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February 2015

Thursday, 19 February 2015 14:02

Flat Feet

Affecting about 20-30% of the population, Flat Foot is a condition in which the foot’s arch either drops or never develops. Flat feet is relatively common babies and small children as a result of the arch not developing. Adults can develop flat feet as a result of injury or pregnancy due to increased elasticity. However, in adults flat feet is usually a permanent condition.

Flat feet can make walking difficult since it places undue stress on the ankles. This stress throws off the general alignment of the legs since flat feet cause the ankles to move inward, causing discomfort. Flat feet can also affect the knees since arthritis is a common condition in that area. Fortunately, in many cases flat feet do not directly cause any pain.

When it comes to runners, there are specific shoes that can help realign the ankles wand provide more support while lessening the amount of pronation involved. Running often causes weight shifting very quickly, so it’s important to be informed whether or not you are affected by flat feet. Knowledge about flat feet is crucial, especially when it comes to preventing injuries.

To be able to diagnose flat feet, a test commonly used is known as the wet footprint test. In the wet footprint test, the individual places a flat foot on a surface to generate a footprint. If there is no indication of an arch or any indentations, that person could have flat feet. In any case, if there is a possibility of having flat feet, a podiatrist should be consulted.

Once flat foot has been diagnosed, it can be treated by wearing insoles or walking barefoot in beach-like terrain. There are two types of flat feet. The first type is rigid, where the feet appear to have no arch even the person affected is not standing. The other condition, known as flexible flat feet, occurs when the arch seems to ‘go away’ when someone is standing but appears while sitting. In the case of flexible flat feet, unless pain is caused by the condition there is no need for treatment. However, in the case of rigid flat feet or pain involved in flexible flat feet, orthotic insoles and exercises are prescribed to help the arches develop.

In more severe causes, surgery may be required. However, surgery is often avoided due to having a high cost and lengthy recovery time.
Thursday, 19 February 2015 00:00

Early Signs of Flat Feet detectable in Children

Flat feetChildren are in a constant state of growth and development and therefore often require frequent shopping trips to purchase items that will fit their growing bodies. Shoes often fall into this list of necessities, and with the purchase of new shoes parents should also keep in mind the necessity of proper foot health. Children in particular are prone to developing flat feet, a condition characterized by an abnormal collapse of the arch while standing. Parents can watch for early signs of the condition, which include: a flat foot arch at age 5 or older, heels that tend to angle outward when seen from the back, clumsiness during activity or early leg fatigue, or foot, knee or ankle pain during or after activity or the middle of the night.

Certain sports and physical activities may become difficult for children with flat feet. If you suspect that your child has the condition, speak to one of our podiatrists of University Foot & Ankle Center, LLC. Our doctors will answer any of your foot and ankle related questions and attend to all of your podiatric needs.

What are Flat Feet?

Flat feet are a condition in which the arch of the foot is depressed and the sole of the foot is almost completely in contact with the ground. Standing about 20-30% of the population generally has flat feet because their arch never formed during growth.

Conditions & Problems:

Having flat feet makes it difficult to run or walk because of the stress placed on the ankles.

Alignment – The general alignment of your legs can be disrupted, because the ankles move inward which can cause major discomfort.

Knees – if you have complications with your knees, flat feet can be a contributor to arthritis in that area.  

Symptoms:

Pain around the heel or arch area

Trouble standing on the tip toe.

Swelling around the inside of the ankle.

Flat look to one or both feet.

Having your shoes feel uneven when worn

Treatment:

If you are experiencing pain and stress on the foot you may weaken the posterior tibial tendon, which runs around the inside of the ankle. 

For more information about Flat Feet, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in East Brunswick and Monroe Township, NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about Flat Feet
Corns are areas of the skin where it has thickened to the point of being irritating and sometimes painful. Corns are circular or cone-shaped and are commonly found on the feet where there are areas of pressure or friction, such as on the little toe where it may rub against shoes or on the ball of the foot. The medical term for corns is helomas.

