Sunday, July 25, 2010

Accessory Bones

There are some bones in the human body that don’t come as standard equipment for each of us. Those that are inconsistent with our development are known as accessory bones. They can occur at a number of places in the foot but there are a few hotspots where they commonly appear. This includes the Os Trigonum, Os Vesalianum, and Os Tibialae Externum. Os Trigonum is located in the back of the heel, on the outward portion of the talus bone. Os Vesalianum is located on the base of the fifth metatarsal and Os Tibialae Externum is located under the navicular bone, on the inward part of the foot.

For most of these accessory bones, they mainly go undetected however a few do become symptomatic and can be identified by x-ray or CT imaging. The Os Tibialae Externum can become inflamed and is known as Accessory Navicular Syndrome. This extra bone lump along the arch can be a bother because of how it rubs on shoewear. Also, feet with this condition are invariably flat. It is this flat-footedness that usually brings patients in for an evaluation. So how can your podiatrist help you? First your doctor may treat the inflammation with medications, rest, ice, compression or elevation. Once the inflammation goes away, a specialized orthotic can be constructed to support the flat foot and to pad or protect the edge of the accessory bone. For more severe cases, surgery may be recommended to correct the problem. For problems with these or any of your other bones, come by and see Dr.Grimm or Dr.Pattison.

Monday, July 19, 2010

"Toasty" Feet

Now that it has reached close to 100 degrees in Austin it has reminded us it is time to address the sun and how damaging it can be to the feet. Some of us even wear sandals all year long in Texas making this a very important topic. We won't necessarily address the biomechanics of wearing sandals and how the wrong type or sandal or materials may be hurting you in other ways. Today we want to address the issue of exposure of sun on your feet.

The feet are probably the most neglected part of the body when it comes to applying sunscreen. And why is that? Sandals don’t offer much protection. Most of us only consider using sunscreen when we are going to a beach or laying out to get a tan. We sometimes are so concerned with our faces and upper body that we tend to neglect our lower extremity. Even the bottoms of the feet are susceptible to burns when lying in the sun.

The best way to protect yourself is to apply sunscreen on your feet just as often as you do the rest of the body. Make sure you use a compound that blocks UV-A and UV-B exposure. UV-A rays are associated with aging while UV-B is associated with burns, however UV-A causes the long-term damage. A sunburn of the feet can cause swelling, blistering, pain, and can limit the ability to put on a closed-toe shoe come Monday morning. If you’re feet appear sunburned, but you haven’t been outdoors, you may have another type of skin condition and should see your podiatrist to be properly evaluated. For toasted feet and any other lower extremity problem, come by and see Dr. Grimm and Dr. Pattison at Foot Associates of Central Texas.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Workout sneaker or passing fad?

A recent article in the USA Today looked at a growing trend with consumers to purchase rocker bottom shoes. Companies such as Sketchers and MBT are marketing these as a way to tone muscles, promote healthy weight loss and improve the posture of those who walk, work, or shop in them. But what’s the truth behind these funny-looking shoes? The article has input from a couple of podiatrists. They express concerns about the risks that accompany changing someone’s gait. Someone with a borderline problem they never knew about could start presenting symptoms. They can also cause balance problems, which many elderly people already deal with day to day. Another podiatrist claims that some of his patients who aren’t in the best of shape have an inflamed Achilles tendon after wearing these shoes.

Shoes with a rocker sole are nothing new. Shoes have been modified with prescription rocker soles to help alleviate conditions such as hallux limitus, ball-of-foot pain, ankle arthritis and midfoot arthritis. Depending where on the foot the rocker is placed on the shoe, it can offload that joint and alleviate different types of pain. These shoes certainly aren’t for everyone but if you think you could benefit from these or have any other concerns about your feet, come by and see Dr.Grimm or Dr.Pattison at Foot Associates of Central Texas before making an expensive mistake.