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Robert Scheibmeir
Robert Scheibmeir is owner and operator of Foot Care of Kansas, and the Good Feet Store. The Good Feet Store is a dealership that was opened in October 2001. Foot Care of Kansas opened in June 2002 and serves the needs of diabetics as well as other medical foot care problems. Prior to purchasing Foot Care of Kansas and the Good Feet Store, Mr. Scheibmeir owned and operated Robert’s Shoecare Services in Hutchinson, Kansas for 12 years. Robert has been working with foot care for more than 23 years. He became a Certified Pedorthist in 1999, which requires an extensive knowledge of the foot and how to make shoes and arch supports work together. You may contact Robert at Good Feet at 316-945-9300 or at Foot Care of Kansas at (316) 944-2120.
Health & Medicine
2002-12-01 09:36:00
What exactly are calluses?
:  What are calluses?  Are some people more prone to getting them than others?
ANSWER:  Calluses are areas of skin that thicken in response to repeated pressure and friction. They are the body's way of protecting the skin and the structures beneath it from injury. Calluses can form on the skin of any part of the body that is exposed to excessive pressure or friction.Sometimes they are useful. People who work hard with their hands typically develop thick calluses that protect their fingers and palms from nicks, scratches, and cuts. Playing a stringed musical instrument is a painful process until strong calluses develop on the fingertips.In parts of the world where people commonly go barefoot for much of the year, a thick layer of callus along the plantar (bottom) surface of the feet provides protection. In areas of the world where wearing shoes predominates, calluses on the feet can be a problem.Calluses typically occur on the sole of the foot, on the heel or under the five metatarsal heads (i.e., the area where the long inner bones of the toes extend into the foot). These areas typically bear most of the pressure and friction from standing and walking. As the callus thickens, it causes more pressure against the skin inside the shoe, causing pain.Calluses on the hands reflect normal wear and tear, but calluses on the feet usually indicate a biomechanical problem, resulting in excessive pressure between the skin and the underlying bone.Calluses can develop under the metatarsal heads for two reasons. In many cases, one or more of the metatarsal heads (usually the first or fifth) is too low, causing it to bear more pressure than the others. In other cases, calluses indicate that one of the metatarsals is unstable and shifts weight to those adjacent to it. This is commonly seen in people with flat feet (pes planus). Because the plantar arch is too low, the foot is unstable. The first metatarsal (the one connected to the big toe) is also unstable and when weight is applied to this area, the first metatarsal drifts upward, causing the second metatarsal to accept the extra weight. The second metatarsal is not capable of supporting this extra force and a callus forms where the skin tries to protect the bone.This process can happen with the other metatarsals as well, and more than one callus often forms on the foot at the same time. In many cases, a single large callus develops across the entire metatarsal pad on both feet.
 
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