As we get older, our health continues to weaken. Every time we take a trip to the doctor’s office we pray nothing new comes up. Time and time again we hear the same old story, “you need to make sure you exercise to stay healthy.” Whether you have hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, your doctor is going to prescribe exercise! So how does an elderly person stay fit? Walking is everyone’s favorite activity! It is often the safest and easiest type of physical activity to participate as we age. Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy and safe while walking.
Walking Tip #1: Warm up and Cool down
It may seem silly and useless, but taking time to warm up and cool down before walking is very important. It allows an increase of blood flow to your muscles. This increases the oxygen levels available to your muscles. As you exercise, your muscles use the oxygen to create energy. If the oxygen is depleted, your body creates lactic acid which causes pain and your muscles to get tired faster. A warm up will help prevent this from happening. Stretching is an import part of a warm up and cool down. Having tight muscles can cause many different problems and can be painful. Stretching can also help prevent injuries.
Walking Tip #2: Buy a good pair of shoes that fits!
We all want to watch our budget, but walking shoes is not a place to cut corners. You should shop for your shoes in the afternoon. Your feet will swell throughout the day; thus, to ensure you have a properly fitted shoes you should avoid buying them in the mornings. Also make sure you have ample space in the toe box. You should be able to wiggle your toes around in your shoes. Try on several different brands and different sizes and walk around with them on both feet. This is the only way to find a comfortable shoe!
Walking Tip #3: Your feet should not hurt!
You may experience some pain when you begin your new walking schedule. You should pay close attention because this is not a normal occurrence. Self treatment may lead to more significant problem. You should contact a podiatric physician who will be able to accurately asses your pain and treatment options.
Walking Tip #4: Walk on softer surfaces!
As we get older, we lose our protective fat pad on the bottom of our feet. This increases the pressure on our bones and may lead to stress fractures. These types of injuries are more common in women but can also occur in men. Try to walk on grass, or dirt paths rather than hard cement if possible. Through softer ground may be better for stress fractures, make sure the ground is even to prevent ankle sprains or falls.
Walking Tip #5: Make a plan and get a friend!
Changing your lifestyle to include exercise is a huge undertaking. It is not easy to always stay motivated. It works best to build a plan and schedule that you can adhere to the best. Talk over your plan with your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for your health concerns. Find a friend or local walking groups to join. This will make the experience more enjoyable and rewarding!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Can You Buy Foot Products From a Catalogue?
While flying home from a medical conference, I noticed that airplane shopping magazines have everything. You can buy jackknife watches, home acupuncture kits, and even the world’s largest crossword puzzle. Amazing! You may notice that the magazine is full of advertisements for healthcare products. You can buy hearing aids, back adjusters and tons of different foot products. All while flying thousands of miles above your doctor’s office. So how reliable are these products?
Almost everyone has achy feet. Studies have shown that 75% of the American population has at least one foot problem. What a great market! Though we all have achy feet, there are thousands of reasons why our feet hurt. Do these products address your problem? If you have achy feet and have not yet seen a podiatric physician then I highly recommend that you refrain from wasting your money on products. If you have heel pain, it is not always planter fasciitis. Unless you have a diagnosis from your podiatric physician, you should not be using products to treat any foot disorder.
What if you have a diagnosis? When a doctor diagnosis’s you with a disorder, they develop a treatment plan that treats you and your specific conditions. Podiatric physicians know more about the foot and ankle than any other profession. With a combination of education and experience, podiatric physicians can map out a step by step process that will give you the best road to recovery. If you use products that are not a part of their treatment plan, you may interfere with your own healing! Talk to your doctor before trying something new. It may hurt you more than it will help you. Also, make sure to talk to your doctor about products you have used in the past. This is valuable information for the doctor because it may be the reason you are still or again experiencing problems.
