Footnotes, The Foot & Ankle Blog

What’s an Os Trigonum? An os trigonum is a non-utilitarian piece of bone that usually rests peacefully at the back of some peoples’ feet. Ordinarily, an os trigonum is a harmless anomaly. However, if you punt a football, kick a soccer ball, swim using a butterfly kick, or go en pointe as a ballet dancer, that little hunk of bone read more »

It’s sad but true, you can’t rush your recovery after having ankle surgery Ankle surgery recovery isn’t a walk in the park (pun intended), but getting back into your regular workout routine doesn’t have to be like a grueling marathon either. It’s a big change to your lifestyle when you’re recovering from a broken ankle, but the time you invest read more »

Heel pain is one of the most common problems foot and ankle physicians encounter on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it is also a problem that plantar fasciitis is so common because many physicians do not consider that heel pain can be due to a multitude of problems, of which plantar fasciitis is only one. Radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound read more »

The famous dancer and choreographer Martha Graham once said, “Think of the magic of the foot, comparatively small, upon which your whole weight rests. It’s a miracle.” But not all feet are so wonderfully miraculous. Some aren’t so pretty. Some are flat. And some are so extremely arched as to cause chronic problems. What’s pes cavus (aka high arches)? Women read more »

We’re seeking patients with bunions for a non-surgical research study. You do not need to be a patient of UFAI to participate. There is no cost to participate in the study. Persons who participate in this clinical trial will be helping evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a study medication compared with placebo (no active ingredients). The medicine is given read more »

It’s November. Daylight decreases and nights become longer. The weather begins to cool (even in California) and we see the change of seasons. Leaves change color, clothing stores trot out sweaters, jackets and boots, and orange pumpkins crop up around the neighborhood. It’s a season marked with change. Your body also takes notice of the changing weather. Especially your feet, read more »

During my residency training at a veteran’s hospital I met a diabetic patient who informed me that his diabetic father and grandfather both had their legs amputated due to complications from diabetes. The patient was terrified that someday he too would have his leg amputated. I reassured him that his feet were currently fairly healthy and that they would remain read more »

No doubt about it, end-stage ankle arthritis sounds scary. But the reality is even worse than it sounds. When the protective cartilage that cushions the ankle joint is lost, bone grinds on bone. The results? Debilitating pain, major disruption of ordinary activities, and a steep decline in ones quality of life. 50,000 new cases of ankle arthritis occur every year, read more »

There was a wonderful article in the Boston Globe recently about plantar fasciitis, which seems to be everywhere these days. Beth Teitel, the author and Boston Globe Features Writer did a great job and also featured Dr. Bob Baravarian, assistant clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine and co-director of University Foot and Ankle Institute. A spokesman for the read more »

There is a very old story about a man named Androcles who was walking in a forest when he hears a loud roar. Androcles tries to run away but he trips on a tree root, injures his leg, and is unable to escape. A lion appears from behind the trees. However, the man notices that the lion is whimpering and read more »