Recently, a man named Mike Stevens travelled from Mississippi to California to undergo a surgery that would transfer his big toe to his hand where it will replace the thumb he lost in an accident. This may be a surprising idea to many people because the thumb and toes are not thought of as being as functional as the fingers. However, the musculature and bone structure of the hands and feet are remarkable similar.

While it is very exciting that Mike will hopefully regain a large portion of the function of his thumb and be able to use his hands better in his career as a mechanic, he will have to take extra care to prevent additional deformities from occurring in his foot. While Mike’s case is extreme, smaller changes in the action and structure of the muscle and ligaments of the foot are what can lead to various deformities and a decrease in the functionality of the foot. One common example of this happening is the development of hammer toes. Commonly, a muscle known as the tibialis posterior becomes weakened and muscles that attach to the bottom of the toes and act to flex them or pull them towards the ground are forced to “fire” earlier, longer and with more force to compensate. This constant force leads to hammer toes which can cause painful corns on the tops of the second, third or fourth toes. An excessive pull from one of the flexor muscles that causes hammer toes can also cause mallet toes. The difference between a hammer toe and a mallet toe is that in mallet toe only the very tip of the toe is bent down towards the floor, while hammer toes have the base of the toe bent up away from the floor and the other 2/3 of the toe bent towards the ground. Mallet toes can also cause corns or even black toenails from the nail abnormally hitting against the shoe forming a bruise.

A variety of surgical procedures exist to successfully eliminate these deformities, but there are also many less invasive options for pain relief. Corns should never be removed at home, especially in an individual with diabetes, as it can lead to serious infection if done improperly. Your podiatrist can safely remove any corns or calluses and fit padding over the affected toe to lessen the development of painful corns in the future. Custom orthotics can also be used to help correct the underlying muscle imbalance and any other abnormal changes in foot structure. So whether you just had your big toe removed or you are tired of corns and your feet feeling tired and aching, contact your podiatrist to address these problems and allow your feet to function to the best of their ability!

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.

Every February, New York Fashion Week in New York City brings strange new trends for the people of Columbus and the world to be entertained by. One strange fashion presented at a previous fashion week took the term “pigeon toed” literally by having real stuffed birds positioned as if they were sitting on top of the foot. As a shoe trend, “pigeon toed” may be stylish, but when seen as a walking pattern in children, parents should contact their podiatrist for a checkup as soon as possible.

Kid feet are not simply smaller versions of adult feet. The bones in the legs and feet of a small child are still developing and can sometimes take on an appearance that would be abnormal for an adult, but is normal for a kid. For example, infants can have flat arches that would be abnormal for an adult, but are normal for a for certain periods of childhood development. Walking with the toes turned in toward the midline of the body is the walking pattern commonly referred to as being “pigeon toed” or “in-toeing” and can appear and spontaneously resolve in some children, while in others can be a major cause for concern.

Being pigeon-toed can represent bone deformity in the feet, tibia (or shin bone), or hip. When the foot bones are involved, the condition is typically called “metatarsus adductus”. The metatarsal bones at the base of each toe develop angled toward the midline of the body, commonly as a result of the child’s position while developing in the mother. Treatment can be highly successful if the condition is caught before the infant is two years of age using a series of casts to properly re-align the bones. Custom shoes and orthotics may also be used. When the tibia or hip is rotated towards the midline of the body causing the feet to also appear “pigeon toed” casting or surgery may also be needed as treatment. For all of these conditions, the earlier a parent notices the problem and contacts their podiatrist, the more treatment options will be available. Take care of your little ones’ feet beginning before they begin walking and they can avoid being pigeon toed for a life that will hopefully also be free of wearing pigeon high-heels!

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.

A new treatment option that may one day be of great help to all those suffering from heel pain in Columbus has been making news for its success in a clinical trial. The study focuses on an injection that shows potential for being used to treat individuals with plantar fasciitis who have not had significant pain relief with other treatments.