What if your doctor already talked to you about using a product? Your doctor should discuss their treatment plan with you. High in the air, you see a devise that looks just like the one he showed you in the office. Should you take advantage of the low prices in the sky? Just because two products look the same, does not mean they are made the same. There is constantly being new products developed and researched but not all foot products have reliable studies to back up their claims. Many of the products that podiatric physicians provide are only found in physician offices and often a special licenses and education is needed to provide such products. These products always have legitimate studies that approves their use, but only someone who has training can really determine if it is the right product for you. Your foot is very complex and the devices and products provided in the doctor’s office are made with your foot’s anatomy and biomechanics in mind. Many of the products you find outside of the office are made with your pocketbook in mind.
Here are some helpful hints to guide you through the foot mall. Shoes should be made to support your feet not to fit in your back pocket. If you can fold the shoe or sandal up to a compactable size it is probably not going to support your foot well. There is a country song that says “Shoes don’t stretch and men don’t change.” Maybe you forgot but shoes come in multiple sizes. If they don’t fit buy the next size up. Let that “I’ll change for you” boy buy the shoe stretcher. Check your doctor’s website for products. Your podiatric physician can provide you with products approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Your physician is not there to take advantage of you; they are there to make you feel better. They provide you with a product because it is in their treatment plan to make you better. Most other places do not care if get better as long as you buy.
Almost everyone has achy feet. Studies have shown that 75% of the American population has at least one foot problem. What a great market! Though we all have achy feet, there are thousands of reasons why our feet hurt. Do these products address your problem? If you have achy feet and have not yet seen a podiatric physician then I highly recommend that you refrain from wasting your money on products. If you have heel pain, it is not always planter fasciitis. Unless you have a diagnosis from your podiatric physician, you should not be using products to treat any foot disorder.
What if you have a diagnosis? When a doctor diagnosis’s you with a disorder, they develop a treatment plan that treats you and your specific conditions. Podiatric physicians know more about the foot and ankle than any other profession. With a combination of education and experience, podiatric physicians can map out a step by step process that will give you the best road to recovery. If you use products that are not a part of their treatment plan, you may interfere with your own healing! Talk to your doctor before trying something new. It may hurt you more than it will help you. Also, make sure to talk to your doctor about products you have used in the past. This is valuable information for the doctor because it may be the reason you are still or again experiencing problems.
What if your doctor already talked to you about using a product? Your doctor should discuss their treatment plan with you. High in the air, you see a devise that looks just like the one he showed you in the office. Should you take advantage of the low prices in the sky? Just because two products look the same, does not mean they are made the same. There is constantly being new products developed and researched but not all foot products have reliable studies to back up their claims. Many of the products that podiatric physicians provide are only found in physician offices and often a special licenses and education is needed to provide such products. These products always have legitimate studies that approves their use, but only someone who has training can really determine if it is the right product for you. Your foot is very complex and the devices and products provided in the doctor’s office are made with your foot’s anatomy and biomechanics in mind. Many of the products you find outside of the office are made with your pocketbook in mind.
Here are some helpful hints to guide you through the foot mall. Shoes should be made to support your feet not to fit in your back pocket. If you can fold the shoe or sandal up to a compactable size it is probably not going to support your foot well. There is a country song that says “Shoes don’t stretch and men don’t change.” Maybe you forgot but shoes come in multiple sizes. If they don’t fit buy the next size up. Let that “I’ll change for you” boy buy the shoe stretcher. Check your doctor’s website for products. Your podiatric physician can provide you with products approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Your physician is not there to take advantage of you; they are there to make you feel better. They provide you with a product because it is in their treatment plan to make you better. Most other places do not care if get better as long as you buy.
The Effect of Ankle Injuries on Your March Madness Office Pool
There are two things for which March is known: green beer and basketball. This week, Americans are enjoying both. Whether you are a twelve year old boy or a grandma involved in the nursing home pool, it seems like everyone is talking about March madness. But did you know that just the last week there were five foot or ankle injuries among the players competing in the NCAA tournament. Before you turn in your bracket, you may want to take some of these injuries into consideration.
