Many patients come in for painful sore with hard skin on the side of their big toe. If left alone the hard skin becomes tender due to thickness. If left untreated the callous get so thick that the area becomes ulcerated or infected. There are a multitude of reasons for this. Skin irritation from the big toe rubbing against the skin is one problem; trauma caused by an improper fitting shoe may be the cause and lastly you may not be properly walking because of a joint problem in your big toe. A podiatrist will cut down the callous or hard skin with a scalpel blade and make you comfortable. A range of motion exam of the foot and ankle is usually performed. A gait exam is usually performed (watching the way a person walks). Foot doctors typically examine the shoes you wear and can provide a treatment plan for you according to the shoes you wear. Sometimes a simple type of pad can be applied to the foot and the "hard skin" will either go away or not be so painful.
Podiatrist - North Andover
451 Andover Street
North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 794-8406