Treating Ingrown Toenails With Ease

"Ouch, my toe hurts." After a season’s worth of stuffing them into your shoes, it’s no wonder that you might have an ingrown toenail. But treating this common foot problem is a breeze for your podiatrist.
Ingrown nails are the most common ailment of the nails seen by podiatric physicians. An ingrown nail is one whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of the toe, often leading to irritation, redness and swelling. Usually, toenails grow out straight, but sometimes one or both corners or the sides will curve and grow into the flesh. The big toe is the most common
victim of this condition, but other toes can also become affected. Ingrown toenails may be caused by any one or more of the following:

• Improperly trimmed nails—Trim your nails straight across
and don’t round off the corners. Also, don’t cut nails too short.
• Shoes that are too tight—Make sure that shoes fit properly
and that the toes are not crowded in the toe box
• Trauma—Stubbing your toe or dropping heavy objects on
your toe can result in the nail growing improperly. Also, activities
with repeated pressure on the toe (such as running or kicking) can
lead to ingrown nails.
• Foot or toe deformities—Bunions or hammertoes, for example,
can place abnormal pressure on the sides of the nail.
• Heredity—If anyone in your family has ingrown nails, you
may be at risk as well.

Do-it-yourself treatments may be an option in some cases, but often a trip to your podiatrist’s office will be the most effective way to find a cure. If you want to try treating ingrown nails at home, and you’re sure that your toe is not infected (swollen, hot to the touch, or discolored), your best option is to soak your foot in a warm water bath and then apply an antiseptic and a bandage. If this treatment is ineffective, then a trip to your local podiatrist is the best bet. Do not attempt to "dig out" the nail from the skin at home. You could further damage the skin and the nail and increase the likelihood of infection. People with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or other circulatory disorders must avoid any form of self-treatment and seek podiatric medical care as soon as possible.
If you seek care in the doctor’s office, the podiatrist will examine your toe and determine the best treatment for you. If the toe is infected, the podiatrist will prescribe an appropriate oral antibiotic. If the nail is painful and uncomfortable, a simple procedure can be performed in the office that will usually prevent the nail from becoming ingrown again. In this case, after the toe is numbed, a portion of the nail is removed surgically. The doctor can determine how much of the nail should be removed to solve the problem.
Other techniques can also be done that will remove the nail root entirely. This treatment can prevent recurrence. After the procedure, the podiatrist will cover the area with a bandage and you can resume most normal activities. If an antibiotic is prescribed, make sure to take the full dose as directed by the doctor. It may take a few weeks for the nail margin to completely heal, but there are generally no restrictions in activity, bathing, or wearing shoes. Once the anesthetic wears off, there may be some very mild discomfort but rarely does this require pain medicine. A resumption of all activities including sports and exercise is generally permitted the following day.

As Time Falls Back, Find Relaxation through Running!

As daylight savings approaches yet again, it’s a sign the holiday season is almost upon us. While it’s tempting to get bogged down with preparations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and beyond, keep in mind that running can be an excellent stress buster. Participating in Trick or Trots, Turkey Gobblers, and Reindeer Runs is a great way for the entire family to spend time together. Sign up today for the Wing Ding Gobbler 5K on November 14th for your chance to compete for a "Top Turkey Award" and support Brushy Creek Elementary and The Round Rock Serving Center!
While running may be a good method of stress reduction for the mind, it tends to have the opposite effect on the body. As with any exercise, running increases blood flow to the muscles and improves flexibility of the joints, though at the expense of placing significant stress on them as well. Massage can be a great way to relieve some of that stress, and should be an integral part of any serious recreational or competitive runner or walker’s training plan. Sports massage, derived from a combination of deep tissue and Swedish massage, is useful for relieving tension, accelerating recovery, and improving flexibility of muscles. It alleviates muscle tightness, reducing spasms caused from microscopic tears created during the stress of exercise. In as little as a few weeks, unchecked muscle spasms may turn into painful knots or myofascial trigger points. A masseuse will massage the entire foot, making sure to massage the heel and bottoms of the feet. By pushing in a forward motion, the skin is being stretched and you can continually apply pressure to the area to increase blood flow and relax the muscles. When using the knuckles on your hand, you can push across the bottom of the feet to provide a more intense massage and promote healing.
If you’re suffering from muscle tightness that does not subside with stretching after a day following your workout, you may want to consider incorporating massage into your training regimen. Not only will it relieve the tension in your muscles, but it will give your mind a nice break as well. Self-massage can be just as effective with the aid of a foam roller, massage stick, or tennis ball for your feet if your budget cannot accommodate a monthly visit to a professional. However, if you are consistently experiencing tightness in your calves and feet despite aggressive stretching and massage, it’s a good idea to get it checked out. The cause of the tightness could potentially be due to biomechanical factors. If left unchecked, you may be teetering on the brink of tendonitis. Come on in and we’ll conduct a gait analysis to get to the bottom of the cause!

