As I was getting ice cream at Graeter’s near the Dublin Columbus Podiatry and Surgery office this past week, I realized that season of summer and ice cream has arrived. And that both ice cream and summer bring foot bone health and osteoporosis to mind.

Summer should be a time of enjoying the outdoors injury free. However, for those suffering from osteoporosis they may have to be a bit more careful to protect the bones in their feet and elsewhere in the body. One in five American women over the age of 50 has osteoporosis and is at increased risk for fractures in the lower extremity. Foot fractures following minimal or no traumatic event may be the initial sign of severely decreased bone density. Often times, before a fracture occurs, osteoporosis can be a silent disease with no signs or symptoms of the serious bone weakening occurring. Some of the signs that may present as the disease progresses include a loss of height and a Dowager’s hump, a curve in the spine that occurs from decreased vertebral support.

Commonly known risk factors for developing osteoporosis include not getting enough calcium, vitamin D, having a family history of osteoporosis. What many people do not know is that diabetes is a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis. Once an individual with diabetes has osteoporosis, they can be at risk for additional damaging bone diseases in the foot including Charcot foot. One of the ways to decrease your risk of osteoporosis, as well as many other foot problems such as ulcers and infection, is to gain control of your blood glucose levels and avoid the development of diabetes. Other ways to take care of your bones include having a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and to take part in daily weight bearing exercise. Low fat ice cream and yogurt can be a great source of calcium, as well as a refreshing treat in the summer! Weight bearing exercises such as walking are better for strengthening your bones that non-weight bearing activities like biking or swimming. If foot pain is holding you back from a daily walk, be sure to contact your podiatrist as soon as possible. Many painful foot deformities including bunions, hammer toes and pump bumps can be fitted with a custom padding to alleviate pain and foot orthotics may be recommended to slow further development of the deformity.

So remember the next time you are feeling guilty about indulging in a scoop of ice cream, you are actually eating to keep your foot bones strong and healthy (as long as it’s in moderation)!

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.

It has been a big few weeks for runners and fitness enthusiasts in the Columbus area. While National Running Day was a day of celebrations for many, the recent settlement in the lawsuit against Sketcher’s Shapeup Shoes have left those looking for an extra boost in their run less enthused. Back in February 2011, our blog “The Truth about Toning Shoes” discussed this style of shoe, but they have remained a source of both intrigue and confusion. Keeping your feet healthy and choosing shoes that help you to do so is the best way to ensure that you will be enjoying national running day for years to come.

Sketcher’s is not the first so called “fitness” shoe claiming to tone your legs and thighs almost magically just by wearing them. Reebok was also forced to dole out a refund to customers who had purchased their “EasyTone” sneakers that, similar to the Sketcher’s shape up, had made claims about the shoes’ health benefits that had not been evaluated or proven true in any clinical tests. While the claims that these shoes firm your legs and bottom may not have been true, these shoes may actually increase the risk of foot and ankle injury for some people. Most toning shoes create instability that the wearer’s foot and leg muscles must counteract in order to remain balanced and upright. For some people, this can be outright dangerous. For example, an individual with peripheral neuropathy from diabetes may be unable to compensate for the imbalance and find themselves more likely to sprain their ankle or even fracture a foot bone. Even a healthy individual with no nerve problems who chooses this style of shoe to run in may be more likely to stumble, or strain a muscle while running from the unnatural motion the shoe creates.

When it comes to running shoes other than “Shape up” or “Toning” shoes, every runner needs to ensure that the shoe they select fits comfortably to their own foot. Improperly fitting running shoes can result in blisters, calluses, tendonitis and even stress fractures if they cause the wearer’s bone to experience excessive pressure over time. Even the best fitting shoe may not be sufficient for some runners to prevent injury. Custom orthotics can be used to help a foot function better and prevent injury inside of a properly fitting running shoe. Even if you are not a runner, but are involved in walking, aerobics or other sports, custom orthotics can help keep your feet pain free and healthy.

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.

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.

