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!

Sports Injuries & Children

English: Child Soccer player. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If your children are playing sports this fall, pay attention to six tips that could protect them from serious ankle injuries.

Every fall season, foot and ankle surgeons see an increase in ankle injuries among young athletes. Football, soccer and basketball are the sports most likely to lead to sprains, broken bones and other problems, says Roanoke and New River Valley area podiatrist Jennifer Feeny, DPM.

"What seems like a sprain is not always a sprain; in addition to cartilage injuries, your son or daughter might have injured other bones in the foot without knowing it. Have a qualified doctor examine the injury," says Dr. Feeny. "The sooner rehabilitation starts, the sooner we can prevent long-term problems like instability or arthritis, and the sooner your child can get back into competition." Dr. Feeny, who is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), offers these additional tips for parents:

--Have old sprains checked by a doctor before the season starts. A medical check-up can reveal whether your child's previously injured ankle might be vulnerable to sprains, and could possibly benefit from wearing a supportive ankle brace during competition.

--Buy the right shoe for the sport. Different sports require different shoe gear. Players shouldn't mix baseball cleats with football shoes.

--Children should start the season with new shoes. Old shoes can wear down like a car tire and become uneven on the bottom, causing the ankle to tilt because the foot can't lie flat.

--Check playing fields for dips, divots and holes. Most sports-related ankle sprains are caused by jumping and running on uneven surfaces. That's why some surgeons recommend parents walk the field, especially when children compete in non-professional settings like public parks, for spots that could catch a player's foot and throw them to the ground. Alert coaching officials to any irregularities.

--Encourage stretching and warm-up exercises. Calf stretches and light jogging before competition helps warm up ligaments and blood vessels, reducing the risk for ankle injuries.

For more information on treating ankle sprains, visit ShenandoahPodiatry.com

Fall in love with your feet this autumn

It’s that magical time of year in Blacksburg, Virginia – the trees are the colors of Hokie birds, the air smells of crunchy leaves, and the townspeople are still grasping for those lingering yet diminishing warm-weather moments. The funny thing about Blacksburg autumns is that plenty of people still walk around in their flip-flops, shorts, and tank tops, despite the dropping thermometer.

As much as we may want to be in denial that this year’s summer nights are over, we need to always be sensible about the health of our feet. Cold tootsies aren’t happy tootsies!

Here are a few tips to keep your feet warm and happy through the cold months:


1. Keep your toes inside! (…inside your shoes that is.)

Closed-toe shoes are an absolute must when the weather starts cooling off. Your feet are one of the farthest parts of your body from your heart, so they tend to be one of the first areas of your body to lose heat in cold temperatures. Closed-toe shoes will provide a barrier against wind, and cold air...to a point. Which brings me to tip #2…

2. If it’s raining or snowing, wear waterproof shoes.

Those UGG boots may seem warm and cozy when the ground is dry, but suede isn’t going to keep your feet dry during a storm (not to mention it’ll get destroyed, too). Keep your shoes from becoming a mini swimming pool for your feet by wearing shoes with rubber, PVC, or Gore-Tex-treated components. Being stuck wearing wet shoes for long hours is not only uncomfortable but can lead to scary conditions like frostbite and trench foot. On the other hand…

3. You need to keep your feet hydrated, too.

Many people experience drier skin in the cold months, due to decreased moisture in the air and increased winds. This doesn’t exclude your feet! If your feet get dry in winter, try using some moisturizer after you get out of the shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. Towards the end of your shower you can also rub your feet lightly with a pumice stone to soften dry skin and calluses. Wear clean cotton socks when lounging around the house to keep moisture in (and keep your feet toasty warm). And don’t forget to drink plenty of water – this will hydrate you from the inside out!

For more information about keeping your feet healthy in inclement weather, check out:

http://preventdisease.com/home/weeklywellness143.shtml
http://beauty.about.com/od/skinflaws/a/skinsavers.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_4689079_dry-feet-through-winter-months.html