A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in June of 2008 evaluated in-shoe pressure in 22 athletes with high arch (cavus) feet. Two neutral-cushioned running shoes (Asics Nimbus 6 and Brooks Glycerin 3) and a control shoe (Dunlop Volley) were used and the pressures were collected using the Novel Pedar-X system. Compared with the control shoe, both neutral-cushioned running shoes significantly reduced peak pressure. The Brooks Glycerin was the most effective at reducing forefoot pressure and the Asics Nimbus 6 was most effective at reducing rearfoot pressure. The Asics Nimbus shoe was considered the most comfortable shoe, but both neutral-cushioned running shoes were more comfortable than the control shoe. Continue Reading »
Mechanical engineer Jerome Rifkin has spent 8 years developing and building a flexible, mechanical foot. The foot is one of the most complicated structures in the body. With 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles, the foot is a difficult part of the body to mimic or replace. Rifkin’s artificial foot differs from other mechanical feet because it has a heel, a midfoot, a forefoot and a big toe. The midfoot essentially connects the forefoot to the heel, but more importantly, it creates a flexible arch designed to give the wearer a more natural step. Continue Reading »
An insole is the inside liner of the shoe which sits directly below the foot - the innermost sole of the shoe. Almost all shoes come with insoles either stitched into the shoe or unattached and removable. Insoles are generally thin, flexible, soft and designed for protection and comfort. An insert is any device which you place in your shoe and can be an insole or an orthotic. Insoles can cost between $5-$20 and can be found at the drug store. Insoles are a good choice when extra cushion is needed in the shoe and the main goal is comfort. Continue Reading »
According to research at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), individuals wearing flip-flops alter their gait and may experience lower leg pain as a result. ???????? ????? ????????The study compared the gait of 39 college age men and women wearing flip-flop style sandals and athletic shoes. Both the flip-flops and the athletic shoes used in the study ranged in price and style. The flip-flops ranged in cost from $5.00 - $50.00. The participants in the study walked along a platform which measured the vertical force as the heel and foot hit the ground. Their stride length and leg angle were also evaluated.
A study done at the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada in Vancouver studied 45,869 men, without gout, over a 12 year period. Every four years, 2 questionnaires were sent out to the participants. The first questionnaire asked about intake of coffee, decaffeinated coffee, tea and total caffeine. The second questionnaire was used to evaluate whether participants met the criteria for gout, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology. Continue Reading »
Stretching has always been a part of the treatment regimen for plantar fasciitis, but not all stretches are equal. Research in the past few years has shown that specifically stretching the plantar fascia is more effective than general calf stretching in the short term and has also shown overall pain reduction in the long term. Continue Reading »
The temperatures are warming and it’s time to start thinking about shorts, t-shirts, beaches, BBQs and sandals. It’s tempting to slip on those sandals you bought on sale last Fall and head out for a day of fun in the sun. But, this can prove to be a problem for your feet, especially your toes. Although there are many styles of sandals, most have straps crossing the toes. There is very little material holding your foot on the sole of the sandal, compared with an enclosed shoe, which means that each strap of the sandal places more pressure on the foot. This is especially true in the area of the toes. Even an expensive pair of sandals can cause rubbing and irritation on the toes when you first wear them. The straps generally have prominent stitching and this stitching can cause rubbing, irritation and blisters. Continue Reading »
Most people think a bunion is a bone growth or a bone spur because of the large prominence which develops on the inside of the big toe joint. Unfortunately, bunions are much more complex. A bunion is a bone deformity at the big toe (great toe) joint which results from a structural change in the foot. The long bone on the inside of the foot (1st metatarsal) moves towards the center line of the body and the big toe moves towards the small toes. This movement occurs gradually over time causing a bump to form at the big toe joint. Continue Reading »
Not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis, tearing and inflammation of a long ligament on the bottom of the foot, is the most common cause of heel pain. But, there are many other less common conditions which can cause heel pain and may sometimes be confused with plantar fasciitis. Continue Reading »
Researchers from the Department of Dermatology at Sheba Medical Center in Israel evaluated 68 individuals with nail abnormalities after removing artificial nails. Samples of the nail were taken from the tip of the nail and at the base of the nail and sent to the lab for fungus evaluation. Continue Reading »
The APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) and Prevention magazine teamed up to determine the best and worst walking cities in the U.S. Over 500 cities were evaluated by using fourteen walking criteria, which included the number of parks per square mile, the use of mass transit and the percentage of adults who walk for fitness reasons. The winner was Cambridge, MA - Best Walking City in America for 2008. Continue Reading »
A corn is a buildup of dead skin on the top of a toe, at the end of a toe or in between the toes. Corns develop as a result of excess pressure, either pressure from shoes or from the other toes. The most common place for a corn to develop is on the top of a hammertoe. Unequal pull from the tendons in the foot and leg can cause hammertoes to develop. This unequal pull is usually the result of an abnormal foot position or abnormal motion in the foot. As the toes pull up and the tips of the toes curl down, this creates an unusual toe position and results in excessive rub on the toes. Continue Reading »
People who recreate outside during the winter, whether it is running, cycling, skiing, skating or snowshoeing, need to protect their feet by wearing appropriate socks. Many will spend top dollar for boots and shoes, but then choose cheap cotton socks to wear with them. When wearing the wrong type of socks, the feet are at risk for blisters, calluses, corns, foot fungus, toenail fungus, heel bursitis, bruising and cold exposure. Continue Reading »
One visit is all you need for ordering as many pairs of custom made shoes by the Left® Foot Company of Finland. And the price? About $300 per pair of shoes. The process starts with the customer pulling on neon yellow and green checkerboard socks and stepping on an imaging platform. A 3-D scanner images the feet producing a 3D copy of each foot and then transfers the information to an ordering system. The 15 different measurements taken are then analyzed and individual characteristics of the foot are taken into account. The information is then used to design the custom shoe. Continue Reading »
The red, white and blue toe phenomenon, called Raynaud’s, is due to a transient decrease in blood flow to the toes. The fingers can also be affected, and less commonly the nose, ears and lips. The toes will initially become white, then become bluish and eventually red, which is the triphasic color change classically associated with Raynaud’s. When this disorder occurs without a cause, it is called Raynaud’s disease, or primary Raynaud’s. When the disorder is a result of another condition, like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or lupus, it is called Raynaud’s phenomenon or secondary Raynaud’s. Continue Reading »
In the wintertime it’s easy to enter the house and kick off your wet, snow or mud covered shoes and slip into some nice, soft, comfy slippers. After being on your feet all day, nothing feels better, right? Not so fast. For those with foot problems, especially those with heel pain, this could spell trouble. Continue Reading »
There is something about the holidays which compels people to ignore foot pain. It could be the holiday spirit …. but it is more likely the stress of shopping and organizing multiple social events, the endless hours walking up and down shopping malls with bags of gifts strapped around both arms and the running in and out of stores in shoes that were not designed for more than sitting in a chair at work. Continue Reading »
There are many foot problems which can plague tele skiers and like alpine skiers, most are from improper boot fit. Boots which are too tight can constrict circulation causing cold and numb feet and boots which are too short will cause jamming at the toes, black toenails and ingrown toenails. Boot liners which don’t fit appropriately can rub and irritate all areas of the foot, most commonly the inside of the ankle. But, one of the more common foot problems experienced by telemark skiers is pain in the ball of the foot. This is generally due to a neuroma.
Nocturnal leg cramps are painful, involuntary muscle contractions that occur at night. Leg cramps commonly occur in older adults, but all age groups can be affected. Although neuromuscular disorders can cause cramping as well as certain asthma and heart medications, many people without these conditions or taking these types of medications experience cramping regularly. A larger drawing is shown below.
The exact cause of leg cramps is unclear, but the common associated causes are electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, overexertion of the muscles, prolonged sitting, extreme temperature changes and lack of oxygen to the muscles. Some conditions associated with muscle cramping include Parkingson’s disease, thyroid and other endocrine diseases, anemia and diabetes. Leg cramps commonly occur during pregnancy. Continue Reading »
Pain under the ball of the foot could represent a number of different problems. Metatarsalgia, neuromas, 2nd metatarsal overload syndrome and sesamoiditis are some of the more common ball of foot problems.
