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How to Prevent and Treat Heel Spurs Sep 1st, 2023

An intermittent stabbing pain or dull aching sensation in the heel of your foot could indicate you have a heel spur. A heel spur is a bony-like growth, or calcium deposit, that runs between the heel bone and the arch of your foot.  Heel spurs affect about 15% of people,...

Did You Pick Up a Nasty Toenail Fungus This Summer? We Have Solutions! Aug 7th, 2023

Nothing dampens a great summer like a nasty toenail fungus. The infection may start out as a slight discoloration on your toenail, but before you know it, you have a full-blown problem, turning your summer vacation into an unpleasant experience.  But not to worry. At Optima Foot and Ankle in...

7 Tips for Protecting Your Feet From the Heat Jul 1st, 2023

Whether you're heading to the pool, beach, or lakefront this summer, before kicking off your shoes, make sure you know how to protect your feet from potential hazards.  The board-certified podiatrists at Optima Foot and Ankle in Bend, OR, want to ensure your feet stay happy and healthy all summer...

Why You Might Not See a Plantar Wart Jun 1st, 2023

Plantar warts may not be the most glamorous topic, but if you've ever experienced the pain and discomfort they can cause, you know just how important it is to understand, prevent, and treat these pesky growths. Read on to learn more. The specialists at Optima Foot and Ankle in Bend,...

4 Common Foot Problems of Runners and How to Prevent Them May 9th, 2023

With 26 bones, 33 joints, and an intricate network of more than 100 tendons, ligaments, and muscles, your foot/ankle structure is one of the most complex parts of your body. While this construction makes your feet incredibly resilient and stable, it also leaves them vulnerable to various biomechanical problems, disorders,...

5 Tips for Selecting the Right Hiking Boots Apr 3rd, 2023

 From easy day hikes to rugged treks, our state is a hiking enthusiast’s dream. As you gear up to get outside, we urge you to consider the health of your feet by choosing a hiking shoe that’s up to the task, allowing you to fully enjoy your time outdoors. To...

Treating Plantar Fasciitis Without Surgery: 3 Effective Options Mar 7th, 2023

Plantar fasciitis is a painful foot problem caused by inflamed tissue. It often affects the heel area of people who spend a lot of time on their feet. But it can also affect long-distance runners or anyone who takes up an ambitious walking or running program. Ill-fitting shoes and being...

Managing Psoriatic Arthritis Foot Pain Feb 2nd, 2023

If you have psoriasis, a common skin disease characterized by scaley, red, and inflamed rashes, you have about a 1-in-3 chance of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Psoriatic arthritis, like psoriasis, is a chronic inflammatory disease. Psoriatic arthritis affects the joints where your tendons and ligaments connect to bone, causing pain,...

6 Foot Problems Caused by Ill-Fitting Shoes Jan 4th, 2023

Ideal shoes protect your feet and provide the proper cushioning and support. On the other hand, inadequately fitting shoes have negative effects in the short and long term on foot health. The team at Optima Foot and Ankle, located in Bend, Oregon, is here to help you take the best care of your feet and...

5 Tips for Runners to Prevent Black Toenails Dec 7th, 2022

If you run a lot, your toes experience a lot of stress. Unfortunately, this can lead to black toenails. Laura Schweger, DPM, and Evan M. Ross, DPM, of Optima Foot and Ankle, in Bend, Oregon, are experts in treating foot and ankle conditions. And one issue they come across often...

5 Steps for Performing Your Own Diabetic Foot Check Nov 2nd, 2022

When you have diabetes, you’re at increased risk of developing problems with your feet. As many as one-half of people with diabetes have nerve damage, which is known as peripheral neuropathy. This nerve damage means you have reduced feeling — or no feeling — in your feet, so minor problems,...

5 Exercises for Strengthening Flat Feet Oct 4th, 2022

Dip your foot in water and make a footprint on the concrete. Does it reflect the outline of your entire foot or does it have an inward curve on one side? If your answer is the former, you have flat feet. This is a condition where your arches that help...

When Should You Consider Bunion Surgery? Sep 1st, 2022

As you get older, your feet are more and more likely to be affected by foot deformities like bunions and hammertoes. These conditions may be painless, or you may experience symptoms of foot pain. If the severity of your bunions keeps increasing over time, it might be time to consider...

Shoes, Braces or Tape: What's the Best Way to Support Your Ankles During Exercise? Aug 2nd, 2022

You enjoy an active lifestyle, and the idea of a disabling ankle injury is far from appealing. If you’d prefer not to join the 2 million people who incur an acute ankle sprain each year in the United States, there are some good rules of thumb for supporting your ankles. At Optima Foot...

How to Avoid Athlete’s Foot and Staph Infections in the Locker Room Jul 3rd, 2022

You visit the gym to maintain good health, but did you know it’s a breeding ground for germs? The locker room is a warm, moist area, and conditions are perfect for fungi and bacteria to thrive.  Here the skilled team of podiatrists at Optima Foot and Ankle in Bend, Oregon, explain how you can...