Luckily for the time being, patients suffering from plantar fasciitis can visit their podiatrist for a variety of treatment options that, for the majority of individuals, will provide great pain relief. The first step in treating your plantar fasciitis is to determine if you in fact have plantar fasciitis. While plantar fasciitis is one of the more common causes of heel pain, there are many other problems that occur relatively frequently that can also cause heel pain. Some of the cardinal signs of this condition include the most intense pain of the day occurring when you take your first step out of bed in the morning and pain localized primarily to the bottom of the heel, at the front edge of the heel fat pad, on the side closer to the opposite foot. A nerve entrapment can also cause similar pain on the bottom surface of the heel. A nerve entrapment in this area typically involves what is known as “Baxter’s nerve” which supplies sensation and power to a muscle that allows movement to the smallest toe. When the nerve is compressed, it is similar to a bruise and is called neuropraxia. This bruise of the nerve then causes pain and decreases its ability to transfer information. If the entrapped nerve is caught and treated, recovery occurs in around three to four months. In areas around the heel that could cause heel pain in a location very near to the pain of plantar fasciitis also include fractures, and tendonitis.

Once your plantar fasciitis has been correctly diagnosed, there are a variety of treatment paths to begin with. While treatment varies for each individual, most people begin treatment with a conservative approach using the least invasive options available to start. Some of the conservative treatment options include: stretching, taping, icing, and wearing orthotics. All of these treatment options can have great success in many patients if performed correctly. The next step in treatment for plantar fasciitis that has not responded to the previously mentioned treatments can be an injection of a steroid with numbing agents. This is done in addition to continuing conservative treatments. The steroid is injected for its anti-inflammatory properties which serve to “soothe” the aggravated plantar fascia and relieve pain. While surgery would typically be the last treatment resort as a plantar fascia that is still painful, the aforementioned research study provides a potential new option. It has suggested that injecting plasma rich protein actually provides greater pain relief and healing potential than injecting steroids. Hopefully this new research will continue, and the information gained can allow patients to receive the highest quality treatment options from their podiatrist!

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.

New York Giants co-owner has discovered an unusual good luck charm for his team with a little help from his two daughters. In late December, his daughters painted his nails in red and blue, the Giants’ colors, and the team has not lost a game since then. Steve has left the polish on in the hopes that the good luck charm can work its magic for one last game at the Super Bowl.

While his nail polish certainly may not be looking “pedicure perfect” after 5 weeks, the health of Steve’s toes and nails are in no danger as long as he still has been taking regular care of his feet. Pedicures for both men and women can be relaxing and safe for as long as you keep the health of your feet a priority. If Steve decides to keep his trend going there are a few things he should know about the relationship between toenails and overall health. First, nail polish is completely safe to use on healthy toenails. However, if a toenail fungus, or onychomycosis is present, nail polish should not be applied. The polish “locks in” the fungus and allows it to continue thriving on nail tissue. Treatment should be sought when nails appear abnormally thickened or discolored, as this can be a sign of an invasion of “dermatophytes”, the organisms most commonly at the root of a nail fungus. After the nail infection is treated with PinPointe Foot Laser or a variety of other medications and the fungus has resolved, regular nail polish may be applied.

The length of the nail after it has been trimmed can be another area of podiatric problems for those trimming their own nails or having them trimmed at a nail salon. In some individuals, toenails are extremely curved along the sides. When these curved nails are cut too short, the individual’s likelihood of developing an ingrown toenail is greatly increased as the nail regrows. Ingrown toenails can become infected and extremely painful. Contact your podiatrist at the first signs of an ingrown nail. Attempting to remove the ingrown portion of the nail on your own can lead to dangerous infection that is capable of spreading beyond the affected toe.

Whether you are prepping your nails for the big game or a big date before Valentine’s Day be sure to keep your feet healthy and call your podiatrist if you notice any unusual changes!

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.

As the Williams sisters joined the international team tennis competition called the Fed Cup this past week, it is astonishing to look at the health and foot and ankle problems they have had to overcome to continue to be a force in the world of tennis. In 2011, not only did Serena survive a pulmonary embolism following several foot surgeries, but in August Venus finally received a diagnosis for a variety of symptoms that had plagued her for the past 4 years. After visiting many doctors, Venus Williams eventual diagnosis was the autoimmune connective tissue disease that can affect the feet called Sjogren syndrome.

