Podiatry

Are you taking a walk down the aisle anytime soon? Invited to a wedding where you plan to dance all night? Make sure you say “I do” to wearing appropriate foot wear for the occasion – and your feet will thank you. If you are the one making the trip down the aisle, don’t make your shoes your ‘something new’ for the day. Take some time to break in new shoes prior to your wedding day. Wear them around for the length of time you would be wearing them on that particular day to put them to the comfort test (and acclimate your feet to them). If they are not comfortable enough to wear for as long as you would want them to, you may want to consider getting two pairs – one fancier pair to make it through the ceremony and formal photos, and another more comfortable pair to kick up your heels in at your reception. Flip flops tend to be a popular reception shoe, but most do not provide much in terms of support. And if you are wearing a long gown, flip flops might prove a tripping hazard. Also, if...

Diabetes runs in my family. Maybe that is why I have taken a particular interest in diabetic foot care, because for me it is personal. If you are diabetic and reading this article in one of our offices, kudos to you for making regular visits to a podiatrist part of your diabetes management plan. But please keep reading - there is much you can do to help yourself and others with diabetic foot care. Anyone with diabetes, regardless of whether they are experiencing any foot problems at the time, should receive an annual foot exam to help identify any potential changes in the condition of their foot. But they should be looking at their feet - or asking a caregiver or loved one to look at their feet - on a daily basis to be alerted to any injury or change in condition that would require a call or visit to the podiatrist. Remember that with diabetes comes a possible decrease in circulation in your feet and possible nerve damage, resulting in a loss of sensation in the feet. This sensatio...

It is no secret that living with diabetes means you may have to change your eating habits and possibly cut back on certain foods to manage the condition. But there are a number of ‘diabetes diet’ myths out there that simply aren’t true. Let’s lay one to rest today. #1: Eating Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes – The amount of sugar you consume is unlikely to cause diabetes on its own. Diabetes occurs when your body’s ability to turn food into energy is disrupted. The body is supposed to break down the food you eat into glucose, which is a type of sugar needed to power the cells of the body. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, which helps cells utilize glucose for fuel. In Type 1 Diabetes, the pancreas does not make insulin. This usually occurs in children or young people, and is thought to occur as a result of something happening with the immune system. In Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas either does not make enough insulin or the insulin does not work properly. In some instances i...

Dayton is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WBAFB) and each September, it is also home base for the Air Force Marathon. This year the marathon is scheduled for Saturday, September 17, and registration is open to all runners 18 and older. Many Dayton and Springfield area runners participate in the full marathon, half marathon, or 5k – and many will do so without properly preparing their feet for the race. Whether you are training for a marathon or just starting a running program, it is important that you take good care of your feet and get them ready for the distance you are covering. Here are some tips to help you do just that: Cover three-quarters of the distance you’d be running before the race. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should run it – you can definitely walk it instead of run – but your feet should know what that distance is going to feel like. That way you’ll get a sense of whether to expect blisters, chafing or another type of irritation prior to race day and c...

Those of us involved in podiatry on a day to day basis know that problems with your feet can often be indicative of conditions that one would not normally associate with the feet. Diabetes is a prime example of a condition that at first glance many people don’t realize heavily impacts the feet. But did you know that certain types of back, hip or leg pain could also potentially be caused by an issue with your feet? For example, if you have lower back pain, you may have what is known as Morton’s Toe/Morton’s Foot. Morton’s Toe/Morton’s Foot is defined by a long second metatarsal and it could potentially be responsible for what is causing you pain. This condition can not only cause pain in the lower back area, but it can also cause pain throughout the body. There is an easy examination the doctor can do to determine whether you may have Morton’s Toe/Morton’s Foot. And the good news is that with Morton’s Toe/Morton’s Foot, you don’t have to live with the chronic pain. Treatment options ...

Many people can benefit from utilizing orthotics – from those looking to get a jump on the competition by increasing their endurance or improving their athletic performance to those looking to simply restore balance, alleviate foot fatigue and prevent a range of foot problems from occurring in the future. Orthotics are anatomically molded devices developed to better support the foot. Worn under the heel and arch of your foot, they can relieve not only foot pain, but leg and back pain as well by alleviating some of the causes of the problems. Orthotics are a great solution for many people. While there are orthotic inserts you can pick up at a drugstore near you, honestly they don’t work as well as custom orthotics because they aren’t developed specifically for your feet. Custom orthotics are custom made devices created from an actual cast and mold of your foot taken by a foot doctor. They essentially realign the foot to control abnormal motion, which can help correct for any imbalan...

The size of your foot is just about the same size as your forearm - from wrist to elbow. Bonus fact: Your height is just about the same as your 'wingspan' - which is the distance from fingertip to fingertip if you were to raise your arms out to your sides at shoulder height to form a T. (Of course that last one wasn't a foot fact, but pretty neat nonetheless!)