Lower Limb Surgery

Prevention, proper care, and time for injuries to heal are all important aspects in protecting your feet and ankles. Improper care can lead to more serious injuries, which can result in surgery. That word can sound scary, but surgery is sometimes your best option in keeping your feet and ankles safe and healthy.

Dr. Tejas Pandya has broken down a few foot and ankle surgeries so that you can know the facts and understand how to prevent injuries from becoming severe. They include:

• Heel Spur Surgery: Heel spurs most commonly arise from wearing improper shoes, repetitive stress upon your feet, or as an overuse injury. Heel spurs deserve proper care, but sometimes surgery is necessary as a last resort. Heel spurs can be severely painful to the point where it may affect your daily activities, but surgery can help relieve the pain. Like with most surgeries, the heel will need time to rest and recover. During this time period you should refrain from bearing weight upon your heal in order for the tissue to heal properly.

• Bunion Surgery: Bunions refer to growths that occur on the base of your big toe. Bunions often occur due to ill-fitting shoes, and that is why it is always important to try on shoes before every purchase and never wear shoes that are too small. Most bunions are painless and can be treated without surgery, but in extreme cases it can be necessary. Surgery can help relieve pain and restore mobility in rare cases so that you can resume your typical routine. After surgery your toe should remain wrapped and you should avoid bearing weight on your foot for several days.

• Ankle Fracture Surgery: If you severely fracture your ankle to the point where the ankle joint has become displaced and unstable. Ankle fracture surgery corrects the alignment of either the medial malleolus, which is the bone located on the inside of your ankle, or the outer bone known as the fibula. Your ankle is sensitive and damage to it can lead to uneven weight distribution, the loss of mobility, and even arthritis. It is always important to treat ankle injuries immediately and allow the injury proper time to heal and rest before becoming physically active once again. You want to make sure to prevent further injury and permanent damage.

In order to reduce your risk for surgery it’s important to take precautionary methods to prevent injuries from occurring. If an injury does occur proper care and time to heal is necessary to prevent surgery. If you have suffered an injury to your foot or ankle contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

References:

http://www.heel-that-pain.com/heel_spur/surgery/heel_spurs_surgery.php
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00140
http://www.footeducation.com/ankle-fracture-surgery

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Easy Little Tricks to Your Foot Ailments

Your feet work incredible hours baring the weight of your entire body. Did you know that there are 26 bones in each of your feet? That is a quarter of the bones in your whole body. Your feet also contain 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments. That’s a lot of sensitive body parts to break, sprain, and painfully injure!

Below are some tips to help you with your shoe buying and wearing.

• Buy the right size. Before you purchase footwear, you should always measure your feet and try on the shoes. Make sure to try on both shoes because your feet can often be different sizes. Pay attention to not only the length of your feet, but the width and the level of support that your arches require.

• Purchase specific shoes. Your shoes need to be personable in so many ways, not just a standard size! Look for shoes that are specific to your physical activities. Sports and exercise activities require different things from footwear in order to properly protect your feet. You should also base your purchases on your medical history and personal comfort.

• Look for wide toe boxes. Your toes need room to breathe and wiggle even when their strapped inside your shoes. Purchasing footwear with wide toe boxes can help reduce your risk for developing conditions such as bunions and hammertoes. Both bunions and hammertoes can occur from ill-fitting shoes. Wide toe boxes allow your toes more room and reduce irritation.

• Wear your socks. Socks work as a comforting barrier between your feet and your footwear. Comfortable socks can reduce irritation caused by your shoes so they prevent painful problems like blisters, corns and calluses. Socks also work to keep your feet dry and can help prevent fungal infections.

• Keep your feet dry. Your feet need to be washed with soap and water at least once a day, but drying them can be just as important. You should dry your feet thoroughly with a clean towel and pay special attention to your toes. If your shoes or socks become wet you should remove them until they are dried and preferably washed. You can apply a lotion to your feet in order to keep your skin moisturized, but remember to avoid your toes. Moistened feet create a perfect environment for fungal infections to grow.

• Use orthotics. Custom fitted orthotics can be one of the best investments you can make for the health of your feet. Custom made orthotics can reduce pain in your feet and ankles, give you greater arch support, provide cushioning and reduce your risk for a wide range of injuries.

Your feet and ankles can be one of the easiest areas on your body to develop injuries, which is why it’s so important to take the proper preventative measures. If you do develop a foot or ankle related injury, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

References:

http://www.modbee.com/2012/05/11/2196699/know-how-to-prevent-treat-foot.html

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Playing Tennis Part 3 - Will Orthotics Help You on the Court?

The sport of tennis can be very stressful on both your feet and ankles. Tennis is associated with many quick movements that pivot your body back and forth, and bounce your feet from side to side. These quick movements can easily lead to many painful foot and ankle injuries and your feet require specific footwear for the sport. Specific footwear is a great way to prevent injuries, but you can reduce your risk even further by the use of custom made orthotics.

