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Tuesday, 10 June 2014 18:07

Systemic Diseases of the Foot

There are several systemic diseases, or diseases that affect the whole body, that either display symptoms in the feet or affect the health of the feet. Common systemic diseases that affect the overall health of the feet, and the patient’s ability to walk comfortably, include gout, diabetes mellitus, neurological disorders, and arthritis.

In gout, which is caused by an excessive buildup of uric acid in the body, the most common symptoms of pain, inflammation, and redness occur at the metatarsal/phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe. Any excess levels of uric acid, crystallize and are deposited in tendons, joints, and surrounding bone and muscle tissue. Gout is commonly treated with NSAIDs to relieve pain and inflammation and other drugs to lower uric acid levels in the body. Gout most commonly affects those who are overweight, have low protein diets and lead a more sedentary lifestyle.

Diabetes mellitus is an increase in the level of blood sugar in which the body cannot counteract with naturally occurring insulin in the body. The three types of diabetes, Type I, Type II and Gestational Diabetes, are all signs the body is either not producing enough insulin or is not efficiently using the insulin that is produced. Gestational diabetes only affects women who are pregnant and have never, prior to pregnancy, exhibited symptoms of the disease.

There are two main issues that affect the feet that are commonly caused by diabetes. They include diabetic neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease. Diabetic neuropathy can lead to damaged nerves and affect the feet through numbness and loss of sensation. Peripheral vascular disease restricts the flow of blood to the foot and can, in extreme cases, lead to the necessity of amputating the foot. Peripheral issues that are caused by diabetes and can affect the foot include athlete’s foot, nail infections, corns, blisters, bunions, severe dry skin, plantar warts and ingrown toenails. These can all be attributed to the decrease of blood flow to the foot.

Neurological disorders and rheumatoid arthritis can also have severe impact on the health of the feet. Neurological disorders can affect the nerves in the main structure of the foot and cause loss of sensation and possible decreased muscle response. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the bones and joint structures of the foot, making it impossible to walk normally without serious pain.

All systemic diseases that affect the foot can effectively be treated to minimize joint and muscle damage if they are diagnosed early and treated with medication and lifestyle therapy. Diabetes patients must monitor their blood sugar levels and work with their physician to keep their levels as close to normal as possible. Rheumatoid arthritis patients should work with their physician to ensure the proper medications are being taken to reduce the amount of damage to the joints of the body.

 

Published in Featured
Tuesday, 13 May 2014 14:31

How to Prevent Running Injuries

Many common running injuries are caused by overuse and overtraining. Several common injuries can occur due to running. When the back of the kneecap starts wearing away and starts causing pain in the knee, this is commonly referred to as runner’s knee. Runner’s knee can occur because of decreased strength in the quadricep muscles or shoes that do not offer proper support to the inside of the forefoot. Runner’s knee usually is treated with strengthening exercises focusing on the quad muscle and sports orthotic. To prevent runner’s knee, efforts should be focused on hip strengthening. Physical therapy is also beneficial in helping to learn the best exercises to heal runner’s knee. To prevent runner’s knee, strengthen the quad muscles to keep the kneecap aligned.

Overtraining is one cause of a common running injury called iliotibial band syndrome, which occurs when the iliotibial band gets irritated, causing pain and discomfort to the outside knee area. Another common running injury is known as plantar fasciitis, which occurs when the bone in the foot becomes inflamed and irritated. This injury primarily causes pain in the foot. Causes can include a high arch, incorrect footwear, tight muscles and flat feet. The best way to avoid plantar fasciitis is stretching and proper footwear.

Stress fractures are a common injury for runners. These fractures can occur because of overtraining, lack of calcium or running style. In runners, it is common for stress fractures to occur in several locations including the inner bone of the leg, the thighbone, the bone at the base of the spine and the toe bones in the foot. The best approach to preventing stress fractures are proper footwear maintenance and running on a surface with enough “give” to absorb some of the shock produced during running.

