Sports podiatrist Jeremy Gersh from Melbourne's McKinnon Sports Medicine Centre has pretty much seen it all when it comes to feet: "I see patients that play all types of sports, from ballet dancers to marathon runners. Incorrect footwear can often cause, or make injuries a lot worse." Common problems include:

Corns and Calluses
As our toes naturally curl inward, squashing them into tight spaces makes them rub against the inside of the shoe. Your skin tries to protect itself so it forms nasty, painful bumps.

Hard corns (Heloma Durum) appear on the top or the tips of your toes, or along the side of your feet. Soft corns (Heloma Molle) are caused by bone abnormalities and pop up in between your toes. High-heeled shoes can cause soft corns because they force the weight to the front of the foot, adding extra pressure.

Treatment starts with wearing wider, more comfortable shoes. A podiatrist can give you instant relief from hard corns by removing their cores, or cutting or burning them off. But bear in mind that they will usually grow back if you don't fix the underlying problem. For soft corns, pads or orthotics (corrective inserts) may help the toes return to normal.

Bunions
unionsAccording to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, nine out of ten bunions happen to women because most wear shoes that are too small!

A bunion forms when the base of your big toe grows bigger and sticks out. This can also throw your second and third toes out of kilter so you have a very painful and misshapen mess.

Again, switching to wider, flatter shoes will help. The American Podiatric Medical Association tells us to avoid shoes over two inches tall. Bunion pads and ice packs can help relieve inflamed bunions.

If walking becomes a problem then you'll need to see a podiatric physician. They may recommend proper shoe inserts, or surgery to remove those bony bits that shouldn't be there.

Achilles Tendinitis
This is an inflammation of the tendon attached to the back of the heel bone. As the Archilles tendon helps us walk upright, any injuries can cause great discomfort and disability.

Achilles tendinitis is due to stress from stop-start sports like tennis, running and dancing. Failure to warm up properly or overdoing exercise may also overly stress the tendon. If you feel any pain in the Archilles tendon area, stop! If the damage is minor, then a course of rest and recuperation is the best treatment. Applying ice packs for 20 minutes every hour over a day or two will reduce swelling. Compress your ankle and foot with an elastic bandage and elevate the foot as much as possible.

Your doctor will usually recommend a programme of stretching exercises to rehabilitate the tendon before you can become active again. In more serious cases, you may need a flexible cast to reduce swelling. Surgery is only used where there has been a rupture and tearing from the actual heel (double ouch!). Prevention is always the best cure, so make sure you warm up properly before any activity, and wear appropriate shoes.

Interestingly, if you wear high-heels every day, your Archilles tendon will adjust to the shorter length. When you put your trainers on, the tendon is forced to lengthen and injury may occur. If you have to wear heels, good stretches every morning will help prevent tendon shortening.

Heel Spurs
These are bony growths at the bottom of the heel bone. Most people notice spurs when they first stand up in the morning and feel a sharp pain.

A tearing of the ligament on the bottom of the foot called the plantar fascia usually causes heel spurs. The body tries to protect itself by laying down calcium deposits which form into bony spikes. A change in activity, no arch support or cushioning in shoes, being overweight, running on hard surfaces, and too much time on your feet have been blamed for heel spurs. People who have flat feet (over-pronation) or high-arched feet may be more prone to spurs. Orthotics and extra cushioning inside the shoes can relieve the symptoms. A new technique using ultrasound shockwave therapy is getting good results.

Physical activity is such an important part of your day, but unfortunately foot problems can occur and it's important to get treatment. Many people are not aware that a podiatrist can be of great benefit, especially when it comes to footwear. "Podiatrists should be able to access a patient's feet and direct them to the types of footwear that would suit their foot type and particular sport," says Jeremy. But you don't always have to spend big bucks for a good shoe, Jeremy adds. So before you fork out your life savings on the latest trendy gear, get some advice first!

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