A video was just released showing Rex Ryan, the NY Jets football coach and his wife, depicting Rex of having a foot fetish. It is this video that made me think of the endless times I get asked, “Dr. Wishnie, why did you become a podiatrist? Do you have a foot fetish?”
Let me first answer that as simply as, absolutely not. I usually tell my patient, “Do you think a gastroenterologist has a butt fetish?” Then I ask, “What body part is beautiful? At least the foot is an external appendage that I don’t have to go digging into any holes.”
Well, why did I become a podiatrist? Podiatrists see many different types of patients. We see patients ranging from the age of infancy to the geriatric. On one day I can see both an 18 month old baby and a 104 year geriatric. I can see patients with sports injuries, like ankle sprains, Achilles tendinitis, fractures and dislocations. I see runners who don’t want to stop running, no matter how bad their foot hurts. Then I see little old ladies who remind me of my grandmother.
As you can see, I love the diversity that podiatry offers. I also love the fact that I can usually get people feeling better immediately. See, when you are not feeling well and you go to your family physician, they say, “Take this pill and you will feel better in a week.” Then the patient asks, “Hey doc, what happens if I don’t take the pill.” The doctor answers. “Then you will feel better in seven days.”
A lot of people are afraid of going to the doctors. They are afraid of the pain that might be inflicted upon them. Then what happens if they delay in making an appointment? The pain and the problem usually worsen. In podiatry, we can treat a problem many different ways. If a child comes in with a plantar’s wart, we usually use a topical medication to kill this virus. We usually don’t have to use any needles or do any cutting. If you have a corn, which is dead skin on a toe due to a deformity called a hammertoe, we can trim it painlessly. The patient leaves the office immediately feeling better. If you suffer from heel pain, we can tape the foot and give medication to relieve the pain. Many times we need to give an injection but then the patient is walking out the office feeling ten times better.
Getting patients better quickly and seeing almost immediate results is very satisfying. Podiatry is a wonderful profession and with millions of active baby boomers turning 65 on a daily basis, podiatrists will be very busy and will be an extremely necessary profession for many years to come.
Hey Rex, if this football coaching doesn’t work out, I can help you get in touch with my podiatry school professors.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Dr. Wishnie is Finally Legal!
Today Marks the 21st Anniversary for
Family Foot & Ankle Specialists
We would like to thank all of our incredible patients as we celebrate our 21st anniversary! We have met so many amazing people through the years, many of which were patients when we first started. We have seen each other through a lot; marriages, children, grandchilren, birthdays and more. You are more than just patients to us, you are considered a special part of our family!
We hope you continue to grow with us for many years to come. Wishing everyone a safe holiday season,
The Doctors & Staff Of Family Foot & Ankle Specialists
Friday, December 3, 2010
Roethlisberger’s Shoe Made Out of Steel After Foot Injury.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking a bit hit with Roesthlisberger’s foot. Originally reported as a foot sprained, some press releases are now reporting that the Steeler’s Quarterback has a broken bone in the foot. The official release from the Pittsburgh Stealers states that Roethlisberger injury is an aggravation of an old injury where scar tissue is present. So, is he going to play on Sunday?
It is believed that the Steeler’s Quarterback broke his fifth metatarsal bone. This bone is a long tubular bone located on the outside portion of the foot. The fifth metatarsal fractures are a highly researched topic and there are variable ways of treating this injury depending on the location. The majority of fractures in this bone can be treated conservatively with casting and rest. Occasionally, the fracture location or dislocation requires surgery and screw fixation.
Considering, that Ben has persisted that he will be playing on Sunday, we can assume this is a minor fracture that does not require surgery. He is currently ambulating in a walking boot and has been on light practice this week. The Steeler’s trainer stated that the Quarterback will be wearing a special shoe with metal plates protecting the injured area.
The fifth metatarsal is a common fracture site in athletes especially dancers. This is due to the extensive pivoting and jarring on the bone and surrounding tendons. Because of the bone’s location and soft tissue attachments, it does not take a traumatic event to break the bone. Simply landing on the foot wrong can cause such an injury. Recovery of most fractures in this area is easily treated with rest and decreased activity. Protection ambulation with a walking boot often all that is needed to make a full recovery.
When you are a professional athlete and have a record of 8-3, the rules of treatment are different than the average person’s. Winning games, egos, and pressure will push you in a direction that is not always the most beneficial for your body. It is probable that Roethlisberger’s foot break will not debilitate him or prevent him from throwing touchdown passes. It is also probable that his injury can worsen and the long term consequences of poor healing in the foot can mean chronic pain. Playing a a professional foot game in a metal shoe is not necessarily resting the injury.