Metatarsalgia:Metatarsalgia is the common catch all term for pain in the ball of the foot. Pain is generally deep and dull with walking and occurs under the 2nd, 3rd and 4th metatarsal phalangeal joints (MPJs). The common cause for the pain is faulty foot mechanics placing to much pressure on the ball of the foot, resulting in irritation and inflammation of the joints.Continue Reading »
A Lisfranc’s injury is becoming a common term among football fans with Indianapolis Colts defensive end, Dwight Freeney, sidelined by this injury.
The Lisfranc joint is actually a group of joints where the long bones in the foot (metatarsals) meet the midfoot (tarsal bones). These joints are held together by a series of ligaments on the top and bottom of the foot. The lisfranc’s ligament connects the base of the 2nd metatarsal to the 1st cuneiform and is the strongest ligament of the group.
A Lisfranc’s injury is the rupture of the lisfranc’s ligament and the associated dislocation of the lisfranc’s joint. The rupture of the ligament may be accompanied by metatarsal base fractures (breaks in the long bones in the foot). This injury is called a Lisfancs fracture-dislocation. The injury is often misdiagnosed as a simple foot sprain because the changes on X-ray can be very subtle.Continue Reading »
Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by increased perspiration beyond what is necessary for normal temperature regulation in the body. Approximately 1% to 3% of the US population has hyperhidrosis (HH). Excess sweating of the feet is called plantar hyperhidrosis. Certain types of footwear can increase sweating in the feet, but those with hyperhidrosis can experience increases in perspiration due to anxiety, drinks with caffeine, the nicotine in cigarettes and even with spicy food. These food items don’t cause hyperhidrosis, they just exacerbate it.
When there is excessive moisture around the feet, the skin on the bottom of the feet will appear wet, white, wrinkled and pitted. Excessive sweating in the feet can contribute to the development of athlete’s foot, warts, blisters, infections and foot odor. The excessive sweating can make wearing sandals difficult, as the foot tends to slide over the sandal when walking.
About 10-15% of all football injuries occur in the foot, ankle and lower extremity. Common injuries include ankle sprains, shin splints, dislocated and broken toes, stress fractures and blisters. It doesn’t matter is you are playing college football, full contact flag football or touch football, you are at risk of foot and ankle injuries.
Ankle Sprains: An ankle sprain is the tearing or stretching of the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. Generally occurring when the player “rolls” their ankle running or landing from a jump. Some may hear an audible popping sound, which may indicate a rupture of the ligaments, while most may experience only a sharp pain. If the player can walk on the ankle, it is most likely a mild sprain.
Gravity Defyer shoes are built with a hidden spring in the heel of the shoe. Shoes with springs or coils are designed to ease joint pain, especially at your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back. Some individuals swear by these shoes, especially those suffering with heel pain. Gravity Defyer shoes are not the only shoes on the market with springs built into the heel. Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ is another brand of shoes with built in coils at the heel, but need to be fit at a retail store or a podiatrist’s office. Stress is taken off the heel and the arch with coil shoes and the shock absorption can help relieve stress at the knees, hips and back. The downside is that any heel over 1 1/2″ will transfer weight to the forefoot. With coil shoes, this depends on the design of the shoes and the size of the spring. Another downside with higher heel coil shoes is the increased chance of ankle sprains.
The bottom line: for relief of heel and arch pain, knee, hip or back pain, this type of shoe may be beneficial. For individuals with forefoot problems or unstable ankles, this type of shoe may not be the best choice, but may be dependent on the size of the spring and the height of the heel.
A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in June of 2008 evaluated in-shoe pressure in 22 athletes with high arch (cavus) feet. Two neutral-cushioned running shoes (Asics Nimbus 6 and Brooks Glycerin 3) and a control shoe (Dunlop Volley) were used and the pressures were collected using the Novel Pedar-X system. Compared with the control shoe, both neutral-cushioned running shoes significantly reduced peak pressure. The Brooks Glycerin was the most effective at reducing forefoot pressure and the Asics Nimbus 6 was most effective at reducing rearfoot pressure. The Asics Nimbus shoe was considered the most comfortable shoe, but both neutral-cushioned running shoes were more comfortable than the control shoe. Continue Reading »