Corns can easily be confused with a callus, but there is a difference between the two. Corns can be a raised bump that feels hard to the touch and painful. They consist of a thick, rough area of skin that may be dry and waxy. Corns tend to be surrounded by inflamed skin and are usually smaller than calluses.

The key to treating a corn is to remove the dead skin that has built up. Salicylic acid is the most common medication used to accomplish this. Salicylic acid works by dissolving keratin, the protein that makes up the majority of corns. You can purchase salicylic acid over-the-counter in the form of wart removers. It comes in medicated pads, drops or creams. People with diabetes should not use salicylic acid, but should immediately consult their doctor.

To treat corns, apply the medication directly onto the corns according to the product directions. The top layer of the corn will turn a white color. When that happens, the layers of skin can then be peeled away, making the corn smaller. It is never a good idea to try and shave off corns with razors or other pedicure equipment. This can lead to infection. If your corns get infected or do not respond to over the counter treatment, a visit to the doctor is necessary.

Orthotic inserts fitted by a podiatrist also help to treat corns and help prevent their return. Inserts fit into shoes and help to adjust the way your foot fits in your shoe, thus fixing the way you walk. This will reduce friction, lowering your chances of getting a corn and eliminating the pain for current corns.

Surgery is seldom an option for corns, but does occur on rare occasions. Surgery for corns actually deals with the underlying issue causing the corns. During surgery, the bone is shaved and any abnormalities are corrected to reduce the amount of friction that occurs during walking.

The first step to preventing corns is to reduce any possible friction. Wear well fitting shoes that don’t rub on your feet. If you notice rubbing developing, pads can be purchased to help reduce the friction. These can be purchased over the counter and are simply placed on the area that is being irritated. Friction can also be reduced by using cushioned insoles in your shoes, and making sure to wear well-fitting shoes. This will make sure your foot is not being squeezed awkwardly, and stop corns from forming in the first place.
FeetClaudia Jordan, the newest member of Real Housewives of Atlanta, has been the subject of the latest social media stir due to comments her fellow cast mates have made about her feet. Jordan has been noted for having extremely good looks, but in the latest sneak peek for the season, viewers took to twitter to deem the stars hammer toes with corns all over as “ugly.” Co-star NeNe Leaks only added to the conversation by stating she has better skin, feet, and overall genetics compared to Jordan. The 41 year-old took to her own twitter and blog to defend herself, “It started when I ran track and would wear a really tight track spike when I would race (basically cramming my feet in a shoe a size smaller), then when I got into modelling and wearing heels all the time, that wreaked havoc on my poor toes.”

Corns may be painful and embarrassing to have on your feet. If you have corns and would like to learn how to treat them, speak to Dr. Genine Befumo and Dr. Mark Berger of University Foot and Ankle Center, LLC. Our doctors can treat your foot and ankle needs.

Corns: What are they? And how do you get rid of them?

Corns can be described as areas of the skin that have thickened to the point of becoming painful or irritating. They are often layers and layers of the skin that have become dry and rough, and are normally smaller than calluses.

Ways to Prevent Corns
There are many ways to get rid of painful corns such as wearing:
- Well-fitting socks
- Comfortable shoes that are not tight around your foot
- Shoes that offer support

Treating Corns
Treating corns involves removing the dead skin that has built up in the specific area of the foot. Salicylic acid can help in getting rid of these corns because it dissolves keratin, which is the protein that makes up a good majority of corns. Podiatrists recommend that people with diabetes not use salicylic acid but should consult with their podiatrist regarding the treatment of corns.

For more information about Corns on the Feet, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in East Brunswick and Monroe Township, NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about Corns on the Feet
Wednesday, 04 February 2015 16:02

Effects of High-Heels on the Feet

Women have been wearing various kinds of high-heels for hundreds of years, mostly for aesthetic reasons. Shoes with heels make their wearer appear to be taller and to have longer and thinner legs, and change the wearer’s gait and posture. High-heels’ association with femininity have kept them popular over the years, but there are definite health problems caused by wearing high-heels too frequently.