It is believed that the Steeler’s Quarterback broke his fifth metatarsal bone. This bone is a long tubular bone located on the outside portion of the foot. The fifth metatarsal fractures are a highly researched topic and there are variable ways of treating this injury depending on the location. The majority of fractures in this bone can be treated conservatively with casting and rest. Occasionally, the fracture location or dislocation requires surgery and screw fixation.
Considering, that Ben has persisted that he will be playing on Sunday, we can assume this is a minor fracture that does not require surgery. He is currently ambulating in a walking boot and has been on light practice this week. The Steeler’s trainer stated that the Quarterback will be wearing a special shoe with metal plates protecting the injured area.
The fifth metatarsal is a common fracture site in athletes especially dancers. This is due to the extensive pivoting and jarring on the bone and surrounding tendons. Because of the bone’s location and soft tissue attachments, it does not take a traumatic event to break the bone. Simply landing on the foot wrong can cause such an injury. Recovery of most fractures in this area is easily treated with rest and decreased activity. Protection ambulation with a walking boot often all that is needed to make a full recovery.
When you are a professional athlete and have a record of 8-3, the rules of treatment are different than the average person’s. Winning games, egos, and pressure will push you in a direction that is not always the most beneficial for your body. It is probable that Roethlisberger’s foot break will not debilitate him or prevent him from throwing touchdown passes. It is also probable that his injury can worsen and the long term consequences of poor healing in the foot can mean chronic pain. Playing a a professional foot game in a metal shoe is not necessarily resting the injury.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Joints Under the Weather
It is that time of year when the air gets crisp and you enjoy evening walks through the leaves. Unfortunately, it is also the time of year when arthritis pain flares up. After the rain, before the storm, and changes of temperature seem to have a poor relationship with our joints. Much like pollen aggravated seasonal allergies; the change in seasons aggravates joints. Is the weather really the cause of your joint pain?
Science has not been able to justify the theory. It is believe that the change in weather alters the pressure and changes the pressure threshold within your body. The tissues are able to expand or swell to a greater capacity. A number of large studies closely examined arthritis pain and compared it to temperature and air pressure. Unfortunately, the research has not given us any concrete answers. So many of my patients relate their joints are better weather predictors than the weather man and I can’t disagree with them.
Whether it is an old wise tale or the cold hard truth, joint pain can put a halt to your fall activities. Arthritis has a number of different causes. Most arthritis is causes by years of wear and tear that leads to damage in the cartilage. Cartilage provides a glossy, lubricated surface that allows for smooth pain free movement. As the cartilage degenerates bone comes in contact with bone and the joint loses its ability to move freely without causing irritation. Irritation leads to inflammation and inflammation leads to pain.
To treat arthritis, we start with trying to decrease the inflammation. This can be done with Non steroidal anti-inflammatory, and corticosteroids. Depending on the degree of arthritis, decreasing the inflammation to decrease pain is nearly impossible. In the foot and ankle, arthritis is very difficult to combat because we never give our feet time to relax. We are constantly up on our feet and push through pain because we have to. When conservative care fails, many patients ask for surgery.
There are generally two surgical options for foot and ankle arthritis. The joint can be replaced with an artificial joint made of titanium or stainless steel. The joint can also be fused, eliminating motion at the site. Not everyone or every joint is suitable for a joint replacement or a joint fusion. Many are turned off by the thought of having a joint fused, but in many cases it is very suitable for the condition and the patient can quickly adjust. The big toe is a joint that gets fused often and has a very high patient satisfaction rate.
Arthritis can be a very difficult and aggravating disease to combat. In our busy lives and our growing concerns on staying active and healthy, joint pain can really hinder the ability to live life to the fullest. You can however give the weather man a run for his money with those weather predicting joints!!!<
Science has not been able to justify the theory. It is believe that the change in weather alters the pressure and changes the pressure threshold within your body. The tissues are able to expand or swell to a greater capacity. A number of large studies closely examined arthritis pain and compared it to temperature and air pressure. Unfortunately, the research has not given us any concrete answers. So many of my patients relate their joints are better weather predictors than the weather man and I can’t disagree with them.
Whether it is an old wise tale or the cold hard truth, joint pain can put a halt to your fall activities. Arthritis has a number of different causes. Most arthritis is causes by years of wear and tear that leads to damage in the cartilage. Cartilage provides a glossy, lubricated surface that allows for smooth pain free movement. As the cartilage degenerates bone comes in contact with bone and the joint loses its ability to move freely without causing irritation. Irritation leads to inflammation and inflammation leads to pain.
