Yes – men and women do generally experience slightly different problems with their feet and ankles.

This is what happens to the fellas most frequently:

1. Ingrown Toenails

These cause a significant amount of pain – to the point where they seriously impact your performance.

Why do men and boys get them?

They don’t understand how to cut their toenails. Always cut straight across the top, and not along with the curvature of your toe. Tight shoes can also cause this problem. Sometimes, injuries, like stubbing your toe or dropping a heavy object on your foot, can also lead to ingrown toenails.

You can try treating an ingrown toenail at home by soaking your foot in warm water with Epsom salt. This softens your nail. Then, slide a piece of cotton or dental floss underneath to force your nail to grow up and over the skin.

2. Athlete’s Foot

You can easily contract this fungus from warm, moist places like gym locker rooms and public showers.

Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid with a few simple precautions. Avoid public showers and lockers, if possible. If not, wear shoes when you do shower. Always be careful to keep your feet clean and dry. And wash or replace old, sweaty sneakers.

3. Gout

Anyone can develop gout, including children. They get it from being obese and having diabetes.

It’s a kind of arthritis that accumulates urate in your joints. And, that’s usually in your big toe joint.

Medications exist for treatment. But you’re better off making long-term lifestyle changes, which include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and reducing your alcohol intake.

4. Plantar Fasciitis

It’s a common cause of heel pain and affects that thick band of tissue which connects your heel to the ball of your foot. Repeated stress over time – usually from sports that require a lot of running – causes this condition.

Your body actually begins to repair some of the tiny tears that this condition entails when you sleep. But then you run again the next day and open those tears up once more.

Using metatarsal pads in your shoes or fitting your feet with custom insoles can help relieve the high-pressure areas of your foot so the condition fully heals. Doing foot massages with a lacrosse ball or chilled water bottle also eases your pain.

If you find yourself experiencing any of these conditions, now you know what to do about them.

And if they become more than you can handle, you can always contact a podiatrist.