What is wrong with Rebeccas feet? Dr. Sarah Haller treats Permanent Stilletos on My Feet

My Feet Are Killing Me has followed the stories of many people with a range of foot issues. In the latest episode, the TLC show is bringing us Rebecca’s story. As you read further, you’ll understand why the episode’s titled “Permanent Stilettos”!

The official synopsis for the upcoming episode tells us that besides Rebecca, who has growth like “permanent stilettos” on her feet, we will also see two other cases. There is a man with “terribly twisted toes” and “a woman with feet that look like stones.”

Who is Rebecca and what’s wrong with her feet?

24-year-old Rebecca from Georgia is one of only eight people in the world who are known to have this genetic condition. 

She visits Dr. Sarah along with her mother Karen. While waiting at the clinic, Rebecca is heard telling her mother that her toes are sore, before explaining that she suffers from Olmsted Syndrome – a condition that makes her feel like she’s “walking on rocks”.

“I can’t sleep. There are times I wake up in the middle of the night – 10, 15 times – because the pressure pains from it are excruciating at times. My condition is exhausting,” she said.

The condition caused Rebecca so much pain that she couldn’t even jump or go to the store like other kids of her age. She tells her mother she’s “nervous” about meeting with Dr. Sarah and she tears up before saying: “It’s been a long time coming”

What is Olmsted Syndrome?

Olmsted Syndrome, also known as mutilating palmoplantar keratoderma, is a rare genetic condition that causes abnormal growth and thickening of the skin. According to RareDiseases.info, less than one in 1,000,000 people have this condition. 

Some of the signs and symptoms of Olmsted Syndrome include thickening of the skin around palms and soles, abnormal growth around different body parts, and abnormal hair growth. 

Rebecca started showing symptoms when she was just five. Her mother initially thought the blisters were psoriasis but realised later it was a lot more serious. She was confined to a wheelchair throughout high school. 

It is also said that Olmsted Syndrome doesn’t have a cure and treatment purely depends on managing the symptoms.

Doctor’s opinion on the rare case

Dr. Sarah explains that Rebecca’s case is one of the rarest conditions she has ever come across. “My next patient, Rebecca, has some of the most interesting feet I’ve seen,” she says. 

She also says that the condition that “doesn’t really make a lot of sense” has caused nearly one-inch-thick growth under Rebecca’s feet. “It’s like having a stiletto permanently on your foot,” the doctor says. 

Meanwhile, Karen’s mother is desperate to reduce her daughter’s pain and is counting on the doctor to help Rebecca start life afresh. 

Will Dr. Sarah be able to get rid of Rebecca’s “permanent stilettos”? Watch the next episode of My Feet Are Killing Me to find out!

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