Peninsula Foot and Ankle Clinic

What Is Hallux Rigidus? Hallux rigidus is a disorder of the joint located at the base of the big toe. It causes pain and stiffness in the joint, and with time it gets increasingly harder to bend the toe.  ‘Hallux” refers to the big toe, while “rigidus” indicates that the toe is rigid and cannot

What Is Haglund's Deformity? Haglund’s deformity is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. The soft tissue near the Achilles tendon becomes irritated when the bony enlargement rubs against shoes.  This often leads to painful bursitis, which is an inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac

What Is Gout? Gout is a disorder that results from the build-up of uric acid in the tissues or a joint. It most often affects the joint of the big toe. Causes Gout attacks are caused by deposits of crystallized uric acid in the joint. Uric acid is present in the blood and eliminated in the urine,

Gangrene occurs when there is a lack of blood supply to tissue, depriving it of oxygen, and thereby causing death and decay of the tissue. The two types of gangrene are wet (caused by bacterial infection) and dry (no infection). Most common causes of gangrene are diabetes, arteriosclerosis, tobacco abuse,

"Foot drop” refers to the inability to lift the front part of one’s foot off the ground when walking, resulting in a scuffing or dragging of the foot or lifting the thigh (known as “steppage” gait). It is most often caused by nerve or muscle disorders or damage, or by a central nervous system

Arthritis is a general term for a group of more than 100 diseases. “Arthritis” means “joint inflammation.” When it affects joints of the foot it can produce swelling and pain, and may eventually result in deformity, loss of joint function, and decreased ability to walk. The most common form

What is a Fifth Metatarsal Fracture? Fractures (breaks) are common in the fifth metatarsal – the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe. Two types of fractures that often occur in the fifth metatarsal are: Avulsion fracture. In an avulsion fracture, a small piece

"Fallen arches" is a common term used to describe a flatfoot condition that develops during adulthood. This should not be confused with other causes of flatfoot that may develop during childhood or adolescence. Most cases of “fallen arches” develop when the main arch-supporting tendon (the posterior

There are 26 bones in the human foot.  Some people have “extra bones” (accessory ossicles) which are usually congenital (present at birth) but may also be due to previous trauma. These extra bones, which can occur with any bone in the foot, can be painless (asymptomatic) and are only noticed when

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis? The blood supply of the leg is transported by arteries and veins. The arteries carry blood from the heart to the limbs; veins carry blood back to the heart. The leg contains superficial veins, which are close to the surface, and deep veins, which lie much deeper in the