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 people around Columbus may feel as though they have difficulties finding comfortable shoes, one man from Rochester, Minnesota has truly not had a pair of properly fitting shoes in six long years. Igor Vovkovinskiy is the tallestman in America at 7 feet 8 inches tall. His feet are so large that no shoe template existed for the estimated size 26 extra wide shoe he would need. Because of this, the $16,000 price of the shoes posed a major barrier to Igor’s foot health, until he reached out via the internet to ask for donations. He has now surpassed the $16,0000 goal and has various shoe companies offering to produce the shoes.

Like Igor, people suffering from a variety of diseases or congenital deficits may also require a custom or modified shoe in order to maintain good foot health. Nerve disease is one condition that can result in the need for custom shoes. When loss of sensation occurs in the feet, bony changes can occur that result in arthritis. This arthritis resulting from nerve disease is called neuropathic arthritis. Individuals with diabetes represent a major portion of the population who develop neuropathic arthritis in the form of Charcot foot. In Charcot foot, damage is inflicted on the foot bones as the individual continues to walk on damaged tissue because they are unable to feel pain from the damage. The bone fragments into pieces, and then coalesces and reforms into an extremely misshapen foot. A Charcot foot is typically very wide with complete collapse of the arch by the time bone remodeling is complete. The combination of foot deformity with inability to feel is a potent combination leading to the development of dangerous ulcers for a diabetic patient.

Luckily, custom shoes can be found with much less work than Igor had to put in to obtain his, simply by visiting your podiatrist. Charcot and other complications of diabetes can frequently be avoided through regular podiatric care. It is believed that the biomechanical condition called “equinus” where the foot is unable to lift off the ground, which can result from overpronation, contributes to the development of Charcot foot and ulcers in patients with diabetes. Your podiatrist at Columbus Podiatry and Surgery can create individualized custom orthotics using a digital gait scanner to correct these biomechanical abnormalities. Unlike Igor’s $16,000 extremely large shoes, many insurance companies recognize the need and offer coverage of custom shoes and orthotics for diabetic patients meeting specific criteria.

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.

Fans of both American Idol and Aerosmith may have noticed that Steven Tyler has recently been getting media attention not for his singing, dancing or judging skills – but for the wild appearance of his toes! Stephen claims that the years of dancing and wearing ill-fitting, unsupportive shoes have taken their toll on his feet, which now bear a variety of deformities.

The most noticeable problem in Stephen’s feet is his overlapping and underlapping toes. The second toe of his right foot completely overlaps the big toe, or hallux, and toes three, four and five of both feet underlap the adjacent toe. Not only are underlapping and overlapping toes thought of as cosmetically unappealing, but they also can cause painful corns and calluses on the tops of the toes and make finding properly fitting shoes a challenge. Many times underlapping of the toes are a congenital deformity that is present from birth. Most commonly the fifth toe will be rotated and underlap the fourth toe, a condition specifically called digiti quinti varus. There are a variety of underlying causes of digiti quinti varus but one of the most common is a coalition, or fusion of the two bones that normally make up the fifth toe. Another common cause of underlapping and overlapping toes that develop early in life is muscle and ligament imbalances, which can often be treated by taping and bracing. When the condition develops later in life, as in Steven Tyler’s case, a tear of the plantar plate may have occurred. The plantar plate is a thickening in the capsule of the joint at the base of each two and serves as an attachment for ligaments that connect the metatarsals. When the plantar plate tears, these connections are disrupted and the involved toe may deviate over another and metatarsalgia, or pain in the forefoot, and swelling may develop.

Tyler has also complained of a history of Morton’s neuroma contributing to the painful state of his feet over the years. A neuroma is an enlargement of a nerve that typically results from irritation to that nerve. A Morton’s neuroma is found between the third and fourth toes that is the most common location of a neuroma in the foot. Metatarsalgia, tingling and burning pain are common complaints of those suffering from a neuroma. Neuromas may be treated by your podiatrist with injection of corticosteroids to decrease pain and swelling, or surgery to excise the painful neuroma. To avoid Steven’s neuromas and toe deformities, be sure to keep your feet in rock and roll shape with supportive shoes and regular checkups with your podiatrist at the first signs of problems!

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.

