Running Challenge

What would you consider a man who runs 52 miles in just a matter of hours? Personally, I'd call him crazy. However, the reason for running the 52 miles, I'll call it inspirational.

Mark Hammer, of Roanoke, VA, has watched many of his relatives suffer from Type 2 Diabetes. Because of this, Mr. Hammer decided to involve himself in the Break Out of Diabetes challenge to run 1 additional mile every weekend of the year. Due to this past weekend being the 52nd of the year, Mr. Hammer completed his challenge by running 52 miles! He also plans on starting up another challenge for 2013 and possibly will write a book!

Way to go, Mark Hammer! You can view his interview here.

Foot Lifts

Nicky Hilton in Studded Christian Louboutin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An excerpt from December 2012's Allure Magazine regarding different random sugeries:

Foot Lifts:
"Except in summer sandals, the foot is rarely on public display- but that doesn't mean vanity stops above the ankle. Foot surgery is available to make pointy shoes fit better and to shorten second toes that extend beyond big ones; there's lipo for the little toe in cases where it's not little enough, and injections of hyaluronic acid to add padding to the balls of the feet (dubbed the 'Loub job,' after Christian Louboutin). The complications, however, can be brutal. It took one New Yourk City socialite more than three years to recover from shots in the soles that caused nerve injury and forced her to wear sneakers. 'When patients ask to alter the architecture of a foot that has no real disabilities, I advise against it,' says Rock Positano, a New York City podiatrist and director of nonoperatvie foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Foot Exams Help Prevent Ulcerations

diabetic foot syndrome

We urge all of our patients to make sure their primary-care physicians check their feet during every office visit for signs of ulcerations that, left untreated, can lead to infection and ultimately result in lower limb amputations.

It’s a simple exam that takes two minutes to determine if you are at risk for developing a foot ulcer. Perhaps the easiest way to remember to get your feet checked is to remove your shoes and socks in the examining room. Most diabetic patients are vulnerable to foot ulcerations caused by poor blood circulation in the lower extremities and neuropathy that inhibits nerve sensation.

Ulcers are the leading cause of foot amputations among people with diabetes, but they are preventable in most cases if doctors routinely check their patient’s feet.

In a routine foot exam we check for nerve sensation, skin irregularities (corns, calluses, punctures and areas of redness), swelling, drainage, and foot deformities that cause unnatural pressure points that are prone to ulceration.

Patients with diabetes who have their feet checked regularly can prevent foot ulcers or have them treated at early stages by their podiatrist.

New Floors!

Happy day for Shenandoah Podiatry's Blacksburg office! We installed new floors in our treatment rooms! Take a look and while you're at it, 'Like' our facebook page!

People Running Backwards?

Apparently a new technique to avoid injury and to help recover from common injuries is to run in reverse. You might have tried this (by walking) on the treadmill a time or two to work your calves a bit more or even on the elliptical but this is suggesting flat out running backwards!

Some other benefits are:

• Burning extra calories (2.5% more body fat is burned)
• Sharpen balance
• Mix up daily routine

A study at the University of Milan (in Italy) “found that...the runners struck the ground near the back of their feet when going forward and rolled onto the front of their feet for takeoff. When they went backward though, they landed near the front of their feet and took off from the heels. They tended to learn slightly forward even when running backward. As a result, their muscles fired differently.”



Backwards Running!

Since running backwards causes far less impact to the front of the knees, it is a good option for those runners with knee complications.

Personally, I am going to start doing it a little. I like the idea that it decreases body fat by 2.5% versus running forward the same amount of distance! I do recommend running with a partner in case someone falls and hurts themselves. I see a bit more runners in our Blacksburg office versus our Roanoke office, and will keep it in mind to bring up to patients who seem to be interested in a challenge!

Dedicated to your healthy feet,

Dr. Kate Steklachich

Foot Surgery Impairs Marathon World Record Holder

Paula Radcliffe, winner of the 2007 New York City Marathon, photographed at mile 14. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paula Radcliffe realizes she may not be able to continue her elite running career as she recovers from complicated foot surgery. The marathoner had to withdraw her position in the 2012 Olympics because "Radcliffe had so much cartilage damage in her left foot that her bones were rubbing against each other..."

This was Radcliffe's dream to make an appearance in her home country. "In August, she had three operations on her foot, including a bone graft to correct a stress fracture. She’s still not back to running, though she hopes to do light sessions before Christmas."

Radcliffe has such a fascinating career, that unfortunately might be behind her:  She's won the London Marathon three times, the New York City Marathon three times and even the Chicago Marathon once.