Robert Sacre, Gonzaga Bulldogs; Liam mcMorrow,Marquette Golden Eagles; Ty Lawson, North Carolina Tar Heels; Teondre Williams, Oregon Ducks; and Jonnie West, West Virginia Mountaineers have all had foot or ankle injuries within the last week and all of their teams have advanced into the tournament. Whether or not these injuries will affect the teams is questionable, but what we should be asking is why these injuries are happening so late in the season. At this point, the athletes should be at their prime strength, so why are the falling apart?
Basketball, like all sports, puts significant stress on your body especially your foot. Running causes an increase in forces on your foot and ankle three to six times your body weight. When a forward goes up for a rebound, they come down to contact the ground with a forces six times their body weight. Our body is designed to compromise and adjust for these forces, but if we do them too fast, we can cause damage to our body. This is why athletes go through training. Even with the best training, such as that provided to college athletes, your body can still get injured!
Ankle sprains are the injury seen most often on the court. Once an athlete has one ankle sprain, they are much more likely to have another one because the ligaments are weekend. Ligaments are small fibrous bands of tissue that connect bones to other bones. This along with muscles allows the skeletal system to have a considerable amount of stability. If a ligament gets stretched or injured, it will never recover to have the same amount of strength that it did before the injury. Therefore, once you have an ankle injury, you are much more prone to have one in the future.
So why aren’t athletes spraining their ankles every day.
Physical Therapy helps your body regain as much strength and function as possible. Since muscles also contribute to stability, a physical therapist will adjust the patient’s exercises to strengthen the muscles in the areas prone to injury. This type of therapy is the most beneficial and is why your podiatrist often suggests physical therapy for most types of injuries.
Basketball shoes are quite a bit different than the cross trainers or running shoes we all have stashed away in our closets. Basketball shoes or high tops come up higher to give your ankle more support. You put a lot of stress on your body jarring back and forth, running up and down the court and jumping up for the rebound. Simply changing your shoe gear can do wonders to reducing injuries on the court.
In addition, some people are more prone to ankle sprains due to biomechanical weaknesses, or simply put, the way their foot and ankle moves when they walk or run. This can innate weakness can be eliminated with a properly made custom orthotic that controls excessive foot motion.
Though the NCAA offers some of the best training and resources to their athletes, some injuries are inevitable. If you ever roll your ankle, take a stumble, or hear a POP, make sure to contact your podiatric physician as soon as possible. The earlier you seek medical attention by a highly trained doctor in the foot and ankle or a podiatrist, the better the outcome of your injury will be.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
What is That Tingling, Burning Feeling in My Feet?
Morton’s Neuroma
A neuroma is a thickening of a nerve and can occur anywhere in the body, even the foot. Morton’s neuroma describes a neuroma of a specific location in the foot, between the third and fourth metatarsals. This is located on the balls of foot between the third and fourth toes. Clinicians may refer to this benign growth as a tumor. In medical terms this is a correct description but this is not an indication of cancer. The enlarged nerve is benign, meaning it will not become invasive or become cancerous.
Though a morton’s neuroma is not a medical emergency, it can cause severe pain and impede on your daily life. Some patients describe the pain as walking on a marble, but the most often complaint is a burning, sharp pain. Tingling and numbness is also common.
It is thought that the nerve becomes enlarged due to repetitive irritation or pressure. Over time, this irritation leads to a neuroma and pain. Wearing shoes that are tight, too small, or with a heel can aggravate the pain because it causes increased irritation. The pain may also be caused by running or other sports. Flexing and relaxing your toes causes compression on the nerve, and the balls of your foot takes on the most weight during walking or running. Since this is the area where the neuroma is located, doing such activities can elicit a lot of pain.
The podiatric physician will take x-rays of a patient with such pain to rule out a fracture or other foot disorders. The doctor will also attempt to elicit the pain by squeezing the foot. This will not only cause pain, but there the doctor will also hear a clicking sound due to the neuroma shifting between the bones.
