2018 on Using Healthier Shoes

Heel Hurting? It Could Be One Of These Conditions

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 07:56:57 +0000

Suffering from any kind of heel pain can be an uncomfortable situation. You can't even typically walk without some level of discomfort. Most people automatically think of plantar fasciitis when they think of heel pain, but that is not the only cause. Here are a few other reasons why you might be struggling with pain in your heel.

Arthritis

Believe it or not, arthritis may be to blame for the discomfort you're feeling in your heel. Sometimes arthritis pain can radiate out from the joint that's inflamed, making it feel as though the pain is coming from somewhere nearby, but not the joint. If you have arthritis in the joint between your heel and your ankle, that can radiate downward and feel like pain in your heel. If you've never been diagnosed with arthritis, your doctor can do an easy x-ray test to determine the condition of the joint and tell you if this is the source of your pain.

Fractured Heel Bone

Particularly common in runners, a fracture in your heel bone can cause significant pain when you are walking. Typically, fractures like this are stress fractures, which means they are the result of excessive use. If you are a runner and you've stepped up your training, whether for an event or just to reach a new personal best, you may have inadvertently caused a stress fracture in that heel.

Tarsal Tunnel

Although less widely known than carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel is a similar condition, only it affects the nerve that runs through the foot. The nerve often becomes agitated because it's being flattened by tissue at the base of your foot. If this is the cause of your pain, you may notice that your arch is smaller or flatter than it used to be, the pain will get worse throughout the day, and the level of pain will typically be in direct relation to the amount of activity you've been doing.

Atrophy Due To Aging

As you age, certain pads of tissue in your body will begin to atrophy, or shrink. One of the most common areas for this to occur is the fat pad at the base of your heel. While it provides the necessary cushion to minimize discomfort throughout most of your adult life, when this pad starts to shrink, it will cause some level of pain whenever you spend too much time on your feet. If you are getting older and suspect this is the cause of your pain, you can easily counter the condition by placing insoles in your shoes that have additional padding at the heel.

If you have heel pain, contact a local clinic like Collier Podiatry PA for help.

Self-Care Guidelines After Injuring Your Big Toe

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:02:30 +0000

If you are an avid sandal wearer during the summer and unfortunately stubbed your big toe on the edge of a concrete slab that is part of your patio, the pain and sight of blood may have made you feel weak in the knees and fearful of the severity of the injury. Use some self-care guidelines while recovering from the incident.

Clean And Soak The Injured Toe

Press a thick cloth against your toe to stop the blood from flowing. Use a cotton swab that has first-aid anitseptic on it to clean the wounded toe. Move the tip of the swab around your toenail to collect any dirt or blood that has settled in the groove that your toenail's edges rest upon. If you are squeamish about cleaning your injured toe, ask your spouse or a family member if they could assist you with this step.

If swelling is apparent, a warm soak may reduce the puffiness. Add warm water to a foot bath, but avoid adding any soaps or gels that contain ingredients that could irritate the injured skin around your toenail. After completing the soak and drying your foot, apply antibacterial ointment to a gauze pad and wrap the pad loosely around your injured toe.

Minimize The Risk Of An Infection

A sterile, clean pad or bandage should be the only thing that comes into contact with your toe while your injury is healing. It may seem frustrating to exchange a sterile dressing for a fresh one each day, but this is an important step that will promote healing and prevent an infection. Also, it is a good idea to allow your skin to breathe. Occasionally remove the pad or bandage that is covering your toe and elevate your foot for a while.

Look Out For Additional Problems

Even if you are conscientious about wound care for your injured toe, you may still encounter a problem with the healing process or experience the discoloration or loosening of your toenail. The severity of the injury and the amount of time that it will take for the healing process to expire depends upon the amount of force that was present when your toe hit the side of the concrete.

If you are concerned about how well your toe is healing or if the pain that you are experiencing is lingering for days on end, schedule an appointment with a podiatrist so that your injury can be examined further. If you are fortunate, the podiatrist will state that your toe is healing properly, and they will advise you on ways to lessen the pain that you have been contending with.

Wear The Right Shoes

Sat, 21 Apr 2018 07:24:52 +0000

When it comes to taking care of your feet, one of the things you want to do is to make sure you wear the best shoes for your needs. You should be wearing the best casual shoes for times when you are simply running errands or taking care of many of life's other enjoyable moments or simple tasks. Then, you also want to make sure you are making proper shoe selection when it comes to other times, such as when you are playing sports or doing something else specific. Wearing the wrong shoes can cause you a lot of different problems, and you can learn more about wearing the right shoes here.