Golfers hitting up the greens at the York, Worthington Hills, Muirfield or Tartan golf courses near the offices here at Columbus Podiatry in Surgery, need to take their feet into consideration when looking for ways to lower their scores. While many golfers look to the newest technology in their clubs and golf balls to enhance their drive, custom foot orthotics could be the missing link to correcting many parts of your swing!

Even though golf is thought of a relatively low risk sport, there are many painful foot problems that commonly arise in golfers from the intense amount of walking involved. Heel pain can occur from a variety of causes. Plantar fasciitis can cause heel pain that radiates down the arch of the foot and is often worst in the morning or upon standing after periods of sitting. Stress fractures of the calcaneus, which can occur from chronic strain on bone resulting from excessive walking, are another cause of heel pain. Metatarsalgia which is a term that refers to pain in the ball of the foot also commonly occurs in golfers. Stress fractures of the metatarsals, most commonly the second metatarsal, can be one underlying cause of this pain. Plantar plate tears can be another common cause of metatarsalgia. The plantar plate supports the head of the metatarsal bone and pain results from a tear because the metatarsal head becomes subjected to higher ground pressure with each step.

Many of these problems are caused not from golf itself, but because excess pressure from walking being placed on an abnormally functioning subtala rjoint, which is most commonly functioning overpronated. When this joint does not function optimally, problems can start in the foot, but may also progress higher up the body’s “kinetic chain” or chain of movement. This can result in knee, hip, back and neck pain. Using a digital gait scanner, as is used at Columbus Podiatry and Surgery, an orthotic can be fit specifically to address an individual’s foot problems and create a custom orthotic to correct any biomechanical problems. With improved function, a golfer’s body will have the capacity to achieve the perfect swing!!

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.

An article published in “USA Today” this past week discussed the scary reality that many elderly patients will leave a hospital much weaker than when they arrived. Even though the patient’s original condition will be treated, the overall health of the patient may suffer from lack of physical activity. A similar concept can be applied to many treatments of the foot and ankle, in that even though a treatment may remove the original pain or deformity, post-treatment actions must be taken by the patient to ensure that they maintain optimum health and their condition does not return.

One condition that requires continued maintenance even after a pain-relieving treatment is plantar fasciitis. Stretching and orthotics are often suggested as the first line of treatment because they address the root of the problem. However, individuals with severe plantar fasciitis may find even stretching to be too painful and can receive steroid injections for more immediate relief. In plantar fasciitis, the fibrous band of tissue called the plantar fascia that attaches from the heel to the ball of the foot becomes irritated from having too much tension placed on it. Overpronation and equinus, or stiffness of the ankle, can add to the tension placed on the fascia causing its inflammation. Even though a steroid injection removes the heel pain of plantar fasciitis, the underlying causes of tension will remain and eventually allow the pain to return if they are not addressed. For a patient to get optimal results from their treatment, they should discuss a daily stretching regimen with their podiatrist that should be easier to adhere to after their pain has been alleviated by the injection. Simple stretches and custom orthotics will often relieve tension and thus the irritation on the tissue, allowing the patient to avoid recurrences of the condition.

This concept of stretching and physical therapy following treatment is often used following surgeries that actually have removed the underlying problem, including those performed to remove a bunion. While the bunion deformity is gone, physical therapy to get the toe moving after surgery can prevent complications down the road that may result from the prolonged inactivity of the toe following the operation. Bones and tissues that have been cut need time without bearing the weight of the body in order to fuse together properly. Unfortunately this period of rest that is necessary for bone healing may cause joints and ligaments to become overly stiff from the inactivity. Physical therapy can be used to remove or prevent any adhesions of tissues to one another that can lead to painful limitation of motion or even arthritis.

While for some patients, following a post-treatment schedule involving stretching, foot exercises and physical therapy may be difficult, other patients will struggle with the idea of doing as little as possible with their affected foot. Whether you are eager to return to sports practice, or someone who does not look forward to the idea of any sort of exercise, it is crucial to follow the treatment plan your podiatrist or other doctor has provided to you to completion for your best health possible!

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.

With the record setting high temperatures the past few weeks in Columbus, kids have been soaking up the sun and playing outside as much as possible. While the exercise is excellent for foot health, some new pains may develop from the sudden increase in activity level. Parents need to pay careful attention to new pains as they can sometimes indicate issues more serious than just normal muscle soreness. One of these conditions often identified during childhood years is called a pedal coalition.

