Items filtered by date: May 2012

The Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships are rapidly approaching for Columbus athletes hoping to qualify for the competition being held in their backyard at the Jesse Owns Memorial Stadium at Ohio State University. Keeping their feet healthy until June 1st when competition begins will be a key goal for track and field athletes whose feet may be feeling worn down after a long year that has already included indoor track and cross country competitions for many.

While some injuries such as a traumatic ankle fracture or stress fracture in the foot may force an athlete to end their season early, there are many minor aches and pains of the foot and ankle that can be avoided or relieved to achieve optimal levels of performance at competition. Athletes should notify their coach and their podiatrist at the first sign of foot pain so that injuries can be prevented from becoming more serious by continuing to run and compete with them.

Track spike sneakers are used to gain better traction and speed for athletes running every distance from the 100M hurdles to the 2 mile. Unfortunately, the advantage gained through using these special lightweight shoes can cause injuries or irritate already existing conditions. In order to offer athletes the advantage of having less weight to carry in their feet, all track spikes sacrifice cushioning and support. However, distance track athletes should be sure to select track spikes made specifically for their increased distances which offer the extra support needed to get athletes through the longer race. The lack of padding in track spikes can cause irritation or bone bruises of the heel bone and the bones at the ball of the foot, as well as heel pain from plantar fasciitis. The decreased height of the heel of a track spike compared to a normal training sneaker can also cause Achilles tendonitis from the increased distance that the calf muscles have to pull across while racing in spikes. All of these injuries can be prevented by wearing track spikes only during competition. While some athletes may enjoy doing their speed workouts in their spike sneakers, at this point in the season having healthy feet will be more important than going a few seconds faster during a workout. For bone bruises and tendonitis, a thin custom orthotic may be fitted to be worn inside the racing spikes to prevent further irritation. One more obvious injury that many distance runners suffer while breaking out of the pack at the start of a race is cuts or open wounds from being accidentally hit by a competitor’s or their own sharpened spikes. While these injuries may be minor, they should always be cleaned and disinfected to prevent infection from occurring in the foot and ankle.

By following these few simple tips, Columbus athletes should be able to continue to wear their spikes and perform to the best of their ability all the way to the state meet! Good luck to all of Ohio’s track and field competitors from Columbus Podiatry and Surgry!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.

Women around Columbus took part in a variety of activities celebrating National Women’s Health Week over the past week. Local YMCA branches offered free health screenings, and events promoting a healthy lifestyle including a “Fitness Friday”. Feet play a huge role when it comes to screening for health problems and maintaining good health for women.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 10.8% of women over 20 years of age have diabetes. This means that teaching women with diabetes how to care for their feet is a huge focus in women’s health. In people with diabetes, their elevated blood sugars impair the function of white blood cells which are responsible for fighting off infection. Because of this, serious infections can happen more easily in people with diabetes. Foot infections are the most common infection individuals with diabetes develop. Women with diabetes should schedule annual podiatric exams and always call their podiatrist at the first signs of infection in their feet. The cardinal signs of infection to watch for are swelling, pain, redness, increased warmth of the skin around a wound, and loss of the normal function of the foot. Foot health during pregnancy should always be monitored as it can be an important indicator of health problems, but pregnant women also need to focus on preventing the condition called “gestational diabetes”. Women who develop this pre-diabetes condition during pregnancy are at a greatly increased risk of developing full blown diabetes type 2 and the foot and ankle complications it brings with it.

With summer on the horizon, many women will want their feet and toenails to look nice so they can wear their tall sandals out or go to the beach without feeling embarrassed by their toes. One of the most important things women should do to care for their feet in the warm weather is to always apply sunscreen to the tops of the feet anytime the skin will be exposed, including when wearing strappy sandals. This is one of the most missed areas for sunscreen application and creates high risk of developing malignant melanoma, or skin cancer in the foot. Before summer, many women would like to get rid of dry scaly skin, and unattractive, thick, crusty toenails. If your dry skin does not improve with moisturizing lotion, it can be a sign of a fungal infection or athlete’s foot and you should contact your podiatrist to receive anti-fungal medication. Thick, discolored nails are also a sign of fungal infection. Toenail fungus is very difficult to treat in the short period of time left to be ready for beach season, unless you choose to undergo treatment from the PinPointe Foot Laser. Normally, when nails are infected with a fungus, nail polish should not be worn on the toes because it covers the fungus and allows it to continue growing and thriving. However, with the PinPointe system, immediately after the treatment nails can be painted over and ready for your next pool party!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.

