New Podiatry articles for 2012 include, Common Causes of Foot and Ankle Swelling and Heel Pain in Children and Adolescents.  If you are looking to find more information about specific foot or ankle problems, here are a few articles I recommend:

• Foot Problems 101
• 8 Painful Foot Conditions
• What's Wrong with My Toes?
• 3 Common Toenail Problems

Adult-acquired flat foot is a painful and progressively worsening condition that causes foot pain and dysfunction in sufferers and can make standing and walking unbearable. Adult-acquired flat foot is caused by a breakdown and weakening of the posterior tibial tendon, an important tendon for stabilizing the foot's arch. As a result, the foot's arch gradually collapses, causing a flat foot that splays outward when walking -- over time causing pain due to pinched nerves and wear and tear on joints.

A study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found that the posterior tibial tendons of those with adult-acquired flatfoot had an increased amount of proteolytic enzyme activity. This type of enzyme breaks down protein - part of the tendon's collagen structure - and is one possible biochemical factor at play in chronic tendon weakening. Authors of the study noted there is a similar increase in proteolytic enzyme activity  in other painful tendon conditions, such as Achilles tendonitis and suggested that this finding may help with the formulation of new drug therapies in the future.

Source:  Science Daily - Advance Toward Treatment for Painful Flat Feet

Related:

• Tendonitis - A Common Cause of Foot and Ankle Pain
• Flat Feet

A study published in Arthritis Care and Research found that patients with chronic gout who wore shoes with excessive wear patterns (on the soles of the shoe, for example) or shoes with inadequate cushioning or support were at higher risk for  increased pain and disability from the disease. Gout is a form of arthritis that most commonly affects the big toe joint and is associated with painful episodic flare-ups.  The  researchers who conducted the study suggested that a patient's footwear should  be considered in the treatment plan for gout.

Related:

Gout - A Painful Foot Condition

Osteoarthritis and Your Feet

If you have pain in the joint of your big toe and have noticed a bump slowly developing on the side of the joint, a bunion may be to blame. Other common signs of a bunion include a big toe that has shifted toward the second toe and a widening of the forefoot as the bunion progresses. A bunion is a common foot problem which is most often caused by an anatomical or functional foot abnormality. They may also occur with rheumatoid arthritis, although this is a lesser common cause.

• Image gallery of bunions

A bunion frequently causes pain, which stems from inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the big toe joint. It can progress to arthritic changes in the joint which also contributes to the pain.  The only way to eliminate a bunion is via surgery, which re-aligns foot bones and eliminates the actual bump. There are bunion products that can be helpful for some people in reducing the pain   --  depending on the degree of the symptoms and condition of the big toe joint. To see examples of these products, I recommend: 5 Products for Bunions. Since other problems such as infection or gout can cause toe pain, always  have foot pain evaluated by a podiatrist or other medical professional first.

_{Photo © Getty Images}

Related:

What's Wrong with My Toes? 4 Common Conditions that Affect Toes

Bunions are a Common Problem, Especially for Women