain, prevent infection, and help heal your blister. Here's what to do when you keep getting blisters on your feet.

1. See a podiatrist- When foot blisters interfere with your normal activities, you should see a podiatrist. Podiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems, including blisters. Depending on the cause of the foot blister, your podiatrist will form a treatment plan for you. 

2. Cover your blisters- If a blister does occur, do not pop it. A blister should be covered to reduce irritation and cut back on the risk of infection. Wash your blisters with soap and water and cover them with dressings, like bandages or gauze pads. Your dressings should be changed every day. 

3. Use antibiotic ointment- Antibiotic ointment helps prevent infections in blisters. You can purchase antibiotic ointment at a local pharmacy. Apply antibiotic ointment to the foot blisters as directed, especially before you put on your socks or shoes.

4. Keep your feet dry- Keep your feet dry at all times. After you shower, dry your feet thoroughly. Wear socks every day to keep moisture away from the skin of your feet. For sweaty feet, use products that help control moisture. 

5. Use custom orthotics- Orthotic devices are molded pieces of rubber, leather, or other material that are inserted into shoes. You can get custom-made orthotic devices from your podiatrist. Orthotic devices can be helpful in preventing and treating foot blisters. Orthotic devices can reduce friction on foot blisters and alleviate your pain. 

6. Wear the right shoes- Rubbing and pressure from shoes that are too tight often cause blisters on the feet. Avoid wearing shoes that cause foot blisters. Wear good-fitting footwear that fit comfortably and leave your feet with some wiggle room, especially on long walks or runs. Wearing the right footwear can prevent future blisters.

7. Use foot powders- Friction can make foot blisters worse and increase your pain. In order to reduce friction on blisters, buy a powder designed for your feet at a pharmacy. Pour it into your socks before putting on your shoes to reduce pain. If a powder causes your foot blisters to become irritated, stop using it.

Don't let foot blisters knock you off your feet. Find a podiatrist in your area and schedule an appointment. A podiatrist can help you get rid of those foot blisters once and for all. The journey to healthy feet starts with you!

Concentrating on work or school isn't so easy when you have athlete's foot. No matter how hard you try to focus, it's hard to ignore your itching, burning feet. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ease your pain and avoid another infection once you've healed. The podiatrists at Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ, help athlete's foot suffers overcome the itch with treatments that offer real relief.

What to do about athlete's foot?

If you've just noticed the symptoms of athlete's foot, over-the-counter anti-fungal creams, sprays, and powders may relieve itching and dry leaking blisters. Unfortunately, drugstore products aren't always helpful if you have a severe or stubborn fungal infection.

It's a good idea to schedule an appointment with your Turnersville or Pennsauken foot doctor if your infection lasts longer than two or three weeks, you experience severe cracking or pain, or develop a bacterial infection. Call your podiatrist as soon as you notice signs of athlete's foot if you have diabetes. You may be at increased risk of developing a secondary infection due to the effects of the disease.

Your podiatrist can prescribe topical medications that help your foot heal and kill the fungus responsible for the infection. Oral anti-fungal medication may be prescribed if topical medication isn't helpful.

How to prevent athlete's foot

Preventing athlete's foot involves two steps:

• Keeping your feet dry
• Avoiding surface or items that may be contaminated with the fungus that causes athlete's foot

The fungus multiplies in damp, dark places, like the inside of your shoes. Rotate your shoes every day, add a little powder to your feet to help keep them dry, and consider changing your socks throughout the day if your feet perspire heavily.

Athlete's foot fungus is very contagious and is often found in public places, like shower rooms, locker rooms, and public pool decks. Wearing shower shoes or sandals in these areas can reduce your risk of a new infection. If you and a family member or roommate have been passing the infection back and forth, don't share shoes or socks and wash materials that come in contact with the feet, including socks, towels, wash clothes, sheets, and bath mats, in hot water.

Banish athlete's foot with a visit to the foot doctor. Schedule an appointment with podiatrists at Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists by calling (856) 875-8855 for the Turnersville, NJ, office, or (856) 448-5290 for the Pennsauken, NJ, office.

When most people think about foot deformities they most often think about bunions; however, hammertoes are just as common. This unassuming deformity comes about gradually, so you may not even notice it until it’s too late. “What is a hammertoe?” You might be wondering. A hammertoe affects the middle joint of a toe (often the smaller toes), causing the toe to bend downward. In severe cases, a hammertoe will look almost claw-like.

There are two kinds of hammertoes: flexible and rigid. As you might imagine, a flexible hammertoe is one in which you can still straighten the toe out. If you aren’t able to straighten the affected toe then this is a rigid hammertoe. A flexible hammertoe isn’t as serious as a rigid one; however, it’s important that you take care of your hammertoe to make sure that it doesn’t get worse.

While there is no way to cure a hammertoe there are simple measures you can take to prevent it from progressing. First and foremost, you need to take a look at the shoes you are wearing and make sure that they aren’t too tight. When you slip your feet into your shoes, does it cause your toes to bunch up against one another? If so then this could make your hammertoe worse.

