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.

Xanthomas of the Achilles Tendon

What does cholesterol have in common with your feet?

You may not normally associate cholesterol with feet but there is a condition called a xanthoma that can affects your Achilles tendon. A high cholesterol level can cause small deposits of cholesterol to develop under the skin or along tendons. They appear as small nodules or bumps. If these bumps are noticed, it is important to be aware that your risk of heart attack, heart disease or stroke is greatly increased.

Foot specialist Dr. Tejas Pandya treats all foot and ankle conditions and sees how xanthomas can develop within the Achilles tendon on the heel. Looking like a little sore or bump under the skin, they are usually flat, yellow in color and soft to the touch. To diagnose a xanthoma, aside from its characteristic appearance, Dr. Pandya may take a small biopsy to examine whether the growth contains cholesterol.

Aside from treating the underlying cholesterol problem, xanthomas may be removed with a laser treatment or by surgically cutting them out. They can grow back and other ones can appear in different locations in your body. Focus needs to primarily be on getting your cholesterol to where it needs to be. This may mean medications and lifestyle changes but lowering your cholesterol level may allow existing xanthomas to reduce in size or go away entirely.

Since a small lump or bump could be caused by a number of things, it is important to get even something small looked at. Dr. Pandya will be able to do a thorough evaluation and diagnosis to determine the cause of your bump(s). If it is near your Achilles, it may very well be a xanthoma, which will indicate a specific course of treatment.

Make an appointment today if you see a bump on your Achilles. Call our podiatric in Troy, NY and Clifton Park, NY at (518) 273-0053 or visit www.capitaldistrictpodiatry.com.

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