I am not a Dancing with the Stars nut but I did get a chance to see Wendy Williams’ feet and I must say they do not look good. With bunions, blisters, and swelling I am not sure how she managed to put her feet in stilettos and put on a show. That in itself is talent. Still, she was voted off and her dancing didn’t make the cut.
I haven’t done any professional dancing but I can respect the intense work it does on your entire body and on your feet. Spinning, stepping, dipping, swaying all push your body to use it in ways you are not used to and it also puts increased stress and strain on your feet. It is no secret that podiatrist do not promote heel wearing. Surely we wouldn’t promote heel wearing while spinning, stepping, dipping, and swaying across a glossy dance floor right? Well entertainment is entertainment. No one is going to line up to see a beautiful ballroom dance with sweeping elegant gown and well supportive athletic shoes. Seriously!!!!
I’ve worked with ballerinas and other professional dancers and it is just devastating what happens to a professional dancer’s feet. What they endure is unbelievable. There are things to keep your feet healthy if you are a dancer or are pursing to take up dancing as a new hobby. First, you have to know your feet. Are you prone to ankle sprains? Do you have a flat foot or a foot with a high arch? There are general precautions and taping techniques to prevent you from injuries depending on your foot type. Second, know your shoes. Not all heels are created equal. Most importantly, flip them over and take a look at the bottom. Dance floors are made slightly slick to help the dancer glide along the floor. Paired with the wrong shoe, the dancer may be gliding across the floor on their bum. Lastly, know when to stop. Your feet are a part of your body. You can push them too hard and do too much damage. They hurt for a reason! Your body is trying to tell you something.
When you are a non-dancer who goes to dancing 7 days week like Wendy Williams, there is no way you will make it without blisters, bleeding, and stiffness. The biggest mistake is going to long too soon. Dancing is like running. You have to take baby steps and work yourself up to the long hours and the advanced moves. Blisters go away with time, but some injuries will change how your foot functions.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Is Japan’s Radiation in our Hospitals?
As we watch the devastation in Japan unfold, we are becoming more aware of the dangers of radiation. Remembering Chernobyl, many of us recall the nuclear disaster that affected much of Russian and Western Europe. These are serious nuclear accidents, but can we be exposed to radiation every day? How much is too much and what is it doing to our body?
Radiation is everywhere. Bananas, pistachios, and kitchenware all have radioactive particles. You cannot avoid being exposed to some levels of radiation every day. The amount is so small that it is not harmful to your body. Radiation exposure is measure in sierverts. Death is the result of exposure of 5,000 mSv and radiation poisoning is secondary to about 1,000 mSv. A banana contains 0.0001mSv. Smoking 1.5 packs a day exposes you to 13mSv/ year. The limit for nuclear power plant workers is 20mSv/year. The lowest clearly carcinogenic level is 100 mSv/year.
That is your everyday life but what about the hospital. X-rays and CT scans are sources of radiation. They are important diagnostic tools that allow physicians to see inside of your body without cutting you open. I take x-rays of most of my patients to better understand the biomechanical structure of their foot. X-rays are also an important tool during foot surgery. Am I putting my patients in radiation danger? An extremity x-ray exposes a patient to about 0.001 mSv. This is equivalent to the radiation you are exposed to in 3 hours of a normal day. A CT scan can be potentially more dangerous with exposures about 10 mSv. Some studies suggest about 2% of all cancers can be linked to over exposure due to multiple CT scans.
What should you do? It is important to understand that these diagnostic tests are often necessary to make appropriate diagnoses and treatments. These tests are safe when used properly. An MRI has no radiation exposure. Though there are more contraindication with use of an MRI because it can disrupt a pacemaker and the picture is distorted if metal implants are near the area of interest. If you are having a bad year and are seem to be in and out of the doctor’s office and having many tests, you should have a conversation with your doctors about radiation exposure. When you start to have multiple CT scans a year, there is a concern of excess radiation exposure. Very few people fall into this category.
Knowing the dangers of radiation, many safely protocols are set in place to limit exposure. In the hospital and in our daily lives, our radiation exposure is kept to a minimum. Unfortunately, nuclear disasters do happen. As danger lingers, our thoughts are with Japan.
Radiation is everywhere. Bananas, pistachios, and kitchenware all have radioactive particles. You cannot avoid being exposed to some levels of radiation every day. The amount is so small that it is not harmful to your body. Radiation exposure is measure in sierverts. Death is the result of exposure of 5,000 mSv and radiation poisoning is secondary to about 1,000 mSv. A banana contains 0.0001mSv. Smoking 1.5 packs a day exposes you to 13mSv/ year. The limit for nuclear power plant workers is 20mSv/year. The lowest clearly carcinogenic level is 100 mSv/year.
That is your everyday life but what about the hospital. X-rays and CT scans are sources of radiation. They are important diagnostic tools that allow physicians to see inside of your body without cutting you open. I take x-rays of most of my patients to better understand the biomechanical structure of their foot. X-rays are also an important tool during foot surgery. Am I putting my patients in radiation danger? An extremity x-ray exposes a patient to about 0.001 mSv. This is equivalent to the radiation you are exposed to in 3 hours of a normal day. A CT scan can be potentially more dangerous with exposures about 10 mSv. Some studies suggest about 2% of all cancers can be linked to over exposure due to multiple CT scans.
What should you do? It is important to understand that these diagnostic tests are often necessary to make appropriate diagnoses and treatments. These tests are safe when used properly. An MRI has no radiation exposure. Though there are more contraindication with use of an MRI because it can disrupt a pacemaker and the picture is distorted if metal implants are near the area of interest. If you are having a bad year and are seem to be in and out of the doctor’s office and having many tests, you should have a conversation with your doctors about radiation exposure. When you start to have multiple CT scans a year, there is a concern of excess radiation exposure. Very few people fall into this category.
Knowing the dangers of radiation, many safely protocols are set in place to limit exposure. In the hospital and in our daily lives, our radiation exposure is kept to a minimum. Unfortunately, nuclear disasters do happen. As danger lingers, our thoughts are with Japan.