While most people have heard of rheumatoid arthritis, which is also an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the joints, few have heard of Sjogren syndrome even though it is the second most common autoimmune joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis or a variety of other autoimmune disorders often occurs with Sjogren syndrome, adding even more damage to the joints of the body. Chronic fatigue and difficulty breathing were some of the initial symptoms that brought Venus to seek a diagnosis for her condition. Women are most commonly affected by Sjogren syndrome, with dry mouth and dry eyes being some of the cardinal signs of the disease as white blood cells multiply past their normal amount.

Venus also noted that she developed misshaped joints and swelling. These are the rheumatological aspects of Sjogren that can affect the feet and could have contributed to foot pain while playing tennis. If rheumatoid arthritis is occurring with Sjogren syndrome, the toes and area of the foot closest to the bases of the toes can be the first site where the autoimmune joint destruction can be seen on an x-ray. As the joint is destroyed, the space between the adjacent bones becomes smaller and motion becomes limited and painful. When this occurs in the foot, your podiatrist can prescribe custom orthotics to limit painful motion during walking or in severe cases perform surgery to fuse the joint and stop all motion, and thus pain from occurring. Another common symptom in the foot and ankle in Sjogren syndrome is neuropathy, or loss of sensation. Like the neuropathy that occurs in diabetes, special attention is required to prevent ulcers and subsequent infection in these areas where the individual can no longer feel.

Venus’s Sjogren syndrome symptomsseem to be relatively mild at this stage and she has begun medication to limit the pain and damage caused by her body’s overactive immune system. As Venus makes her return to professional tennis competition this week, her story should serve as a message in perseverance to those suffering from medical problems. A patient knows when something is painful or wrong with their own body and should seek medical attention until the problem can be identified. Had Venus not persisted in finding out her diagnosis, she would not have been able to improve her tennis and quality of life.

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.

After Chef Paula Deen finally announced her diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus that she had been hiding for two years this past week, there has been an outcry from people across Columbus and the country. Deen promoted to everyone who watched her cooking shows the exact lifestyle that leads to the development of type 2 diabetes. Now, if Deen and fans of her cooking who also have type 2 Diabetes don’t change their ways, many severe complications of diabetes, including foot amputation are likely to be the next course.

Type 2 diabetes typically develops later in life and as a result of an underlying genetic defect involving the beta cells of the pancreas that causes them to produce insufficient amounts of insulin, along with a resistance of other tissues to the minimal insulin that is secreted. Three major risk factors for diabetes development that Paula Deen possessed are being over age 50, obesity and a family history of diabetes. While age and family history are uncontrollable, obesity and overeating are easily modifiable with a little effort. Lifestyle modifications to reduce obesity and thus the risk for diabetes type 2 can include exercising, dieting, and reducing fat intake. These simple lifestyle modifications have been shown to prevent or delay type 2 in about 60% of people at risk. In severely obese patients, gastric bypass surgery has even been shown to reverse the diagnosis of diabetes.

Foot problems represent a major complication in diabetic patients, with 25% of hospital stays for diabetic patients being foot related. The neuropathy, or nerve disease that occurs in diabetes affects the longest nerves first; which is why loss of sensation commonly begins in the feet. Aside from losing sensation completely, patients may experience painful tingling or burning in their feet and legs especially when sitting or resting. With loss of innervation can also come motor weakness and wasting away of the muscles in the feet. The combination of motor and sensory loss can lead to ulcers, infections of those ulcers, and Charcot foot. All three of these conditions are debilitating and need to be examined and treated by your podiatrist. Preventing ulcers and their subsequent infection can mean saving not only the leg from amputation, but also the patient’s life.

For Paula Deen and others with type 2, it is important to remember that they can greatly improve their condition and possibly even reverse it by cutting back on the butter and sweet cream, developing a regular exercise plan, and regularly self-examining their feet as they go.

