High Heels: Dangers to Make You Think Twice!

Photo Credit - WalcottImaging

 The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week happening in New York on September 5-12 brings a sneak peek into the top-of-the-line fashion we will see in the spring of 2014. With the celebrities and the clothes themselves, shoes often take the stage, and this year will be no different. High heels are often the shoes of choice to complete the runway looks, but for models and the average high heel fanatic there are some real risks involved.

A recent article from Marie-Claire magazine shared that new 3-D scans are proving just how dangerous this towering shoe is to feet. Wearing these shoes on a regular basis can not only cause achy feet at the end of the day but also lead to permanent damage to feet, knees, hips and the lower back. This type of shoe typically has a pointed toe box that crowds toes together and a high heel that places all of the body weight onto the balls of the feet. This not only impacts balance and stability but forces knees and hips to push forward, which alters your posture. Studies are seeing that these changes in foot structure and posture linger long after the shoes are taken off. Pretty scary!

Have we got your attention yet? If you just can’t seem to imagine your life without high-heels, can we mention the risk of bunions, corns, hammertoes, stress fractures, knee pain, Achilles tendonitis, Morton’s neuroma and ankle sprains as a way to convince you that they aren’t worth the risk?

Your foot health is important and great decisions made early in life make feet happier later on. If this kind of shoe has left you hobbling with pain or given you unsightly feet, make a good decision today and call Dr. Tejas Pandya for help. Our podiatric office has locations in Troy and Clifton Park, NY. Make an appointment today and call us at (518) 273-0053.

Treating Bunions

 Have a painful bump on the side of your foot?

If your big toe is angled over a bit and you have a bump on the side of your foot, you most likely have a bunion. The good news is you are not alone as this is one of the most common foot problems treated at Capital District Podiatry . The not so good news is this condition usually worsens over time and ignoring it could lead to chronic pain and other problems such as bursitis and even immobility.

How do you treat bunions?

Catching a bunion problem early, even before pain is present will have a significant impact on your foot health long term. This deformity is usually due to an inherited foot structure so if you know that you are prone to developing bunions or notice a bump is forming, start treatment early. Foot specialist Dr. Tejas Pandya may suggest one or more of the following treatment options:

• Change of footwear 
• Icing
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Activity modifications
• Custom orthotics to support and protect your feet

If your condition has progressed past beyond conservative treatment options, surgery may be needed to relieve your symptoms. This is nothing to fear. Our office has helped many patients through bunionectomies. Often the surgery is done as a same-day procedure and only requires a local anesthesia. Dr. Pandya can choose the right procedure to eliminate your bunions and pain once and for all.

We have two convenient locations in Troy and Clifton Park, NY to serve you. Call us at (518) 273-0053 to make an appointment and say goodbye to your bunion pain!  

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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Bunion Prevention: Keep Track of Your Child’s Feet & Yours!

Taking proper care of your feet is important at all ages and children’s feet are especially important to take care of.  You want to make sure to keep up with the health of your kids’ feet to help prevent future painful foot ailments such as bunions.

A bunion is a growth of the bone, or tissue, that surrounds the joints based at your big toes. Bunions tend to develop slowly, so prevention techniques should be taken even during childhood.
Have your children follow these healthful tips to prevent bunions:

    •    Exercise your feet and toes. Include your children in your daily exercise routine and work out your feet and toes. Rotate your feet and try to move each toe individually. Point your toes up and down and practice picking up small objects using your toes.

    •    Wear correct shoe and sock sizes. Shoes that scrunch your toes can lead to bunions or causes them to spread. Children’s feet can grow at extremely fast rates so check your child’s shoes regularly.  You can do this by feeling the front of their shoes and see where the big toe lands. Footwear should allow the toes enough room to move. Your toes should not touch the end of your shoes and should be wide enough that toes will not be pushed together.

    •    Avoid excessive pronation. If your child’s feet roll inward too much during walking, running, or any form of physical activity, it can result in bunions. Supportive shoes, or arch support shoe inserts, can prevent this problem. You can also look into purchasing custom made orthotics, which can be used to prevent many different foot ailments and give your child’s feet the best functionality.

Keeping your feet healthy from an early age can help to keep you active for longer. If your child develops a bunion, or any other sort of foot ailment, contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tejas Pandya.  He can help your child get back to his or her best foot health.

Resources:

http://www.capitaldistrictpodiatry.com/library/1773/BunionPrevention.html
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bunions-prevention

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