Besides overtraining, other causes of these common running injuries are poorly fitting footwear, irregular biomechanics, and lack of flexibility and strength. The best way to avoid running injuries is to prevent them. Fortunately, each of these common running injuries can be prevented. To avoid running injuries it is highly recommended to wear only footwear that fits properly and that suits your needs. Running shoes are the only protective gear that runners have to safeguard them from injury; therefore, choosing the correct footwear for running is important. It is important, too, to think about other aspects of your running routine like training schedules, flexibility and strengthening, and tailor them to your needs in order to minimize the possibility of injury. Regular stretching before and after running should be considered also when trying to avoid running injuries. Stretching keeps muscles limber resulting in greater flexibility. 

Published in Featured
Wednesday, 23 April 2014 13:55

Star Volleyball Player Recovers from Surgery


The Iowa State University Cyclones made their spring debut by racking up three wins with the help of star player Ciara Capezio. Capezio had spent her time during the off season recovering from surgery she underwent in order to correct Morton’s Neuroma. ISU’s coaches were unsure if she would be ready to play at the start of the season.

An All-Big 12 player, Capezio returned to her position without much difficulty and aided her team in dominating Nebraska-Kearney, Nebraska-Omaha, and Northern Iowa. “Our offense — when we were in-system, when the ball was to center — was really, really good,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch.

Foot surgery is sometimes necessary, especially for athletes. If you are contending with a foot or an ankle condition, speak to Dr. Kevin H. Lapoff, DPM of Lake Worth Podiatry. Dr. Lapoff can determine the most ideal procedure for your podiatric needs.  

When Is Surgery Necessary?

Foot and ankle surgery is generally reserved for cases in which less invasive, conservative procedures have failed to help with the problem. Some of the cases in which surgery may be necessary are:

- Removing foot deformities like bone spurs and bunions

- Severe arthritis that has caused bone issues

- Reconstruction to attend injuries caused by accidents or malformations

What Types of Surgery Are There?

The type of surgery you receive will be dependent on the nature of the problem you have. Some of the possible surgeries include:

- Bunionectomy for painful bunions

- Surgical fusion for realignment of bones

- Nerve removal for painful nerve endings

Benefits of Surgery

Although surgery is usually a last resort, when it is undertaken, if can provide more complete pain relief than before, and may allow you to finally resume full activity.

Surgical techniques have also become increasingly sophisticated. Such techniques like endoscopic surgery allow for smaller incisions and faster recovery times.

If you have any questions feel free to contact our office in Lake Worth, FL. We offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology to meet your needs.

Read more about Foot Surgery

Published in Blog

Detroit Tiger Jose Iglesias sustained stress fractures in both legs. As a result, Iglesias will be out for four to six months, trained on non-weight bearing exercises and upper-body conditioning for the meantime. Tigers manager Dave Dombrowski told fans the team will move forward to play the season without Iglesias. (He could) perhaps be back later in the year, but in my thought process that’s more unlikely than likely at this point,” Dombrowski said, adding he has been assured Iglesias will be ready to play by next season.

Stress fractures can place a lot of stress on someone. If you suffered a stress fracture to your foot or ankle, see  Dr. Kevin H. Lapoff, DPM of Lake Worth Podiatry. Dr. Lapoff can treat your stress fracture injuries.   

Coping with Podiatric Stress Fractures

Stress Fractures occur on the foot and ankle when muscles in these areas weaken as a result of overexertion or underuse.  As a result, the ankles and feet lose support when walking or running from the ground. Since these bones are not protected, they receive the full impact of each step. The stress on the feet causes the bones to form cracks.

What are Stress Fractures?

Stress Fractures are very common among those who are highly active and involved in sports or activities that make excessive use of their legs and feet. Stress fractures are especially common among:

-athletes (gymnasts, tennis players, basketball players)

-runners/joggers

-osteoporosis patients

-those who engage in high-intensity workouts

Stress Fracture Symptoms

Pain from the fractures occur in the area of the fractures, and can be either constant or periodic. The pain is usually sharp or dull, accompanied by swelling and tenderness. Engagement in any kind of high impact activity will exacerbate the pain.

