Five Myths about Foot Care

Old wives’ tales and myths may be fun to laugh at as children… but there are myths that involve your health, that are absolutely no laughing matter. Here’s just the first five to consider:

Myth: Cutting a notch (a “V”) in a toenail will relieve the pain of ingrown toenails

Reality: When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and grows into the skin. Cutting a “V” in the toenail may actually cause more problems, and does not affect its growth as all new growth will continue to curve downward.

Myth: My foot or ankle can’t be broken if I can walk on it

Reality: It is entirely possible to walk on a foot or ankle with a broken bone. Doing so can cause further damage. It is crucial to stay off an injured foot, apply ice and elevate the foot to reduce pain and be seen by a foot and ankle surgeon.

Myth: Shoes cause bunions

Reality: While wearing shoes that crowd toes together can, over time, make bunions more painful, shoes themselves do not cause bunions. What makes a person prone to developing a bunion are certain inherited foot types. Although some treatments can ease the pain of bunions, only surgery can correct the deformity.

Myth: A doctor can’t fix a broken toe

Reality: Nineteen of the 26 bones in the foot are toe bones. There are things that can be done by a foot and ankle surgeon to make a broken toe heal better and prevent problems later on, like arthritis or toe deformities. Broken toes that aren’t treated correctly can make walking and wearing shoes difficult.

Myth: Corns have roots

Reality: A corn is a small build-up of skin caused by friction. Many corns result from a hammertoe deformity, where the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. The only way to eliminate these corns is to surgically correct the hammertoe condition. Unlike a callus, a corn has a central core of hard material. But corns do not have roots. Attempting to cut off a corn or applying medicated corn pads can lead to serious infection or even amputation.