Barefoot Running

Barefoot running has seen an increased interest lately, but no one really knows if it is beneficial or harmful.  Avid “naturalists” will state that barefoot running is the proper way to run as it allows the body a natural, normal movement.  Others oppose this idea and claim it can do more harm than good.  Well, now a study has come about the help determine which side of the fence is right. 

Please read full article here:

 http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/making-the-case-for-running-shoes/

Next up:  Proper Shoe Gear for Running

Is That Toenail Fungus?

Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is a fairly common condition that disfigures and can destroy the toenail. The big toe and the little toe are the nails that are most likely to be affected. This condition is caused by any one of the many types of fungi that grow in the moist warm environment in your shoes. As they grow, they invade and feed on the protein (keratin) that makes up the hard surface of the toenails. 

Nail fungal infections are extremely difficult to treat, and recur often. You may think only dirty people get nail fungus, so it doesn’t apply to you – but you’d be mistaken. In all actuality, anyone can be exposed to nail fungus. All in all, though, they are most common in adults and senior citizens, especially those individuals with circulation issues or diabetes.

Wearing tight-fitting shoes and layers of nail polish increases the risk of developing toenail fungus. It can also be spread person-to-person in public areas, such as locker rooms and showers.

You’ll want to be able to distinguish the nail fungus symptoms and stay vigilant. Nail fungus manifests itself in unsightly ways, and although it may not be particularly painful, it is certainly a nuisance and embarrassing. This is what you should look out for:

* nails will become dull and the color will change to a yellowish tint

* nails will become weak, dry, and consequently become flaky and brittle; this will cause them to be easily chipped

* nails will thicken, and sometimes this will be so extreme that it may be painful to wear closed toe shoes

* you may develop a foul foot odor

* you will experience an overall general discomfort that may make it hard to walk or be active

If left untreated, these nail fungus symptoms will only worsen. It is best to seek a nail fungus cure as soon as you notice any of these symptoms. If you’re unsure whether you have nail fungus, you can always visit your local podiatrist to make sure your assessment is accurate.

The best cure for toenail fungus is to prevent the fungus from invading the nail and skin in the first place.  However, this can be tricky since no one can actually see the fungus that causes onychomycosis.  There are measures a person can take to not contract the fungus that causes the unsightly, yellow, thick, crumbly nails.

Toenail fungus is easily spread from toe to toe and from person to person.   There are many self hygiene practices that can help keep your feet and nails healthy.

• If you are a person whose feet are naturally sweaty you can use a talcum powder after showering to help keep your feet dry throughout the day.
• Wear comfortable shoes  that allow your feet to breath.  By doing this  you can reduce the risk of toenail fungus.
• Keep your feet clean and dry and your toenails trimmed and filed.
• Wear clean dry socks.  If your feet sweat a lot, carry an extra pair of socks with you and change them throughout the day as needed.
• If you wear the same shoes day after day, allow them to air out over night.  Loosen the shoe strings and pull the tongue of the shoe back to open the inside of shoe to air circulation.  Placing the open shoe in front a fan may also help with drying the inside of the shoe.
• Thoroughly dry between your toes after showering.  This will eliminate the moist environment fungus loves to grow in as well as prevent your skin from becoming macerated, which then allows an entry point for fungus and other bacteria.
• Women who use toenail polish should always remove the old polish before applying new. By adding layers of nail polish to your toes, you are increasing your risk of toenail fungus. It may seem easier at the time to do a quick touch up of your polish, but in the long run, you could be making things much harder on yourself.

Despite your best efforts to prevent toenail fungus, you may still acquire it from somewhere during your lifetime.  If this is the case and you suspect you have a nail fungus, schedule an appointment with your local podiatrist and they can assist you with treatment options.

Playing pro sports can be a rewarding experience but on the flip side can often lead to injuries.  Some injuries can be serious, yet other are  not so serious.   

