Footnotes, The Foot & Ankle Blog - Page 2 of 29

From their first hesitant steps, children want to physically play. Moreover, children need active physical play. For children, physical play is as natural as laughter. And it’s just as healthy. In the US, children have countless opportunities to take part in organized sports. Over 21 million kids between the ages of 6 and 17 regularly participate in various programs of read more »

What is chronic plantar fasciitis and how is it treated? The plantar fascia is the amazingly strong thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. It supports the arch and helps keep your foot from curling into a ball. Chronic plantar fasciitis is defined as plantar fascia pain experienced for at least 3-6 months without resolution. read more »

Catching diabetic foot complications early will allow for proper intervention and prevention of ulcerations, infections, and limb loss. That is why routine exams with a foot and ankle specialist are so critical. At the first sign of diabetic foot pain, ulcers or other diabetic foot issues, get it checked out and do not wait for your next checkup. Otherwise, our read more »

The Cartiva implant was considered to be a revolution in great toe arthritis therapy. It came out with a splash and the original studies to get the implant through FDA approval showed incredible results. Our group, University Foot and Ankle Institute, and me in particular, were involved with helping launch the product and educating surgeons on how to use the read more »

Ever dream of running free under a full moon, leading your pack through the wild? That sort of freedom takes four legs and four feet (or paws). Everything changed when we became a vertical species, wobbling around through life on two legs. “Like a forked radish”, said Shakespeare’s Falstaff. The human foot is a marvel of anatomical architecture And the read more »

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common orthopedic ailments in the United States. The number of patients known to have the problem is estimated to be between six and seven million. Many patients attempt to treat the problem at home prior to seeking treatment from a doctor which is fine unless the problem has been present for an extended read more »

As we mature, we learn to deal with the inevitable bumps in the road and lumps in our throat. But we’re not always ready to cope when the lumps and bumps show up on our feet. The irrational belief that a problem will go away all by itself seems to be deeply ingrained in human nature. Take, just as a read more »

Okay, so the holidays are over, or sadly your trip to Italy (yum, Italy!). And the scale tells you that you’ve put way more effort into eating than exercising. What to do? Certainly, many of us try to lose the extra pounds by exercising more or perhaps by trying out new workout regimens. And that is when we learn that read more »

When your car starts making scary noises, one tempting response is to turn up the radio. Ignore it, give it some time, it will probably go away, right? Unfortunately, this response will often leave you calling a tow truck for a problem that could have been readily fixed, if it had only received prompt attention. The same principle applies to read more »

Like most parts of a newborn’s body, your infant’s feet are undeveloped at her time of birth. As she grows and learns to walk, the soft, pliable tissue that structures her feet will solidify into bony tissue in a process known as ossification. Her feet will continue to grow and develop well into her late teens. You can help your read more »