Curling Experience

In order to tone your tush, sculpt your derriere, or "blast" your butt, you must target your gluteal muscles with a variety of different exercises. In the midst of a flu epidemic, the first sign of symptoms can mean either the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) or another flu virus. The resulting unnatural bend is often compared to an upside down "V" and also to a hammer or a claw (The condition is sometimes referred to as clawtoe or clawfoot). Since the arched bending of hammertoe often causes the toe to rub against the top of the shoe's toe box and against the sole, painful corns and calluses develop on the toes. Hammertoe can also be a result of squeezing within a too-small or ill-fitting shoe or wearing high heels that jam your toes into a tight toe box inside your shoe, arthritis, trauma and muscle and nerve damage from diseases such as diabetes. While this condition can affect any toe, it most commonly affects the big toe. If left untreated, an ingrown toenail is likely to develop an infection and may even require surgery to remove the nail. Most ingrown toenails can be treated at home by soaking the foot in warm water, applying antibiotic cream to the area and wrapping the toe in gauze or bandages. Your doctor may also place a piece of cotton under the nail to separate it from the skin that it is growing into, encouraging growth above the edge of the skin. Patients can prevent ingrown toenails by protecting the foot from trauma and by wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes. As the deformity progresses, there may also be upward bending (hyperextension) of the first toe joint (metatarsophalangeal joint, or MTP joint) and the last joint (distal interphalangeal joint, or DIP joint) (Watson). Pressure points form on the bottom of the ball of the foot (metatarsal head) and on the top Flat Feet of the middle joint of the toe. If only the DIP joint of the toe bends down, the deformity is known as a "mallet toe." If both the PIP joint and DIP joint bend down while the first joint (MTP joint) bends up, the condition is known as a "claw toe" (Watson). A hammertoe can overlap or underlap another toe. The bones at the ends are called the distal (meaning farthest away) phalanges, the ones in the middle (not present in the big toes) are called the middle phalanges, and the ones closest to the other bones of the feet are called the proximal (or nearest) phalanges. As you walk, the joints that connect these bones, held together by muscles, ligaments and tendons, flex each time you take a step. Essentially, hammertoes are caused by an abnormal interworking of the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons that comprise your feet. Also try lifting one foot to stretch out and pick up objects to the side and then return to the heel-to-toe position. Misfit Shoes: Wearing shoes that don't fit, especially the ones that have a narrow toe box, is one of the common causes. High-heeled shoes or ill-fitting shoes that are extremely tight especially in the toe area are also responsible for toe cramps. Dry your feet well before putting the new socks on. The foot should then be kept in a rubber or plastic boot for 3 to 5 days with a cotton pad soaked in saturated magnesium sulfate solution or other suitable poultice. The toe region above the coronet usually enlarges, creating the buttress foot” appearance. Surgery has been successful for the separating fractures. Surgery to remove the diseased tissue and cartilage is usually successful.