Orthotics 101: How They Can Help You

Orthotics are custom molded devices which are designed specifically for your feet and then placed in your shoes. They are intended to correct abnormal foot biomechanics. They
perform functions that make standing, walking, and running more comfortable and efficient by altering the angles at which the foot strikes a walking or running surface. Doctors of podiatric
medicine prescribe orthotics as a conservative approach to many foot problems or as a method of control after certain types of foot surgery; their use is a highly successful, practical
form of treatment.

Orthotics take various forms and are constructed of various materials. They fall into three broad categories: those that primarily attempt to change foot function, those that are primarily
protective in nature, and those that combine functional control and protection. Orthotics can be categorized as rigid, semi-rigid, and soft. The so-called rigid orthotic device, designed to control
function, may be made of a firm material such as plastic orcarbon fiber and is used primarily for walking or dress shoes. It is generally fabricated from a plaster mold of the individual
foot. The finished device normally extends along the sole from the heel to the ball or toes of the foot. It is worn mostly in closed shoes with a heel height under two inches. The semi-rigid orthotic provides for dynamic balance of the foot while walking or participating in sports. Each sport has its own demands and each sport orthotic needs to be constructed appropriately with the specific sport and athlete in mind. This functional dynamic orthotic helps guide the foot
through proper functions, allowing the muscles and tendons to perform more efficiently. The classic, reinforced with more rigid materials. The soft orthotic device helps to absorb shock, increase balance, and take pressure off uncomfortable or sore spots. It is usually constructed of soft, compressible materials, and may be molded by the action of the foot in walking or fashioned over a plaster impression of the foot. This orthotic usually extends from the heel past the ball of the foot to include the toes. The advantage of any soft orthotic device is that it may be easily
adjusted to changing weight-bearing forces. The disadvantage is that it must be periodically replaced or refurbished.

Various other orthotics may be used for multidirectional sports or edge-control sports by casting the foot within the ski boot, ice skate boot, or inline skate boot. Combinations of semi-flexible material and soft material to accommodate painful areas are utilized for specific problems. Only a licensed health care professional can diagnose and prescribe medical treatments, including orthotics. There are some outstanding over-the-counter products which your podiatrist may recommend as an interim treatment, but remember that you will want the advice of your podiatrist before buying these devices from a retail store, since wearing the wrong type of insert can be detrimental to feet, especially for people with diabetes or arthritis.

Yoga To Strengthen Your Strides

It’s mile 2 in the half marathon you’re running, and you suddenly sense a dull pain in the bottom of your heel near the arch. You were running late this morning to get to the starting line, and didn’t have time to stretch before the race kicked off. Instead of stopping to stretch, you press on. Now you’re at mile 8, and you suddenly notice tightness originating at the back of your knee that wraps around to your inner thigh, worsening with every step. To avoid injury, you end up shortening your strides for the remainder of the race. We’ve all been there - whether during a race, or walking around on vacation.

Performing yoga poses is an effective way to simultaneously stretch and strengthen your muscles from your toes all the way up through your core. Every stride taken while running originates from the core composed of the abdominal and gluteal muscles. As the leg swings through the air, all the muscles in the hamstrings, lower legs and feet are activating to set the foot up for an aligned foot strike. Depending on your foot structure and alignment of your hips through your knees to your feet, the activation of the muscles in the foot is magnified to achieve maximum propulsion at push-off. Therefore, it is critical to include regular stretching and strengthening of your feet, legs and core to avoid foot and lower back pain. Yoga also enhances your balance. Further developing your balance will help sharpen your foot and ankle proprioception, or position sense, on uneven terrain. Improving proprioception will help prevent ankle sprains.

The following yoga poses and information recommended for foot and ankle strengthening and recovery were taken from http://www.sunandmoonstudio.com/.

