Get Back on Your Feet!

We abuse our feet on a daily basis and some of us more than others. Many of us are on our feet all day long with little time to sit and rest. On top of that, the surfaces we stand and walk on, like cement or concrete, can be very unforgiving.

We've spoken to many patients who are on their feet and on cement all day—from the time they get out of their car to the time they get back in it at the end of the day. And they report that over the course of the day, they  start to have foot problems. Symptoms can range from specific pain such as ankle, heel, arch, forefoot, and bunion pain to the more generalized foot pain, fatigue and weakness—and all this within eight hours.

There are things that can be done to modify the workplace environment like using padding or sitting more often. Although these things can help, they aren’t always effective.

Wearing proper shoe gear and use of over-the- counter support is important, but again this may not relieve all of the symptoms.

This is where a custom orthotic can be a valuable tool, not only to help reduce or eliminate the patient’s foot pain, but to allow the patient to continue to work productively.

A custom orthotic will place the patient’s foot in a biomechanically corrected position, allowing proper weight bearing and weight/force distribution. This will reduce the specific conditions as well as the generalized foot pain.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

 

Children and Sports

 

 

     Parents should encourage their children to participate in sports but never forget that competition

should be fun. Since children develop at their own rate, early training should emphasize proper

technique and basic movement skills, including warming up to loosen muscles and prevent injuries.

    Buy shoes that allow at least one finger’s width from the end of the longest toe and shop for

shoes in the afternoon when feet are slightly swollen. An all purpose sports shoe works best for

most sports.

    Podiatric physicians warn that repetitive overuse can cause inflammation and they advise parents

to promote a variety of physical activities for children. Longs hours of one sport can lead to injuries.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

Foot Care for Fitness - It's Really Important!

    Healthy feet are critical to a successful fitness program.  There are more than 300 foot ailments and if left untreated, they can prevent the successful establishment of a fitness program. To keep your feet healthy for fitness, you should be familiar with the most common ills that affect them. Self treatment can often turn a minor problem into a major one, so it is not advisable. These conditions may occur because of the impact of exercise on feet:     Athlete’s Foot is a skin fungus from warm, dark climate of shoes. Wash feet daily, dry carefully, use foot powder on your feet and in your shoes daily. Blisters are caused by skin friction and moisture and poorly fitting shoes. If it’s small, apply antiseptic and cover with a bandage. If large, pop with a sterile needle. Keep feet dry.   Corns and Calluses are protective layers of dead skin cells caused by friction. Never cut them off. See your podiatrist to take care of them. Heel Pain is caused by faulty biomechanics,  bruise from stress, or inflammation when spurs form, or from plantar fasciitis (heel and arch pain). See your podiatrist for any of these foot problems.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

Foot Care for Walking -  Things to Consider

 

    If you’re going to walk, consider getting some thick, absorbent socks, preferably acrylic and keep feet dry, paying special attention to the toes. Keep your nails cut, straight across the toe. Have a podiatrist evaluate your feet if you have bunions or hammertoes and avoid self-treatment of corns and calluses. If you get blisters, open it with a sterilized needle and drain the fluid. Do not remove the “roof” of the blister.

    Good walking shoes should be stable from side to side, well-cushioned and should enable you to walk smoothly. There are specialty walking shoes which may work well for you, but any shoe you buy should feel stable to you. They should feel comfortable and fit well in the store. Buy good shoes and don’t cut corners. Wear socks when trying them on. Make sure the heel is straight up when looking at it from the back and also that it fits your heel snuggly. You should be able to wiggle your toes and there should be a finger’s width between the end of the longest toe and the end of the shoe. If you have foot problems, consult your podiatrist about the best shoe for you.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

Running advice from the 

American Podiatric Medical Association

 

 

    It’s important to see a podiatric physician before starting an exercise program. He will examine your feet and identify potential problems, discuss conditioning, prescribe an orthotic device that fits into a running shoe and recommend the best style of footwear for your feet.

    Frequent joggers should see their podiatrist regularly to check for any potential stress on the lower extremities. Before beginning an exercise program, proper stretching is essential. Warmed up muscles tendons, and joints. Stretch for 5-10 minutes in a stretch/hold/relax pattern without bouncing or pulling. Stretch the propulsion muscles in the back of the leg and thigh and don’t forget the muscles in the front of the leg.

    Choose your shoes carefully, according to your weight, foot structure, and running regimen. Shoes should provide cushioning for shock absorption and should bend fully at the ball of the foot area. Buy shoes in the afternoon when your feet are slightly swollen and wear thick running socks. 

    Progress slowly from easy to rigorous exercises to prevent  injury. Two sets of two minute jogs with five minutes of walking fast. When you’re stiff, walk only. Gradually increase to jogging sets of 20 minutes. Spend five workouts at each new level. In 16 weeks, you should be able to run two sets of 20 minutes each.

   Keep feet powdered and dry. If you experience knee pain or shin splints, consider an orthotic device  and also changing your running technique.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

What are Orthotics?

     Orthotics are shoe inserts that are intended to correct an abnormal or irregular walking pattern. While not truly and solely arch supports, they perform functions that make standing, walking, and running more comfortable and efficient by altering slightly the angles at which the foot strikes 

a walking or running surface. DPMs prescribe orthotics as a conservative approach to many foot problems or as a method of control after certain types of foot surgery; their use is a highly successful, practical treatment form.

     There are three brand categories of orthotics: rigid, soft, and semi-rigid. Rigid orthotics are designed to control function and are made of a firm material like plastic or carbon fiber and fabricated from a plaster of Paris mold of the foot. It runs from sole of the heel to the ball of the foot or the toes. Soft orthotics absorb shock, increase balance and take pressure off the foot. Semi-rigid orthotics provide for dynamic balance of the foot  while walking or participating in sports.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201. Dr. Boggs and Dr. Morris are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

What is a Podiatrist?

    A podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM), also known as a podiatric physician or surgeon, qualified by their education and training to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg. Podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat the foot and ankle based on their education, training, and expertise.

    Podiatrists are defined as physicians by the federal government and in most states. DPMs receive medical education and training comparable to medical doctors, including four years of undergraduate education, four years of graduate education at one of eight accredited podiatric medical colleges and two or three years of hospital residency training. Within the field of podiatry, practitioners can focus on many different specialty areas, including surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatrics, pediatrics, orthopedics or primary care.

    A majority of podiatrists are board–certified. Certification is considered to be an earned credential for those podiatric physicians who have achieved certain levels of skill and ability.

Western Washington Medical Group's Podiatry Department is located at 3202 Colby Avenue, Suite E, Everett, WA 98201 .

Dr. Morris (left) and Dr. Boggs (right) are both accepting new patients and you can schedule with them by calling 425-259-0855.

      
                                                                                       

April is Foot Health Month.

To celebrate, I will be posting several articles about foot health this month.