Pedal congenital coalitions are caused when the tissues destined to become two separate bones in the foot during development fail to separate and remain united as one bone. These two bones may be united together by bone, fibrous or cartilage tissue. The type and amount of tissue connecting what should be two separate bones will determine how much motion will be allowed where the joint would normally be.

While some coalitions may never cause any problems and go unnoticed, others can cause severe foot pain, stiffness, muscle spasm and foot deformity. Some of the symptoms of a foot bone coalition can resemble the normal pains of post-playtime soreness with aching, and fatigue. These symptoms are brought about by activity, and thus kids with lower activity levels may remain asymptomatic and undiagnosed. The bones involved in a coalition can be identified by matching up the normal time the bones are ossifying with the onset of symptoms. For example, a child who develops the foot pain and joint stiffness around three to five years of age would have a coalition between the talus and navicular bones as a possible diagnosis.

Luckily, the most common congenital coalition in a child’s foot is typically not painful and is a fusion of the two bones that make up the fifth or “pinky” toe. However, common coalitions that occur in the tarsal bones will cause symptoms in an active child. Fusion of the talus and calcaneus, or heel bone, is the most common of the tarsal coalitions. The subtalar joint, which is located between these two bones, requires mobility in each phase of walking or running and a coalition of the talus and calcaneus will limit that mobility. When movement necessary for normal ambulation becomes limited, the body will try to force through the motion, causing pain, or will make changes to work around the need for that movement, causing deformity. Commonly, with the talus-calcaneus coalition, overpronation will be part of the deformity and the child may appear flat footed.

Early identification of these symptoms can result in earlier treatment and improved quality of life for the affected child. Whether the coalition is congenital or has been acquired later in life as a result of osteoarthritis wear and tear or a fracture within the joint, a visit to your podiatrist can help relieve pain and work towards allowing your feet to function in the best way possible!

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.

Whether you are running in the St. Patrick’s Day 5K at Flannagan’s this Saturday in Columbus or simply running to the pub, taking care of your feet can make or break your celebration of this lucky holiday. Properly fitting shoes are imperative for good foot health, and also can help in avoiding knee, hip and back problems that develop from the problems originating in your feet!

When you travel to a shoe store, most have what is called a “Brannock device” that is used to measure feet and estimate shoe size. This device measures not only the length of your foot from heel to toe, but also measures width, and the distance from heel to the ball of your foot. The heel to ball distance is most critical in determining whether a shoe fits correctly. Located at the “ball” of your foot on the middle or inner aspect is the joint called the 1stmetatarsophalangeal joint or 1stMTP. This is where a bunion develops, but the normal movement permitted by the joint is also critical to the overall function of the foot. The base of the joint is the first metatarsal which slides downward in order for the big toe to flex upwards and help propel the foot when walking or running. When this motion sequence occurs in a normal foot, the foot pushes off the ground and swings into the next step.

Correctly fitting shoes allow the 1stMTP to function as it should, while shoes that are too small can cause major problems. Shoes are designed to allow the normal bend at the 1stMTP joint and to inhibit abnormal bending of most other joints in the foot. However if the shoe is too small, the 1stMTP joint will not be allowed to bend normally and big toe will be forced to flex upwards when it should not be. This leads to the condition called hallux limitus, where, as the name implies, the movement of the hallux, or big toe, is limited. Overtime, hallux limitus can progress to hallux rigidus where the joint big toe joint is practically immovable. This is a painful form of arthritis that has resulted from the abnormal wear and tear of the joint. Not only is this painful, but the combination of hallux limitus or rigidus in an already too small shoe can lead to calluses, corns and even ulcers developing on the big toe.

It is important to recognize that biomechanical problems, including excessive pronation, can also contribute to the development of hallux limitus so custom orthotics can often help with this condition. Wearing one size larger shoe is only a difference of one third of an inch in the actual length of the shoe. So this St. Patrick’s day even if you think that a smaller size shoe may look better, by getting the correct size for your foot you will definitely have the luck of the Irish and keep your feet looking great!!

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.