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.

Although they do not have a date set in Columbus, fans traveling to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers tour for their 2011 album may be wondering what has led them to reschedule many of their appearances. The cause of these major changes in concert dates is due to lead singer Anthony Kiedis’s painful foot injury of the two small bones at the base of the big toe called sesamoids.

While many people believe there are 26 bones in the foot, there are technically 28 due to the 2 small constant sesamoids that Kiedis appears to have injured. Normally the term sesamoid refers to a bone that is not found as part of the normal bones of the body and only appears in a small percentage of the population. Sesamoids form in tendons and joint capsules to reduce the friction or alter the pull of the tendon. The 2 constant sesamoids at the base of the big toe are found in a tendon; however they are present in the majority of the population unlike a typical sesamoid and thus are termed “constant”. Sesamoids can also form elsewhere in the foot not as part of the normal anatomy and thus can occasionally cause discomfort. Anthony Kiedis unfortunately discovered that the constant sesamoids can become irritated or fractured. Because these bones are placed under tremendous pressure with each step we take as the foot propels off the ground, any damage to them can cause immense pain and trouble ambulating.

Irritation and inflammation of the tendons surrounding the sesamoids is called sesamoiditis. This is a type of tendonitis that does not typically require surgery as part of its treatment. Fracture of the sesamoids occurs more commonly to the medial sesamoid, or the sesamoid that is located to the side of the big toe away from the other toes. This is because the two sesamoids are separated from each other by a bony ridge called a crista on the bone they lie beneath. The medial sesamoid can often slide under this crista and burst or fracture into many small pieces of bone when placed under pressure. Surgery may be required to remove pieces of the sesamoid bone that have “died” from loss of blood supply. Kiedis underwent this surgery to not only clean up the sesamoid fracture but also to correct the placement of the muscle tendon that the sesamoid usually lies within.

Continuing to walk with a painful injury could have led to additional problems by the body attempting to compensate and avoid placing pressure on the sesamoid. By undergoing the appropriate treatment soon after identifying his sesamoid injury, Kiedis should enjoy immense pain relief and regaining the ability to give high energy performances at his newly scheduled tour dates!

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 unusual warm weather we have been seeing in Columbus, Ohio it is great to see so many people outside walking and exercising their feet lately. Any extra exposure to sunlight is always appreciated during the short and often dreary months this time of year. While excess sun exposure can be dangerous for skin, sunlight does provide the beneficial vitamin D, or calciferol that is crucial to bone health.

Osteoporosis is the most common skeletal disorder. It is characterized by an absolute reduction in bone density and mass. Bones become weak and are at increased risk of breaking. Because 28 of the bones in the body are located in the foot and they are under the pressure of the entire body weight, fractures commonly manifest here. Sunlight does not directly provide vitamin D; it stimulates the body to make vitamin D from a precursor found in the skin. The active form of vitamin D promotes the uptake of calcium from the intestines so it can be used to calcify bone as well as stimulating the parathyroid hormone to reabsorb calcium before it is filtered out by the kidneys as waste. Without enough vitamin D, not only are individuals at risk for osteoporosis, but they can also develop a similar condition called osteomalacia. In osteomalacia, bone cannot be mineralized and symptoms include muscle weakness, bone pain and bone deformities. The childhood form of osteomalacia that is more commonly known is called rickets. In rickets, children affected will typically be six to 12 months of age and will have symptoms of muscle tetany or extreme muscle contraction, delayed development, smaller overall stature and soft tissue swelling, or edema around the growth plates located at the ends of bones. Bowing of the tibia bone inward in the legs is a common consequence of vitamin D deficiency in rickets.

