Technical terms explained simply

a

• Achillodynia Pain in the Achilles tendon, usually from overload – morning start-up pain is typical.
• Angiopathy Umbrella term for diseases of the blood vessels – relevant for the feet mainly because of reduced circulation and wound healing.
• Anhidrosis Absent or greatly reduced sweating – the skin becomes dry and cracked.
• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) Medicines that inhibit blood clotting – important to know before any foot treatment.
• Antimycotic Medicine against fungal infections, e.g. as a cream, nail lacquer or tablet.
• Arch of the foot The longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot, which absorb shocks and distribute body weight.
• Autoclave Steam steriliser that makes instruments germ-free using pressure and heat.

b

• Bactericidal Killing bacteria – a property of disinfectants and some medicines.
• Blister (bulla) Fluid-filled cavity in the skin, on the foot usually caused by friction in new or poorly fitting shoes.
• Bromhidrosis Unpleasant body or foot odour caused by bacteria breaking down sweat.

c

• Callosity Flat callus on heavily loaded areas such as the heel or ball of the foot.
• Catalogue of remedies Part of the remedies guideline that specifies which remedies may be prescribed in what quantity for which diagnoses.
• Charcot foot Serious complication of nerve damage in which the bones and joints of the foot soften and deform.
• Chilblains (perniones) Itchy, bluish-red swellings on the toes or fingers caused by cold, damp weather.
• Clavus Technical term for a corn – a thickening of callus with a painful core pointing inwards.
• Claw toe Toe deformity with bent middle and end joints – the toe curls like a claw.
• Compression stockings Medical stockings with graduated pressure that support the return flow of blood and prevent swelling.
• Corn Round thickening of callus with a hard core that hurts badly under pressure (clavus).
• Cosmetic foot care Care of healthy feet: foot bath, trimming and shaping nails, removing calluses, moisturising – with polish on request.
• Cuticle The thin layer of dead skin lying on the nail plate – commonly called the “cuticle”.

d

• Decubitus Pressure ulcer caused by lying or sitting on the same spot for a long time – on the feet often at the heel.
• Dermatomycosis Fungal infection of the skin – known on the foot as athlete’s foot.
• Diabetes mellitus Metabolic disease with raised blood sugar that can damage the nerves and blood vessels of the feet in the long term.
• Diabetic foot syndrome Complication of diabetes in which nerve damage and circulatory disorders can lead to poorly healing wounds on the foot.
• Diabetic neuropathy Nerve damage caused by diabetes in which the feet feel pain, pressure and temperature less well.
• Digitus Latin for finger or toe – on the foot it is called digitus pedis.
• Disinfection Targeted killing or inactivation of pathogens on skin, surfaces and instruments.

e

• Eponychium The living skin tissue at the base of the nail that seals the nail against germs.
• Erysipelas Bacterial skin infection with sharply defined, hot redness and often fever – the entry point on the foot is frequently athlete’s foot.
• Exostosis Benign bony outgrowth that can cause pressure points and pain in the shoe.

f

• Fissure (rhagade) Deep, painful crack in the skin – on the foot typically on dry, callused heels.
• Flat foot Foot deformity in which the longitudinal arch has flattened and almost the whole sole touches the ground.
• Flexible flatfoot Combination of a heel tilted inwards and a lowered longitudinal arch – common and usually harmless in children.

g

• Gout (podagra) Metabolic disease with uric acid crystals in the joints – the first attack often affects the big toe joint.
• Granulation tissue Well-vascularised tissue that bleeds easily (“proud flesh”), which forms e.g. with ingrown nails.

h

• Haglund’s deformity Bony prominence at the back of the heel bone that presses in the shoe and can cause painful swelling.
• Hallux Technical term for the big toe – it bears a large part of the body weight when rolling off.
• Hallux rigidus Osteoarthritis of the big toe joint that increasingly stiffens the joint and causes pain when rolling the foot.
• Hallux valgus Deformity of the big toe, which deviates towards the other toes, with a protruding bunion.
• Hammer toe Toe deformity in which the middle joint of a small toe is permanently bent.
• Heel spur Bony outgrowth on the heel bone, often associated with stabbing heel pain when stepping.
• Hematoma Bruise – on the foot often under the toenail after a knock or pressure.
• Hollow foot Foot shape with an excessively high arch, putting heavy load on the heel and ball of the foot.
• Hyperhidrosis Excessive sweating beyond normal temperature regulation – on the feet often with odour and a risk of fungus.
• Hyperkeratosis Excessive keratinisation of the skin – as callus, hard skin or corn.
• Hyponychium The strip of skin under the free edge of the nail that seals the space under the nail against germs.

i

• Involuted nail (pincer nail) Nail curved strongly inwards whose edges press into the skin – in extreme cases a “pincer nail”.

k

• Keratolytic Active ingredient that softens and dissolves keratinised skin – e.g. salicylic acid or high-dose urea.

