Foot Fitness

Exercise is an important component to remaining healthy and leading an active lifestyle. Your feet are one of the most overlooked body parts when it comes to exercise. As you exercise, pay attention to what your feet are telling you.

Consult your physician before beginning any fitness program. This includes a complete physical and foot exam. This is especially important for those who are overweight, smoke, or haven't had a physical exam in a long time.

Proper fitness requires wearing the right clothes and shoes. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored and loosely woven clothing in hot weather and several layers of warm clothing in cold weather.

The American Podiatric Medical Association stresses the importance of foot care in exercising. People don't realize the tremendous pressure that is put on their feet while exercising. For example, a 150-pound jogger puts more than 150 tons of impact on his feet when running three miles.

Improper foot care during exercise is a contributing factor to some of the more than 300 foot ailments, according to the APMA.

The following are common ailments caused by improper foot care during exercise:
Athlete's foot;Blisters; Corns and calluses; and Heel pain (including heel spurs).

Take care of your feet when working out. 

Image by Andy Cross. (2007). Exercise. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyinnyc/446624927/

Is No Pain No Gain Your Motto?

How's your New Year's Resolutions coming along? Did you stick with it? For most of us, our resolutions went out the window by the end of January, especially because most people's New Year's Resolutions tend to be fitness orientated. The culprit here is usually overeating during the holidays. During this time attendance at gyms is at all time highs and the treadmill or bike that has been acting as a clothes hanger for months suddenly gets cleared off to be put to use. Now that we're in March, we're all looking forward to getting in shape for summer.

Is "no pain, no gain" your motto to get in shape? Be careful. "Too much, too soon" can lead to foot and ankle injuries that can derail your fitness plans.
Ankle Sprains are the most common sports injury and you should not "play through the pain." If you think you may have a sprained ankle, contact my office because if you delay treatment, you can do further damage to the tendons which will take longer to heal and possibly require surgery to fix.

Stress Fracture is commonly mistaken for an ankle sprain. The difference is that stress fractures can cause swelling without bruising and pain during daily activities. The foot or ankle will be painful to touch. This is a serious injury that requires medical attention.

Achilles Tendonitis can occur when working out. If your Achilles tendon is painful or swollen after a workout, contact my office as this can be an indication of Achilles tendonitis. If treatment is not sought, the Achilles tendon becomes stretched and strained over time resulting in stiffness and fatigue in the injured leg. Even worse, the tendon can rupture which results in surgery and a long rehabilitation.

Heel Pain is another common injury. If you have heel pain that last longer than a day or two, or seems to worsen when you stand after sitting for an extended amount of time, you may have a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a result of an inflammation of the tissue extending from your heel to your toes. Early treatment involves at home conditioning but if left untreated for a long period of time, it is much harder to treat and takes longer for the pain to go away.


Citation:
Image by M. Rasoulov. (2006). No pain, no gain. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrasoulov/177696153/

When You "Land Funny" On Your Foot...

Accidents can happen at any point, especially to our feet and ankles. Simply walking down the stairs or stepping on toys laying around can lead to sprains, strains, fractures, or breaks. Let’s say you do hurt your ankle by ‘landing funny’. It hurts a bit and it seems like you might have ‘twisted your ankle’. What do you do?

First, if at any point you hurt your foot or ankle, use the RICE method; rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest - stop walking around and rest your foot and ankle
Ice - apply ice to the area to decrease inflammation and swelling
Compression - wrap the feet and ankle with an elastic bandage
Elevation - take a load off and put your feet up (higher than your heart)

Second, call my office to make an appointment for evaluation. Treatment options differ for strains, sprains, and fractures. If left unattended, sprains and strains can turn into major problems. Don’t delay, make the appointment.

Third, at the office, I will take X-rays and inspect your foot and ankle.
If broken - I will set the break by lining the bones in order to heal properly. If it’s not a clean break and can’t be set, surgery may be needed. Pins and metal plates help to fix and rebuild the bones for proper healing. I will then cast the foot and leg.

If fractured - Depending upon the severity of the fracture and it’s location, I will either cast the foot or have the patient wear a special boot that will immobilize the foot. Rest and immobilization is a common treatment for a fracture. X-rays will determine if a bone is fractured or broken.

If sprained - This is less severe than a fracture and broken bone. The patient will typically wear a boot to immobilize the foot and rest is encouraged to speed up the healing process. Patients resume normal activity and use of the foot quickly.

Citation:

Photo by tongson. (2007). Toy car wreck. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fcker/457500394/

It's A Snowstorm! Are Your Feet Protected?

Are you protecting your feet from the cold and rainy weather. This season, make the right choice in boots and save your feet future grief and potential foot and ankle problems.
Snow Boots:

Problem: The sole, or bottom, of the shoe may not have enough traction to prevent slips and falls.

Solution: Look for a snow boot with rubber soles, preferably with deep groves to enhance traction.

Rain Boots:

Problem: Rain boots are typically made of hard plastic on the outside which doesn't give when walking. This makes walking difficult since it limits the natural movement of the foot.

Solution: Not much can be done about the hard plastic covering, but look for a rain boot with cushioned insoles and arch supports. If the rain boot doesn't come with enough support, look to purchasing inserts.

Ankle Boots:

Problem: Ankle boots do not provide much support for the ankle despite the name. Add on high heels to the ankle boot and your balance can suffer.

Solution: If you are going to wear ankle boots, don't wear them if you will be doing a lot of walking. Stick with a heel no more than 2 ½ inches high.

Tall Boots:

Problem: These boots tend to be narrow throughout the foot and have a very high heel. Very high heels transfer body weight onto the balls of one's feet. This may cause numbness in the toes.

Solution: Find a boot with a lower heel and has enough room to accommodate feet and toes.

Cowboy Boots:

Problem: Cowboys boots often provide little room for toe movement, which can cause blisters and your toes to cramp up.

Solution: Periodically take the boots off to stretch the toes. Treat blisters accordingly and don't wear the boots again until the blister is healed.

Image by Diane Cordell. (2012). Bright boots in sloppy snow. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcordell/6776041749/