By Dr Alexandra Buk With summer upon us and our thoughts focused on getting out of the house and enjoying the season, getting our feet ready for flip flops and sandals becomes a high priority. However, when you head off to the salon for a pedicure or when you take out your own scissors and [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/143/summer-is-here-get-ready-to-show-those-toes

Morton’s neuroma is an incredibly painful condition affecting the foot. It is a thickening or swelling of the sensory nerve that runs between the toes. The swelling is usually caused by irritation to the nerve by a neighboring ligament or base of the toe bone. Women seem to experience neuromas more often than men, so [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/285/understanding-neuromas

Footworks – May 2010 By Dr Alexandra Buk Each day, with every step you take, your big toe bears a tremendous amount of stress- a force equal to about twice your body weight. Most of us don’t realize exactly how much we use our big toe. We tend to take it for granted, unless a [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/83/hallux-rigidus-a-disorder-of-the-joint-located-at-the-base-of-the-big-toe

Gout, a type of arthritis, is a painful joint inflammation caused by an excess of uric acid in the body. When your body produces more uric acid than the kidneys can process, the excess builds up in the blood and accumulates in your joints. The disease bothers more than 1.8 million Americans, mostly men over [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/279/gout-a-real-pain-in-the-foot

By Dr Alexandra Buk Peripheral Arterial Disease-also known as P.A.D. – is a common, yet serious, disease that affects 8 to 12 million people in the United States, especially those over age 50. It develops when extra cholesterol and other fats circulating in the blood collect in the walls of the arteries that supply blood [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/105/peripheral-arterial-disease

By Dr Alexandra Buk Like many recurring conditions, corns are often ignored as a “skin problem.” But left untreated, corns can progress to a painful and chronic condition. A corn is a circular area of thick skin caused by friction on a non-weight bearing area of the foot. The lesions most commonly form over an [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/92/corns-are-more-than-skin-deep

By Dr Alexandra Buk Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a major crippling disorder and probably the most serious form of arthritis. It is a disease in which certain cells of the immune system malfunction and attack healthy joints. RA causes inflammation in the lining (synovium) of joints, most often the joints of the hands and feet. [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/73/what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis

Footworks January 2010 By Dr Alexandra Buk What is Sesamoid? A sesamoid is a bone imbedded in a tendon. Sesamoids are found in several joints in the body. The largest is the kneecap, or patella, which is a sesamoid bone imbedded in the quadriceps tendon at the knee. In the foot, the sesamoids are two [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/109/sesamoid-injuries-in-the-foot

Footworks September 2009 By Dr Alexandra Buk What is a Tailor’s Bunion? Tailors bunion, also called a bunionette, is an enlargement of the fifth metatarsal bone at the base of the little toe. The metatarsals are the five long bones of the foot. The enlargement that characterizes a tailor’s bunion occurs at the metatarsal “head,” [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/86/what-is-a-tailors-bunion

Footworks July 2009 What To Do About Splinters The warm, sunny weather is an invitation for us to shed our shoes and socks and run barefoot. But doing so can be risky since running or walking can lead to problems for your feet. Needles, broken glass, small tacks, hairs, or splinters of wood can be [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/139/summer-foot-safety

Footworks December 2008 By Dr Alexandra Buk Many adults complain of having painful feet due to “fallen arches.” But is it true that years of wear and tear on the feet can actually cause arches to flatten over time? Flatfoot in adults is a complex disorder, with varying symptoms and degrees of severity. Although there [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/95/do-arches-really-fall

Ingrown toenails are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness and swelling. Toenails usually grow straight out. However, sometimes one or both corners or sides curve and grow into the flesh. The big toe is the most likely victim, but other toes can [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/262/treating-ingrown-toenails

A question frequently asked of doctors of podiatric medicine is whether it is wise to venture out without shoes or socks during the warm weather months. The answer, as you probably suspect, is “no” despite the fact that running barefoot in the park does sound like great fun. Common sense says that going barefoot increases [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/30/is-barefoot-beautiful

Hot weather! It lasts longer than we think-even through September and October in most parts of Arkansas. You can’t keep your feet covered in the sand or in shoes all summer long, so take a few minutes to read about your feet and how to keep them healthy in the heat. The skin on the [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/29/hot-weather-and-your-feet

Here are a few tips on finding and fitting those hot weather sandals: Shop for your sandals at midday or towards evening. Feet tend to swell during the day, so it makes sense to fit new footwear when your feet are at their largest. Don’t just put on one shoe when testing. Put them both [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/28/sandal-savvy

As warm weather approaches, people with toenail fungus (onychomycosis) may want to run for cover. This problem tends to affect people over the age of 40, and causes thickening and discoloration of the nails. Sometimes the nails even crumble. Onychomycosis isn’t usually serious, but it can be if the sufferer is diabetic or has a [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/27/afraid-to-show-your-toes-onychomycosis-toenail-fungus

Like many recurring conditions, corns are often ignored as a “skin problem.” But left untreated, corns can progress to a painful and chronic condition. A corn is a circular area of thick skin caused by friction on non-weight bearing areas of the foot. The lesions most commonly form over enlarged joints on the toes, particularly [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/26/corns-more-than-just-skin-deep

Ulcers are sores that occur when pressure cuts off the blood supply to the skin. They form in areas of increased force and friction. The stress of body weight, the impact of walking, bony deformity and poorly fitting shoes place the ball of the foot, the heel and the big toe at great risk. Health [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/25/pressure-ulcers

Long hours of holiday shopping, standing in line at the post office and rushing to and from parties can be as tough on your feet as it is on the rest of you. Make the holidays a lot gentler on your feet by following these health care tips: Wear shoes that are comfortable, cushioned and [...]

http://arkfac.com/articles/24/healthy-holiday-feet

The Arkansas Foot and Ankle Clinic, established in 1966, is the largest and most comprehensive provider of lower extremity care in central Arkansas. All of our surgeons are board certified and work toward the common goal of providing the highest standard of care for your family. We treat the entire spectrum of foot and ankle [...]

http://arkfac.com/learn-more/1/about-the-arkansas-foot-and-ankle-clinic