Foot Doctor Blog

The internet and your health: Finding reliable information

Monday November 9, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

The internet has become a quick reference for finding answers regarding a wide variety of subjects since it was invented. People are turning to the internet multiple times a day to find answers to their questions and concerns. Google is now a verb included in the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary which means “ to type words into the search engine Google® in order to find information about someone or something.” This trend includes finding reliable health information. Most of us have done it at some point. I will confess that even as a physician, I am guilty of this. It is… Continue Reading

To Pop or Not to Pop?

Wednesday October 28, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

School has started, the temperatures are dropping and fall sports are beginning. It’s a good time to check your shoes to make sure they still fit properly. Whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior or a beginner athlete poor fitting shoes can have a negative effect on your performance.  This is especially true in children and adolescents who are still growing. Some children’s shoe sizes can increase rapidly, especially during a growth spurt. I often have children come in with blisters after wearing their athletic shoes from “last year” to begin a new season of activities. Shoes that… Continue Reading

The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

Thursday October 1, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

So, a funny thing has happened since the COVID-19 virus-safe lifestyle has been affecting all of us for the last several months: I learned how to walk! Seriously, I’ve been going on walks every day, and it is fantastic. COVID-19 is a real tragedy for a lot of people and it deserves our respect. But, by being under different levels of isolation, I really learned a lot about spending time performing the simple exercise of walking. At first, being stuck at home and unable to do surgeries, or go to my kids activities, or even work a regular day made… Continue Reading

So you can’t run, now what do I do?

Monday August 31, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

So  you have been training for months for a race and running the best you have in years only to be stopped  short  by an injury.  This is not an uncommon story unfortunately but don’t throw in the towel just  yet.  You need to switch gears and start to  cross-train or switch to an exercise that does not cause your pain and is easier on your body. Cross-training can be very beneficial to runners. ( Etxebarria N, Mujika I, Pyne DB. Training and Competition Readiness in Triathlon. Sports (Basel). 2019;7(5).)  While running may be one of the best workouts, sometimes… Continue Reading

What’s wrong with wearing flip flops?

Wednesday August 19, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

When individuals are asked why they wear flip flops, most of them usually say because they are comfortable. This is ironic because in the summertime many patients develop pain BECAUSE they have been wearing flip flops every day. Flip flops are one of the least supportive types of shoes on the market. Walking while wearing basic flip flops is similar to walking barefoot. Flip flops do not provide structural support for the joints in the foot, therefore the tendons and muscles have to work harder to stabilize the foot. Also, the lack of arch support and lack of heel cushioning… Continue Reading

Prevention of Swollen Feet & Legs During Travel

Wednesday July 29, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

Early this year, before anyone had heard of Covid-19, my husband and I traveled abroad to India.  We flew across oceans for nearly 16 hours.  During that time, I remained quite active, especially with my feet.  To adjacent passengers, it probably seemed like I was a high maintenance traveler, as I often stretched out, took frequent walks about the cabin, changed out compression stockings, frequently removed shoes, and even extended my legs for massages (begrudgingly provided by my husband).  What the passengers didn’t know, and what my loving husband did, was that, as a Podiatrist, I acted to avoid swollen… Continue Reading

Arthritis.. It can happen to Kids too!

Friday July 17, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

Children can be hard to treat, whether it by your own or your patients. Often when we think of arthritis we immediately associate that with the older individuals rather than our pediatric population.  Juvenile arthritis (JA) is an autoimmune disease, therefore not usually hereditary, caused by inflammation (swelling) of the synovium, which is the lining of joints, occurring to children aged 16 or younger with girls more likely to develop JA than boys. Juvenile arthritis affects nearly 300,000 children in the United States. The most prevalent form of juvenile arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (also known as juvenile rheumatoid… Continue Reading

Plantar Plate Injuries

Thursday July 2, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

Are you experiencing pain under your 2nd toe(lesser toe) when walking? Have you noticed a slight gap between your 2nd and 3rd toes?  You may be suffering from a plantar plate injury. The plantar plate is a thickening of the joint capsule found under each of the bases of the lesser toes. This structure is responsible for stabilizing the lesser toes, helping you push off from your toes when walking, and preventing the very common “hammertoe” deformity.  Injuries to the plantar plate can be caused by poor shoes such as high heels, walking barefoot on hard surfaces, and impact exercises… Continue Reading

Anterior Tibial Tendonitis

Tuesday June 30, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

Anterior Tibial Tendonitis is inflammation within the tendon. It is typically from overuse. This muscle runs down the front of your shin and crosses the ankle, then ends along the inside of the foot. What Causes it? Overuse of the tendon Excessive Training Sports:  Running on uneven surfaces  Kicking with toes pointed Repetitive movements Tight foot or ankle wear High Heels Poor foot/ankle biomechanics – pronated feet https://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/ankle-pain/anterior-ankle-pain/tibialis-anterior-tendon-inflammation   Symptoms: Symptoms are typically gradual at onset with pain or stiffness along the front of the ankle and worsened when trying to lift the foot or toes up. There is pain… Continue Reading

Peroneal Tendonitis 

Wednesday June 24, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

The outer edge of the leg consists of muscles called the peroneals. They attach the fibula bone (outside leg bone) to the outer edge and bottom of the foot. These muscles help move the foot up and out, also known as eversion. The tendon portions of these muscles insert to the outside of the foot at the fifth metatarsal base and at the bottom of the foot into several bones. The peroneal tendons can get fatigued due to excessive use from repetitions of prolonged high forces, which ultimately results in pain. The overuse of the tendons results in degeneration and… Continue Reading