Foot Corn

What is foot corn?

Foot corn or simply a corn, is an area of thickened skin formed due to excess friction or increased pressure. It is mostly associated with improper foot care and use of ill-fitting footwear. The statistics of the condition in India show an estimated 2.6 crore cases per 10.65 crore population.

What are its main signs and symptoms?

The symptoms of foot corn are only noticed in the affected areas. These symptoms include:

• Hardened skin
• Conical or rounded appearance of the affected region
• Pain
• White, yellow, or grey discolouration of the affected region
• Difficulty in walking

What are its main causes?

Foot corn mainly occurs due to use of ill-fitting shoes and repeated rubbing of the soles/skin of the foot with the footwear. High heels increase the pressure on foot, which can complicate this condition. Toe abnormalities like hammer or claw-shaped toes can also cause foot corns.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis may be done by a physician or a podiatrist. It involves a physical examination of the foot and taking the patient’s medical history. Foot corn can be easily identified by looking at the appearance of the foot. Blood or imaging tests are never needed to diagnose or treat corns.

Physicians may treat this condition by removing the hardened part via scrapping. Some underlying condition, like diabetes, also needs to be managed to prevent recurrence. There are no major medical interventions for the treatment of foot corn, apart from taking proper foot care to minimize friction. Pain medications often are used to relieve discomfort.

Self-care tips:

• Avoid wearing tight footwear to reduce the friction between the shoe and the foot skin/soles.
• Always wear shoes that are comfortable, do not go anywhere barefoot.
• Use of wool as a separator between toes can also soothe the affected area.
• Toenails must be cut short to avoid pain or pressure around the affected toe.
• A pumice stone may be rubbed after soaking feet for 20 min in a warm water tub.
• Application of moisturizer to corn and surrounding areas will help soften the skin.

To sum up. Foot corn is a condition which can be easily managed with proper care.

1. Cleveland Clinic. [Internet]. Cleveland, Ohio. Corns
2. American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. About Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgeons. Rosemont, Illinois. [internet].
3. American Academy of Dermatology. Rosemont (IL), US; How to treat corns and calluses
4. Health Navigator. Calluses & corns. New Zealand. [internet].
5. American Podiatric Medical Association. Corns and Calluses. Bethesda, Maryland. [internet].

Related Articles

Home remedies for corns

Dr. Laxmidutta Shukla