Instead, opt for shoes with an ample toe box, which will allow your toes to wiggle and move around freely. If you have a structural imbalance within the foot this can leave you prone to foot problems such as hammertoes and bunions. To correct this imbalance, talk to your foot doctor about getting custom orthotics (shoe inserts), which can be placed into your shoes to help provide cushioning, support, and shock absorption for your feet.

If pain or stiffness does rear its ugly head you can choose to take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen, which can tackle both pain and inflammation in one fell swoop, or you can place a towel-wrapped ice pack (never put ice directly on the skin, as it can cause severe burns) over the area for several minutes.

Just as you can buy pads to cover a bunion or callus, you can also buy a non-medicated protective pad to cover over a hammertoe. Since the deformed toe joint juts out this can leave the toe prone to calluses, which can cause pain when wearing shoes. To prevent a callus from forming, you can apply a protective pad over the deformed toe joint before putting on shoes.

Of course, if you are dealing with significant or frequent pain, or if the hammertoe is rigid, then you will want to turn to a podiatric specialist. In severe cases, surgery may be recommended to correct the disfigured joint.

While it might not be something you think about often (or at all), the health of your child’s feet is important. Your child is growing by leaps and bounds and certain habits and other factors can affect how your child’s feet develop or if they experience injuries or other problems down the road. Unfortunately, a lot of children end up wearing shoes that are far too small for their feet, which can lead to pain, structural imbalances and certain foot deformities.

We know that going shoe shopping is certainly not a walk in the park for most parents; however, it’s an important component to making sure your child maintains healthy feet. There are many things to think about when it comes to picking the right shoes, and your podiatrist can also provide suggestions and tips to make the world of shoe shopping easier for you and your little one.

Some factors that you should consider when shopping for the right shoes include:

• Your child’s age
• The shoe’s material
• Your child’s shoe size
• The shoe’s structure

A good rule of thumb is to shop for shoes every 2 months when your child is between the ages of 1 and 2 years old. Once they reach three and four, you’ll want to purchase new shoes approximately every four months. At the point that your child is five or six years old, every six months is a good time to swap out old shoes for new ones.

As you might already know, the bones of a baby or infant’s feet are soft and haven’t fully developed. To protect your child’s feet it’s important that they wear socks and soft shoes. Make sure that as your child’s feet grow that the toes have room to wiggle and move around within the shoes. Bunched-up toes are a major no-no!

Since your little one is growing by leaps and bounds it is important that you are constantly checking their shoe size for changes. Remember that feet swell throughout the day, so shoe shopping should be done at the end of the day when feet are at their largest. If you aren’t sure what size shoe your little one wears, you can ask one of the store’s footwear specialists for help.

Of course, you can’t forget the importance of choosing the right socks, as well. Socks can prevent your little one from blisters, calluses and other foot problems. They can also wick away sweat and prevent fungal infections. When it comes to choosing the right socks for your little one consider the type of fabric, your child’s activity level, the size of your child’s feet and sensitivities they might have to certain fabrics.

When in doubt, you should talk to a foot doctor who can provide you with advice, answer any questions you might have about your child’s developing feet and also provide comprehensive care, when needed.

How long have you been suffering from heel pain? Pain that doesn't go away in a week or two should never be ignored. If you don't seek treatment for your symptoms, you may be at increased risk of developing chronic pain. Heel pain is just one of the foot and ankle conditions Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists Podiatrists in Turnersville and Pennsauken, NJ, treat.

What causes heel pain?

Pain in your heel may be caused if you step on a rock or another hard object or may be a sign of a more serious foot condition. Common causes of heel pain include:

• Stone Bruises: Stone bruises aren't just caused by stepping on a hard object but may also occur if you wear shoes that don't adequately cushion your feet when you run or walk. Pain usually goes away on its own, as long as you avoid prolonged periods on your feet.
• Plantar Calluses: Calluses are thickened areas of skin that form on parts of your body exposed to constant friction. You may develop a plantar callus on your heel if your shoes or socks don't fit well and rub against your foot. If you've just noticed a callus, you may be able to use a pumice stone to gradually smooth it. Larger or thicker calluses require treatment from a Turnersville or Pennsauken foot doctor. If you have diabetes, don't try to treat any callus, large or small, at home.
• Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. It occurs when the band of connective tissue called the plantar fascia becomes inflamed. The fascia connects your heel to your toes and acts as natural shock absorber. If you have plantar fasciitis, you may notice sharp, stabbing pain first thing in the morning or when you stand after sitting. Pain is also common after you exercise. You may be more likely to develop the condition if you're obese, have flat feet, spend long hours on your feet or participate in sports that involve jumping.

What treatments are available for heel pain?

Your foot doctor can offer treatments that will ease your heel pain and make walking more comfortable. Although treatments depend on your diagnosis, they may include cushioning shoe inserts, corticosteroid injections, walking boots or casts, night splints, shockwave therapy, or surgery.

A visit to your foot doctor is the key to relieving your pain. Schedule an appointment with the podiatrists at Regional Foot and Ankle Specialists by calling (856) 875-8855 for the Turnersville, NJ, office or (856) 488-5290 for the Pennsauken, NJ, office.