Keep Your Feet Feeling Young

It’s about that time of year again when people start making New Year’s resolutions to help bring about positive changes in their lives. Although people may have a wide variety of New Year’s resolutions, the majority of people focus their resolutions around weight loss, health, and personal care. Some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions made every year actually also can help to keep your feet healthy and happy throughout the New Year. The following are three New Year’s resolutions that will help your general health as well as your feet.

1) Weight Loss – This by far must be the most common New Years resolution. With obesity at an all time high more people then ever are trying to drop some weight in 2010. What you may not realize is that if you are currently overweight or even obese all of this extra weight is being placed on your feet. The extra weight on feet that are built for a body that should be 25, 50 or more pounds less then what you currently weight will cause your arches to depress and ligaments to become more stretched out, ultimately leading to major foot pain. Don’t be surprised when you drop some pounds this New Year if your feet stop hurting as much!

2) Smoking – Another very popular New Years resolution is to quit smoking. If a person successfully quits smoking they will help to decrease their risk of lung cancer, emphysema, yellowing teeth as well as many other factors, but one of the most important to podiatrists is they will stop harming their arteries. When you smoke you are increasing the rate of artery clogging. When you clog your arteries you first begin to see the effects in the smallest arteries like the ones that supply your toes. Smokers commonly have poor circulation in their feet and can even lose hair on their digits due to the lack of blood flow. By quitting smoking for the New Year you will help to restore blood flow to your toes.

3) Stop drinking – Besides smoking, alcohol is one of the most abused drugs in the United States. Many people know they have an alcohol problem and set dates for them to cut back or quit cold turkey starting in the New Year. Cutting out the booze will help prevent you from developing peripheral neuropathy of your toes and also decrease your chances of developing clots in your legs.

Whatever your New Year’s resolution is this year just remember to be realistic about your expectations. Small steps to improve your health really can go a long way to improve your quality and longevity of life.

A bunion is a common foot deformity that many Americans have to deal with during their lifetime. Currently, podiatrists are the leading health care professionals for caring for this deformity. Bunions are a very unique foot problem with a specific population and appearance which you will see from the seven facts below.

1) Bunion Definition – A bunion is a bony enlargement of the bone and surrounding soft tissue of the base of the big toe. This makes your foot look like you have a bump on the inside of the base of your big toe and also causes the tip of your big toe to angle toward the second toe.

2) Who gets Bunions – Bunions are more common in women. Bunions are also more common in western countries, with as much as 30% of the population of people of western countries having bunions. Interestingly, studies have shown that people from countries where shoes are not commonly worn by most citizens have a lower incidence of bunions then western countries, suggesting that bunions may be due to the shoes people wear. Bunions are also more common in older people, with a greater incidence of bunions with age.

3) Bunion Genetics – Many studies have shown that there seems to be a genetic link for acquiring bunions. This means that if someone in your immediate family has a bunion you have an increased chance of getting a bunion then the general population.

4) Bunion Symptoms – There are many symptoms that may lead people to think they have a bunion but the most common symptoms are as follows: A bony protuberance on the base of the big toe, red callused skin over the protuberance on the inside of the big toe, pain over the joint with the protuberance that worsens with pressure, and the tip of the big toe pointing toward the second toe.

5) Shoes leading to Bunions – It has been shown that narrow shoes, cowboy boats or high heel shoes can lead to bunions. This may explain why bunions are more common in women and also why they are more common in western countries where high heel shoes are more commonly worn.

6) Diagnosing a Bunion – If you think that you have a bunion and present with the symptoms above that indicate a bunion then go to a local podiatrist to have a bunion diagnosed for sure. A podiatrist will have a good idea if you have a bunion just by sight but they will also x-ray the area to confirm the presence of a bunion.

7) Bunion Surgery – If a bunion is so painful or so enlarged that it interferes with your quality of life then a treatment option is to get a bunionectomy. A bunionectomy is a surgical procedure commonly performed by a podiatrist that helps to straighten out the big toe.

As with all problems, the sooner you catch it the easier it is to treat. Don’t simply assume that surgery is required for a bunion. Bunions in very early stages can be controlled with non-surgical means that may even prevent the need for surgery in the future! The best thing you can do is visit with your podiatrist to see what the best options are.

Many athletes wear orthotics. From pee-wee sports, through high school, into college, professional to weekend warriors, a properly made custom orthotic will balance the mechanics of the lower extremity and enable the foot to function at peak efficiency. Even when some athletes recognize how an orthotic can be helpful to them, they’re reluctant to try them.

Why is that? Well some feel that it will weaken their foot overall, which isn’t true. Others don’t want to be “restricted” by an orthotic, which is actually the opposite of what it is meant to do. Unlike these people who worry about function, triathletes are often concerned with how practical an orthotic is.

The nature of a triathlon is unique, in that you have to transition from swimming, to biking, into running. While we often think of Ironman triathlons, they do come in shorter distances as well, making participation in a triathlon more accessible. How does an orthotic work in multiple sports and transitioning from one to another.

The swim is an easy one to address. No orthotic necessary. Some wear their orthotics in the biking shoes, many of whom have special orthotics specifically designed for that style shoe. Others choose to not wear their orthotics when they’re on the bike.

If a triathlete uses the same orthotics in their biking and running shoes, then that transition requires them to switch them from one shoe to the other. Otherwise, the orthotics are sitting in the running shoes waiting for them. There are some triathletes who do not want to take the time to put on socks before their run, which I do discourage. But for those where every second counts, it is a time saver.

