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Home Tag: "heel pain" (Page 3)

Tag: heel pain

17Jul

high heelsStatistics show that one of the major factors leading to is wearing high heels. A third of the women suffer from permanent problems due to prolonged wear of high heels. High heels are fashionable, make you feel sexier and taller, but impaired stability increases the risk of forefoot injury, injury, heel pain, foot arch strain, sprained ankles, plantar fasciitis, posture, and gait problems. In addition, there is excess stress placed on the lower extremities and back and affects the balance, posture, and gait.

Read More “Preventing Damage from High Heels”
heel pain
8Dec

heel pain

Heel pain in foot is a common complaint among runners. However, can be a symptom of several ailments such as Achilles tendonitis, flexor tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, and . A podiatrists' first question is if the pain is intense when you take the first steps in the morning or when you stand. Heel pain is severe in the morning, although a runner can easily walk it off and forget about the pain until the next morning. This condition requires understanding the physiology of the healing process. The tissues that are rope-like and fibrous are in a daily flux of breaking down for runners due to increased pressure on the feet. Since plantar fascia, and flexor need to withstand the body weight during running. Deceleration forces tearing of the collagen fibers, but the fibers repair themselves. Heel pain from running can be because of running far or running too fast, but when given time, the tendons and tissues come back stronger.

If the tissues are not allowed time to recover, the injuries vary from chronic or acute injuries. If you are chronically injured, the body reacts by producing collagen in a disorganized manner. It causes the uncooked collagen fibers to appear like cooked spaghetti at the bottom of the pot in a process known as collagen cross-linking. Before maturity, the collagen fibers are delicate and healing occurs at night as we sleep. During such long hours of resting, ensure proper positioning of the tendons to allow cross-linking without re-tearing. A light stretch influences alignment of new collagen with extensive cross-linking before the maturation stage. Gentle stretch during the immobile periods prepares the tissues for weight bearing throughout the night.

Prevention of heel pain can be done by:

  • Gently stretching before getting out of bed.
  • Wear a night splint to stretch the plantar and heel of the foot.
  • For the first steps in the morning, wear a supportive sandal or shoe. If you have an Achilles problem wear a high-heeled shoe. If you suspect plantar fasciitis, wear soft arch-supporting sandals.

On the first sign of heel pain, do the following

REST: Do not run, treadmill, or walk. Try exercises that will not put pressure on the heel; such as yoga, biking, weightlifting, and swimming.

ICE: Ice a bottle of water and roll it over the arch every evening for 20 minutes.

STRETCH: The calf needs to be stretched multiple times throughout the day using a belt or a towel and at least 30 seconds before getting out of bed. Perform the runners stretch throughout the day for a minute each time.

WEAR SUPPORTIVE FOOTWEAR: Avoid going barefoot; your shoes should be rigid and should bend at the toes. Grab your shoe upside down and try bending it. If it folds in the middle then it will cause pain, so throw it away. Lightweight shoes are good but they break down within a short time. Train in good shoes to avoid plantar fasciitis and if the shoes wear down change them to decrease the chances of getting injured.

If the above measures do not reduce heel pain from running in a few weeks, visit a . The podiatrist will look further into the cause of the heel pain and treat it accordingly. Other treatment options to explore include the use of night splints, anti-inflammatory medications, prefabricated or custom , surgery, , or cast boots.   If you have any questions, or need to see a foot doctor in Houston, please contact our office in the Houston, TX area. Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale will answer any of your foot and ankle related questions.

plantar fasciitis6
17Feb

plantar fasciitis6

This is a common that is widespread in middle-aged adults, which one can wish away. The pain manifests itself when taking the first steps in the morning. The plantar fascia ligaments are the shock absorbers of your feet and when they are inflamed or damaged they can cause pain in one or both heels. Several treatment options are effective when tailored to the patient's preferences and risk factors. Problems resulting in plantar fasciitis include hard walking/running surfaces, an increase of weight-bearing activity, worn shoes and increased intensity of activity. Early detection of the problem means a shorter course treatment with a high probability of success with conservative treatments.

Some treatment of includes

  1. Using lavender essential oil

According to a study in 2015, the lavender essential oil contains anti-inflammatory properties used in treating pain caused by inflammation. Dilute a drop of the essential oil in a oil carrier such as coconut or olive oil and massage at the bottom of your feet. Adding a few drops of the oil in a warm foot bath is also recommended.

  1. Plenty of rest

This has been discovered to be an effective treatment that works best. For active adults who require walking and standing long, they might have a challenge complying with this requirement. You must have an outlined rest plan and find alternative activities to avoid aggravating the pain. If possible, avoid working on hard surfaces.

  1. Wear supportive shoes

Wear shoes with a low heel that provides good , especially if you are on your feet most of the time. The appropriate shoes help support the plantar fascia and prevent inflammation. If you are in sports it is important to wear the right shoe to avoid experiencing from running.

