Oct
01
2008
turf toe mechanism of injury
Darren McFadden of the Oakland Raiders was limited to 20 yards on 7 carries in Sunday’s game. This under performance was most likely due to his recent turf toe injury. Turf toe is the hyperextension of the big toe joint, called the first metatarsal phalangeal joint (MPJ). The name was derived from the higher incidence of the injury on artificial turf. The combination of flexible shoes and cleats can cause the shoe to grab the turf, resulting in hyperextension of the 1st MPJ. This causes a tear or rupture of the capsule and ligaments on the bottom of the big toe joint. A more common mechanism, especially in football, is when a player falls back on the calf of his own leg, or another player’s leg, while the ankle is dorsiflexed and the big toe joint is extended, as seen in the picture above. Continue Reading »
Sep
22
2008
There have been ads running for quite some time now for an all-natural way to cleanse your body and energize you while you sleep. If it sounds to good to be true, it generally is. The Kinoki Detox Foot Pads claim to detoxify your system while you sleep. They claim to remove toxic chemicals from the body, boost the immune system, extract heavy metals, improve quality of sleep and promote health. The pad is placed on the foot at night. In the morning, it turns a dark, brown color which is suppose to represent all the toxins it has pulled from the body during sleep. Unfortunately, your feet are not the main detoxifiers of your body, your liver and kidney are. Heavy metals and other “toxins” cannot be pulled out through the skin in any significant quantities.
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Sep
10
2008
PTTD, or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, is the compromise of the posterior tibial tendon and a complex group of ligamentous structures which support the arch, resulting in severe foot collapse. The posterior tibial tendon has been thought to be the main structure supporting the arch. In the past, the blame for an acquired flatfoot rested solely on the posterior tibial tendon. It was generally accepted that failure or rupture of the tendon resulted in foot collapse. But, now it is known that the posterior tibial tendon is not the only structure involved in the progressive collapse of the arch in the acquired flatfoot.
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Aug
26
2008
The Melafind® System is a hand held imaging device designed to help physicians identify malignant lesions. The device emits multiple wavelengths of light which help to examine the characteristics of suspicious lesions. The information is collected and then compared to a database within the system. The Melafind® database consists of 6,000 lesions from 4,500 patients, which the company claims is the largest database in the U.S. The “brain” of the MelaFind® system uses sophisticated mathematical algorithms to compare the characteristics of the suspicious lesions with the characteristics of benign and malignant lesions stored in the database. The Melafind® System was developed by Electro-Optical Sciences and is currently being studied by the FDA and is not yet available for commercial use.
Aug
21
2008
China’s Olympic hopeful, Liu Xiang, walked off the track before making it over a single hurdle. Liu said “I knew my foot would fail me. I felt painful when I was just jogging.” Xiang was referring to the back of his heel, where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone. He had thought the injury had healed, only to have it recur a week prior to the event. His coach said that he has been dealing with the injury for six or seven years and described the condition as an inflamed bone spur. Continue Reading »
Aug
05
2008
An essential oil is extracted directly from a plant or a part of a plant and contains the concentrated properties of a plant extract. The oil will carry a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant from which it is extracted. Essential oils are concentrated substances that may be composed of alcohols, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, esters or acids. Essential oils have been used for centuries across many cultures for medicinal purposes. Today they remain very popular worldwide.
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Jul
29
2008
RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome is a disorder characterized by an intense urge to move the legs. The urge to move is accompanied by leg discomfort or pain. The discomfort generally begins at times of rest or inactivity and is relieved by movement or activity. It is no surprise that RLS symptoms generally occur in the evening or at night. Continue Reading »
Jul
25
2008
The foot anatomy image to the left shows the bones and ligaments in the foot from a dorsal view (top of the foot).
A: phalanges
B: lesser metatarsals
C: 1st metatarsal
D: cuneiforms
E: cuboid
F: navicular
G: talus
H: calcaneus
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Jul
15
2008
A new topical nail solution is being studied for it’s effectiveness in treating onychomycosis, also known as nail fungus. Toenail fungus is extremely difficult to treat and despite there being a number of medications on the market, many topical medications are not very effective. Terbinafine HCl 10% nail solution (TNS) is currently ending phase III of clinical trials and looking for government approval for patient use. Terbinafine is most commonly known as Lamisil® and is the most popular and effective oral antifungal medication on the market currently.
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Jul
10
2008
The CDC analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from 2005 and 2007 and found that the prevalence of arthritis in diabetics was 52% and that the prevalence of inactivity was higher in diabetics with arthritis as compared to diabetics without arthritis. This information suggests that arthritis may be an additional barrier to physical activity in diabetics. Diabetics face the same barriers that most adults face when it comes to increasing physical activity: a lack of time and motivation, other responsibilities and difficulty finding physical activities they enjoy. But, for those with arthritis, there are additional barriers which include concern about causing joint damage, aggravating arthritis pain and finding activities which are safe for their joints. Continue Reading »
Jul
02
2008
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.
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Jun
25
2008
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 »
Jun
16
2008
What is the difference and which one do you need?
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 »
Jun
09
2008
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.
Jun
03
2008
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 »
May
27
2008
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 »
May
22
2008
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 »
May
06
2008
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 »
Apr
21
2008
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 »
Mar
30
2008
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.
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Mar
24
2008
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 »
Feb
06
2008
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 »
Jan
27
2008
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 »
Jan
17
2008
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 »