I had a patient in the office today who is an Ironman triathlete and she uses orthotics in her bike and run. She came up with a great system which she shared with me. She places a velcro dot on the bottom of her orthotic and in the heel of each shoe. She does this for two reasons. First, when she transitions, the orthotic is already in the correct position for her to just slip her foot into the shoe. When she wears her biking shoes, sometimes she doesn’t remove the shoes from the clipped pedals, but rather slips her foot out of the shoe. The velcro helps make sure the orthotic stays in the shoe.

Of course, once your foot is in the shoe on top of the orthotic no velcro is needed since the orthotic won’t slide. This simple system, however, helps enable a triathlete to remove some of the barriers to them wearing an orthotic.

When we think of a bunion, we usually think of a large bump forming on the side of the great toe joint. Bunions can also occur on the top of the same joint, however, but for different reasons.

When a bunion occurs on the side of the foot, it is due to biomechanical forces that cause shifting and rotation of the first metatarsal bone. These forces are usually inherited. A bunion on top of the foot is known as a “dorsal bunion.” A dorsal bunion is due to excessive mechanical force causing damage to the joint, such as a sprain or hyperextension injury such as turf toe.

When this joint is injured, it leads to a bone spur forming on the top of the head of the first metatarsal. This spur limits the smooth gliding of the joint, with an abrupt blockage of motion. Repetitive motion causes stress and inflammation to occur, which continues the growth of the spur.

Pain from a dorsal bunion can come in different forms. As the spur enlarges, a solid bump forms on top of the joint. This can become painful due to pressure from shoes. Pain can also be due to activities that require more motion than is available in the joint. Tennis, golf, basketball, and running, especially on hills, are some such activities. A deal breaker for many women is when they are forced to limit their heel height, when the spur limits too much motion.

Treatment for a dorsal bunion varies and is based on when treatment is sought. Early treatment involves prescribing a custom orthotic to biomechanically stabilize the foot. This increases the available motion around the joint and helps to limit the forces that continue to damage the joint. In cases that are already more progressed, surgery to remove the spur and remodel and decompress the joint may be necessary.

Of course, as with any injury, treating it sooner will lead to much quicker control of the problem. Time only allows for continued injury to the joint. If you are in pain, be sure to give us a call today!

It is that time of year again when all the stores have huge sales to draw customers in to buy products for the holiday season. In a perfect world holiday shopping would be a time of happiness, with cheerful people buying gifts for their loved ones. In reality, however, holiday shopping is usually a frustrating experience consisting of crowded malls, long lines, terrible traffic and overheated stores.

One thing that many people don’t really think about when they leave their homes to go holiday shopping is how much walking they are going to do or how long they are going to be on their feet. Even if you are expecting to be in-and-out of a store because you know exactly what you need, the overcrowded shopping centers and long lines can triple your time spent shopping.

Although you can never know exactly what to expect when you go holiday shopping one thing you can count on is tired feet by the end of the day. The best way to take care of your feet so that they last the length of your shopping experience is to make sure you are wearing the proper shoes and socks.

The best bet when deciding what to wear when going holiday shopping is to choose a comfortable pair of gym shoes and some moisture wicking socks. Make sure you avoid any shoes with a heel or any shoes that are open toed because they put you at a higher risk of spraining your ankle or getting hurt if your foot is stepped on in a crowded store. Moisture wicking socks are also important because they will help to keep your feet dry and blister free when you start getting overheated from the crowded stores.

Holiday shopping can be stressful but by keep your feet happy you are more likely to stay happy yourself. So good luck when you start fighting the crowds in the stores this holiday season. Don’t forget to bring along your gym shoes and a good pair of socks.

Wishing you all the best for a very Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

I’ll admit that it’s cute, but three year old Suri Cruise, the daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise (aka TomKat) should not be wearing high heels at this age.  Too often, parents fall into the “but it’s cute” trap.  Parents of non-walking infants will put shoes on their babies because they match the outfit.  Both little girls and boys enjoy dressing up in their parent’s shoes around the house.  To actually wear a high heeled shoe when out…that’s another story.

Suri is probably the most photographed child in the world, thanks to her two superstar parents.  Many photos show her in these silver dancing shoes with high heels.  When asked about Suri in the shoes, her mother stated that it’s every girl’s dream to wear such shoes and who is she to stop her?  Will all due respect, you’re her mother.  Of course you want her to be happy, but you also want her to be healthy and wearing such shoes can certainly impact that.

It’s true that the shoes Suri is wearing is probably an appropriate size.  Just because they make such shoes doesn’t mean they should be worn constantly.  In this case, the shoes are ballroom dancing shoes.  Of course Suri can wear them when she’s taking dance lessons for an hour or so, but the photo doesn’t look like a lesson.

Wearing a high heel at such a young age can cause shortening of the Achilles tendon.  This can happen in adults too, but is much more likely in kids.  If this happens, there will be undue stress on the back of the heel, where the tendon attaches, and can become a painful condition known as Sever’s disease, or calcaneal apophysitis.  It is an inflammation of the growth plate on the back of the heel bone causing sharp heel pain.  As she grows older, the shortened tendon will lead to compensation of the rest of the foot, causing the foot to become unstable and pronate.  This will put her at risk for developing bunions and hammertoes in the future. She is already at risk for these deformities, since her mother suffers from bunions and hammertoes already.

Why put Suri’s future health and happiness above her 3 year old desire to wear the shoes all day.  Katie and Tom, show Suri how much you love her by limiting her time in her favorite shoes to an hour a day.  She’ll thank you for it in the long run.