Certified Wound Ostomy Nurse (CWON) Practice Test

What condition may assume a rocker bottom configuration as it progresses?

1. Corns

2. Callus

3. Charcot's arthropathy

4. Fissures

The correct answer is: Charcot's arthropathy

Charcot's arthropathy is characterized by degeneration of the joints and is often associated with diabetes or neuropathy. As this condition progresses, it can lead to a significant collapse of the midfoot, resulting in a rocker bottom foot structure. This deformity, defined by a convex shape at the bottom of the foot, occurs due to the destruction of bone and soft tissue. The instability and neuropathic changes in the foot allow for this abnormal configuration, which can then lead to further complications like ulceration or infections. Other options present conditions that, while they may involve the skin and foot, do not develop the distinct rocker bottom shape that is characteristic of Charcot's arthropathy. Corns and calluses are both forms of thickened skin due to pressure and friction, while fissures are cracks or splits in the skin; none of these conditions involve the same structural and joint integrity issues resulting in a rocker bottom configuration.