How To Tie Your Shoe for More Ankle Support

Both our Blacksburg and Troutville Medical Assistants attended an Orthofeet Conference in Charlotte last weekend and learned how to tie your shoes in order to give you more ankle support!

Check out our video below and underneath are the 1, 2, 3 steps:

Step 1: Untie "additional" eyelet at the top of your shoe closest to your ankles
Step 2: Create a bunny ear with the additional eyelet
Step 3: Take top of lace back down into bunny ear hole on each side
Step 4: Proceed to tying your shoe normally

4th Quarter Injury?!

Can you imagine getting injured during the 4th quarter of a game? Let alone the Superbowl? How many saw cornerback Richard Sherman go down and gasp at the unfortunate event? Luckily, with the Seahawks in the lead there was no rush to put Sherman back in the game. The last quarter was the second time Sherman hit the bench due to his injured ankle.

Due to Sherman ignoring his injury and pain when he originally hurt his ankle in the beginning of the game, Sherman may have caused an even more severe injury. In both our Blacksburg and Troutville offices, we never want you to ignore your pain! Forget the phrase, "walk through the pain" as we don't want to injure yourself even more! Just remember, your feet shouldn't hurt! Now onto the reason we actually watch the Superbowl: commercials! My favorite is absolutely the Budweiser puppy commercial If you or any loved ones have any pain or discomfort, don't hesitate to give our office a call! We will do our best to work with your schedule and get you in quickly!

Does Turning 30 = Foot Pain?

I'm sure by now you've seen the hit website, Buzzfeed, which displays popular social content on the web. Well, the other day I was scrolling through and an interesting title, 30 Unexpected Things You Learn in Your Thirties, caught my eye.

Working at Shenandoah Podiatry, naturally #16 jumped out at me:

I love the reference to orthotic shoe inserts as they really are an investment and they really do help with back pain (in addition to knee and foot pain!)

So our question is, when you hit the big 3-0 did you experience back and foot pain out of the blue? If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, give our office a call! We do our best to work with your schedule and get you in quickly to see one of our doctors! We are conveniently located in Blacksburg (right off of 460) and in Troutville (North Roanoke right off 81).

Worker's Hand Attached to Foot!

A worker's hand was cut off by a machine late last month and was temporarily attached to the man's foot in order to preserve the hand! Who knew you could do that?? After doctors worked on other injuries for the man, they removed the hand from the foot to reattach to his wrist. Despite having to wait for him to recover in order to complete the reattachment, the man is doing well and will need to have several other procedures conducted once the hand is reattached.

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So basically we want to stress, if your hand gets cut off in an accident, let the docs know they can attach it to your foot to prevent it from dying (temporarily).

What Causes Gout?

"Gout is caused by an increase, or build up, of uric acid in the body.  It is usually a result of a decreased excreation of uric acid in our urine.  Initially the uric acid is found in the blood, but over time it will defuse throughout the body.  This includes the joints.  As uric acid increases in concentration in the joints it is more likely to crystallize.  These crystals can cause a lot of pain during an acute gout attack. 
 

The question can be asked: Why is gout usually seen in the feet?  Uric acid is not water soluble.  This means that it will crystallize if given the right conditions.  First, in high enough concentrations it can crystallize.  Second, as temperature decreases it is more likely to crystallize.  Gout can be found in any joint, but I believe it happens more in the feet because of the decreased temperature found in the feet.  The feet are the structures in the body that are furthest from the heart, making them the coolest. 

Symptoms of an acute gout attack include pain, edema (swelling), and erythema (redness) around the joint involved.  It is common to see a patient that was drinking alcohol or eating a steak dinner one evening to wake up the next morning with an acute gout attack.  The pain is usually 10 out of 10 and can be so painful it hurts to even let the bed sheets rest on the affected area.  An acute gout attack can mimic different arthritic conditions, including septic arthritis.  A diagnosis is made definitively through joint aspiration, which is then sent to a pathology lab."

- Dr. Marshal Gwynn

Leo DiCaprio with a Cane!

Did you recently see Leo walking around with a cane? Apparently he was showing his architect a design and wound up popping a few ligaments, spraining his ankle. Besides his upcoming premier of The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio doesn't seem to be phased of his ankle injury. Luckily he looks pretty good, even with a cane!

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So how do you sprain your ankle? Well, just as DiCaprio experienced, it's caused by stretching or tearing one or more ligaments on either or both sides of the ankle. Many patients are seen in the winter with ankle sprains due to weather related injuries and of course a plethora in the spring as kids are starting up their sports and running starts up again with the warmer weather.

In order to prevent ankle sprains:
- always wear proper footwear
- warm up prior to exercise
- carefully run or walk on uneven terrain

Treat ankle sprains with RICE therapy- Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. If you are experiencing pain or swelling even a week after the incident, give our office a call! We are accepting new patients in both our Blacksburg and Troutville (North Roanoke) offices!

Heels, Yeah!

