Chilblains
Chilblains area common problem in some countries and unheard of in others. They tend to commonly occur in colder climates.
Once they occur, it is important to keep the foot warm (link to advice) and prevent it from happening again. There is not a lot of research done on them despite how common they are (link to the research). They are more common in females, so that suggest hormonal issues, but the do occur in males. Lots of questions gets asked in forums and often the answers for a “cure” are just not there, so a lot more research is needed to get to the bottom of this small, but annoying problem.
What is a plantar plate tear?
The plantar plate is a strong ligament under the joints at the base of the toe in the ball of the foot. It is reasonably common to strain that ligament or have a small partial tear in it.
Typically, this starts as a slight ache under the ball of the foot that can be quite painful on palpation. The toe of the affected joint also tends to lift up off the ground.
Many questions get asked in forums and message boards on how to treat this, especially if it can heal on its own. It can’t. Treatment is almost always needed. Most the best way to treat it, is with strapping:
If that conservative approach is not helpful, there surgery is often needed.