The one upside of these diseases is that there are some preventative measures that can be taken to avoid their occurrence. To keep your foot bones and the rest of the bones in your body healthy, be sure you have enough vitamin D as a part of your healthy diet. Bone mass peaks at age 35, so it is especially important to maintain an adequate amount of vitamin D and calcium in your diet and through exposure to sunlight later in life. Females are prone to developing osteoporosis following menopause and therefore should also take extra care to keep their bones strong. By contacting your podiatrist at the first signs of foot injury or bony pain in your feet and ankles, both any fractures that have occurred as well as loss of bone density can often be identified in one set of x-rays. The sooner that loss of bone density is identified, the sooner steps can be taken to supplement vitamins and minerals necessary to keep you healthy and on your feet.

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.

Characterized by thick, unsightly, discolored nails, fungus-infected toenails can be irritating, embarrassing and painful. For years, the only treatments available for toenail fungus were topical and oral medications or removal of the nail. Typically, the medications were largely ineffective and removal of the nail plate was painful and debilitating.

Fast, Effective and Pain Free Nail Fungus Treatment from Columbus Podiatry & Surgery

A new breakthrough in technology is making it possible to get rid of your nail fungus fast- a new procedure known as PinPointe Foot Laser. The new, patented laser technology treats nail fungus safely and quickly with no drugs, no anesthesia and no pain. It’s specially designed to penetrate your toenail, vaporizing the fungus embedded deep in your nail bed. Better yet, the powerful laser beam targets the infection only and has no effect on surrounding healthy tissue. In just one appointment at our Columbus Ohio podiatry office we can treat your nail fungus, and within months following the treatment, the toenail will replace itself with a healthy, clear, fungus free nail.

Avoiding Irritating Toenail Fungus

Prevention is key to avoiding a fungal infection. The following tips can help you avoid toenail fungus.

• Practice good hygiene and inspect feet and toes regularly
• Try not to injure your nail by cutting it too short, as trauma to the nail may lead to infection
• Wear moisture wicking socks
• Wear dry, proper-fitting shoes that allow air to circulate around your feet
• Wear shower sandals when you are at a public pool or shower

Left untreated, a fungal infection can spread to other toenails, the skin on the feet and even the fingernails. Severe cases can impair one’s ability to walk or lead to painful ingrown toenails. It’s important to seek care when you notice signs of infection.

If you’re ready to eliminate your toenail fungus, contact our columbus office and learn more about the new PinPointe FootLaser. We can evaluate your fungal infection and make recommendations for best treating and eradicating your toenail fungus once and for all.

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.

A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that can develop in various parts of your body. In the foot, the most common occurring neuroma develops at the base of the third and fourth toes. This condition is referred to as Morton’s neuroma.

There are typically no physical signs of Morton’s neuroma, such as a lump or a knot. Instead, symptoms may include:

• A sharp, achy or burning pain in the ball of your foot
• Numbness, tingling, or cramping in the toes or forefoot
• Feeling as if you’re standing on a pebble in your shoe

While the exact cause of Morton’s neuroma is unknown, the growth of the neuroma seems to occur in response to injury, pressure or irritation to one of the nerves that lead to the toes. People with certain foot deformities – bunions, hammertoes and flatfeet- are at higher risk for developing a neuroma. Women are also more likely to develop this condition as wearing high-heels or narrow-toed shoes can increase pressure on the toes. Other potential causes are activities that involve repetitive irritation to the ball of the foot, such as running.

Morton’s neuroma can make walking and performing normal activities difficult and painful. Treatment options vary with the severity of each neuroma, and identifying the neuroma in its earliest stage of development is important to avoid more invasive treatments or surgical correction. Left untreated, neuromas tend to worsen, so it’s always best to visit our Columbus office at the first sign of pain.

Early treatments aim to relieve or reduce pressure on the area around the affected toes. Depending on the severity of your neuroma, a podiatrist may recommend:

• Modifications to footwear. Wide-toed shoes relieve pressure on the neuroma.
• Shoe inserts or padding to provide support for the arch of the foot, which removes pressure from the nerve.
• Anti-inflammatory medications can help ease any pain and inflammation. Ask your doctor first.
• Icing to reduce inflammation.
• Rest to lessen repetitive pressure on the neuroma.

In the most severe cases, surgery may be recommended for patients who do not respond to conservative treatments. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery can help you determine the best approach for your specific condition.

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.