Tennis orthotics are designed to comfort your feet, keep them healthy, and reinstate the natural techniques and functions of your feet. Pain in the heel of your foot is often associated with an incorrect stride. Tennis orthotics can work to properly align your feet and ankles to their natural and healthy position. Tennis orthotics helps properly distribute your weight evenly on your feet so that pressure is not built up in certain areas. Orthotics can help to improve your posture which is directly related to your balance. Poor posture and balance can lead to serious injuries. Improper weight distribution upon your feet can severely alter the structure of your bones in both your feet, ankles, and your lower legs.

Orthotics are a great way to prevent injuries as well as help with conditions that you may already be experiencing. Orthotics can help reduce pain in your feet and ankles and comfort flat feet. Orthotics can also help with shock absorption. Tennis orthotics can also help to reduce your risk for developing the following conditions:

• Achilles Tendonitis
• Corns
• Metatarsalgia
• Ankle Sprains
• Flat Feet
• Bunions

Orthotics can inspire your greatest performance giving your muscles, tendons, and bones optimal functionality. Orthotics usually last between 12 and 16 months, after which they should be replaced. Your best option is to purchase custom made orthotics which are fitted specifically to the exact shape each of your feet in order to offer you the greatest protection.

If you would like to be fitted for custom molded tennis orthotics, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

References:

http://www.drfoot.co.uk/Tennis_Orthotics.htm

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Playing Tennis Part 2 - Most Common Foot and Ankle Injuries

The sport of tennis gives your body an aerobic workout. Playing tennis is a great way to stay healthy, fit and of course have fun. Unfortunately, your feet and ankles are subjected to an overwhelming amount of stress during a game. The back and forth and side to side motions of the game can put a lot of pressure upon your lower limbs. Combined with the swift start and stop of the game, your feet and ankles can very easily obtain an injury.

Common foot and ankle injuries while playing tennis include:

• Ankle Sprains: These painful ailments are the most common injuries associated with the sport of tennis. Ankle sprains commonly develop when the foot turns inward in an awkward motion. The consistent back and forth and side to side movements can make your ankles prone to sprains. Ankle sprains can cause severe pain and swelling. If you develop an ankle sprain, you should rest and elevate the injured ankle. You can apply ice and wrap the ankle to reduce swelling and relieve pain.

• Plantar Fasciitis: The quick movements involved in a tennis match can put a lot of stress on the arch of your foot. You plantar fascia, the band of fiber tissue that stretches from your heel bone down to your toes, supports the arch of your foot. The forced exerted on your feet can cause the plantar fascia to become inflamed and extremely painful as a result of plantar fasciitis. You can treat, as well as, prevent this condition by purchasing tennis specific shoes, wearing the correct shoe size, and investing in custom made orthotics.

• Tennis Toe: This condition, also referred to as subungal hematoma, develops when blood collects underneath your toenail. Tennis toe can be directly related to the shoes that you wear. It is always important to wear the correct shoe size. Remember to measure your feet and try shoes on before every purchase. You should also check your shoes at least once a month to determine that they still fit properly. You should purchase footwear that is specific to tennis in order to better protect your feet. If you develop tennis toe, you can relieve built up blood by applying ice, but make sure to contact our office as soon as possible.

With the overwhelming amount of stress exerted on your feet and ankles it can be easy to develop an injury.  It is important to take preventative methods while playing tennis. If you require any additional information on how to prevent these common injuries, or you have already developed an injury, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

References:

http://www.stege.com/topics/sports/tennis.htm

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Playing Tennis Part 1 - Finding the Right Shoes

Tennis players need to have speed, good coordination, endurance, and be quick on their feet. All of this can be affected by the shoes on your feet. When you think of equipment associated with the sport of tennis you probably think about the ball, the racket, and the need for a properly sized court and net. However, so many people forget about the footwear.

Shoes should always be considered as one of the most important forms of equipment associated with almost every sport. Tennis players should wear tennis specific shoes in order to keep their feet healthy and happy. Dr. Tejas Pandya has come up with a few tips to help guide you in the right direction.

• Look for flexibility. Proper tennis shoes should be able to maneuver the excessive movements associated with the sport. Tennis involves a wide range of movements. From side-to-side steps, to the fast runs and the intense jumps, your shoes should be flexible enough to manage these quick and varying movements.

• Support the sides of your feet. The movements involved in a tennis match can often cause you to lean to the sides of your feet. For this reason, your shoes should have extra lateral support in order to reduce your risk of injury.

• Know your court. Tennis courts can be made of a variety of different materials. Your tennis match may take place on concrete, grass, or clay, and each holds a different set of requirements on the amount of support and cushioning you need from your shoes. Determine what kind of court you will be playing on and then choose your footwear accordingly.

• Be sport specific. A lot of tennis players are under the assumption that they can get by just fine with regular running shoes. However, Dr. Pandya urges you to wear tennis specific footwear. Running shoes are designed for different movements, and not those associated with the sport of tennis.  Therefore running shoes cannot properly protect your feet during a match.

Discovering the right shoe for your personal needs can be difficult due to the increasingly large variety available to you. The exact shape of your foot, your natural stride, and your posture can have a huge effect of the shoes your feet require. If you desire any additional help on finding the right tennis shoe, or would like to be fitted for a custom molded orthotic, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

References:

http://www.tennisexpress.com/info/buying-the-right-tennis-shoes.cfm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/211024-the-best-tennis-shoes-with-foot-support/

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