Okay, so it is May, and you are considering how much exercise you will have to do in the next 30 days to make up for the first four months of inactivity in order to still achieve your New Year’s resolutions. As you begin your exercise routine, you must consider the extra stress that your body is going to be subjected to and that any injury can easily place you on the couch planning next year’s resolutions. Common injuries I see this time of year are stress fractures in the feet, which already take a pounding everyday just from normal activity. Unlike typical fractures, there is not a single traumatic event causing them and many times a patient has no clue that any serious injury has occurred. I see stress fractures as a source of pain and discomfort quite regularly. A stress fracture begins with the overuse or the over training of a muscle. This overuse causes the muscle to tire and transfers stress on to nearby bones, causing tiny fractures. Sports injuries related to stress fract...
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Typically, when someone tells me they are about to run in a race, I am impressed by the person’s discipline and dedication to improvement. However, this marathon takes the cake (or the doughnut as it may be). The race is called the Krispy Kreme Challenge, and it has become a yearly staple in North Carolina. Started by NC State college students, the participation has grown from 12 college kids in 2004 to over 5000 in 2009. With participants ranging from the seasoned marathoner to the college student who has been training hard with late night beer and pizza, this race attracts all kinds of runners. The proceeds are donated to a children’s hospital in North Carolina. The race begins at 9 AM normal enough with a 2 mile jog to the Krispy Kreme store. This is where the race takes a turn for the worse. At this point, runners must indulge themselves with a dozen doughnuts. So with doughnuts engulfed, the final leg of the race is an agonizing 2 mile sprint back to the finish line (and ma...
Watching tv early Sunday morning, I saw an infomercial for the orthotics with the interchangeable heel piece so each person can adjust their insert to their foot. Later on, I saw a similar ad for a hi-tech computer force plate that you simply stand on in a pharmacy, and a computer will tell you what number insert you should buy for your feet from their store. The bottom line is, “what will make my feet feel better?” For the person seeking relief from foot pain for the first time, I do not discourage trying one of these alternatives to traditional orthotics from your podiatrist. It is human nature to try the easy route before finally breaking down, months after the onset of pain when it becomes unbearable to work even for a few hours, and schedule an appointment to see a foot doctor. Sometimes, the problem is simple and can be relieved for a while by a plastic insert that you can buy from a pharmacy shelf. Other times, the right decision is to schedule an appointment with a trained...
When to Replace Shoes? From the mother of the 10 year old engaging constantly in active play, to the 80 year old diabetic patient who is largely inactive to the runner who runs 70 miles each week, everyone wants to know when they should purchase a new pair of shoes. We all know that shoes do not last forever. Most people, however, continue to wear them well after their useful life has ended. Most commonly in my office I'll have people tell me that their shoes are three years old BUT (insert excuse here...). Some of my favorites, it fits my feet perfectly (meaning it's broken down), the heel is worn out just how I like it (meaning it has a hole inside the shoe), new shoes just bother me (meaning that I've worn these for so long, the support is too different at this point), and my favorite: They still look new. Yes, they still look new. When all you do is run on the treadmill, use the elliptical, and some stationary bike, and your shoes never see the light of day, of course t...
Spring, and the warm sunny weather that comes with it, is almost here, so it is time to dig through the closet and dust off your running and golf shoes. Unfortunately, for many the spring fun will be put on hold because of nagging foot pain. Heel pain is often debilitating, causing people to alter their work schedule, exercise schedule, and their lives in general. As a podiatrist, I encounter heel pain many times every day. The extent to which the pain improves with treatment often depends on the behaviors of the person suffering. At the end of the article, I will offer you suggestions to try at home before and during treatment in order to improve your results. Plantar fasciitis (say "PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus") is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue(ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your ...