Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC

Plantar warts are noncancerous growths that typically appear on the weight-bearing parts of your feet, such as the heel, ball, or sole. They are generally rough but spongy in texture, and are either gray, brown, or yellow. Most of the time, they go away without any real medical attention. But more stubborn plantar warts will need to be seen by your local podiatrist. The doctors at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey are dedicated to helping you keep your feet as healthy as possible. We use our feet everyday, so it’s vital to take care of them! Caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), plantar warts invade the body through broken skin on the bottoms of your feet. That’s why it is always recommended to wear flip flops around the pool, communal showers, or locker rooms. We can diagnose and treat your warts to remove them fast, as well as advise you on how to protect yourself from future plantar warts. You should see Dr. Killian or Dr. Chandrani immediately if: - You’re unsure if what...

Dry skin is common, especially with old age and during the cold months. No matter how common, though, steps should still be taken to replenish moisture in your skin. Skin that is left severely dry can become itchy and scaly, which are signs that your xerosis has progressed into pruritus. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey take pride in educating our patients about proper foot care. We want all of our patients feeling the best they can! While xerosis is a minor and temporary problem that does not normally require medical attention, if severe enough, it causes significant discomfort. Some symptoms include skin that is dry, itchy, scaly, tight (especially after a shower), white, flakey, irritated, or finely cracked. You should immediately see your doctor if you find that your skin is oozing or peeling, or if your skin worsens or develops a ring-shaped rash. Preventing xerosis is quite simple, though sometimes inevitable for those over sixty-five. At that point, you can reduce t...

Our feet withstand a lot. They hold up the full weight of our bodies and propel us forward. It’s important that we take care of our feet so that they can last us our lifetimes with little complication. Common toe deformities such as claw toe, hammertoe, and mallet toe can all be prevented if we treat our feet right. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey are dedicated to helping our patients find relief and educating them about how they can prevent future toe deformities.    Claw toe, hammertoe, and mallet toe: it almost sounds like we’re going through a toolbox. But the names do lend to the visual abnormality of these deformities, as well as the discomfort. Most of the time, surgery will be required to completely correct these deformities. The tissue will need to be released and tendons will need to be lengthened.    A closer look at the common toe deformities:   - Claw toe: This deformity is caused by one of the tendons in the foot contracting, raising the first bone in the t...

At Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey, Drs. Killian and Chandrani diagnose and treat a wide range of foot problems. Flatfoot is a condition that is seen in both adults and children, though it is referred to as “pediatric flatfoot” in children. When the arch of the foot begins to shrink and ultimately disappears, your child is experiencing pediatric flatfoot. This condition is especially apparent when the child is standing. Don’t wait to have your child’s feet evaluated, as this could cause a whole other host of problems as they grow. The podiatrists at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC have the expertise to help. Other symptoms of pediatric flatfoot include heels that jut outward, pain or discomfort while walking, a change in gait, and cramping in the feet or legs. There are also two variations of pediatric flatfoot: flexible and rigid. Flexible pediatric flatfoot is where the foot arch reappears when the child sits or tiptoes. Rigid pediatric flatfoot is quite the opposite, where the arc...

Hammertoes aren’t pleasant and the name for this foot condition doesn’t help its cause. Without initially knowing what hammertoes are, one might picture a literal hammer smooshing the toes back into the foot. This isn’t too far off. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey want our patients to know that they do not have to live with this pain. There are ways to find pain relief and prevent this common foot condition! Hammertoe is a deformity that occurs in the middle joint of one or more of your little toes. It develops when there is an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that normally hold the toes straight. The structure of your feet, trauma, certain diseases, and the type of shoes you wear can all bring on hammertoes. Surgery may be required to correct hammertoes if they are severe enough. Left untreated, the toes affected can become permanently bent and cause painful corns or calluses.  Preventing hammertoes is quite easy since a lot of it has to do with the shoes ...

Have you ever been kicked in the shin before? It is by no means fun, which is why athletes in high-impact sports are required to wear shin guards. Soccer and football players wear special padding on their shins to protect themselves from scrapes, breaks, and tears. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey believe in safety over anything else when it comes to playing a sport. Of course, everyone wants to win their game, but it doesn’t do your team any good if you need to be taken out of the game due to an injury! Shin guards are especially important in youth sports. Since the kids are still learning the ropes of their favorite sport, accidents happen. It’s better to be prepared for a player to miss the soccer ball and kick an opposing player in the shin. With protected shins, it’s not really something a player has to worry about or feel guilty for if they accidentally kick someone. In truth, shin guards take away the fear of possibly hurting another player, or getting hurt themselv...

Do you feel a sharp pain in your foot when you stand on tiptoe? Chances are you have metatarsalgia, or in other words, the ball of your foot has become inflamed. Although this is not a serious condition, it can definitely make it difficult to complete day to day activities. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC provide treatment for an array of ailments, including metatarsalgia. Your New Jersey podiatrist wants to make sure your problem is treated quickly and efficiently so that you can go back to doing the things you need to do, pain-free!   Symptoms of metatarsalgia include a sharp, aching, or burning pain in your foot, numbness or tingling in your toes, a feeling that there’s a pebble in your shoe, and pain that worsens over time. If pain lasts longer than a few days, it’s recommended that you see your podiatrist at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC to make sure that there isn’t something more serious going on.    Some causes of metatarsalgia include: - Certain foot shapes - Stress fractures - I...

Also known as onychomycosis, foot fungus is specifically a fungal infection of the toenails. It causes toenails to become brittle and distorted, thicken, turn yellow, and emanate a foul smell. Foot fungus has the ability to cause a whole host of other problems, including uncomfortable mobility. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC have the expertise to help you or someone you know with various foot problems. Your New Jersey podiatrist is dedicated to getting you on the road to treatment for a pain-free life.    Foot fungus comes in varying degrees of severity. Sometimes treatment isn’t required if it doesn’t bother you. However, for severe cases, relief can only be achieved by a podiatrist’s treatment. The frustrating thing about foot fungus is that even if treatment is successful, nail fungus often comes back. There are a few risk factors to be aware of, some in your control and some not:   -History of athlete’s foot -Sweating a lot -Diabetes causes circulation problems and a weakened imm...

Are you a soccer or basketball player? Did you know that stress fractures are common in sports with constant running? The repetitive activity can cause a small crack or bruise on your foot bone. Stress fractures can also occur when someone changes their activity, such as running on a treadmill to running outdoors. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC realize that things happen, no matter how much you prepare your body for physical activity. We are dedicated to treating your sports injury as quickly as we can, so that you can get back on the court.  The sudden increase or change in physical activity are causes of stress fractures and include poor conditioning, improper technique, change in surface, and using improper equipment. Certain medications and pre-existing conditions can make individuals more susceptible to stress fractures, such as the bone insufficiency that comes with osteoporosis. Stress fractures are also more common during the winter, since the body is deprived of the sun’s vit...

Do you have heel pain? If so, then you might have plantar fasciitis, which is the most common culprit of heel pain. This condition involves the band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects to your heel bone and toes, to become inflamed. The stabbing pain that comes with plantar fasciitis affects your day to day routine, where even the simplest tasks cause discomfort. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC take pride in assisting our patients in the treatment of their foot problems. You shouldn’t have to live in pain! Your New Jersey podiatrist can help. Plantar fasciitis is typically caused by overstressing the bowstring that supports the arch of your foot, though a clear cause isn’t really known. With this kind of condition, rest is the key to finding relief. Stretching or exercising with plantar fasciitis can actually worsen it, resulting in chronic heel pain.  There are some known factors that increase your risk of plantar fasciitis, including: - Age - Obesity - Bei...