Have your feet inspected by a professional before starting a new sport or physical activity. Taking charge of your foot health will keep you in good physical condition and can help you avoid a potential injury, such as a fracture or sprained ankle.
Prevent injuries and see a foot specialist.
There are many professions that require standing for the majority of the day. These can include hairdressers, restaurant employees, and many retail workers. The feet endure the weight of the body, and foot pain at the end of the day is a common ailment among people in these types of occupations. A portion of this discomfort may be avoided when comfortable shoes are worn, in addition to standing on a cushioned mat. This is also referred to as a stress mat, and is possibly helpful in reducing strain on the joints and muscles. It is beneficial to sit down and elevate the feet often, if applicable. Additionally, people may choose to wear compression socks. These are designed with elastic materials that compress the feet and ankles, and force the blood flow away from the feet. When the workday is finished, relief may be found when the feet are soaked in warm water, followed by enjoying a relaxing foot massage. If you would like more information about how to care for your feet while working, please ask a podiatrist who can answer any questions you may have.
While working on the feet, it is important to take the proper care of them. For more information about working on your feet, contact Paul Potach, DPM from Illinois . Our practitioner will treat your foot and ankle needs.
Working on Your Feet
Standing on your feet for long periods of time can cause stress and pain in your feet. Your whole body may experience change in terms of posture, back pain, bunions, callouses and or plantar warts. There are ways to avoid these conditions with proper foot care, smart choices and correct posture.
Positive Changes
Negative heeled shoe – Choosing this shoe type places the heel slightly lower than the ball of the foot. These are great for overall foot health. Find shoes that fit you correctly.
Go barefoot – Our feet were not designed to be enclosed for all hours of the day. Try to periodically expose your feet to air.
Eliminate Pain
Foot Exercises – Performing simple exercises, incorporating yoga and doing stretches are beneficial. This will allow increased blood flow to the area and muscles of the foot.
Achilles tendon – Stretching the foot out flat on the floor will relax the calf muscles and tendon. These exercises can be performed almost anywhere. Make sure you add these exercises to your daily regimen.
With a little bit of this information and knowing more about foot health, you will notice changes. Foot stretches and proper footwear will help with pain and prevent further issues.
If you have any questions please contact our offices located in Wheeling and Berwyn, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.
A bunion is a bony deformity at the base of the big toe. This toe may start to point inwards towards other toes and the foot bones face out. Bunions often cause pain and swelling over the big toe joint. Reasons people get bunions are unknown, but they may be due to genetics, wearing ill-fitting shoes that are too tight, a foot injury, or arthritis. Wearing high heels can also increase the chances of one developing a bunion. Anyone can develop a bunion at any time in their life but the incidence of getting one rises by more than one-third after age 65. Also, women are more likely to suffer from this condition than men. When one has a bunion, the shape of their foot can change, and trying to find shoes that can be both comfortable and stylish can be frustrating. Wearing proper footwear for bunions is imperative to prevent worsening of the condition. Some tips for finding the right shoes include looking for shoes with a wide toe so the toes can splay rather than being pushed forward, opting for leather, suede, or elasticated materials which have more give, and making sure the widest part of the shoe corresponds to the widest part of the foot. If you suffer from a bunion, contact a podiatrist who can offer treatment options as well as more advice on selecting the best shoes.
If you are suffering from bunion pain, contact Paul Potach, DPM of Illinois . Our practitioner can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
What Is a Bunion?
Bunions are painful bony bumps that usually develop on the inside of the foot at the joint of the big toe. As the deformity increases over time, it may become painful to walk and wear shoes. Women are more likely to exacerbate existing bunions since they often wear tight, narrow shoes that shift their toes together. Bunion pain can be relieved by wearing wider shoes with enough room for the toes.
Causes
Symptoms
In order to diagnose your bunion, your podiatrist may ask about your medical history, symptoms, and general health. Your doctor might also order an x-ray to take a closer look at your feet. Nonsurgical treatment options include orthotics, padding, icing, changes in footwear, and medication. If nonsurgical treatments don’t alleviate your bunion pain, surgery may be necessary.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices located in Wheeling and Berwyn, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Going shoe shopping can certainly be daunting. When one walks into a shoe store, the seemingly endless rows of boxed shoes can be intimidating even to experienced shoe shoppers. Obtaining shoes that fit the feet properly is of paramount importance, and it might be useful to make this your priority when shopping. To ensure a good fit, a shopper might bring a pair of socks to wear while trying on the shoes that they would normally wear. If an individual shops for shoes without wearing a pair of socks, it is possible that the shoes might feel tighter when worn with socks. Another thing to keep in mind is that although shopping for shoes online can be convenient, you can not try shoes on in the store when doing so. Therefore, it might be more difficult to obtain shoes that fit properly. Contact a podiatrist today to learn more about finding shoes that fit properly.
It is important to find shoes that fit you properly in order to avoid a variety of different foot problems. For more information about treatment, contact Paul Potach, DPM from Illinois . Our practitioner will treat your foot and ankle needs.
Proper Shoe Fitting
Shoes have many different functions. They cushion our body weight, protect our feet, and allow us to safely play sports. You should always make sure that the shoes you wear fit you properly in order to avoid injuries and deformities such as: bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, and more. It is important to note that although a certain pair of shoes might be a great fit for someone else, that doesn’t mean they will be a great fit for you. This is why you should always try on shoes before buying them to make sure they are worth the investment. Typically, shoes need to be replaced ever six months to one year of regular use.
Tips for Proper Shoe Fitting
The shoes you buy should always feel as good as they look. Shoes that fit properly will last longer, feel better, and improve your way of life each day.
If you have any questions please contact our offices located in Wheeling and Berwyn, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.
One of the most common heel pain complaints from children is from Sever’s disease. Fortunately, this ailment has a relatively short life span and does not result in long-term damage. Sever’s disease generally affects physically active children between the ages of 8 and 14. It is common among children who do a lot of running and jumping during sports activities. Also known as calcaneal apophysitis, Sever’s disease occurs when the calf's bones grow faster than the Achilles tendon that attaches them to the heel. This disparity causes the tendon to become tight and results in soreness in the heel. When the disparity in the growth plate is resolved, the pain goes away. Symptoms include limping, pain or tenderness in the heel while active, and swelling in the heel area. The first, and most important, way to treat Sever’s disease is to cease the activity causing it to occur. If after a few weeks, pain and swelling are still a problem, it is a good idea to seek the counsel of a podiatrist for further examination and other treatment options that may be necessary.
Sever's disease often occurs in children and teens. If your child is experiencing foot or ankle pain, see Paul Potach, DPM from Illinois . Our practitioner can treat your child’s foot and ankle needs.
Sever’s Disease
Sever’s disease is also known as calcaneal apophysitis, which is a medical condition that causes heel pain I none or both feet. The disease is known to affect children between the ages of 8 and 14.
Sever’s disease occurs when part of the child’s heel known as the growth plate (calcaneal epiphysis) is attached to the Achilles tendon. This area can suffer injury when the muscles and tendons of the growing foot do not keep pace with bone growth. Therefore, the constant pain which one experiences at the back of the heel will make the child unable to put any weight on the heel. The child is then forced to walk on their toes.
Symptoms
Acute pain – Pain associated with Sever’s disease is usually felt in the heel when the child engages in physical activity such as walking, jumping and or running.
Highly active – Children who are very active are among the most susceptible in experiencing Sever’s disease, because of the stress and tension placed on their feet.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices located in Wheeling and Berwyn, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
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