Some shoes should be avoided at all costs

There are some shoes that you should try to avoid wearing at all costs. These shoes can harm your feet or increase your chances of slipping and falling which can cause injuries to your feet, your ankles and any other part of your body that takes the brunt of the fall. Here are three types of shoes you should try to avoid wearing altogether:

High heels – High heels are just bad for your feet all the way around. They generally don't offer you the ankle support you should have, especially when you take the fact they have such high heels to them. The heels also make the shoes bad for you because they cause your foot to scrunch down toward the toes, putting a lot of extra weight on them. This added stress can cause many problems, such as corns, bunions, and even plantar fasciitis. The small base of the heel on high heels also makes it a lot more likely that you can fall and hurt yourself.
Flip flops – Flip flops are another type of shoe that you should try not to wear at all. Flip flops have a strap that goes between your big toe and the toe next to it. This is the only form of support the shoe offers, which means they really have no support. They move a lot when you walk which increases the tripping risk. They can also get sweaty since they are worn with no socks, and your foot can slide right out of them, also leading to accidents simply when you walk. Your toes are also not protected, increasing the chances of you stubbing a toe on something.
Slippery bottoms – Some shoes have no traction built into their bottoms, and this makes them very hard and even dangerous to wear in certain conditions. For example, you can find that you can slip all over if you try to walk in this type of shoe when it is raining or snowing, as well as simply when you are walking on a slippery floor in the store.

Some shoes you should wear for specific reasons

Along with making sure you don't wear shoes that automatically put you at a higher risk of problems simply through their bad design, you also want to make sure you wear the proper type for what you will be doing in them. Here are some shoes you should wear for specific reasons:

Hiking boots – If you are going to be walking on uneven ground, hiking or working where you may be climbing on piles of stuff then you should wear hiking boots. Hiking boots will give you extra support for your ankles, as well as good grip on the bottom of the footwear.
Non-slip shoes – If you are going to be working in an environment with a slippery floor, such as in a restaurant kitchen, then it is very important that you don't only wear shoes with some grip on the bottom, but that you specifically wear 'non-slip' shoes. These shoes have been specifically designed to grip the floor on those slippery surfaces.
Steel toed boots – If you are going to be working in an environment where there is the chance of dropping something heavy on your foot, then you should go with steel-toed boots. These boots have been designed with steel built into the end of the boots to offer extra protection for your toes and that upper portion of your feet.
Sports-specific shoes – If you are going to be playing sports, you want to make sure to wear shoes that are designed for that sport. This way, you know you are supporting your feet in the correct manner for what you will be doing in them.

For more information, contact a podiatrist like Greenberg Paul today!

Want To Start Running This Spring? 4 Ways To Keep Your Feet Safe

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 13:30:57 +0000

Running is a great way to stay in shape, and spring, when the weather is warmer outside, is a great time to take up running. If you are just getting back into running, you are going to want to make sure that you take care of your feet and keep them safe as you get back into shape.

Purchase Good Running Shoes

The first thing that you need to do is purchase good running shoes. Try on the shoes and walk around in the store to make sure that they support your foot correctly. Running shoes are designed and shapes for many different types of feet; there are running shoes specifically designed for individuals with low arches and individuals with high arches.

You also want to think about the terrain that you running on as well. Running shoes are made for specific types of surfaces, such as indoor, pavement, dirt and rough terrain. Make sure that the shoes you buy fit the type of terrain that you want to run on as well as your foot.

Get The Right Socks

You want to make sure that you are wearing the right socks as well. The best socks are ones that are a poly-cotton. These types of socks are designed to help pull moisture off your feet and help keep your feet dry. It is best to try on your running socks when you try on your running shoes to make sure that they are a good fit.

Stretch Before You Run

Before you go running, you are going to want to spend about ten minutes stretching out. Walk or jog lightly for a minute, then stretch out your muscles. For running, really focus on stretching out your legs. When you start running, you should start with shorter distances to get your leg and feet muscles use to running. Then, build up and slowly increase the length of your run over time.

Stretch Out When You Cool Down

Finally, you should stretch out when you cool down as well. Take a few minutes to stretch your muscles and walk. This will help ensure that your muscles are not tight nor sore after you work out. If necessary, ice your legs and feet after you run to provide your muscles with additional relief.

Before you start running this spring, make sure that you purchase good running shoes and sock, and be sure to stretch out before and after you run. This will help protect your leg and feet muscles. For more information or assistance, contact a local podiatrist.