Extracted from Shape Magazine November 2013

After one hour and six minutes of wearing heels, most women are in pain, a new U.K. survey found. Still, more than 40% say they're willing to suffer for fashion. Sound familiar? Lessen the hurt with these tips from heel-wearing podiatrists in New York City:

1. Find the Right Fit: Narrow feet can slip around in shoes, so choose a heel with an ankle strap for added stability, Krista Archer suggests. If you have wide feet, your best bet is a wedge with a rounded toe box, which is more forgiving on joints than pointy-toed stilettos.
2. Be a Pencil Pusher: "Slip off your shoes under your desk at work, put your feet together and try to pick up a pencil with your toes to activate the 38 muscles in each foot and strengthen your arches," Suzanne Levine advises.
3. Stretch It Out: "Over time, wearing heels of the same height will cause your Achilles tendons to tighten and shrink, which can lead to pain," Jacqueline Sutera says. Do a few downward dog stretches each night to release tension in the back of your legs. 

foot with narrow flats on

foot without shoes on

If you notice deformities developing (hammertoes, bunions, taylor's bunion) or pain from your current deformities, don't hesitate to give us a call. There are plenty of conservative and surgical treatments available!

Are You Wearing the Wrong Shoes?

Tone It Up (#TIU), a website dedicated to educating people on fitness and nutrition, features a member of their "community" every Tuesday. One of the questions the TIU team asks the members on the feature is "Did you have any setbacks along the way? How did you overcome them?" A recent members response is as follows:

"I did actually have a pretty big set-back. In May 2012, I ran the 500 Festival Mini Marathon, but I ran in the wrong shoes (minimalist shoes). Shortly after finishing, my left foot began hurting badly. I went to the doctor and found out that I had two stress fractures in my foot, which forced me to stop just about all types of exercise for several months. I've just recently reintroduced running back into my routine. Even though it's been over a year, still bothers me. Now, I'm a huge advocate for making sure people wear the best shoes for their body!"

As this member states, you do need to find the best shoes for YOU. A doctor or shoe salesman can't say, "this is the perfect shoe for all runners, walkers, etc." Each person needs to be evaluated in a few different ways and seeing a podiatrist is the first step in a successful exercise regimen.

Alec Baldwin's Wife with Twisted Ankle!

It looks like Mrs. Baldwin went for a run and wound up being chased by paparazzi on bikes! Crazy! One wound up getting too close to her and she twisted her ankle. Her instagram feed shows her icing her ankle (way to go!).

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Have you ever twisted you ankle? It certainly isn't a pleasant injury but completing RICE therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) can help you get back on your feet sooner than you think!

In addition to treating twisted ankles in our Blacksburg and Roanoke offices, we also treat patients with sprained ankles, fractures, broken bones and of course ingrown toenails, warts and much more!

If you or a loved one is in need of foot and ankle care, either

It's Turkey Day Craft Time!

Are you looking for some crafts for the kiddos while dinner is preparing this Thursday? Well look no further, below our craft is easy and you probably have most of the supplies laying around your house.

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Of course we had to pick our craft by choosing the one with a foot involved! The only supplies you need are:
- red/maroon washable paint
- yellow washable paint
- brown washable pain
- bubble/wiggly eyes
- paper
- glue
- paper plates

Instructions:
1. Press your hands into the red paint and press them onto the paper with palms next to each other to create a feather look
2. Repeat step 1 with yellow paint
3. Now press your foot into the brown paint then on the paper with your heel at the top of your paper
4. Adhere bubble eyes with glue at the top of your heel
5. Dip your finger into the yellow paint and press a dot just below the eyes
6. Dip your finger into the red paint and drag it a couple centimeters next to the nose

Ta-da! You now have fun turkey art and a fairly easy clean up :)

Did you know we treat children in both our Blacksburg and Roanoke offices? Well, we do! Everything from ingrown toenails, warts, broken bones, fractures and much more! If you your child is suffering from pain or discomfort, give us a call and we'll work with your schedule for your preferred date and time!

2014 Gently Used Footwear Drive!

I hope all of you haven't been tossing those gently used shoes and are saving them for our 3rd Annual footwear drive! This year not only will we be donating GENTLY used shoes and NEW socks & flip flops to the New River Family Shelter, we will be donating Troutville's collectiong to the RAM House located off Campbell Ave in Roanoke, VA.

Dr. Feeny Keller showing off our collection during the 1st Annual Footwear drive!

I recently spoke with two representatives from the RAM house (Hi Martha & Debbie!) at the Green Ridge Wellness Fair in Roanoke and they were so pleasant and supportive of the program they were representing. While at the fair they were holding a food drive, the ladies stated this time of year they get extremely busy what with the holidays and cold weather.

I informed them of our annual footwear drive and can't wait to start collecting and donating what we can to help the community. Last year we were able to collect footwear for children and adults which makes our practice so proud of the kind patients and community that surround us!

