Do You Overpronate? Check Your Shoes!

If you are a dedicated runner, you may very well be educated on overpronation. For the average person though, this common foot problem is often unheard of but may be the cause for present foot pain.

How do I know if I overpronate?

When patients come into our office at Capital District Podiatry, one of the tools we use when diagnosing foot pain is to look at their shoes. Noting where shoes get worn down can offer clues to why there may be foot pain or help in preventing problems from occurring in the future.

Overpronation happens when your foot rolls inward at each strike on the ground while walking. If this is occurring, your shoes will often show more wear on the inner side than the outer. If you were to put your shoes on a flat surface, they may even tilt inward. Many people have this common foot problem and don’t even realize it. This condition is very prominent in people with fallen arches, or flat feet.

What should I do?

If a quick diagnostic inquiry shows that this is happening and you have no foot pain or problems, it may be of benefit to make a few changes. Choosing shoes with a straighter sole and designed for stability and motion control will best support a foot that overpronates.

This abnormal leaning inward of the foot and ankle could pose a problem over time as the structure of the foot can become compromised. Plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and metatarsalgia are common problems associated with this foot condition. If you have foot pain, it is best to seek an accurate diagnosis so your feet get the treatment they deserve. We find that our patients often benefit greatly from using a pair of custom orthotic inserts in their shoes.

We are available to help in any way that we can – call Dr. Tejas Pandya today if you are concerned about an overpronation problem. We have two convenient locations to serve you in Troy and Clifton Park, NY. Call us at (518) 273-0053 to get help today!

Find Out Why You May Have Foot Pain

Our feet are often used and abused, and only thought of when they bother us. If you have foot pain, it is worth reviewing some common injuries to find out how they happen and to learn the right way to handle them. The following are common foot injuries that New York foot specialist, Dr. Tejas Pandya treats on a regular basis:

Ankle sprain – This injury is often unavoidable as even a small wrong step could lead to a twisting of the ankle. Pain, swelling and bruising usually follow a sprain but the degree of damage can be more than you realize. This makes it important to have it looked at to ensure you get the right treatment.

Plantar fasciitis – If you have pain when you step on the floor in the morning, you may have plantar fasciitis. This happens when the tissues that run along the bottom of your foot become irritated and inflamed. It can get worse over time, so have it diagnosed and treated early.

Fracture – This is a break in a bone. Feet are exposed to a lot of stress, especially if you are an athlete, making them vulnerable to these injuries. There are general bone fractures and stress fractures. The latter is important to highlight as it can often go untreated. Increasing training too quickly or wearing the wrong footwear can lead to tiny cracks in your bone. If you have foot pain, the possibility of a fracture is a primary reason for having it addressed.

At the end of the day, if you have any kind of nagging foot pain, have it checked. Whether it has just started, has developed over time or if self-care for an injury isn’t working, we can help. Dr. Pandya can diagnose the reason for your pain and provide the treatment to get rid of it. Make an appointment with Capital District Podiatry today by calling (518) 273-0053. 

Plantar Fasciitis

Do you have pain running across the bottom of your foot?

Anyone who has stepped out of bed in the morning and felt a surge of pain in their foot knows the discomfort of plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a tough band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. It stretches from your toes and inserts into your heel bone. Plantar fasciitis develops when this band of tissue gets inflamed is one of the most common causes of heel pain.

Dr. Tejas Pandya, foot specialist in Troy, NY treats patients on a regular basis who are afflicted with plantar fasciitis. Stabbing pain, pain in the morning or that develops gradually over the course of the day are common complaints.

Am I at risk for developing plantar fasciitis?

Knowing if you are at risk is the first step in implementing ways to prevent this painful condition. Plantar fasciitis often occurs in people over 40 yrs of age and is more likely in women or people involved in activities that put a great amount of stress on feet. Wearing poor shoes, having a job that keeps you on your feet, being obese and having flat feet or high arches are all risk factors for plantar fasciitis.

What can be done to alleviate the pain from plantar fasciitis?

The good news is that we can help! Dr. Pandya can provide a number of treatment options including: physical therapy, custom orthotics, anti-inflammatory medications and stretching exercises. Our Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment (ESWT) can help even more advanced situations.

Don’t live one more day with foot pain. Call our podiatric office today to make an appointment at (518) 273-0053 or request a convenient time online.

Do Flatfeet Affect Running?

The average runner takes 200 steps a minute. You may be too focused on your breathing or making it through a run to even count how many steps you take. Each stride you take while running can put a lot of stress and shock on your feet, ankles, shins and knees. If you have flatfeet, the stress on your feet can be multiplied.

Are flatfeet causing you pain while you run?

Flatfeet are when you do not have an arch on the bottom of your foot. If you stood up on the floor, the entire sole of your foot would touch the ground. Having flatfeet affects the structure of your foot and causes your feet to behave differently than someone who would have an arch.

