Items filtered by date: December 2018

Why are we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center focused on preventing weight gain? Your weight and your feet have an intimate relationship. For every pound you lose, you reduce the pressure on your lower extremities by four times that amount. The same is true in reverse when you gain weight. The holidays are a difficult time to stick to healthy eating habits. Below are 7 tips to help you keep the numbers on the scale from going up.

1. Take a taste. Many times, when we long for a particular food, a small amount will satisfy if you give it a chance. Instead of five Christmas cookies, have one and wait a while. You may find that one is enough.
2. Eat before parties. While you may think refraining from eating will save calories you can use for eating festive foods but, in reality, it usually tricks your brain into thinking you can eat more than you should. Have a small, healthy meal before you go and then eat in moderation at the party.
3. Stay active. As hard as it may be during the busy holiday season, try to stick with your regular exercise regimen. If necessary, divide your routine in half and do it in two segments as the day allows.
4. Get enough sleep. Studies have shown that people who lack sleep tend to overeat.
5. Choose a smaller plate. Use a dessert plate for the main course buffet to automatically reduce portion sizes. Once you’ve finished what’s on the plate, put it in the sink or throw away so that you’re not tempted to go back for seconds.
6. Be a hostess helper. Clearing food and doing dishes will give you a chance to talk to people and keep you away from the food table.
7. Avoid foods that can trigger attacks. These include red meat, shellfish, brandy, rich sauces, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. If you have never had gout but wake up in the middle of the night after a holiday party with extreme pain in the joint of your big toe, contact our Long Beach office as soon as possible. This may be the sign of a gout attack, and our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley, and Dr. Constance Omelas will want to examine you. To schedule an appointment, call us at (562) 420-9800.

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want to encourage our patients to be proactive in the health of their feet. There are many ways that you can help prevent foot and ankle disorders.

Below are some basic foot care tips:

• Practice good podiatric hygiene. Wash your feet daily with soap and warm water. Drying feet completely, especially between the toes will help prevent athlete’s foot and other fungal infections.
• Don’t walk barefoot. Even in the comfort of your own home going barefoot increases the risk of puncture wounds from stepping on a sharp object hiding in the carpet or stubbing your toe or foot. In public places, walking with bare feet is an invitation for contagious podiatric conditions such as fungal toenails and
• Always use sunscreen on your feet when you are outside, and feet are exposed. This goes for days when you are out walking in open sandals as well as when you are at the beach or pool.
• Take care of toenails. Keeping toenails trimmed straight across (never with curved edges) and not too short reduces the risk of getting an ingrown toenail.
• Examine your feet periodically. Look for changes in nail or skin color, bruising, swelling, bumps, rashes and redness. Unusual changes can be a sign of a foot problem. If you notice anything concerning, contact our Long Beach office for an Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas, will examine your feet and determine if a problem exists, that requires treatment.
• Don’t attempt to treat yourself. “Bathroom surgery” conducted by patients trying to shave corns, or calluses, remove warts or ingrown nails can lead to severe injury and infection. The podiatrist best handles those tasks.
• When in pain, seek treatment. Ignoring foot pain will usually result in condition getting worse. Don’t delay, contact us by calling: (562) 420-9800.

Dear Santa,

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, we have been working extra hard and trying our best to do everything we are asked to do. We have walked the mall looking for the best gifts, stood on line at the post office mailing cards and packages, attended several festivities and been putting in extra hours for house cleaning and cooking. Below is a list of gifts we are requesting:

1. A visit to Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center. We’ve been hurting for a while now and the added pressure of the holidays has only increased our discomfort. We know that foot doctors, Dr. Victoria Foley, and Dr. Constance Ornelas will examine us and be able to provide a prompt diagnosis and treatment plan for what’s causing our pain.
2. New shoes. We have a few comfy favorites, but honestly, they are getting a little worn out. The backs are stretched, and there is some frayed stitching on the toe that I am afraid is going to cause a trip or fall. In addition, it’s time to ditch some of the high heels and shoes with pointy toes—they are making our toes hurt, and we are worried that wearing them may cause a bunion to develop. We need to be professionally measured too because, over time, foot size can change.
3. Professional pedicure. It would be relaxing to soak in a warm bath and then have my nails trimmed and polished in a festive color for the holidays. Of course, that’s only if the salon follows all the proper sanitizing procedures for sterilizing foot baths and nail tools so that we don’t end up with a fungal infection.
4. Extra emollient moisturizer. With the heat on all the time, our skin is getting pretty dry. Flakes and itching are annoying enough, but we certainly don’t want to get to the point where cracks are opening in our heels. Thick and rich cream or lotion to put on our feet would be much appreciated. In addition, maybe a pair of fleece socks to put on after the lotion is applied would be great if it’s not too much to ask.

Are your feet trying to tell you something? If you have questions about unusual podiatric symptoms, you are experiencing or want to learn more ways to be proactive in caring for your feet, contact our Long Beach office today by calling: (562) 420-9800.

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we often see patients with chronic ankle problems such as weakness, instability, and pain, which can be traced back to an old ankle injury that was not treated and rehabilitated promptly. An ankle sprain occurs when the bones twist and ligaments surrounding them are overstretched or even torn. There are various levels of severity of sprains, but one thing they all in common is the need for immediate treatment to facilitate full and proper recovery.

If you suffer an ankle-twisting injury, you should contact our Long Beach office as soon as possible after the injury so that one of our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas can evaluate the damage. While you wait for your appointment, your first line of treatment is to follow the RICE regimen:

REST—stay off the injured ankle as much as possible. Do not try to walk or bear weight on the foot or you may make the injury worse or even cause a secondary injury to occur.

ICE—ice can help relieve pain and swelling. Do not apply ice directly to your skin. Wrap an ice pack in a thin towel and apply to the injured ankle for 20 minutes at a time with at least 40 minutes off between icings.

COMPRESSION—wrapping the injured ankle in a compression bandage can help support the ankle and limit motion. It may also reduce swelling. Make sure the wrap is not too tight. There should not be swelling occurring above or below the bandaged area.

ELEVATION—keep the ankle raised or propped up on pillows to a level that is slightly above your heart. This will reduce swelling.

Once the foot and ankle surgeon has examined your ankle, the best treatment plan for your injury can be determined. It may include physical therapy to retrain the ligaments and strengthen surrounding muscles. In the case of a severe sprain, surgery may be needed to repair the damage. Don’t delay if you have suffered a sprain. Contact us by calling: (562) 420-9800.