Items filtered by date: April 2021

At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we know that our Los Angeles County patients have suffered through the pandemic shutdowns. One of the most affected are our young patients. As restrictions ease, children are overjoyed to be able to get back to sports, but parents need to be vigilant about potential foot problems. After an especially long period of inactivity, young feet are more likely to experience foot pain and are vulnerable to some common podiatric disorders. Here’s how parents can help:

Update Sports Shoe

The single biggest factor in podiatric health, even in young children, is shoe choice. With fast-growing feet, chances are your child will need new athletic shoes for the sport they plan to participate in. Shop for shoes that are designed specifically to accommodate their chosen sport. Basketball sneakers, for example, offer extra ankle support while running shoes have more cushioning to absorb the stress of repetitive pounding. Fit is just as important as style. Be sure to:

• Have both of your children’s feet professionally measured
• Shop for shoes at the end of the day after children have been active—that’s when their feet will be at their largest
• Bring or have your child wear the socks he or she will use with their athletic shoes to ensure a more accurate fit
• Try on both shoes and have your child walk around the store long enough to determine they are comfortable

Look for Signs of Foot Pain

In many instances, young children are not able to articulate foot pain. However, parents may notice unusual behaviors that can signal hurting feet. These include:

• Lack of interest in sports or fitness activities they previously enjoyed
• Lagging behind peers in casual backyard play
• Complaints that feet feel “tired”
• Limping, walking on tip toe or other strange gaits

If your child exhibits any of the above symptoms or complains of foot pain, make an appointment at our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800. Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley and Dr. Constance Ornelas, will examine your child’s feet and get to the source of foot pain so that they can be properly treated and back in the game in no time.

Feet are often taken for granted and not given much attention, but in April we celebrate National Foot Health Awareness Month. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we want to take this opportunity to share with our Los Angeles county patients some simple steps you can take to protect the health of your feet and avoid many common podiatric disorders.

• Inspect your feet regularly. When is the last time you really looked at your feet? Changes in skin color or the condition of your toenails, unexplained bruising, lumps, and cuts that don’t heal are all potential signs of a foot problem. Many deformities like bunions and hammertoes also occur gradually. The majority of podiatric disorders can be more easily and better treated in their early stages. If you spot anything concerning, contact our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800 and make an appointment with our podiatrists, Victoria M. Foley and Dr. Constance Ornelas, so that they can examine your feet and determine if there is an issue that needs to be addressed.
• Make smart shoe choices. One of the most important determining factors for the health of your feet is what you put on them. Proper fit is essential. Don’t wear shoes that feel tight or squeeze your toes together. Look for styles with roomy toe boxes, good arch support, and a firm fit around the heel. Avoid spending too much time in heels over two inches high.
• Practice good hygiene. Wash feet daily. Dust with anti-fungal or talcum powder if your feet tend to sweat excessively and moisturize at night with a good moisturizer.
• Engage in a healthy lifestyle. We sometimes forget that what we do with the rest of our body most definitely impacts the health of our feet. High cholesterol, for example, can lead to poor circulation which diminishes the ability of oxygen and nutrients needed for healing to reach your feet in a timely manner. Eating a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and exercising regularly will all benefit your feet as well.

If you have questions about how to best take care of your feet and ankles, contact us today.

Each year nearly 85,000 people take a trip to the emergency room because of an injury sustained from a power mower, and a large number of these are to the feet and ankles. Sadly, a large percentage of these injuries occur in children. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want to help our Los Angeles County patients avoid contributing to these statistics. Below are some important reminders for using power mowers safely.

Avoid Mechanical Difficulties—many mowers today have several built-in safety features. Know and care for your mower properly:

• Read the user manual! It may not be the most scintillating read, but it can protect your feet and the rest of your body by helping you understand how to properly operate your mower.
• Perform recommended annual maintenance on your mower or have it serviced professionally.
• Do not try to “modify” or fix your mower, even temporarily with homemade repair jobs.

Child Proof Your Mow—to help protect the youngest members of the family:

• Never take children for rides on the mower. Tragically, getting on and off mowers are prime danger zones for small feet and toes.
• Keep children indoors while you mow if possible.
• If children are outside, instruct them not to try to get your attention or approach you when the mower is on.
• Teach children not to climb on or touch a mower when it is off. Many children have been burned by mowers that are cooling down or cut themselves on the sharp blades.

Follow Safe Mower Practices—although many mowing safeguards may be common sense, they bear repeating:

• Don’t mow a wet lawn. Slippery grass makes it easy to lose control of the mower.
• Wear sturdy shoes. It may be hard to believe, but many injuries that land people in the emergency room happen to those who are mowing barefoot or in flip-flops. Mower blades whirl at over 3,000 rotations per minute—choose the most protective shoes you own.
• Pick up the lawn before you mow. Mowers have the kinetic energy of a .357 handgun and when they run over objects in the lawn they can shoot out at high speed and hurt someone nearby.

Any mower injury needs immediate treatment. If it is serious, contact our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800 and let our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley and Dr. Constance Ornelas, assess the condition of your foot or ankle.

You haven’t sprained your ankle—at least not recently—but it hurts and is stiff and swollen at times. This is a complaint we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center sometimes hear from our Los Angeles county patients. When an ankle sprain occurs, our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley and Dr. Constance Ornelas always stress the importance of prompt and complete rehabilitation. Many chronic ankle issues stem from a previous injury. Below are two types of chronic ankle trouble and what to do about them.

Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain

The characteristic symptom of chronic lateral ankle pain is pain along the outside of the ankle. You may also experience discomfort in your leg along with stiffness, swelling, and tenderness in the ankle. Many patients also report that their ankle feels like it is unstable or going to “give way” especially when walking on surfaces that are not level or when wearing heels. Although the most common cause of chronic lateral pain is a past sprain or injury, there are other possible sources, including:

• Fractures in the ankle joint bones
• Arthritis or inflammation in the joint, joint lining or tendons
• Nerve damage
• Scar tissue

Treatment Options: The treatment for chronic lateral ankle pain will depend on the source. If the podiatrist finds a break in a bone, it may be necessary to immobilize the ankle to allow the bone to heal. Other possible treatments include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications or a prescription steroid
• Physical therapy
• Ankle brace or another type of support

Osteochondritis

The symptoms of osteochondritis often mimic those of an ankle sprain: pain, stiffness, and swelling in the ankle joint. You may also find it difficult to bear weight on the ankle. This condition can affect people at any age and is almost always due to a previous sprain that may have caused lesions or a stress fracture on the surface of the joint.

Treatment Options: The foot doctor will first want to x-ray the ankle that’s bothering you to check for fractures or other injuries. This can be done right in our Long Beach office. At a minimum, the ankle will likely have to be immobilized to rest the joint and allow it to heal. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to remove bone fragments or cartilage, stimulate new blood vessels, and promote scar tissue.

If you are experiencing ongoing ankle pain or stiffness, contact our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800 to schedule an appointment.