Almost 9 out of 10 patients that we see here in clinic have callus build up under the bottom of their feet. The callus buildup can range from light and diffuse to being very heavily built up.. Callus generally tells a Chiropodist a story about your feet and the way you might be walking. Callus is a result of pressure, when there is too much pressure in a certain area, your body is stimulated to lay down more skin to protect itself. Over time, this buildup goes from being protective to being pathological. If the callus buildup is very heavy, it causes an excess of pressure which can break down the underlying skin and cause blood to leak out underneath. Another complication of heavy callus buildup is that fissures can form which can predispose you to having openings in your skin which can become infected. All of these, if combined with a compromised immune system, can lead to infections that can become limb threatening or even life threatening.
How can a Chiropodist help you with callus? Generally, Chiropodist are adept at debriding off callus and thereby reducing the pressure over the area. Chiropodist can also custom make padding that can be applied to your feet to offload areas of pressure. This can also be translated into a permanent offloading when combined into an orthotic.
General Tips for Slowing Down the Progression of Callus:
- Wear appropriate footwear inside the home and outside the home, this will help reduce pressure off your feet
- Wear custom orthotics that are designed to limit compensation and thus reduce abnormal pressures in the bottom of your feet
- Moisturize your feet daily with cream that contains Urea, ideally 5-10% Urea. Some of our recommended creams include Dermal Therapy, Uremol 10, and Urisec.
- Use an emery board to file down calluses once a day
- See your Chiropodist regularly for callus maintenance, offloading and for custom orthotics