Recently, Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, sustained an ankle injury before playing in the superbowl against the New York Giants.  After the injury sustained during the AFC Championship Game, Rob Gronkowski missed only 3 minutes of play in the game, but afterwards was placed in an ankle brace, which was eventually followed up with a walking boot.  This treatment may have been sufficient to heal his injury, however, Gronowski went on to play in the superbowl which may have exacerbated his problem.  It also may have contributed to the Patriot’s loss to the Giants.

The Boston Herald reports that Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski underwent successful surgery this month to fix his ailing ankle. The surgery was an arthroscopic procedure to clean out the ankle. Gronkowski played on a high-ankle sprain in Super Bowl XLVI, battling ligament damage to make two catches for 26 yards. The estimate is that it’s a 10-week recovery. That should allow him to be ready by mid-April, possibly for mini-camp.

The most common ankle problems are sprains and fractures.  A sprain is an injury to the ligaments. It may take a few weeks to many months to heal completely.  A fracture is a break in a bone.  You can also injure other parts of the ankle such as tendons, which join muscles to bone, and cartilage, which cushions your joints.

Depending on the type of injury there is an array of treatment options available.  A podiatrist will be able to accurately assess your injury and provide the appropriate and necessary treatment.  Treatment options may include RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) and/or a stabilization device such as an Arizona brace or CAM boot.  If the injury is severe enough, surgery may be required and a podiatrist will be able to recommend and perform the appropriate surgery. 

  One of the most commonly reported issues among athletes is chronic joint pain.  Many athletes have experienced injuries and have never felt that they were pain free, or completely recovered.  It is rare to read a sports column and not read about a recent knee, elbow, or ankle injury. Because this is such a common theme, new treatments are being developed and are now available to athletes and anyone else who suffers from these types of injuries or pain. Recently, people have been seeing more and more articles regarding famous athletes receiving this new treatment called plasma therapy.  This therapy is performed to help speed up the healing process for patients with injuries or chronic pain.  For athletes, it is most commonly use for joint injuries.  Most recently, sports fans learned of Kobe Bryant traveling overseas to Germany in order to receive plasma therapy for an arthritic joint in his right knee.  Other celebrity athletes such as Tiger Woods have also received this treatment.   Although plasma therapy is fairly new, many people do not realize that if you suffer from chronic pain or have a joint injury, you do not need to travel overseas to receive this state-of-the-art treatment. 

At Tina Starkweather DPM & Associates, we also have plasma therapy available to our patients.  This procedure has a high success rate in helping reduce or eliminate patients’ chronic pain and it accelerates the healing process.  Another benefit to this procedure is that it does not require anesthesia or a trip to the local hospital or surgery center.  This procedure is done quickly, in our office, and it does not require anesthesia.  Your blood is drawn and then placed into a centrifuge which allows the doctor to “spin” the blood and isolate the platelets.  You are essentially using a part of your own body rather than medications and surgeries to correct the problem you are experiencing.  Once the platelets have been separated, the plasma is then injected into the problem area with a small syringe.  Our doctors will also use an ultrasound to guide the injection which allows them to see exactly what the problem area is.  The patient only experiences mild discomfort during this entire procedure.  In most cases, the patient will notice a decrease in pain and an increase in healing within a couple weeks.

Furthermore, this plasma therapy can be used in other ways to treat different conditions.  People who are suffering from chronic diabetic foot ulcers or have a wound that is not healing properly can benefit from this new treatment.  The blood is again drawn from the patient and processed to separate the plasma.  Rather than using the plasma as an injectable material, it is used to create a tissue like product that is placed on the wound.  This too is a way of using the patient’s own blood to accelerate the healing process for severe wounds.

The physicians at Tina Starkweather DPM & Associates are all experienced with plasma therapy and have performed both of these procedures with exciting results.  Patients are very happy with the effects they feel from this procedure and are especially thrilled with the fact that it does not require surgery or such a long painful recovery period.  If you or a family or friend are experiencing any of these conditions and want to learn more about plasma therapy, please contact our office at 815-899-3338.