There treatment ranges from conservative treatments to surgery. Like all treatment plans, surgery should be a last resort for when all other treatments fail. The pain may be greatly reduced by changing shoe gear, but this is often not enough. It is very common for your podiatric physician to prescribe a custom orthotic. Many patients find relief by not only wearing orthotics but also wearing a pad under the balls of their foot. A podiatric physician can properly fit and provide such padding. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil, can also be used to help reduce the pain but should not be used long term. Your doctor may also suggest a steroid injection which has a greater effect on relieving the pain. Stretching, massages, and icing has also shown to relieve pain.
If the pain has increased due to physical activity, it is suggested to take some time off from the activity to allow your foot to rest and heal. It may be better to take on activities that cause less impact on the foot. Excises’ such as swimming or bicycling may be good alternatives.
Neuromas are not life threatening, but they do cause alterations in your life. You should consider wide toed shoes with plenty of room for your toes to wiggle. The pain most often subsides with conservative treatment, but in rare cases surgery is necessary. Unfortunately, the procedure removes the entire nerve and will leave numbness of the effected toes. Thus, you and your podiatric physician should try to avoid surgery if possible.
A neuroma is a thickening of a nerve and can occur anywhere in the body, even the foot. Morton’s neuroma describes a neuroma of a specific location in the foot, between the third and fourth metatarsals. This is located on the balls of foot between the third and fourth toes. Clinicians may refer to this benign growth as a tumor. In medical terms this is a correct description but this is not an indication of cancer. The enlarged nerve is benign, meaning it will not become invasive or become cancerous.
Though a morton’s neuroma is not a medical emergency, it can cause severe pain and impede on your daily life. Some patients describe the pain as walking on a marble, but the most often complaint is a burning, sharp pain. Tingling and numbness is also common.
It is thought that the nerve becomes enlarged due to repetitive irritation or pressure. Over time, this irritation leads to a neuroma and pain. Wearing shoes that are tight, too small, or with a heel can aggravate the pain because it causes increased irritation. The pain may also be caused by running or other sports. Flexing and relaxing your toes causes compression on the nerve, and the balls of your foot takes on the most weight during walking or running. Since this is the area where the neuroma is located, doing such activities can elicit a lot of pain.
The podiatric physician will take x-rays of a patient with such pain to rule out a fracture or other foot disorders. The doctor will also attempt to elicit the pain by squeezing the foot. This will not only cause pain, but there the doctor will also hear a clicking sound due to the neuroma shifting between the bones.
There treatment ranges from conservative treatments to surgery. Like all treatment plans, surgery should be a last resort for when all other treatments fail. The pain may be greatly reduced by changing shoe gear, but this is often not enough. It is very common for your podiatric physician to prescribe a custom orthotic. Many patients find relief by not only wearing orthotics but also wearing a pad under the balls of their foot. A podiatric physician can properly fit and provide such padding. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil, can also be used to help reduce the pain but should not be used long term. Your doctor may also suggest a steroid injection which has a greater effect on relieving the pain. Stretching, massages, and icing has also shown to relieve pain.
If the pain has increased due to physical activity, it is suggested to take some time off from the activity to allow your foot to rest and heal. It may be better to take on activities that cause less impact on the foot. Excises’ such as swimming or bicycling may be good alternatives.
Neuromas are not life threatening, but they do cause alterations in your life. You should consider wide toed shoes with plenty of room for your toes to wiggle. The pain most often subsides with conservative treatment, but in rare cases surgery is necessary. Unfortunately, the procedure removes the entire nerve and will leave numbness of the effected toes. Thus, you and your podiatric physician should try to avoid surgery if possible.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
MistleToe
The holidays are here and the jolly is to fallow. With family and friends, we all take some time to indulge. Indulge in giving, Indulge in receiving, but most of all Indulge in Holiday Cheer! There is nothing merrier than eating a big Holiday meal and having a few drinks with all who is near. The time that we all enjoy may lead you or your loved ones to have unbearable pain, joint pain!