To treat arthritis, we start with trying to decrease the inflammation. This can be done with Non steroidal anti-inflammatory, and corticosteroids. Depending on the degree of arthritis, decreasing the inflammation to decrease pain is nearly impossible. In the foot and ankle, arthritis is very difficult to combat because we never give our feet time to relax. We are constantly up on our feet and push through pain because we have to. When conservative care fails, many patients ask for surgery.
There are generally two surgical options for foot and ankle arthritis. The joint can be replaced with an artificial joint made of titanium or stainless steel. The joint can also be fused, eliminating motion at the site. Not everyone or every joint is suitable for a joint replacement or a joint fusion. Many are turned off by the thought of having a joint fused, but in many cases it is very suitable for the condition and the patient can quickly adjust. The big toe is a joint that gets fused often and has a very high patient satisfaction rate.
Arthritis can be a very difficult and aggravating disease to combat. In our busy lives and our growing concerns on staying active and healthy, joint pain can really hinder the ability to live life to the fullest. You can however give the weather man a run for his money with those weather predicting joints!!!<
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Is Brett Favre’s Ankle Serious
The reason Favre is so enjoyable to watch is because you never know what is coming next. No one could have predicted the scene at Lambeau as the Green Bay Packers defeated their rival and hero, the Vikings with Bret Favre. Are you really a Hero when you play through injuries and avoid medical attention during a game?
I have read many articles trying to decipher this ankle injury, but the reports are vague only stating Favre suffers from two minor ankle fractures including a stress fracture and an avulsion fracture. I have also read a report that discusses a so called “heel” problems or injury. The reports say neither injury is severe and surgery is not necessary and the Vikings star is not practicing and resting in a controlled ankle motion boot (CAM Walker). Whether Favre will play on Sunday is still unknown.
I cannot predict or diagnose an injury without seeing them physically but here is what I know about Favre’s recovery time. Bone takes about 6 weeks to regain adequate strength after it breaks. Stress fractures heal faster since they are only hairline defects but still require a significant time of rest and decreased activity. Most stress fractures are secondary to overuse over time and not the result of a blunt trauma. Avulsion fractures result when ligaments or tendons pull off a piece of bone during a traumatic event. This injury most certainly happened after Favre was tackled. These injuries do not always need surgery, but they do require time to heal.
I find it interesting we nearly praise someone for playing through pain and injury when infarct they are only hurting themselves and their team. Ignoring an injury that is visibly impairing you can be very dangerous. I worry that many young men athletes think Favre’s actions are heroic. High school football injuries are getting a lot of attention this year. Many are suffering from damaging concussions and few have even died during a high school football game. Favre may be sending the wrong message to these young athletes. Your body does have a limit and ignoring a painful limp does not make you superhuman. It is after all just a game.
The future hall of famer, the Green Bay legend and the greatest quarterback of all time will always be remembered as a man who redefined the odds of the game and was at times above the game.
Today, we wonder if Childress and Favre are reading comic books or pretending to be Superman. You can’t play football with a broken ankle, a heel problem and tendonitis in your throwing arm. Well, Favre probably can but will he be any good? Favre has proven everything he possibly could on the field, now it is time to prove he can sit the bench. Not even Favre can go beyond his body’s limits.
I have read many articles trying to decipher this ankle injury, but the reports are vague only stating Favre suffers from two minor ankle fractures including a stress fracture and an avulsion fracture. I have also read a report that discusses a so called “heel” problems or injury. The reports say neither injury is severe and surgery is not necessary and the Vikings star is not practicing and resting in a controlled ankle motion boot (CAM Walker). Whether Favre will play on Sunday is still unknown.
I cannot predict or diagnose an injury without seeing them physically but here is what I know about Favre’s recovery time. Bone takes about 6 weeks to regain adequate strength after it breaks. Stress fractures heal faster since they are only hairline defects but still require a significant time of rest and decreased activity. Most stress fractures are secondary to overuse over time and not the result of a blunt trauma. Avulsion fractures result when ligaments or tendons pull off a piece of bone during a traumatic event. This injury most certainly happened after Favre was tackled. These injuries do not always need surgery, but they do require time to heal.
I find it interesting we nearly praise someone for playing through pain and injury when infarct they are only hurting themselves and their team. Ignoring an injury that is visibly impairing you can be very dangerous. I worry that many young men athletes think Favre’s actions are heroic. High school football injuries are getting a lot of attention this year. Many are suffering from damaging concussions and few have even died during a high school football game. Favre may be sending the wrong message to these young athletes. Your body does have a limit and ignoring a painful limp does not make you superhuman. It is after all just a game.
The future hall of famer, the Green Bay legend and the greatest quarterback of all time will always be remembered as a man who redefined the odds of the game and was at times above the game.
