What may increase your risk of a serious toe, foot, or ankle problem?

Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• Bone or foot-joint deformities from birth (congenital)
• A history of previous toe, foot, or ankle problems, injuries, or surgery
• Obesity

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Smoking or other tobacco use
• Participating in sports or recreation that is hard on the feet, such as running or basketball
• Work or occupation that is hard on the feet, such as a job that requires standing on your feet all day

Medications

• Anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, or aspirin
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection

Diseases

• Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteomyelitis
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Venous insufficiency