Corns and calluses are the most common foot problem with prevalence increasing with age, especially with women.
Corns are an accumulation of the skins epidermis and are often caused by an ill fitting shoe or a digital joint that is out of alignment, corns are created by the body to protect the underlying bones of the foot from pressure by building up layers of skin. Ironically, it is this very protection that can cause discomfort if the pressure persists.
Calluses are discrete hard areas on the skin at the sole of the foot. Calluses are often caused again by an ill fitting shoe, a prominent underlying metatarsal bone or a mechanical dysfunction of the foot where here is increased pressure at a specific area of the foot. As the body creates skin to protect the area, again with the build up of skin on the sole of the foot it is compacted by the body weight and unless the affected area is relieved of pressure will cause pain.
As with other forefoot and midfoot deformities such as curly toe, lobster foot, claw foot, cleft foot, conjoined toes, cysts, extra toes, hallux limitus, hallux valgus, bunions, hammer toes, ingrown toe nails, saddle bone deformity, metatarsalgia, morton’s neuroma, onychomycosis, plantar fibromatosis, sesmoiditis, tailors bunion, bunionette, the key for treating the complaint is to relieve pressure.
This can only be achieved with accommodative footwear that is fitted correctly to the foot. Depth shoes with removable insoles for custom inserts, depth shoes with a deep toe box, shoes with soft uppers, shoes with stretch uppers or stretch lateral or medial panels in the case of bunions or corns, footwear with an adjustable closure such as a hook and loop closure or touch closure, can provide a solution for pressure relief.
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