Today, we wonder if Childress and Favre are reading comic books or pretending to be Superman. You can’t play football with a broken ankle, a heel problem and tendonitis in your throwing arm. Well, Favre probably can but will he be any good? Favre has proven everything he possibly could on the field, now it is time to prove he can sit the bench. Not even Favre can go beyond his body’s limits.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Do You Suffer From Neuropathy?
This is a great article by my friend and fellow podiatrist, Dr. Andrew Schneider. I use Neuremedy in the office and have gotten some great results. "http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/andrew-schneider/can-a-can-a-medical-food-help-control-the-symptoms-of-peripheral-neuropathy/427051660996"
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Dangers of Lawn Mowers
Some people enjoy cutting the lawn. Some give the job to their child or the neighbor. Who would think a common summer chore can be so dangerous? There are over 77,000 lawn mower injuries every year. Over 3,000 of them are in children. Some people even die after a lawn mower injury
I recently had a patient that lost part of his foot from a mower accident. It is devastating to see how much damage a blade can cause. After some research, I discovered exactly how much strength is behind the monster on wheels. Being hit by a mower blade is equivalent to being hit by a 21 pound object dropped from a height of 100 feet or 1.17 pounds traveling 232mph. This is three times the force of a 0.357 magnum gun!
Fortunately, these injuries are preventable, but we have to start taking our lawn mower chores more seriously. So many people choose to cut the grass bare foot. It feels good to have the grass between your toes but it is such a bad idea. First, there are a lot of things to step on especially in long grass where sharp object can be easily hiding. Secondly, the sharp mower blade can easily cut debris in the lawn into smaller sharper object. Though a shoe will not be strong enough to withstand the force of the blade, it will help decrease some severity of the injury.
Make sure you children understand the dangers of mowers. It is hard for a child to understand the complexity of a lawn mower. A push mower looks and sounds a lot like a vacuum. Since children are smaller, the injuries from a lawn mower are much more devastating than those seen adults. Adults will often lose toes or part of their foot, a child may lose their entire foot or part of their limb. Children are also more likely to put their hands near the blades and lose fingers, hands, and arms. There have also been many reports of accidentally running over children with the lawn mower. Remember to pay attention to what is behind you and tell your children they cannot come near you when you are cutting the grass.
These types of injuries are very prone to infections since the blade is so dirty. Luckily, early antibiotic treatments after such an injury cuts the rate of infection to a near minimum. If you suffer such an injury, it is imperative that you report to the ER immediately. The sooner you see a doctor, the less likely you will have complications from the injury.
My patient was lucky his injury was not more severe. He had 3 of his toes cut off with the blade and we then decided to remove his existing toes off to help him with ambulation and shoe fitting in the future. He is now walking normally; he is back to his normal job, and he is wearing normal shoes.
I recently had a patient that lost part of his foot from a mower accident. It is devastating to see how much damage a blade can cause. After some research, I discovered exactly how much strength is behind the monster on wheels. Being hit by a mower blade is equivalent to being hit by a 21 pound object dropped from a height of 100 feet or 1.17 pounds traveling 232mph. This is three times the force of a 0.357 magnum gun!
Fortunately, these injuries are preventable, but we have to start taking our lawn mower chores more seriously. So many people choose to cut the grass bare foot. It feels good to have the grass between your toes but it is such a bad idea. First, there are a lot of things to step on especially in long grass where sharp object can be easily hiding. Secondly, the sharp mower blade can easily cut debris in the lawn into smaller sharper object. Though a shoe will not be strong enough to withstand the force of the blade, it will help decrease some severity of the injury.
Make sure you children understand the dangers of mowers. It is hard for a child to understand the complexity of a lawn mower. A push mower looks and sounds a lot like a vacuum. Since children are smaller, the injuries from a lawn mower are much more devastating than those seen adults. Adults will often lose toes or part of their foot, a child may lose their entire foot or part of their limb. Children are also more likely to put their hands near the blades and lose fingers, hands, and arms. There have also been many reports of accidentally running over children with the lawn mower. Remember to pay attention to what is behind you and tell your children they cannot come near you when you are cutting the grass.
These types of injuries are very prone to infections since the blade is so dirty. Luckily, early antibiotic treatments after such an injury cuts the rate of infection to a near minimum. If you suffer such an injury, it is imperative that you report to the ER immediately. The sooner you see a doctor, the less likely you will have complications from the injury.
My patient was lucky his injury was not more severe. He had 3 of his toes cut off with the blade and we then decided to remove his existing toes off to help him with ambulation and shoe fitting in the future. He is now walking normally; he is back to his normal job, and he is wearing normal shoes.