High heels also limit the motion of the ankle joints as well when they are worn. The ankle is a very important joint in the body when it comes to walking. These joints have a great deal of weight put on them because of their location. This is why it is so important to keep them as healthy as possible. The main tendon in the ankle is the Achilles tendon. Studies have shown that wearing high heels often causes the calf muscle and Achilles tendon to shorten, and stiffens the Achilles tendon as well, which can cause problems when shoes without heels are worn.

By forcing the toes into a small toe box, and putting a great deal of pressure on the ball of the foot, high-heels can cause or worsen many foot problems, such as corns, hammertoe, bunions, Morton’s neuroma and plantar fasciitis. 

Wearing high-heels regularly, especially very high ones, can have long term negative effects on many other parts of the body, as well as the feet. One of the most important joints in the entire body, the knees, can be affected by wearing high heels. Wearing high heels causes the knees to stay bent at all times. It also causes them to bend slightly inward as well. Many doctors believe that constantly walking like this is the reason that women are so much more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis later in life. High-heels also cause increased stress on the knees by limiting the natural motion of the foot during walking.

The back may also be negatively affected by high heels because this shoe style causes the back to go out of alignment. This affects the spine’s ability to absorb shock, and can cause continued pain in the back if high heels are worn constantly. High-heels also compress the vertebrae of the lower back, and can cause overuse of the muscles in the lower back.

This is not to say that high heels should never be worn. They will not cause serious problems if they are worn only occasionally. However, they should not be worn every day in order to avoid long term physical health problems to the feet, knees, ankles and back.
high heel painAccording to Baylor College of Medicine assistant professor Dr. Jason Ahuero, women should be sensible about how often they wear high heels. Wearing high heels regularly can lead to many foot problems such as foot pain and ankle sprains. Ahuero states that women should not wear heels for long periods of time and they should alternate heel height if they are unable to just wear flats. High heel wearers should also roughen up the bottoms of their heels to avoid slipping during inclement weather. When buying new high heels, Ahuero suggests that women have their foot measured each time, purchase shoes with thicker heels for stability, and to avoid high heels that are uncomfortable to wear. At the end of a day of wearing high heels, elevating the feet as well as icing them may reduce any pain or swelling.

High heels are very fashionable and a necessity to some, but they can cause a tremendous about of harm to the feet and ankles. To learn more, contact Dr. Genine M. Befumo and Dr. Mark J. Berger of University Foot & Ankle Center, LLC. Our doctors will answer all of your foot- and ankle-related questions.

Effects of High Heels on the Feet

High heels are popular shoes among women because they are associated with femininity.  Despite their appeal, they can cause many health problems if worn too frequently.

What parts my body will be affected by high heels?

  • Ankle Joints

  • Achilles Tendon – may shorten and stiffen with prolonged wear

  • Balls of the Feet

  • Knees – heels cause the knees to bend constantly, creating stress on them

  • Back – they decrease the spine’s ability to absorb shock, which may lead to back pain.  Also, the vertebrae of the lower back may compress.


 What kinds of foot problems can develop from wearing high heels?

  • Corns

  • Calluses

  • Hammertoe

  • Bunions

  • Morton’s Neuroma

  • Plantar Fasciitis


How can I still wear high heels and maintain foot health?

If you want to wear high heeled shoes, make sure that you are not wearing them every day, as this will help prevent long term physical problems.  Try wearing thicker heels as opposed to stilettos to distribute weight more evenly across the feet.  Always make sure you are wearing the proper shoes for the right occasion, such as sneakers for exercising.  If you walk to work, try carrying your heels with you and changing into them once you arrive at work. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices located in East Brunswick and Monroe Township, NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about the Effects of High Heels
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