To learn more about stress fractures please follow link below.

If you have any questions feel free to contact our office in Lake Worth, FL. We offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology to meet your needs.

Read more about Stress Fractures

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The celebrity everyone loves to hate, notorious bad boy Justin Bieber’s performance on several sobriety tests claim a broken foot is behind his failure. Bieber says that a hairline fracture in his right foot from a three month old skateboarding incident is the cause of his broken foot.  

Although it is more likely to be an excuse, one officer did note that Bieber had difficulty staying in line as he swayed and had leg tremors during the test, wincing as if he were experiencing pain. "He appeared to have great difficulty," the report noted. However, the injury was never mentioned or noticed after that test, adding to the possibility that it was just another performance for the bratty YouTube star. Bieber was described by the police as being “agitated and condescending”, making use of frequent profanity while being brought to the police station.

Suffering a broken foot can be a real downer. Fortunately, podiatrist Dr. Kevin H. Lapoff, DPM of Lake Worth Podiatry can help. Dr. Lapoff can treat your broken foot with the professionalism and care it needs.  

Broken Foot Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

A broken foot is caused by one of the bones in the foot ‘breaking’, or fracturing. Bones typically break when the bone is bended, crushed, or stretched beyond its natural capabilities. Usually the location of the fracture indicates how the break occurred, whether it was through an object, fall, or any other type of injury.  

Common Symptoms of Broken Feet:

  • Bruising
  • Pain
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Blue (foot)
  • Numbness
  • Cold
  • Misshapen
  • Cuts
  • Deformities

Those who are experiencing any of these symptoms, or suspect that they have a broken foot, should seek medical attention in a center where x-rays can be performed. This is especially urgent if any of the symptoms include numbness, blue coloring, cold feet, cuts, misshapen toes or deformities as these indicate more severe cases.

To learn more about broken foot and its treatment, please follow link below.

If you have any questions feel free to contact our office in Lake Worth, FL. We offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology to meet your needs.

Read more on Broken Foot Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Published in Blog

Athlete Alex Morgan has been contending with a lingering ankle injury that has kept her off the field since the start of 2014. Geoffrey Arnold of the Oregonian states that Morgan sustained a sprain in her left ankle back in October while training.

Despite her injury Morgan continued to play, which caused injury to regress into a stress reaction. "The longest injury I've been out for is my ACL," Morgan said after a team training session. "Now this is creeping up as one of the longest injuries I've ever been out for. It's really hard."    

Ankle sprains are incredibly painful and devastating. If you sprained your ankle, see podiatrist Dr. Kevin H. Lapoff, DPM of Lake Worth Podiatry. Dr. Lapoff can treat your ankle sprain in addition to any other foot or ankle condition.

How Do Ankle Sprains Happen?

Sprain injuries take place when the ligaments are torn or stretched beyond their limits. There are various ways that the ankle can become injured. In fact even the simple act of walking could cause a sprain. Ankle damage can occur by losing footing or walking on uneven terrain.

What are the Symptoms?

  • Mild to moderate bruising
  • Limited mobility
  • Swelling
  • Skin discoloration

How Can I Care for my Ankle at Home?

Self-care for ankle sprains includes propping the ankle up and keeping it elevated, applying ice packs as needed, and remaining off your feet. Some may also find that wrapping the ankle with an ACE bandage and taking over-the-counter pain relievers helps. One of the most important things is avoiding further stress to the affected area.

Preventing Sprains

  • Wearing appropriate shoes
  • Stretching before participating in physical activity
  • Knowing your limitations

To learn more about ankle sprains please follow link below.

If you have any questions feel free to contact our office in Lake Worth, FL. We offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment technology to meet your needs.

Read more about Ankle Sprains

Published in Blog
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