If you are trying enjoying the nice spring weather coming up in Metzger Park, Sharon Woods Park or Highbanks Park, you might notice the skin on your feet is a little itchier than usual this time of year if you suffer from eczema. This disease can be extremely irritating on the feet and elsewhere on the body. Even Kate Middleton has told stories of being bullied for the rashes of eczema on her skin.

Atopic dermatitis becomes worse in the spring because spring is also the season when allergies are at their peak. This skin condition is seen most commonly in children. Children affected will frequently have other signs of inherited allergies including runny nose and itchy eyes. Allergens cause a sensation of intense itching but do not cause the actual skin appearance seen in eczema. The visible rash, small blisters or skin thickening that occurs in eczema is actually caused by the intense itching and scratching as the individual tries to achieve relief. On the affected child’s foot, it is commonly seen as redness and scales and possibly even fissures, or cracks in the skin from the extended itching. Darkening of the skin or hyperpigmentation can also be seen after extended periods of itching in the affected area. The area around the ankle where the top of sneakers may rub and cause friction is a frequent area of involvement. When cuts or fissures do develop from itching, parents should watch carefully for any signs of infection of the foot. If pain, swelling, or pus appear at the affected area, contact your podiatrist as soon as possible so that antibiotics may be prescribed.

Eczema is treated by both lessening the allergic sensation of the foot being “itchy”and by decreasing the habitual itching that develops as a result of the condition. Moisturizing creams, topical corticosteroids and medications commonly used for allergies, such as anti-histamines, are used to suppress the sensation of itchiness. Removing external irritants, such as a high top sneaker that rubs against the irritated ankle would also be utilized to decrease the appearance of rashes.

Many different skin conditions can affect the foot and ankle. For this reason it is critical to obtain a correct diagnosis from your podiatrist before beginning treatment of a skin condition. Dry scaly skin may just be a sign of eczema, or it could be athlete’s foot, in which case applying a moisturizing cream could do more harm than good. Many skin cancers of the foot can also mimic less sinister skin lesions including athlete’s foot or an eczematous rash.

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.

While it has not become a craze in Columbus yet, a new cosmetic surgery craze in Great Britain has begun making headlines in the US over the past few weeks. Dermal filler is being injected into women’s feet to provide additional cushioning in areas that are placed under excess pressure by wearing extreme high heels. The surgery has been nicknamed a “Loub job” in reference to the French shoe designer Christian Louboutin who has been quoted that he does not care if his shoe creations are uncomfortable. With unpleasant thoughts of wearing painful heels to upcoming graduations and graduation parties for their kids at Westerville South High School, Beechcroft High School or any of the other schools in the Columbus area, women should be pleased to know that less extreme measures can offer great pain relief!

While it would be ideal for optimal foot health to completely eliminate high heels and stilettos from a woman’s shoe choices, it is understandable that there are occasions where dressing up is necessary. When choosing a dress shoe there are a few things women can do to decrease the pain and potential for injury or deformity caused by the shoe. Selecting a shoe with a wider toebox versus a pointy toe can limit the development of painful corns and calluses as well as bunions and hammertoes. If possible, choosing a lower height heel can also decrease the extreme amount of pressure placed on the ball of the foot.

Certain areas of the foot are affected worse than other when wearing heels. These areas include the ball of the foot, the bottom and back of the heel and the toe pads, which are some of the areas where dermal filler is being injected in the cosmetic surgery “Loub job”. High heels are notorious for causing a painful bony bump on the back of the heel in women that is called a “Haglund’s deformity” or “Pump Bump”. This bump develops from the excess irritation caused by the rigid structure of a pump or high heeled style shoe. Changing the shoes and adding a heel grip device to the shoe to provide a cushion in the painful aspect are options to decrease the symptoms. Surgery offers the ability to completely remove the painful bump. Metatarsalgia, or pain in the ball of the foot, is another issue being targeted by these injections. There are many custom padding options that your podiatrist can create that will offer the extra cushioning, without having to go through an injection. It is also important to realize that pain in the ball of the foot may be occurring for reasons that will not be cured by increasing the foot’s cushioning. For example, neuromas are seen with increased frequency in women who wear heels but often require surgery or injections to remove the irritated nerve in order to alleviate the pain. For this reason, it is always crucial to have a thorough appointment with your podiatrist to correctly diagnose a problem before self-treating or selecting a treatment from another health professional if they have not identified the underlying cause of the pain.

Talk to your podiatrist to discuss all the options to enjoy and show off your toes at graduations and spring events without suffering through foot pain!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.