Common Foot Problems

Trauma, infection, skin disease, and even simply bearing weight on the feet can cause changes on the skin of the feet, including the toes and heel.

Corns and calluses are an area of thickened skin caused by friction and pressure. Juvenile plantar dermatosis occurs in children on the sole of the front part of the foot and on the toes.

Foot infections include warts; the common disease athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), which is caused by a foot fungus that thrives in warm, humid conditions; and a bacterial infection called pitted keratolysis, which is also associated with warm, damp feet. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infection causing blisters of not only the feet but also the palms and mouth. Information on toenail fungus can be found on our Nails information page.

Skin diseases that affect the foot include dyshidrotic eczema, which is associated with tiny, itchy blisters of the palms, fingers, instep of the foot, or the toes. These blisters then turn into peeling, cracking, or crusting areas. Gout is a form of arthritis, which is the inflammation of a joint. Gout most commonly affects the big toe joint, and it typically starts as an acute attack with severe pain and swelling in the joint.

Click any of the images below to see self-care information and pictures of foot fungus, foot infections, and other foot injuries.