Flatfeet often cause your feet to roll inward when they strike the ground. This is called overpronation and could be what is causing the discomfort while you run. It changes the normal biomechanics of your foot, which increases the stress on your foot. When your foot rolls inward too severely, the weight of your body is not distributed properly, Normally, it would be distributed evenly to the ball of your foot whereas with overpronation, the inside of your foot takes the brunt of the force.

Unfortunately, the overpronation from flatfeet can also lead to other problems such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints and Achilles tendonitis.

If you need help with alleviating the pain from flatfeet or if you are curious about whether you overpronate or not, contact our Troy, NY podiatric office for help. Foot specialist, Dr. Tejas Pandya can examine your feet, diagnose any cause of pain and find any potential problems that could arise in your future. Call (518) 273-0053 or visit us at www.capitaldistrictpodiatry.com.

Related articles

• Corns on Your Feet?
• How Do Orthotics Work?
• Athletic Discount #EANF# Cheap Shoes Three Basic Categories Neutral Runners Overpronators

Extra Weight Can Affect Your Feet

Your feet are the foundation for your body and they often take a beating! On average, feet take 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day and just walking puts the pressure of one and a half times your body weight on your feet. It is even more when running and if you are overweight, your feet are under some serious strain.

The American Podiatric Medical Association warns that our feet are the most vulnerable part of our body for injury. Being overweight increases the risk for injury even further. Dr. Tejas Pandya, foot and ankle specialist in Troy, NY encourages patients if they are gearing up to lose some weight, to keep feet as an important reason to do so.

How can weight hurt your feet?

Adding weights to a workout routine can help build and strengthen muscle but added weight can be detrimental to feet. Muscles, tendons and ligaments can become stretched and weaker. There are many ways that extra weight affects foot and ankle health. Arches can collapse and feet can flatten from the pressure of added weight. This can cause the plantar fascia to be strained. This tendon runs from your heel to your toes and the strain can result in plantar fasciitis and heel pain.

Tendonitis, ankle pain, arthritis and gout are additional foot conditions seen at Dr. Pandya’s podiatric office with patients who are overweight.

What can be done?

For the majority, weight loss is not solved overnight. If you are in the process of losing weight, you can help keep your feet healthy and pain free by selecting supportive footwear. If you have a pronation problem where your ankles lean inward, it can be more severe when overweight. Custom orthotics made for your foot structure can help support your feet and keep them better aligned.

If you have foot or ankle pain due to being overweight, see Dr. Pandya for treatment. Call us today at ((518) 273-0053 or visit our website at www.capitaldistrictpodiatry.com.

Related articles

• The A, B, C's of Children's Foot Care
• Losing Weight Can Also Help Your Feet
• Childhood Obesity - The Impact on Feet

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

Related articles

• Protect Your Feet from Common Running Injuries
• Are Baseball Injuries in a League of their Own?
• Playing Tennis Part 1 - Finding the Right Shoes

Protect Your Feet from Common Running Injuries

Running can be a great way to stay fit and healthy, while taking time to be alone with your thoughts and of course experience some awesome endorphins. However, if you are a runner you know the serious toll the sport can have on your entire body. As a runner you need to take special care of your overall health and of course your feet.

Unfortunately, runners are at risk for many different injuries.  However, the best way to prevent an injury from occurring is to know the facts.  Dr. Tejas Pandya has come up with a list of common foot injuries.  They include the following:

• Plantar Fasciitis: This condition can cause severe inflammation on the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that branches from the heel to the bottom of your foot and then down to your toes. Plantar fasciitis is usually caused from excessive stress on the bottom of the foot, like that associated with running. You can prevent plantar fasciitis by stretching before and after all of your runs, wearing proper running shoes and changing your exercise routine gradually.

• Achilles Tendonitis: This is a very common injury for runners. It is classified by inflammation that occurs in the Achilles tendon, which reaches from the back of your lower calf all the way down to your heel. You can prevent Achilles tendonitis by stretching and investing in orthotics. Achilles tendonitis is most commonly caused by stiffness in your muscles.

• Morton’s Neuroma: This ailment is defined by inflammation in your forefoot. It most commonly occurs in your third and fourth toes. It may also be associated with a pain in the ball of your foot and either sharp pains or numbness in your toes.  Morton’s neuroma is commonly caused by ill-fitting shoes. You can prevent this painful foot condition by wearing the proper size shoes that are specific to the running and always remembering to wear socks.

• Stress Fracture: A stress fracture in one of your feet is very common among runners due to the repetitive stress put on your feet. Stress fractures can be associated with severe pain and swelling that will only increase without proper treatment. You can prevent a stress fracture by replacing worn-out or poor fitting shoes and allowing your feet days of rest in between intense workouts.

All injuries should be treated by resting, elevating the injured foot or ankle, applying ice as needed to reduce swelling and inflammation, and seeking medical attention. If you experience a foot, or ankle related running injury, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.

Resources:

http://www.apma.org/runninginjuries

Related articles

• Phillies' Ryan Howard still struggling with Achilles tendon injury

  ---

• Tis The Season For Achilles Tendon Injuries

  ---

• Unknown facts about plantar fasciitis revealed by the

  ---