Blog Archive

At first, a bunion is usually nothing more than an annoyance. You might not like the way that bony bump on the outside of your big toe looks, or you might notice that it rubs against certain  shoes.  But those relatively minor inconveniences can grow as that misalignment in the...

Your skin puts up with a lot, from sun exposure to friction as you move. That’s particularly apparent on your feet, where it’s fairly common to get corns and calluses. These thickened areas of skin develop as you move, putting pressure on certain points — often, where your shoes rub. ...

Maybe your shoes were too tight or you trimmed your toenail so that the edges curved downward. You might end up with an ingrown toenail for plenty of reasons. Even stubbing your toe can cause one.  Still, you might be less concerned with what caused the nail problem than with...

Many parents do something to commemorate their child’s footprint while they’re an infant. You’ve probably looked at your baby’s own footprint and marveled at its tiny size.  You might have noticed something else, too. While an adult footprint has a curve where the arch is, an infant’s usually connects from...

Getting into running is hard. Fortunately, it gets easier. Each time you lace up your sneakers and head out, you’ll probably notice some small improvement. Stick with it for a few months, and you’ll be able to breeze through those miles, at least compared with your beginnings. Sticking with it...

At first, a bunion might not seem like a big deal. Your foot may look a little different, sure, but with proper shoes and plenty of rest, you might feel fine. Over time, though, bunions can worsen. The conservative treatments that helped at first might stop being effective. At that...

When it comes to ankle sprains, there’s good news and bad news.  The good news is that ankle sprains are common and usually not critical. With a few days of rest and home care, most ankle sprains heal on their own. The bad news is that spraining your ankle once...

Maybe you were born with flat feet. Or maybe your feet changed structurally over time, resulting in fallen arches. Either way, the arch of your foot isn’t quite what it should be. That can lead to a number of problems, from foot pain and leg cramps to swelling and bunions....

When you think about living with diabetes, you probably imagine watching your sugar intake or taking insulin shots. Actually, though, one of the biggest parts of protecting your health through diabetes starts with your feet.  If you aren’t checking your feet regularly, you could develop ulcers without knowing it. Worse...

When you were a little kid, the adults in your life probably told you not to touch the hot stove. Even if they hadn’t, though, a mere second of contact would have been enough for your body to learn a quick, valuable lesson. Touching something so hot would trigger your...

Plenty of problems are unique to kids, from growing pains to the heightened likelihood of catching the flu once it starts circulating at their school. As a parent, you try to stay informed about the specific risks your child faces. That means you should be periodically checking the soles of...

It happens quickly. You’re walking (or running) along and all of a sudden, you nearly take a tumble. Pain shoots up your leg from your ankle, and you know you’re in trouble. Fortunately, an ankle sprain can heal relatively quickly. Even better news: If your ankle does need dedicated care, Samantha...

Everyone’s toes are different. Some people have long toes, while others have shorter, rounder ones. Regardless of the different shapes and sizes, there’s one thing all toes should have in common: They should lie flat.  If your toe bends up in one of its middle joints, you likely have a...

Diabetes changes your life — and that’s often not just because of the condition itself. Roughly half of the people who get a diabetes diagnosis will also have to deal with a complication called neuropathy. Neuropathy is essentially damage to your nerves.  When you’re living with diabetes, it’s important to...

Warts are a fairly normal part of a kid’s life. In fact, they’re more common in children than in adults. Ultimately, if your child gets a wart, it’s nothing to panic about. But it’s important to know how to handle it.  That’s especially true if your child has a plantar wart. Because...

If you have a bunion, you’re not alone. Experts estimate that up to 25% of people have this bony protrusion at the side of their big toe. A bunion can make certain shoes wildly uncomfortable and cause swelling or redness. Ultimately, if you have a bunion, you probably live in ongoing discomfort. ...

Ingrown toenails are so common that 20% of people who see a doctor about their feet are there because of an ingrown toenail. That’s particularly interesting because, in some cases, ingrown toenails can be effectively treated at home. The main problem stems from the fact that many people don’t realize they have an...

A complex network of parts makes up your body and enables you to move. Your tendons often go as unsung heroes, anchoring your muscles to your bones to keep you upright, motile, and flexible. That’s particularly true for your Achilles tendon, the biggest and strongest tendon in your body. This...

When people visit the doctor for an issue with their feet, the odds are fairly high that it’s an ingrown toenail. About 20% of podiatric appointments get scheduled because of this common foot problem.  Not all ingrown toenails require a doctor’s visit, but when yours does, we can help. As...

Obesity — which health professionals mark as a body mass index of 30 or more — is an increasingly common problem across the country. That’s particularly true in Texas. You probably already know that excess weight can put you at a greater risk for a number of serious health conditions....

You rely on your feet to get you from A to B while keeping you stabilized. They put up with a lot of pressure, so they count on your shoes to provide the necessary support.  The problem, though, is that shoes might be the last thing on your mind. When...

