Items filtered by date: April 2019

Wednesday, 24 April 2019 11:59

What’s Behind Bunions?

At first, a bunion may appear very subtle. You may look down and notice your big toe seems to be leaning slightly toward the second toe. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we find many patients are unfamiliar with how bunions develop and therefore may not come in promptly to get them evaluated.

Know Your Risk Factors

Most often, bunions are caused by a biomechanical defect in your feet. This may be a neuromuscular problem, flat feet or overpronation. In many instances, this fault in the mechanics of your feet may be inherited. There are other factors, however, that can also increase your risk of developing a bunion, including:

  • Wearing tight-fitting shoes with pointy or narrow toe boxes
  • Spending long periods of time in high-heeled shoes or boots
  • A previous foot injury
  • Congenital defect
  • Repetitive stress to the foot
  • Arthritis

Seek Treatment Early

In its early stages, a bunion may not cause you any pain or discomfort. However, bunions are a progressive disorder. As time goes on, the big toe joint will move further and further out of place until it begins to cause pain when you walk. It will also become increasingly difficult to wear shoes due to the pressure exerted on the bunion by your footwear. The toe can eventually become rigid in the defective position and cause other deformities such as hammertoes to occur. It’s essential that you make an appointment at our Long Beach office so that our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas can examine your foot. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available which can slow the progression of the bunion and prevent foot pain and discomfort. These include:

  • Altering your activities to avoid motion that exerts adverse pressure on the bunion
  • Using a custom orthotic to correct the biomechanical problem and increase stability
  • Exercises to increase joint mobility
  • Night splints to realign the joint

If you think you have a bunion forming, don’t wait. Contact us today for an appointment by calling: (562) 420-9800.

As we age, many of us just accept joint stiffness and pain as an unavoidable part of getting older. But, at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we want to encourage patients to bring those symptoms to our Long Beach office as soon as they start to notice them. Arthritis can be treated, and its progression can be slowed. It’s also important to have our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas examine your feet and properly diagnose your condition because there are multiple kinds of arthritis and they require different treatments.

Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis is actually a category that contains over 100 different conditions. The two major forms of arthritis, however, are osteoarthritis (the “wear and tear” kind) and rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most serious of the two. It is actually an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack its own cells. This leads to an intense inflammatory response within the body. Symptoms may include:

  • Joint pain
  • Stiffness
  • Redness and warmth at the joints
  • Swelling

These are also common signs of osteoarthritis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may notice additional symptoms, including:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Symmetry of symptoms—meaning that what is going on in one side of the body is also going on in the other side, i.e., joint pain will occur in both hands or both feet
  • Weight loss
  • Nerve damage that results in numbness or tingling
  • Decreased range of motion

Because rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic condition that can also affect other symptoms in the body, a patient with this disease will need a rheumatologist or other physician to coordinate and mange their care.

Podiatric Help

The foot doctor is part of the care team for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis will help with treatment designed to relieve foot pain caused by the arthritis. Some options may include:

  • Steroid injections
  • Accommodative shoes
  • Orthotics

If you have begun to experience joint discomfort, soreness or pain, it’s important that you make an appointment as soon as possible. Contact us by calling: (562) 420-9800.

Wednesday, 10 April 2019 11:56

Fixing Flat Feet

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we treat many patients with flat feet. This common condition can be a source of ongoing pain and also cause swelling and a lack of flexibility in the foot. Oftentimes, people with flat feet also suffer from heel pain due to the biomechanical dysfunction that alters the structure and motion of the foot.

In some people, flattening of the arch begins during adolescence and continues into adulthood. For others, it is caused by Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction or PTTD—a condition that has to do with changes in this tendon that provides major support for the arch of your foot. Other contributing factors to flat feet include:

  • Genetics
  • Weight gain
  • Injury or trauma
  • Aging
  • Arthritis

Getting Relief

Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas will want to examine your feet and determine the source of the your deformity. If your fallen arches are not causing you pain, the foot doctor may just take a wait and see approach and monitor your condition. Flat feet is usually a progressive disorder and therefore is best treated sooner rather than later. Regardless of the cause, however, there are several non-invasive treatment options available. These include:

  • Icing the painful area
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Physical therapy
  • Arch supports, braces or supportive tape
  • Custom orthotics
  • Rest
  • Choosing more supportive shoes

When these measures fail to bring relief or the arch continues to fall, surgery may become necessary. We offer flat foot reconstruction surgery that can provide a long-term correction of your fallen arches. If you are suffering with painful flat feet, contact our Long Beach office as soon as possible by calling: (562) 420-9800. The podiatrist will discuss the best surgical option for your specific case of flat feet and let you know what you can expect as far as results and recovery time.

Monday, 01 April 2019 11:55

10 Simple Steps to Healthier Feet

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want patients to know that being proactive about the health of your feet and ankles doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. April is National Foot Health Awareness Month and in its honor, we are providing these easy suggestions for taking care of your feet:

  1. Wash your feet every day with soap and warm water.
  2. Keep feet dry—change your socks if you sweat excessively. Dry between your toes after you shower. Dry feet are less likely to develop athlete’s foot.
  3. Don’t share shoes, socks, nail clippers, towels or other items that touch someone else’s feet.
  4. Inspect your feet regularly. Look for signs of foot disorders: swelling, redness, rashes, growths, lumps, discoloration of toenails and any cuts or wounds that are slow to heal.
  5. Don’t delay seeking treatment for foot and ankle pain. Most podiatric conditions will get worse the longer they go untreated. If you are experiencing foot pain or discomfort, make an appointment with our podiatrists, Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas to get your condition evaluated as soon as possible.
  6. Get your foot measured professionally. Foot size can change during pregnancy and as you age. The majority of patients are wearing shoes that are too small for their feet.
  7. Wear shoes with good arch support. Many cases of heel pain and plantar fasciitis are caused by footwear that allows your arch to flatten, which in turn puts pressure on your heel.
  8. Stretch your feet. Flexing your feet, wiggling your toes and rotating your ankles all help keep feet flexible and promote good range of motion.
  9. Maintain a healthy weight. Many foot disorders are caused or made worse by being overweight.
  10. Apply sunscreen to your feet when they will be exposed—this means when you’re wearing sandals and open shoes as well as when you’re spending a day at the beach or pool.

Following these small steps will have a big impact on the health of your feet. To learn more about how to be proactive in the care of your feet, contact our Long Beach office by calling: (562) 420-9800.

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