1)Virasana-Hero Pose - Stretches the top of the foot and ankle.

Squat with Toe Stretch (knees on floor)
Kneeling with the toes tucked under stretches the entire plantar aspect of the foot.

2)Baddha Konasana-Cobbler Pose

Pressing the four corners of the feet together and drawing the toes away from each other strengthens the foot muscles and activates the arches.

3)Viparita Karani-Legs up the wall

Excellent for recovery following runs.

4)Adho Mukha Svanasana-Downward Facing Dog

This pose primarily stretches the feet, hamstrings, shoulders, back and arms.

For more information on yoga poses for runners, check out this link: http://www.runnersworld.com/topic-ext/0,7121,s6-238-409-0-0,00.html.

Plantar Fasciitis Sacks NY Giants Quarterback

During their recent defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs, NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning experienced symptoms of what was later diagnosed as plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation along a band of connective tissue that runs along the sole of the foot. Luckily for the Giants, he can return to play concurrently with treatment as long as he is able to tolerate the pain. In general, when athletes experience any set back due to injury, the first question that pops into mind is: How much downtime will I need?
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that has either an acute or gradual onset depending on the cause. Microscopic tears to the plantar fascia may occur abruptly from planting the foot awkwardly while pivoting, or over time from running and walking without ample stretching. A falling of the medial arch due to age, weight gain, unsupportive shoes, and excessive pronation while running may also be contributing factors. The microscopic tears in the fascia may display no symptoms at first, but as they increase in number the plantar fascia becomes inflamed as your body attempts to repair it. One of the most common symptoms is a sharp pain felt first thing in the morning where the bottom of the heel meets the mid-foot. The pain typically subsides to a dull ache throughout the day, and it is often aggravated at the start of a run, while standing long periods of time, and walking in shoes with little to no arch support.
Conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis involves icing, stretching, anti-inflammatory medications, and wearing night splints. Over-the-counter arch supports or custom-made orthotics may be necessary as well. Rolling the foot on a can of frozen juice following activity provides relief for some by stretching and icing the fascia. Always ensure that aggressive stretching (performed with the aid of a towel or resistance band) is done before icing to prevent a severe tear. Taping methods that increase arch support provide temporary relief for athletes; however, early symptoms of plantar fasciitis should not be ignored. When treated close to its initial onset, you can often continue activity with minimal downtime. Though if left untreated, it may progress to the point where steroid injections and more rest are needed. If squeezing your heel simultaneously from side-to-side causes you to jump out of your chair, it’s a good sign that you’ve been sacked with plantar fasciitis. Come on in, and we’ll get you back on your feet before halftime!

Time for New Running Shoes…What Now?

You just finished a jog with some friends, and you notice your knees are a little sore. As you massage them while stretching, your mind automatically begins calculating the ratio of grass to asphalt to concrete surface on the route you just ran. Then you find yourself trying to remember exactly when you bought your running shoes. The best you can come up with is sometime between New Year’s and April. Perhaps it’s time for some new shoes, but how can you be sure?

It’s recommended that you replace running shoes anywhere between 350 - 500 miles. Ways to track the mileage on your running shoes include marking the date of purchase directly in your training log, on a calendar, or using one of those cool online training logs through http://www.runtex.com/ , http://www.athlinks.com/ , or http://www.coolrunning.com/ . If your shoe is separating at the sole, extra worn beneath where your toes sit, or you are starting to experience out of the norm knee and lower back pain on runs, there’s a good chance that your running shoes have reached the end of their lifespan.

Here are some tips from the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, http://www.aapsm.org/ on selecting a running shoe:
Go to a specialty running shoe store (http://www.runtex.com/).
Bring your old running shoes, orthotics, or other inserts to the store with you.
Have your feet measured each time you purchase shoes.
Ensure an index finger’s width is between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
Select appropriate socks (composed of synthetic fibers that wick away moisture) for running.

When breaking in new shoes, it’s not recommended to run any longer than 3 miles at a time in them for the first 100 miles in the shoe. If the shoes you currently use leave your feet feeling good and blister-free following a run, stock up on that particular model. Sometimes companies will change certain aspects of a model the next season, but still call it the same thing. If it works, don’t fix it! Though, if you are consistently having problems finding a good shoe fit, coming in for a biomechanical gait analysis can help.