Items filtered by date: June 2018

Thursday, 28 June 2018 16:26

Men and Diabetes

Before we say goodbye to the month of June, there’s one more health observance that we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center want to acknowledge: Men’s Health Month. A significant amount of research has been done about men and one disease that is of particular interest to us as foot health care providers, and that is diabetes. Although men and women may have similar symptoms and treatment, studies have shown that overall how men respond to diagnosis and care of the disease is very different and not in a good way.

The First Step: Admitting There’s a Problem

For many men, even after they realize that something is not right with their feet they put off making an appointment to have their symptoms evaluated. The reason for this is that they are afraid of getting bad news. If you are a man (or someone who loves one) and have noticed any of the following symptoms in the feet: cuts that are slow to heal, loss of sensation in one or more parts of the feet or a burning, tingling feeling, swelling or anything else out of the ordinary, it’s important that you make an appointment at our Long Beach office and allow one of our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas to examine your feet. Delaying seeking treatment will not make the symptoms go away and prompt treatment can greatly improve the outcome.

Get the Care You Need

Another significant research finding showed that in cases where men and women had equal access to health care for their diabetes, men were more likely to miss appointments and not get the treatment they needed. The good news about diabetes is that is highly controllable today. Many patients with diabetes continue to live full and active lives—if they keep their diabetes under control. The best ways to do this are:

  • Schedule (and keep!) regular appointments with the podiatrist and other physicians managing your diabetic care.
  • Follow dietary recommendations and medical treatments.
  • Check your feet daily for changes that may indicate a problem.
  • Wear shoes that fit properly and allow plenty of room in the toe box.
  • Keep feet dry and avoid putting them in front of direct heat.

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we can take the fear and mystery out of diabetes if you let us. If you have concerns about your feet (or you believe a man in your life does) contact us by calling: (562) 420-9800.

Thursday, 21 June 2018 16:24

June is Older Americans Month

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we know that foot care needs change as you age. This week we’d like to address some foot health care needs that are particularly important for our more senior patients in honor of Older Americans Month.

Work with Your Podiatrist—there are several foot ailments that are more likely to develop as you age, such as arthritis and certain nerve issues. Your feet may also be the first place that systemic disorders such as diabetes or circulatory dysfunction show up. For these reasons, it’s important to maintain a regular schedule of checkups with our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas.  This will enable the foot doctor to spot changes in your feet and also help you manage chronic foot issues and keep them from becoming debilitating.

Shoe Sense—good shoes are important at any age but for senior patients, the right shoe can prevent falls and keep foot disorders from worsening. Have your foot professionally measured at a quality shoe store. It is not unusual for your shoe size to increase as you get older. Buy shoes that have good arch and ankle support and a gripping tread on the bottom. Shoes with laces give a better fit than Velcro. For dress shoes, keep heels to no higher than 2 inches. Replace shoes when they become stretched out or damaged.

Develop a Daily Foot Care Regimen—wash your feet every day and dry completely. Check your feet for any changes in skin or nails, cuts, bruises, growths or any other unusual symptoms. Keep toenails trimmed straight across and not too short to avoid ingrown nails. Apply moisturizer or foot powder as needed.

Good Habits for Life—many of the lifestyle choices that are healthy for the rest of your body have a positive impact on your feet too. Don’t smoke—it impedes circulation. Exercise regularly to increase bone strength and maintain range of motion. Keep your weight down because extra pounds put more stress on joints and bones in your lower extremities.

Keeping your feet healthy during your senior years isn’t difficult. To learn more about how to ensure that your feet will enable you to live a long, active life, contact our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800.

Thursday, 14 June 2018 16:22

Flip-Flop Fail

They’re so easy to wear—just slip them on and off you go. In flip-flops your feet feel so free, as if there’s hardly anything there and that’s the problem! There isn’t. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we know many of our patients love flip-flops and wear them nearly every day but unfortunately, it’s a shoe choice that can leave your feet vulnerable to injury and result in serious foot problems. Here’s why:

Increased Risk of Injury—let’s start with the obvious: flip-flops provide very little protection for your feet. Since they are so exposed, your toes are not shielded from getting stubbed and cuts can happen when your foot slides off the shoe. In addition, because there are no sides to hold your foot in place, flip-flop wearers are more likely to sprain an ankle.

Toe Stress—think about the motion required to keep flip-flops on. Your toes are constantly gripping the front of the flip-flop. With extended use, the strain to the toes can cause tendonitis and toe deformities such as hammertoe and bunions.

The Fracture Factor—with literally no cushioning, flip-flops offer zero shock absorption as you walk. The repetitive pounding on the bottom of your foot and lack of arch support can result in stress fractures, heel pain and plantar fasciitis. You may also find that you experience pain in your ankles, knees, hip and back because of the altered gait that comes about with prolonged flip-flop use.

Finding a Better Flip-Flop

Due to the popularity of this type of footwear, some manufacturers have begun to make shoes that offer the easy style of flip-flops but with an eye to lessening the damage to your feet. If you are frequent flip-flop wearer, look for the following

  • A built-up centerpiece for arch support
  • Flip-flops made of leather instead of plastic or vinyl to reduce blisters
  • More substance—if you can bend a flip-flop completely in half it does not have enough cushioning or support
  • A back strap

If you’ve been wearing flip-flops as your go-to shoes for a long time now and are experiencing pain in your ankle, toes, heel or forefoot, make an appointment at our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800. Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas will examine your feet and make specific recommendations about shoe choices that will be the healthiest for your feet.

Being pregnant is a joyous time but here at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we often find that patients who are expecting a baby weren’t expecting the foot woes that can go along with this condition. Knowing what to expect and taking a few precautions can increase comfort and decrease the risk of injury. Follow these 6 tips while pregnant and your feet will thank you!

  1. Change your shoes. As your pregnancy progresses and you gain more weight, the stress on your feet increases as well. You may need larger or wider shoes to accommodate these temporary changes (although some women do find that their feet are permanently a larger size, even after giving birth).
  2. Avoid tight socks and stockings. These, in conjunction with shoes that are already getting a little snug, can increase the risk of developing an ingrown toenail by constantly squeezing your toes together.
  3. Ditch the heels. Low, wide heels are the way to go now. Your center of balance will shift as your baby grows and this can throw you off balance, making a fall more likely. Wider heels will increase stability.
  4. Pay attention to where you are walking. Your body releases a hormone called relaxin when you are pregnant that does just what its name says: it relaxes the ligaments in your body. Not just the ones necessary for giving birth, however, but all the ligaments in your body get looser. For your feet, this means a greater likelihood of twisting your ankle. Watch for changes in pavement height and don’t carry a lot of packages at once so as not to obscure your view of where you are walking,
  5. Stay hydrated. Swelling and excess fluid are normal during pregnancy and when you’re vertical the fluid tends to pool in your ankles leaving them bloated and sore. Although it sounds counterintuitive, drinking more water will actually help you flush excess fluid from your body.
  6. Put your feet up! This is always good advice when you are pregnant, but for your feet, elevating them above the level of your heart several times a day will reduce swelling and give them the much-needed rest they need.

If you experience symptoms that you think are not normal in your feet (such as excessive swelling that doesn’t go down or pain in one specific part of your foot) contact our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800 and allow one of our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas to examine your feet and make sure all is well and that your pregnancy proceeds smoothly.

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