Is Foot Swelling During Air Travel a Concern? Jun 2nd, 2022

Foot swelling is often the result of an underlying condition that requires treatment. For example, poor circulation related to diabetes can contribute to foot and ankle swelling, neuropathy, and diabetic ulcers. Likewise, a sprained ankle and lymphedema are two other sources of foot swelling. But, not all foot swelling warrants a trip to...

How Is a Sprained Ankle Graded? May 4th, 2022

Sprains are one of the most common injuries, especially in the foot and ankle. They may occur from playing sports, going too fast up or down a flight of stairs, or even planting your foot wrong getting out of bed. Fortunately, there are treatments to help you rehab the sprain...

These Bad Habits Are Making Your Heel Pain Worse Apr 7th, 2022

Although several underlying conditions can cause heel pain, most times, it can be resolved without surgery. Often, changing a few habits can help.  Dr. Laura Schweger and Dr. Evan Ross at Optima Foot and Ankle, located in Bend, Oregon, treat numerous people with heel pain. Often, those patients can overcome...

Do High Heels Fuel Bunion Pain? Mar 8th, 2022

Let’s face it: feet aren’t the most attractive part of the body. To make them more appealing, it makes sense to dress them up in high heels.  While we understand that there are widely accepted beauty norms, we also know that your feet often pay a price for those standards....

Stomp Out Toenail Fungus With Our Advanced Laser Technology Feb 1st, 2022

Onychomycosis is a contagious fungal infection that affects your toenails. About 10% of Americans have onychomycosis, but that number increases to 20% if you’re over 60 and 50% if you’re over 70. If you have toenail fungus, your nails may look yellow or brown, crumbly or brittle, ragged, thick, distorted,...

7 Ways to Prepare Your Home in Advance of Foot Surgery Jan 5th, 2022

You’re preparing for foot surgery, perhaps a bunion or hammertoe operation or surgery for an ankle fracture.  Our board-certified podiatrists and podiatric foot and ankle surgeons with Optima Foot and Ankle in Bend, Oregon, offer the most advanced treatments and surgical techniques available today for foot and ankle problems.   If...

5 Ways Custom Orthotics Can Improve Your Life Dec 9th, 2021

Your feet provide a foundation for you to stand, walk, balance, and move through life. Their role in your good health is difficult to overstate. Providing them with a bit of extra support is the least you can do for your heroic feet.  Custom orthotics might just be the answer...

How to Prevent Diabetic Foot Problems Nov 7th, 2021

If you have diabetes, you’re at risk for complications that affect your feet that could lead to amputation. About 50% of women and men with diabetes develop debilitating foot pain while at least 10% develop foot ulcers. Foot amputations from diabetes are on the rise, particularly among younger patients.  Take...

Why are My Feet Getting Bigger? Oct 1st, 2021

Chances are you’ve never contemplated the structure of your feet. But each foot is composed of 26 bones and connective tissue. All that keeps every working part in place. Just as your favorite pair of shoes eventually breaks down, so can the components in your feet, causing them to change...

5 Tips for Finding the Best Walking Shoes for Your Feet Sep 5th, 2021

It goes without saying that a good pair of comfortable walking shoes can make all the difference when you go out and get a little exercise. All too often, however, people find themselves in ill-fitting shoes that cause discomfort, taking the joy out of a morning hike or evening stroll....

Do You Wake Up to Heel Pain? It Could Be Plantar Fasciitis Aug 16th, 2021

When you get up in the morning, and your feet hit the floor, having a stabbing pain in one or both heels can really ruin the mood and set your day up for an unhappy experience. If this happens frequently, and you also notice the same pain when you stand...

How Hammertoes Form Jul 15th, 2021

A hammertoe, or mallet toe, occurs as a deformity of your second, third, fourth, or fifth toe. The condition is named for how the affected toe bends down toward the ground in the shape of a hammer.  A hammertoe can begin as a mild deformity, sometimes present at birth. If...

Why You Shouldn't Play Through a Sprained Ankle Jun 16th, 2021

While being active is an essential part of keeping healthy, there are some instances where it makes sense to stay on the couch. If you’re one of the millions of Americans currently dealing with an injury you sustained playing a sport or pursuing a recreational activity, rest might be just...

When Do Plantar Warts Require a Visit to the Podiatrist? May 11th, 2021

When was the last time you looked at your feet? Chances are it’s been awhile. It’s easy to forget what your feet look like after years of stuffing them in shoes. So when you do finally notice that you’ve developed warts, it can be quite disconcerting.  Our team of experts...

How to Prevent Calluses, Blisters, Athlete's Foot and Other Common Summertime Foot Hazards Apr 21st, 2021

Summertime is getting close! Whether you’re digging out your running shoes, planning on having fun in the sun at the beach, or planning a warm-weather hike, you rely on your feet for summertime activities. Summer plans and situations can also place a lot of stress on your feet. If you...