Gout is a disease of high uric acid levels in the body that can cause crystal accumulations in the joints. This can cause excruciating joint pain. Uric acid is found in red meat and alcoholic beverages but mostly beer. Overindulgence in such food and drinks can cause a “gout attack.” The first joint that is often affected is the big toe. The joint will become swollen, red and very tender. The joint is often so tender, that even a bed sheet will cause pain. A gout attack usually subsides within hours or days. Gout attacks are not only caused by over indulgence, but also diuretics, and surgery with someone who already has elevated levels of uric acid. Not everyone that has high uric acid levels has gout but they are at a greater risk of complications, such as kidney stones and kidney damage.
Gout is much more common in males over 35. So if dad or grandpa complains of joint pain after a day of holiday cheer, he may be suffering from a gout attack. Over time the uric acid crystals can cause permanent joint damage that may lead to some mobility problems or constant pain. There are several different medications to reduce the amount of uric acid and others to accommodate any pain. Most importantly, if you are at risk of elevated uric acid levels, or if you have had a gout attack previously, you need to limit the amount of red meat and alcohol that you consume.
Enjoy your holidays and bring in the New Year with moderation.
Gout is a disease of high uric acid levels in the body that can cause crystal accumulations in the joints. This can cause excruciating joint pain. Uric acid is found in red meat and alcoholic beverages but mostly beer. Overindulgence in such food and drinks can cause a “gout attack.” The first joint that is often affected is the big toe. The joint will become swollen, red and very tender. The joint is often so tender, that even a bed sheet will cause pain. A gout attack usually subsides within hours or days. Gout attacks are not only caused by over indulgence, but also diuretics, and surgery with someone who already has elevated levels of uric acid. Not everyone that has high uric acid levels has gout but they are at a greater risk of complications, such as kidney stones and kidney damage.
Gout is much more common in males over 35. So if dad or grandpa complains of joint pain after a day of holiday cheer, he may be suffering from a gout attack. Over time the uric acid crystals can cause permanent joint damage that may lead to some mobility problems or constant pain. There are several different medications to reduce the amount of uric acid and others to accommodate any pain. Most importantly, if you are at risk of elevated uric acid levels, or if you have had a gout attack previously, you need to limit the amount of red meat and alcohol that you consume.
Enjoy your holidays and bring in the New Year with moderation.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
DALLAS COWBOY WITH TOE INJURY
While many were carving turkey, the Dallas Cowboys were defeating the Seattle Seahawks. Though a sweet victory, Marion Barber left the game with a foot injury. The Dallas Cowboy’s running back dislocated his right pinky toe. Now many wonder if he will be able to play in their next game against Pittsburg on December 7th. So what is a dislocated toe and how serious can it be?
Toe dislocations are very common in athletes and are often considered a minor injury. There are three bones that make up the pinky toe. A dislocation is a displacement of bones from their normal position. Depending on the severity of the injury, the dislocation may be associated with a fracture, ligament sprain, and other soft tissue damage. The x-rays of Marion Barber did not reveal any fractures.
Signs and Symptoms of a Dislocated Toe
Barber most likely felt excruciating pain in the toe at the time of injury and when he attempts to move the injured joint. Often, there is a change in walking and running patterns due to the pain. This was noted with the running backs injury after he returned to the game. Barber will experience tenderness, swelling, and bruising over the sight of the injury and if serious enough, there may be nerve damage and vessel damage. This will lead to numbness or paralysis in surrounding areas.
What the Doctor will Do
A Podiatric Physician or Emergency Physician will take x-rays and an MRI to exam the injury. The joint is manipulated to reposition the bones back to their normal alignment. At times, surgery may be needed to restore torn ligaments and tendons. After the joint has been corrected, it may require immobilization with a splint, taping, or special shoe for 2-3 weeks. If ligament damage is present, recovery will take a minimum of 6 weeks. During recovery, it is very important to follow instructions for R.I.C.E. which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Rehabilitation and Medication
After the pain subsides, daily rehabilitation exercises should start. To recover normal range of motion, one should start with passive movement by moving the joint back and forth using your fingers. Over time the therapy should advance to active movement by scrunching toes against the floor or with a towel. Ice massages should be used before and after workouts. Local anesthesia and muscle relaxants are used to manipulate the joint. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Aspirin is used to relieve moderate pain. If the pain is severe, narcotic pain relievers are used.