  1. Use

Most medical practitioners recommend footpads or orthotic shoe inserts, especially if you have high arches, to distribute weight evenly. You can get ready-made orthotics available in pharmacies or request custom made orthotic inserts from your .

  1. Stretching

Stretching corrects various dysfunctional factors such as tightness of the foot muscles and improves the flexibility of the calf muscles. There are stretching techniques that help relieve plantar fasciitis. Calf stretches, stretches, and towel stretches are some stretches that should be done in the morning and several times a day. For towel stretches, roll the towel and pull both ends when placed under the ball of your foot.

  1. Wear night splint

Night splints relieve pain by stretching the calves and arches overnight. If you have had plantar fasciitis for more than six months, these are recommended for you. They are available in soft and hard models and can be used from one to three months.

  1. Massage

Simple massage techniques soothe pain in the heel. Use thumbs to massage the heels and arches starting from the balls of the feet towards the heel. A golf ball can be used to massage the arches. Put the foot on the golf ball and roll the golf ball under your arch. Hang on a stable support item while doing this.

  1. Use an ice pack

Ice reduces inflammation and acts as a good massage aid. With a thin towel and cloth cover your ice pack and hold over the painful area for 15 to 20minutes; repeat this for at least three-four times a day. You can also roll the foot under the ice pack like the golf ball example.

  1. Lose weight

Extra weight adds pressure on the plantar fascia and losing a few pounds relives off the pressure. Work with a doctor who can put in place a plan that focuses on regular exercise and a balanced diet.

  1. Use NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce inflammation such include ibuprofen; they relieve pain caused by the inflamed plantar fascia. Only use the recommended dosage and consult a doctor to understand the interactions with other medications.

  1. Apply TENS therapy

TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), uses low voltage electrical stimulation to relieve pain. This treatment is non-invasive and can be done at home using a TENS unit or it can be done by a professional.

If the pain does not respond to home treatments seek medical assistance from foot specialists at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. Additional testing and X-rays can be done to rule out other causes of foot pain such as a . A doctor can use steroid injections and physical therapy when dealing with plantar fasciitis.

foot pain
4Feb

What Causes ?

More than fifty percent of runners suffer from an injury every year. Every elite runner knows that being sidelined for running injuries, especially , pain, and the , is disappointing. People think running injuries occur because they increased the distance or intensity, or they did not stretch before and after running among other reasons. Some of these reasons aggravate an already underlying problem.

Most injuries are due to biochemical imbalance which causes the breakdown of the body due to subjective repetitive load causes. Biochemical imbalances cause muscle weakness and other imbalances that cause running injuries include

foot pain

Muscle Flexibility Imbalances

A tight muscle is a common reason for a running injury. It is very possible to do a few stretches and get back running without pain. Simple, right! No, it's not because the stretches help you re-align a muscle or tissue and you are back running again. The main question is what was the cause of the tight muscle? First, you need to find out why the muscle is overworking or tightening because stretching is a temporal solution. A tight hamstring may be as a result of weak abdominal muscles or glute muscle. These might be forcing the hamstring to compensate and with a few stretches you do not solve the weak abs or glutes and the problem might recur.

Soft Tissue Imbalances

This is complex, but changes in muscle tension can trigger points of fascia tightness. Muscle tension affects how the body functions, but with regular massage, the muscles relax.

Structural Imbalances

The body is not perfectly symmetrical; that is the right side of the body is not the same as the left side. People who cope well have minor asymmetries of the body depending on the number of differences. Others have severe structural imbalances that need more attention to avoid overstraining causing injuries from time to time.  

Muscle Strength Imbalances

For optimal functioning of the body, a balance between the inside and outside, the right and left side, the bottom and top, and the front and back of the body should be maintained. If the muscles of the right leg are weaker the muscles of the left leg will have difficulties. Unfortunately, there is never enough exercise to strengthen your muscles as you would expect. It is important to note that every joint in your body is affected when you work on one muscle. Effective muscle exercises need to be tailored individually for running purposes.

Some common running injuries include

Plantar fasciitis

This is an irritation of the fibrous tissue at the base of the heel due to forced strain on the plantar fascia. One experiences an arch pain or heel pain and the foot hurts with every step making running very difficult. This injury is common with runners who have very low or very high arches because the plantar fascia is forced to stretch. The pain caused by plantar fasciitis can continue for months and even years before completely healing so it should be treated as soon as possible.

Achilles tendon pain

The Achilles tendon is the strongest and thickest tendon connecting the back of the heel and calf muscles. The is the painful inflammation of the tendon. The pain is common in the morning or with activity. Avoid training amidst this injury because the pain will eventually hinder the ability to jog lightly. Runners who have tight, weak calves are vulnerable to this injury.

Choosing the right running shoe is one of the protective ways in which runners can safeguard themselves from injuries. Correct your biomechanics to decrease the probability of injuries.

hammertoe
20Jan

Hammertoe: Insight

Hammer can be defined as a condition of foot deformity meaning a painful foot condition in which the toes curl and arch up that leads to heavy pain when wearing footwear. Hammer toe usually affects the second and third toe of the feet. Hammer toe can be diagnosed by doing a set of physical examination of the feet.

hammertoe

Cause of Hammer Toe

Most commonly a hammer toe occurs when the middle joint of the toe becomes bent or flexed downwards.