Help for Your Bunions Mar 10th, 2021

When a bunion first forms, it may only be a source of embarrassment when you consider wearing sandals or going barefoot in public. However, in time, it’s likely to cause your big toe to feel painful, swell, or cause the skin covering the protrusion to become irritated.   A bunion is...

Here's Why You Don't Want to Ignore an Ingrown Toenail Feb 9th, 2021

At first glance, an ingrown toenail seems like a minor problem. The redness, swelling, and pain are temporary and likely to go away on their own, right? Wrong. Your seemingly mild injury can quickly become a throbbing, infected wound. If you’ve noticed an ingrown toenail, you should consider scheduling a...

Understanding the Different Types of Laser Treatments Jan 17th, 2021

Laser therapy harnesses the energy in light to restore and revitalize soft tissue in the body. There are countless laser treatments available today, and some of the most well-known include aesthetic services like laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing. But did you know that laser treatments aren’t just for...

Diabetes and Wound Care Dec 2nd, 2020

High blood sugar impacts all the organs and tissues in your body, including your feet. Each day, 230 Americans suffering from diabetes undergo an amputation due to uncontrolled diabetes, and many experts predict that these numbers will increase due to a rise in diabetes.  Although diabetes care can be overwhelming,...

Healing Your Plantar Fascia Through PRP Therapy Nov 15th, 2020

If you have ever had to deal with plantar fasciitis, you know how awful the stabbing pain in your heel can be when you try to walk. About one percent of Americans are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis each year. As they know, once you have the condition, it can be...

What's the Difference Between a Corn and a Callus? Oct 1st, 2020

Do you have hardened round circles of raised skin on your feet? You might have corns and calluses that develop to protect your feet from irritation. In other words, they become a defense mechanism for an area of your foot that’s exposed to constant friction. For example, when you walk...

Hurt Your Ankle? Here’s What You Should Do Sep 10th, 2020

A social misstep can be embarrassing, but the physical type can mean a painful sprain. Whether it’s a twist of the wrist or an ankle sprain, you’re derailed in what you can do, and it’s frustrating. When you injure an ankle, there are steps you can take at home to...

5 Tips for Protecting Your Feet This Summer Aug 10th, 2020

Those who are new to diabetes are sometimes surprised to find that foot care becomes an important priority. It’s part of a learning curve you face after a diabetes diagnosis since the health challenges of the condition are far-reaching. Even minor foot problems can escalate due to the complications of...

5 Ways to Soothe Bunion Pain Without Surgery Jul 17th, 2020

For such a seemingly small problem, bunions can cause a large amount of pain. You may not even realize you have one at first, but the pain gets worse over time.  Sometimes, you can't put on shoes or even stick your feet under the sheets because the pain is too...

When an Ingrown Toenail Requires Help From Your Podiatrist Jun 11th, 2020

Ingrown toenails are common, affecting as many as 18% of adults in the United States at some point in their life. You may try alleviating the discomfort caused by your ingrown toenail at home. However, if your home remedies fail to alleviate the swelling and tenderness within 2-3 days, then...

5 Ways to Strengthen Your Ankles to Prevent Sprains May 26th, 2020

Do you worry about the risk of spraining an ankle while you're out for a run, walk, or hike? Read on to learn what you should do to protect and strengthen your ankles so you can decrease your chances of suffering a sprain. Blog:  Your ankles contain a delicate combination...

Banish Ugly Toenail Fungus Before Sandal Season Apr 12th, 2020

As summer approaches, you may be thinking about all the summer activities you want to take part in. From standing barefoot in the grass, to walking in the sand at the beach, to putting on your favorite pair of sandals, summer is a time to show your feet a little....

Do You Have Heel Pain? Mar 19th, 2020

IF SO, THIS IS NOT NORMAL!     Although pain in the heel is most often diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, it’s not always the case. Other causes of heel pain can be a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation or rarely, a cyst.   Here at Optima Foot and Ankle,...

Ingrown Toenails Mar 19th, 2020

it is curved and grows into the skin, usually at the nail borders (the sides of the nail). This digging in of the nail irritates the skin, often creating pain, redness, swelling and warmth in the toe.   Causes of ingrown toenails include: Heredity: in many people, the tendency for...

Ditch the Toenail Fungus, Not Your Favorite Footwear Mar 19th, 2020

A fungus is an organism that lives in warm, moist areas. Fungus of the toenails is a common problem that can affect people of all ages, although it most commonly affects individuals who are older. Toenail fungus often begins as an infection in the skin called tinea pedis (also known...

Bunion Pain? Mar 19th, 2020

Just a bump on the side of the big toe? Not really! The visible bump actually reflects changes in the bony framework of the front part of the foot. The big toe leans toward the second toe, rather than pointing straight ahead. This throws the bones out of alignment -producing...