Marion Barber’s Future
If the injury is not severe, the recovery should be fast. The most common complication is recurrent injury to the joint. Once a joint has been dislocated once, it is more likely to dislocate again. The joint may be unstable or arthritic fallowing repeated injuries. If Marion Barber returns to activity too soon, the healing process will take longer and he will have an increased chance of a repeated injury.
Since it has not been released how severe his dislocation is, we can only speculate whether or not he well be able to play in December 7th game. As long as there is no soft tissue damage, full rehabilitation may only take 2 weeks. It would be best if he sat out in the game against Pittsburg, but as professional sports go, there is a chance we will see him on the field!
Toe dislocations are very common in athletes and are often considered a minor injury. There are three bones that make up the pinky toe. A dislocation is a displacement of bones from their normal position. Depending on the severity of the injury, the dislocation may be associated with a fracture, ligament sprain, and other soft tissue damage. The x-rays of Marion Barber did not reveal any fractures.
Signs and Symptoms of a Dislocated Toe
Barber most likely felt excruciating pain in the toe at the time of injury and when he attempts to move the injured joint. Often, there is a change in walking and running patterns due to the pain. This was noted with the running backs injury after he returned to the game. Barber will experience tenderness, swelling, and bruising over the sight of the injury and if serious enough, there may be nerve damage and vessel damage. This will lead to numbness or paralysis in surrounding areas.
What the Doctor will Do
A Podiatric Physician or Emergency Physician will take x-rays and an MRI to exam the injury. The joint is manipulated to reposition the bones back to their normal alignment. At times, surgery may be needed to restore torn ligaments and tendons. After the joint has been corrected, it may require immobilization with a splint, taping, or special shoe for 2-3 weeks. If ligament damage is present, recovery will take a minimum of 6 weeks. During recovery, it is very important to follow instructions for R.I.C.E. which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Rehabilitation and Medication
After the pain subsides, daily rehabilitation exercises should start. To recover normal range of motion, one should start with passive movement by moving the joint back and forth using your fingers. Over time the therapy should advance to active movement by scrunching toes against the floor or with a towel. Ice massages should be used before and after workouts. Local anesthesia and muscle relaxants are used to manipulate the joint. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Aspirin is used to relieve moderate pain. If the pain is severe, narcotic pain relievers are used.
Marion Barber’s Future
If the injury is not severe, the recovery should be fast. The most common complication is recurrent injury to the joint. Once a joint has been dislocated once, it is more likely to dislocate again. The joint may be unstable or arthritic fallowing repeated injuries. If Marion Barber returns to activity too soon, the healing process will take longer and he will have an increased chance of a repeated injury.
Since it has not been released how severe his dislocation is, we can only speculate whether or not he well be able to play in December 7th game. As long as there is no soft tissue damage, full rehabilitation may only take 2 weeks. It would be best if he sat out in the game against Pittsburg, but as professional sports go, there is a chance we will see him on the field!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Would you get foot surgery in order to fit into your high heels?
The author of this article is very wise. Women today are having foot surgery so they can make their feet smaller to fit fancy high heel shoes. http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/opinion/write_stuff/1.135736
Yes, I like stilletos but to walk around them all day will cause your feet to ache, not to mention the hammertoes and corns that can develop. Foot surgery is successful but only if you need it. The foot is like a 1957 Chevy. It might be a little rusty on the outside but as long as the motor is working then it can take you places. Feet are for ambulating and maintaining balance. Treat them well and they will take you places you have never dreamed of. For more info on foot care or a free book on foot problems go to: www.stopfootpainfast.com
Yes, I like stilletos but to walk around them all day will cause your feet to ache, not to mention the hammertoes and corns that can develop. Foot surgery is successful but only if you need it. The foot is like a 1957 Chevy. It might be a little rusty on the outside but as long as the motor is working then it can take you places. Feet are for ambulating and maintaining balance. Treat them well and they will take you places you have never dreamed of. For more info on foot care or a free book on foot problems go to: www.stopfootpainfast.com
