Podiatry

Many companies who specialize in products for the feet are trying to cash in on the trend towards those fashionable, and occasionally painful, high heel shoes. If you wear high heels, which according to the American Podiatric Medical Association are about 90% of women, and have experienced some foot pain, you may have spent some time in the foot care aisle at your local grocery or pharmacy. They are marketing insoles made specifically for high heel wearers that claim, “guaranteed relief of foot aches and pains” or “all day comfort.” So, did those claims stand up to the test? Consumer Reports says no. In a report just published this month, consumer reports noted that of the 14 women who tried these insoles made specifically for high heels, none of the wearers reported a relief in their foot pain. A couple wearers said that the shoes were a little more comfortable, but the insoles were not worth the money. Local podiatrist, Dr. Allen Guehl, says that much of the foot pain that he sees

Jennifer Grey, recent winner of Dancing With the Stars and star of 80s classic Dirty Dancing, tweeted yesterday that she had a neuroma removed from her foot. "I had a neuroma the size of a small city removed. I think I went down a shoe size on one foot. After Dancing With The Stars it just got worse and worse, so do whatcha gotta do," she tweeted. Neuromas are non-cancerous, or benign, growths that arise in nerve cells that can occur in various places of the body.  One of the most common types of neuromas is found on the foot.  Called Morton's Neuroma, it is the thickening of the tissue around a nerve at the base of the toes. It is usually found between the third and fourth toes of the foot, and symptoms of the condition include pain and a burning sensation in the afflicted area, numbness, and cramping.  A lump can develop at the base of the toes due to swelling and abnormal cell growth and may be accompanied by a burning pain in the ball of the foot.  The condition