We expect our feet to be able to withstand a lot of stress. Tired, aching feet might seem normal after a long day, and we might dismiss some foot discomfort after a particularly strenuous workout. The problem, though, is that putting your feet under continuous stress can cause them to...

When you get hurt, you expect to have a little downtime as your body heals the affected area. But your injury might not be temporary. After a traumatic injury to your feet, especially a dislocation or fracture, you can develop post-traumatic arthritis. And that can leave you with ongoing discomfort. ...

You rely on your nerves to carry signals to and from your brain. But if those nerves get damaged, as is the case with neuropathy, they can send the wrong signals. This can leave you living with stabbing pain, muscle weakness, and other problematic symptoms.  Here at North Central Texas...

The ability to run freely is a hallmark of childhood. As a parent, you want to ensure your child can enjoy their early years, exploring and taking it all in. While you might not immediately think of it, that means protecting their growing feet.  Samantha Childers, DPM, Ricky Childers, DPM,...

Ingrown toenails are a common problem, especially among those that wear tight or ill-fitting shoes. Knowing when you can wait for the problem to self-correct and when to see a podiatrist can save you a lot of stress and pain when it comes to your feet.   At North Central Texas...

Science and research are constantly giving us new information and methods of treatment for an increasing variety of injuries. In recent decades, a treatment called platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy began to be used to aid in recovering from certain injuries and surgical procedures. Originally used for blood transfusions to those...

Bunions: They’re more than just an aesthetic issue. You may have noticed a slow development of your bunion over time, but weren’t sure what it was. Not only can it get in the way of wearing your favorite pair of cute shoes, but it can also become painful and make...

Summer is on its way, and that means breaking out your sandals and hanging out with friends and family by the pool. But if you have toenail fungus, this time of year may make you feel self-conscious about your feet. Your once favorite flip-flops may now be the source of...

Your feet and ankles play a crucial supporting role in everyday life. They take on enormous amounts of stress every time you get up and move around. This is especially true if you live an active lifestyle, like an athlete or a dancer does. Staying active is important for your...

Living an active life is important for health and longevity. Whether you’re training for a marathon, or simply taking daily walks, your feet do the brunt of the work. This is why it’s crucial that you take care of them and pay attention to how they’re feeling, both before and...

Dealing with hammertoe can be frustrating and painful. While it’s not dangerous, per se, it can lead to other issues that exacerbate the condition if left untreated. Hammertoe can have several causes, some as simple as the kind of shoes you wear, while others are more complicated, like genetics. Whatever...

Are you noticing sharp pains in the balls of your feet? Does it feel like you perpetually have a pebble in your shoe, even though there’s nothing there? You may be experiencing metatarsalgia, a common foot ailment that causes inflammation in your metatarsal bones. You may be wondering how that...

When you see two podiatrists together, it usually means something is afoot. In the Childers’ case, it could just mean date night. Samantha Childers and her husband, Ricky, are both podiatrists who have recently opened up their second practice location in Roanoke. After spending 15 years in San Francisco, many...

No parent is happy when their child is in pain. Seeing your child struggle while playing their favorite sport or experiencing pain while walking is tough. You may not realize it, but your child could have Sever’s disease. This condition sounds scary, but luckily, it’s quite treatable. At North Central...

Your feet do so much for you — when you work hard, your feet work harder. Feet take the brunt of the abuse from our activities, whether it’s certain movements, working, or what we wear. At North Central Texas Foot & Ankle, with offices in Decatur and Roanoke, Texas, we...

Are you experiencing new pain or discomfort in your heel and you’re not sure what’s causing it? After doing some light research, you may have come to the conclusion that you could have plantar fasciitis. Or perhaps it’s a heel spur. Our staff at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle,...

Have you ever been shoe shopping and wondered if those inserts you see displayed next to the socks would work well for you? While they may provide some arch support and extra cushioning, they aren’t likely to help with more serious issues, such as pain from plantar fasciitis or problems...

More than 10 million Americans are living with peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. People of all ages can be affected by PAD, but it’s more common in people who are 65 and older. This circulatory disease narrows arteries, which in turn reduces blood flow to your limbs, and could reduce...

Our feet have such a small surface area, yet are tasked with holding up our bodies day in and day out. They help us get from place to place, and stabilize us when we want to stand still. We may often forget how much they do for us and how,...

Are you dealing with stubborn nail fungus that just doesn’t seem to go away and stay gone? However frustrating it may be, the good news is, you’re not alone! Nail fungus is very common, with an estimated 3 to 12 percent of the population being affected. It isn’t always easy...

In just one day, as many as 25,000 people in the United States sprain their ankle. A sprain occurs when you stretch or tear the ligaments in this joint. You can do this during a competitive game of soccer, but it can also happen from taking a misstep off a...