Common Foot Problems in NYC

Bunions and hammertoes can change the shape of the foot and make shoes harder to wear comfortably. A bunion often appears as a bump near the base of the big toe, while a hammertoe causes a toe to bend or contract. These conditions may lead to rubbing, swelling, corns, calluses, or pain while walking.

Heel pain often comes from irritation of the plantar fascia, overuse, poor shoe support, tendon strain, or other foot and ankle concerns. Many patients notice pain with their first steps in the morning or after sitting. Finding the cause matters because heel pain can change the way you walk and lead to added strain elsewhere in the foot.

Nerve pain in the foot may feel like burning, tingling, numbness, shooting pain, or weakness. Symptoms can develop from pressure on a nerve, tight shoes, swelling, foot structure issues, or health conditions such as diabetes. Dr. Dixon evaluates the location and pattern of symptoms to help determine what may be irritating the nerve.

Diabetes can affect circulation, sensation, and healing in the feet. That can make small issues, such as blisters, corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, or skin cracks, harder to notice and slower to heal. Regular podiatry care helps patients monitor changes, reduce risk, and respond early when new symptoms appear.

Corns and calluses are thickened areas of skin that form from repeated pressure or friction. They may develop on the toes, between the toes, under the ball of the foot, or on the heel. While they may seem minor, they can become painful when pressure continues or when an underlying foot structure issue keeps causing rubbing.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge or corner of the nail grows into the surrounding skin. This can cause pain, redness, swelling, tenderness, drainage, or infection. Ingrown toenails may develop from tight shoes, nail shape, injury, or trimming the nail too short.

Fungal toenails may look thick, yellow, brittle, crumbly, or distorted. The infection can start in one nail and spread, especially when feet stay damp or fungal skin infections go untreated. A podiatrist can evaluate nail changes and help determine whether fungus, pressure, trauma, or another issue may be involved.

Athlete’s foot is a fungal skin infection that often causes itching, burning, peeling, redness, or cracking between the toes. It spreads more easily in warm, damp environments such as locker rooms, pools, and shared showers. Treatment can help relieve symptoms and reduce the chance that the infection spreads to the toenails.

Plantar warts are noncancerous growths caused by the human papillomavirus, also called HPV. They often form on the heel or ball of the foot, where pressure can make them painful during walking. Warts may resemble corns or calluses, so a podiatry exam can help confirm the cause of the growth.