Cysts are fluid-filled masses under the skin. Common cysts of the feet include synovial cysts, ganglia, and cutaneous mucoid cysts. Most foot cysts are located under the skin, although occasionally they appear in tendon or bone. Synovial or ganglionic cysts are connected to a nearby joint or tendon,

Diabetes is a lifelong chronic disease that is caused by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can also decrease your body's ability to fight off infections, which is especially harmful in your feet. When diabetes is not properly controlled, damage can occur to the organs and impairment of the immune

Diabetics are more prone to various foot problems than those without diabetes due to the development of painful nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy can affect your entire body, but most often the legs and feet are the most prone areas to serious health complications. The damage to

Many disorders can affect the joints of the toes, causing pain and preventing the foot from functioning as it should. People of all ages can have toe problems, from inherited to acquired. Toe deformities in adults result mainly from an imbalance of the tendons, causing them to stretch or tighten abnormally.

Dysplasia, also known as epiphysealis hemimelica, is a disorder that affects the bone joints. It is characterized by overgrowth of the cartilage on the end of one or more of the long bones (carpal or tarsal bones) in the hand or foot. Usually only one limb is involved. Dysplasia may cause limbs that

Enchondromas are small benign tumors made up of cartilage that form in the bone beneath the toenail. Enchondromas are the most common bone tumors of the hands and feet and usually are painless. The tumor can involve large portions of the bones, causing thinning of the cortex. This can weaken the bone

Erythromelalgia is a rare disorder that results from enlarged blood vessels in the feet. Because the blood vessels are open or dilated, oxygen and heat from the blood is discharged into the tissues, making the feet turn red and feel hot all the time. Prescription medications that restrict the opening

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is used to treat chronic heel pain (plantar fasciitis). "Extracorporeal" means "outside of the body." During this noninvasive procedure, sonic waves are directed at the area of pain using a device similar to that currently used in nonsurgical treatment of kidney