Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia translated means pain in metatarsals or ball of the foot.  In other words it is medicines junk term/diagnosis for pain in the ball of the foot.  It doesn't describe the location or cause of the pain making it more difficult to effectively treat. 

For example if a patient presented with pain in the ball of the foot (metatarsalgia) and radiographs revealed a fractured bone then I would diagnose a broken bone not metatarsalgia.  On the other hand if a patient presented with pain in the foot with no obvious diagnosis after a physical exam/radiographs then I would diagnose metatarsalgia.

If you feel you have any questions or concerns, or you have a foot or ankle concern give us a call at 808-4343!

- Dr. Marshal Gwynn

Fall Foot Blues

Do your feet hurt more than ever since summer has ended? If so, you are not alone. We see a lot of patients like you each fall. When it comes time to put the summer shoes away, these people get the shoe blues. 

In summer, sandals provide the freedom which allows your feet to feel comfortable. If you start wearing closed shoes again in autumn, the shoes can rub against bunions and hammertoes and cause you pain. Sometimes the friction of shoe against skin can cause painful corns and calluses to build up. Your first line of defense is to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes. Pick footwear with a toe box wide enough so that your toes aren’t crowded together. If you wear shoes with heels, keep the heel height to two inches or less to avoid putting pressure on bunions. Wear socks to reduce the friction of shoes against your feet. You may also want to take your shoes to a shoe repair shop and get them stretched in the areas that are bothering you. Using the pads to shield the corns may help, but avoid medicated pads, which contain acid that can be harmful. 

If you try our tips to no avail, contact our office. There are several types of conservative treatments we can offer before we suggest surgery including:

• Trimming corns and calluses professionally- don’t attempt this yourself because you run the risk of injury or infection.
  
• Providing custom shoe inserts
  
• Injecting corticosteroids, which ease pain and inflammation or prescribing pain medication

If conservative measures like these don’t give you results, surgery may be your next alternative.

Don’t let painful feet and toes keep you from enjoying all that fall has to offer, visit our www.ShenandoahPodiatry.com!

Foot Cream to Kill HIV?

Ciclopirox, a drug commonly used to treat foot fungus, has been suggested to kill HIV cells. "In a study performed at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, not only does the drug Ciclopirox rid infectious HIV from cell cultures, but the virus also doesn't bounce back when the drug is withheld." - CNet.com

source

However, because the drug is a topical it does not treat the whole body (a systematic treatment) meaning it only prevents HIV not actually treating it.

Luckily, since the drug is already FDA approved for human use, the process of approval for HIV use might be sped up!

To learn more about the research and interviews head to cnet.com

A Brief Introduction to Dr. Marshal Gwynn!

Hi, my name is Marshal Gwynn and I am brand new at blogging!  I just recently moved from Binghamton, NY to just south of Salem to work at Shenandoah Podiatry.  I was born in Portland, OR and grew up in Wenatchee, WA.  I did my undergraduate schooling at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT.  I kept moving east when I decided to attend the Ohio College of Podiatry Medicine in Cleveland, OH.  One of my fourth year rotations was done at the Salem VA Hospital.  I absolutely loved my rotation, especially when I had time to get out in the community and see some of the sites.  I still remember hiking to the Dragon's Tooth on the Appalachian Trail.  I still have pictures of the Roanoke Star when I visited.  After podiatry school I received my three years of surgical training at United Health Services Hospitals in Binghamton, NY.  I was excited when I saw an opening at Shenandoah Podiatry, because of the possibility of returning to this area. 

It was during my schooling that I met my first, and only, Virginian girl.  Long story short we got married.  I've been promising for years to bring her home to Virginia again.  As excited as I am to move to this area it doesn't hold a candle to how happy my wife is to be in the area.  It is our plan to be here for years to come.  I look forward to meeting and serving the people in this community. 


Come visit me in both offices! I am in Troutville on Mondays and Thursdays and in Blacksburg on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.



- Dr. Marshal Gwynn

1/2 Marathon Training: Week One

My plan for the Hokie Half is to follow Hal Higdon’s 10K novice training plan. Once I complete this plan, I’ll move on to the ½ marathon plan. I decided to do this because once I started looking at the ½ training plan I realized it was not for my beginner status. This seems to be much more feasible! Here’s what was on the schedule for this week and how I completed each workout:

Starting on Tuesday my achilles tendon on both legs felt soooo tight (and still do) which started to stress me out. Yesterday, Dr. Kate and I were driving to Kendal at Lexington for a talk and I mentioned this to her and she said to make sure you rub the tendons, ice them after each workout and of course stretch. Stretching has definitely been put on the back burner (minus Monday since it was on the plan) which I need to make a priority.

All in all, I'm really happy with how the week went! I'm SO elated we worked out everyday- after work Monday through Wednesday and before on Thursday since we had a softball game that night.