So when you're unwrapping those sweet new kicks in just a couple (short!) weeks, please set a side your (older) shoes for our drive starting in a few months. If you want to get them out of the house sooner, feel free to drop them by either office and we'll get our collection started early!

Thank you for your support this year and make sure to think of those in need as the holidays get closer and the cold gets tougher to bear.

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

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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.

½ Marathon Training: The Decision

April 20^th is the day I decided to start training for a ½ marathon. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of
advertisements about the 1^st Hokie Half Marathon (and 5K) coming up in September and decided I need to push myself a bit. My fiancé, Kevin, and I are getting married in October and typically along with wedding planning is wanting to get in shape (hello pictures!).

My favorite part is the ½ is a few weeks prior to the wedding and it’ll give me more opportunities to de-stress! However, someone did tell me this is either the best decision I’ve made or the worst, so I guess we’ll find out!

Register!

So about my background of athleticism:

I played sports including t-ball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey from elementary school to my last year of high school. Once I left for college, playing sports was out of the question (too much of a commitment!). It crossed my mind having an intramural women’s lacrosse league at VT but there weren’t enough fields for that to happen.

Since then I’ve been working out on a very irregular basis. Now you know my background and reasons for signing up. This is the first post of the series I’ll be writing until the Hokie Half Marathon! Hopefully the next one on the schedule will be the Disney Princess Half Marathon!!!

Up next: 1/2 Marathon Training: Week One

Reflexology

English: Foot reflexology is a "pressure therapy" and involves applying focused pressure to certain known reflex points located in the foot to cure or prevent disease. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Therapeutic reflexology, a popular therapy around the world, involves massaging the nerve endings of the feet to reduce stress and tension and promote healing in other areas of the body. The practice is based on the ideas that our body parts are reflected in the feet, with the front of the body on the sole of the feet and the back of the body on tops. For example, massaging the toes can help relieve headaches and other symptoms in the head. Massaging the ankle bone can help with hip problems. The feet have always played an important role in healing and reflexology dates back to 2500 BC. Some podiatric offices are now hiring therapeutic reflexologists as a complementary service.

It’s always a good idea to listen to your feet, as they often have lots to tell you, including giving you clues about the rest of your body’s well-being. When  your feet tell you there’s trouble somewhere, as your podiatrist, Shenandoah Podiatry will work as a team with you to keep you and your feet healthy and pain free. Feet that feel good mae the rest of you feel good, too so why not give us a call and start the process of feeling better today!

Shoe Selection

Choosing the “right” shoe for walking, or any activity for that matter, can prevent needless foot related injuries and discomfort. If the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, it becomes clear, selecting the “correct” shoe is paramount. Here’s how to select a walking shoe that’s right for you.

Analyze your feet

Not all feet are the same. They are complicated and intricate structure of bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons working in concert to support our body weight on varying surfaces. And they come in many different sizes and shapes. For the most part, feet fit into three categories:

• Low arched, straight foot
• Medium arched, slightly curved foot
• High arched and usually more curved foot

Know your body weight

Body weight can factor into the shoe selection process. Increased weight places more demands upon your feet. Since this is the case, consider increasing the level of protection a shoe can offer by selecting a shoe from a greater controlling category (see “select running shoe type”). For example, you may opt for a motion control shoe rather than a stability shoe or a neutral shoe. Just remember to make sure the shoe fits comfortably on your foot before you purchase it. Consider trying on shoes near the end of the day when your foot is at its largest. And use the socks or stockings that you intend to wear with those particular shoes.

Select a running shoe type

Running shoes can usually be divided into three overall functional types

• Motion Control shoes are typically based upon a straight design and are usually suited for people with low arched, straight feet
• Stability type shoes are for those individuals with a medium arched foot (typically deemed “normal”) and have a slight curve to the shape of the shoe.
• Neutral Type shoes are based upon a curved design and best fit those individuals with a high arched foot.

As you examine shoes from each of these categories, you’ll notice the motion control shoes become the most rigid and resistant to twisting and bending. Several shoe manufacturers, including Asics, Brooks, Etonic and Reebok make walking shoes are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Acceptance.

Avoiding Heel Pain

Heel pain is the most common condition leading patients to both our Roanoke and Blacksburg offices. Pregnancy, improper shoes, and overly strenuous exercise are some of the factors contributing to heel pain. Any heel pain that persists for more than a week should be evaluated by one of our podiatrists. To avoid heel pain, always consult a podiatrist before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have been inactive for a long time. Start any exercise program with moderation, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your workouts.

Always stretch before and after exercise including calves and Achilles tendon. Vary the incline on a treadmill to avoid heel strain. Maintain properly fitting shoes in good condition, wearing appropriate shoes for various activities. When your feet cause you pain, there are many steps you can take to get relief. The first, and probably most important, is a visit to the podiatrist. If heel pain or any other foot problems have got you down, let us do what we do best- diagnose and treat the problem so you’re back on your feet quickly!