Archive for March, 2010
Your foot and its shape by Mark E. Sowell, DPM
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you take a step, your foot typically hits the ground heel first and rolls toward your toes, flattening the arch slightly. As you push off the ball of your foot, your arch springs back and does not touch the ground. That’s how normal feet are supposed to work. Unfortunately, many feet aren’t normal.
Overpronation occurs if your foot rolls too much toward the inside. This can cause arch strain and pain on the inside of the knee. Underpronation occurs if your foot rolls too much to the outside. Underpronation can lead to ankle sprains and stress fractures. You can relieve foot pain by compensating for these tendencies, but first you need to determine which way your feet roll.
One method for determining which kind of pronation you have is the watermark test: Put your feet into a bucket of water, then make footprints on a piece of dark paper.
•If your footprint looks like an oblong pancake with toes, you pronate excessively or may have flat feet. Try molded-leather arch supports, which can be purchased in many drug stores. And when shopping for athletic shoes, ask a sales clerk for styles with “control” features—soles designed to halt the rolling-in motion. If arch supports or sports shoes don’t help, please contact our office for a custom-molded orthotics.
•If there’s little or no connection in your footprint between the front part of the foot and the heel, you under-pronate or have a high arch. This means a lot of your weight is landing on the outside edge of your foot. Ask for “stability” athletic shoes, which are built with extra cushioning to remedy this problem. If you are prone to ankle sprains, wear high-top athletic shoes that cover the foot and ankle snugly to minimize damage from twists
Orthotics at Sowell Podiatry in Nacogdoches
Posted by: | CommentsOrthotics, also known as orthoses, refers to any device inserted into a shoe, ranging from felt pads to custom-made shoe inserts that correct an abnormal or irregular, walking pattern. Sometimes called arch supports, orthotics allow people to stand, walk, and run more efficiently and comfortably. While over-the-counter orthotic are available and may help people with mild symptoms, they normally cannot correct the wide range of symptoms that prescription foot orthoses can since they are not custom made to fit an individual’s unique foot structure.
Orthotic devices come in many shapes, sizes, and materials and fall into three main categories: those designed to change foot function, those that are primarily protective in nature, and those that combine functional control and protection.
Rigid Orthotics
Rigid orthotic devices are designed to control function and are used primarily for walking or dress shoes. They are often composed of a firm material, such as plastic or carbon fiber. Rigid orthotics are made from a mold after a podiatrist takes a plaster cast or other kind of image of the foot. Rigid orthotics control motion in the two major foot joints that lie directly below the ankle joint and may improve or eliminate strains, aches, and pains in the legs, thighs, and lower back.
Soft Orthotics
Soft orthotics are generally used to absorb shock, increase balance, and take pressure off uncomfortable or sore spots. They are usually effective for diabetic, arthritic, and deformed feet. Soft orthotics are typically made up of soft, cushioned materials so that they can be worn against the sole of the foot, extending from the heel past the ball of the foot, including the toes. Like rigid orthotics, soft orthotics are also made from a mold after a podiatrist takes a plaster cast or other kind of image of the foot.
Semi-Rigid Orthotics
Semi-rigid orthotics provide foot balance for walking or participating in sports. The typical semi-rigid orthotic is made up of layers of soft material, reinforced with more rigid materials. Semi-rigid orthotics are often prescribed for children to treat flatfoot and in-toeing or out-toeing disorders. These orthotics are also used to help athletes mitigate pain while they train and compete.
Fitness and your feet in Nacogdoches – Sowell Podiatry
Posted by: | CommentsYour feet are one of the most overlooked body parts when it comes to exercise, yet they can tell you so much about your overall health. As you exercise, pay attention to what your feet are telling you.
Make sure to consult your physician before beginning any fitness program. This includes a complete physical and foot exam and especially important for those who are overweight, smoke, or haven’t pursued any physical activity in a long time.
The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) 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 or her feet when running three miles. The APMA also reports that improper foot care during exercise is a contributing factor to some of the more than 300 foot ailments.
Pain in the ball of the foot – Neuromas in Nacogdoches
Posted by: | CommentsEach week a few patients will present with the complaint of a burning, “hot rock”, pain in the ball of their foot. Typically the pain is worse in shoes and when walking. Now there are several possibilities as far as diagnosis, but one of the most common is Morton’s neuroma.
Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of tissues around the nerve that leads to the toes. Morton’s neuroma usually develops between the third and fourth toes in response to irritation, such as that caused by wearing high-heeled or narrow shoes, or from trauma. Symptoms may include a burning pain that radiates from the ball of the foot to the toes or numbness in the toes. Conservative treatments usually resolve the pain or progressions of the condition, and range from wearing roomier, lower-heeled footwear or using orthotics to reduce the pressure on the nerve, to injections of cortosteroid medication to reduce swelling and inflammation. Occassionally a series of injections are used to destroy the nerve or surgical excision of the nerve is necessary. Fortunately, neuromas respond well to conservative care.
Is it a wart? A Guide from a Podiatrist in Nacogdoches Texas
Posted by: | CommentsI’ll never forget a golf outing about ten years ago when I had just returned to Nacogdoches to practice podiatry. I was grouped with three older guys and we were playing in a scramble. After a few holes together, they realized that I was a foot doctor for a living and off came the shoes! Lol. Not a big deal. I am happy to help as many people as I can with their foot concerns ( that’s why I’m blogging today) but now that I am blogging I think I will try to discuss the common questions I get while out and about. I won’t mention your names!
After church Sunday, one of our moms pulled me aside and wanted me to determine if a lesion on her son’s foot was a wart. This is a common question and, yes, a professional should be consulted if the lesion is not easily resolved. But I thought I would describe the common descriptors of a plantar (bottom of the foot) verruca (wart). I learned it this way…
“A plantar verruca is characterized by papillomatous tissue with skin line deviation, capillary budding and pain upon lateral compression” I’ll explain. Papillomatous tissue looks like the surface of cauliflower, Skin lines (fingerprint lines) curve around the lesion, Capillary buds look like brown spots within the wart, and it hurts when you squeeze it because a wart gathers up nerve fibers as it develops.
I hope this helps. This is not intended to limit questions along the way…lol. Just intended to help those I don’t bump into. Please let me know how I can help and I’m glad the young man in church was a good sport when I told him we have a fairly easy way to get rid of it. For him, I hope it works so that we don’t have to remove it surgically! He made it clear that he was relieved…lol.
Fun Foot Facts from Nacogdoches Podiatrist
Posted by: | CommentsMore Foot Facts
Women have about four times as many foot problems as men; lifelong patterns of wearing high heels often are the culprit.
Shopping for shoes is best done in the afternoon, says the American Podiatric Medical Association. Your feet tend to swell a little during the day, and it’s best to buy shoes to fit them then. Have your feet measured every time you purchase shoes, and do it while you’re standing. When you try on shoes, try them on both feet; many people have one foot larger than the other, and it’s best to fit the larger one.