l

• Leukonychia White spots or lines in the nail – usually harmless and caused by small injuries to the nail matrix.
• Lunula The whitish “half-moon” at the base of the nail – the visible part of the nail matrix.

m

• Maceration Softened, whitish skin caused by prolonged moisture – on the foot especially between the toes.
• Medical foot care Legally protected term in Germany: only state-certified podiatrists may offer “medical foot care”.
• Metatarsalgia Umbrella term for pain in the forefoot around the metatarsal heads, often due to overload or splayfoot.
• Monofilament test Simple test using a nylon filament to check the touch sensitivity of the sole – important with diabetes.
• Morton’s neuroma Trapped, thickened nerve between the metatarsal heads – usually between the 3rd and 4th toes – causing sharp, shooting pain.
• Mycological examination Laboratory test for fungi on a skin or nail sample – reliably clarifies whether nail fungus is really present.

n

• Nail bed The well-supplied skin under the nail plate on which the nail rests firmly.
• Nail correction (orthonyxia) Gentle correction of ingrown or curved nails with a nail brace – usually without surgery.
• Nail fold The skin folds that surround the nail plate at the sides and base – this is where ingrown nails and inflammation occur.
• Nail matrix The “growth zone” of the nail under the nail fold – this is where the nail plate is formed.
• Nail plate The visible, hard part of the nail made of keratinised keratin, which grows forwards from the nail matrix.
• Nail psoriasis Involvement of the nails in psoriasis – with pitting, oil spots, thickening or separation of the nail.
• Neuropathy Damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, often with numbness, tingling or burning in the feet.

o

• Oedema Swelling caused by fluid retention in the tissue – common on the feet and ankles in hot weather, after long standing or with venous insufficiency.
• Onychauxis Thickening of the nail plate without curvature – common in old age, after injuries or with nail fungus.
• Onychogryphosis Severely thickened nail curved like a claw or ram’s horn, usually on the big toe – often in old age.
• Onycholysis Separation of the nail plate from the nail bed; the detached part appears whitish or yellowish.
• Onychomycosis (nail fungus) Nail fungus – a fungal infection that discolours, thickens and weakens the nails.
• Onychoschizia Brittle nails that split into layers at the free edge – often due to drying out.
• Orthosis Custom-made aid, on the foot usually made of silicone, that relieves, protects or corrects the toes.

p

• PAD (peripheral arterial disease) Peripheral arterial disease: narrowed leg arteries leading to cold feet, pain when walking and poor wound healing.
• Panaritium (whitlow) Purulent infection of a finger or toe, usually caused by bacteria after small injuries.
• Papillomavirus (HPV) Group of viruses (HPV) that causes warts on the hands and feet, among other things.
• Paronychia Inflammation of the nail fold around the nail – acute forms usually bacterial, chronic forms often fungal.
• Plantar fasciitis Irritation of the tendon plate under the sole of the foot with typical heel pain during the first steps in the morning.
• Podiatry Non-medical foot therapy – prevention and treatment of pathological changes by state-certified specialists.
• Prescription for remedies Doctor’s prescription (form 13) with which podiatry is prescribed and covered by statutory health insurance.
• Pressure relief Measures such as pads, orthoses and suitable shoes that protect vulnerable areas of the foot from pressure and friction.

r

• Raynaud’s syndrome Attacks of vascular spasm triggered by cold or stress: toes or fingers turn white, then blue, then red.

s

• Soft corn Corn between the toes (“soft corn”) caused by the toes pressing against each other.
• Splayfoot Most common foot deformity: the transverse arch sinks, the forefoot widens and the middle metatarsal heads are overloaded.
• Sterilisation Complete killing of all germs including spores – in podiatry by steam in an autoclave.

t

• Tarsal tunnel syndrome Trapped nerve behind the inner ankle with tingling, burning or numbness on the sole.
• Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) Fungal infection of the skin on the foot, usually between the toes – itchy, scaly, often with softened skin.
• Tuning fork test Testing vibration sense with a tuning fork (Rydel-Seiffer) – an early indication of nerve damage.

u

• Ulcer Deep, poorly healing skin wound – on the foot usually caused by pressure with diabetes or circulatory disorders.
• Unguis incarnatus (ingrown toenail) Ingrown toenail, where the nail edge presses painfully into the surrounding skin.
• Urea Moisture-binding active ingredient in foot creams – in higher concentrations it also softens calluses.

v

• Varicose veins Dilated, twisted veins in the legs due to weak venous valves – often with heavy, swollen legs.
• Verruca plantaris (plantar wart) Plantar wart on the sole of the foot that grows inwards under walking pressure and hurts.
• Verruca (wart) Technical term for a wart – a benign, contagious skin growth caused by papillomaviruses.

w

• Wart Benign, contagious skin growth caused by papillomaviruses – on the foot usually a plantar wart.