General Causes include

  • Pressure from
  • Tightened ligaments
  • Traumatic toe injury
  • Damage in the spinal cord or peripheral nerve

 

Symptoms of hammer toe

Hammer toe is bound to give an uneasy discomfort while walking. It causes unbearable pain if intended to stretch the toe.

  • Bending toe
  • Calluses or corns
  • Toe looking like claw
  • Inability to flex the toe
  • Adapting difficulty in walking

 

hammer

Is surgery required for hammer toe?

Hammer can never be the primary option. Hammer can be of different categories it may cause mild or severe. If there is severe hammer toe then hammer toe surgery is required. The best way to judge is to visit a doctor as soon as you feel uneasy.

Hammer toe surgery should be opted out in these basic following options

  • Active infection
  • Poor health condition
  • Poor blood circulation in the feet.

Doctors prescribe Hammer toe surgery in severe conditions such as joint toe fusion and joint resection or even if you have swollen toes.

Hammer toe surgery is considered to be the least choice left for any hammer toe patient. Therefore it is of utmost importance to meet a doctor as soon as possible because a mild hammer toe condition can also lead to serious mishaps. In case the doctors recommend doing a Hammer toe surgery then it may be simply out of a failure in responding to treatments.

How can hammer toe be treated?

Hammer toe can be cured by wearing appropriate footwear and wearing properly fitting shoes. Mainly the high arch toe condition is caused by wearing toe pads that do not fit better. Correct toe pads shift the toe position that relieves the toe for getting overlapped from pressure.

Hammer toe treatment can be done using over the counter cushions, bunions, corns, and medications. Applying over the counter creams provides relief to blistering infections, and an ice pack can be used as Hammer toe treatment as well.

Preventive measures for hammer toe

Hammer toe problems in most cases have found out to be either from family history or chronically using tight pointed shoes. 

Eventually, a hammer toe can be avoided by taking certain stringent changes in your daily routine.

  • Must avoid wearing shoes that are tight and narrow or don't fit well. An especially woman who wears heels up to 6 inches must cut it down to 2 inches.
  • Choose shoes that are much wider from the tip that gives you ½ inch between the end of the longest toe and inside the tip of the show.
running shoes
26Nov

running shoes

Searching for the right running shoes can feel daunting if you are not sure what the things that you should look for are. There are so many different choices on offer for you, with each claiming to have some or other technology to offer you the maximum comfort. So, here is a brief rundown on the things that you should keep in mind when trying to choose the for yourself.

Choose shoes that are specifically made for running

Running shoes look a lot like sneakers, but they have special designs and features that make them remarkably different. While running, your foot is hitting the ground in the same way repeatedly. Running shoes help in shock absorption during this time, so that you do not suffer from troubles, like , later on.

Getting the fit absolutely right

If the shoes do not fit right, you are just setting yourself up for foot diseases, such as plantar fasciitis, in future. Keep in mind that your feet swell a slight bit through the day and they also spread as you run. So, it is better to try out the shoes in the evening or afternoon to get a more accurate estimate of the fit. There has to be about a thumb width of gap between the end of your shoe and the foot to account for the foot spread.

Select the right kind of running shoes

The kind of running shoes you get should also depend on the intensity of running that you plan to do. So, you need to opt for trail running shoes if you practice on dirt tracks more. Lightweight shoes would work well for races or faster workouts. Finally, you can also opt for daily running shoes, which are the most durable option. It can handle any kind of running that you want to do.

Consider what you are paying for

The price tag of running shoes usually relates to the kind of technology or comfort that the shoes are supposed to offer you. Now, this means getting inexpensive shoes would not really work in giving you the comfort you need to run. On the other hand, it is not like only the most expensive pair is your best bet when aiming to enjoy a run.

Understand a few terms

  • Stack height

Stack height is the amount of material placed between the ground and your feet. The ones who look for high impact protection, opt for higher stack height. On the other hand, those who are looking for a more natural experience of feeling the ground while running can go for low stack height.

  • Pronation

Pronation refers to the rolling of your foot from the heel to the by the foot strike. A neutral strike pattern is when you strike with the outer part of the heel and move up to the ball of the foot. If you have flat foot, then you might have over-pronation, which is rolling too much inside of the foot during the strike cycle. The opposite of this is under-pronation, which happens when your feet have high arches.

  • Heel-toe drop

Heel-toe drop is the difference in the amount of material under the forefoot and that under the heel. You should check that there's more material under the heel to go with your normal stride while running where the heel hits the ground with the maximum impact.

Lastly, keep in mind that it's not like the shoes that are perfect for your friend would even be right for you. So, keep these points in mind and choose the running shoes that fit your feet the best.