Items filtered by date: April 2022

Walking is one of the best ways to stay active during pregnancy. It is low impact, so it doesn’t endanger your knees and ankles, plus it’s good for the heart and lungs. It also can be a way to meet up with friends and share the experience. Anyone who has been inactive prior to pregnancy should check with a medical professional before introducing a walking program. In the beginning, it is recommended that you start with 15 minutes, 3 times a week. This can be increased over time to 30 minutes, 4 or more times a week. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes that have adequate support and cushioning. As you walk, place your heel on the ground and roll onto your toes, rather than placing a flat foot on the ground. During the second trimester, as the baby grows, pay special attention to your posture when walking. Keep your back straight and your eyes forward and swing your arms to help with balance. Your hips and ankles may become more stressed, especially as your center of gravity changes. By the third trimester, avoid steep hills or uneven pathways that may affect your balance, and be sure to walk with a buddy. If at any time you experience unusual foot or ankle pain or swelling, it is a good idea to consult with a podiatrist for an examination as soon as possible. 

Pregnant women with swollen feet can be treated with a variety of different methods that are readily available. For more information about other cures for swollen feet during pregnancy, consult with Warren Levy, DPM from Armitage Podiatry Center. Our doctor will attend to all of your foot and ankle needs.

What Foot Problems Can Arise During Pregnancy?

One problem that can occur is overpronation, which occurs when the arch of the foot flattens and tends to roll inward.  This can cause pain and discomfort in your heels while you’re walking or even just standing up, trying to support your baby.  

Another problem is edema, or swelling in the extremities. This often affects the feet during pregnancy but tends to occur in the later stages. 

How Can I Keep My Feet Healthy During Pregnancy?

• Wearing orthotics can provide extra support for the feet and help distribute weight evenly
• Minimize the amount of time spent walking barefoot
• Wear shoes with good arch support
• Wear shoes that allow for good circulation to the feet
• Elevate feet if you experience swelling
• Massage your feet
• Get regular, light exercise, such as walking, to promote blood circulation to the feet

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Chicago, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

When you feel pain in the ball of the foot it could be a sign of metatarsalgia. This condition can have several causes, some more simple to correct than others. For instance, in some cases just changing your footwear from high-heeled shoes to flatter heels, therefore reducing the pressure on the ball of the foot, can help. Many runners develop metatarsalgia from overuse, caused by running longer distances more often. Sports that involve jumping may also bring about this injury. Being overweight, having a hammertoe or bunion that affects your gait, or having stiffness in the ankle or Achilles tendon, can also cause more stress on the metatarsal bones. The pain generated by metatarsalgia usually starts gradually and gets worse the more you stand, walk, run, or further aggravate the foot. A podiatrist can examine your foot with X-rays or other imaging tests, make a proper diagnosis, and suggest treatment options depending on the underlying cause and the severity of the pain. If you are struggling with pain in the ball of your foot it is suggested that you schedule an appointment with your local podiatrist.

Foot Pain

Foot pain can be extremely painful and debilitating. If you have a foot pain, consult with Warren Levy, DPM from Armitage Podiatry Center. Our doctor will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.

Causes

Foot pain is a very broad condition that could be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:

• Bunions
• Hammertoes
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Bone Spurs
• Corns
• Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
• Ingrown Toenails
• Arthritis (such as Gout, Rheumatoid, and Osteoarthritis)
• Flat Feet
• Injury (from stress fractures, broken toe, foot, ankle, Achilles tendon ruptures, and sprains)
• And more

Diagnosis

To figure out the cause of foot pain, podiatrists utilize several different methods. This can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment depends upon the cause of the foot pain. Whether it is resting, staying off the foot, or having surgery; podiatrists have a number of treatment options available for foot pain.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Chicago, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Excess pressure that is exerted on a bone in the foot can lead to a stress fracture. It can develop from practicing high-impact exercise, increasing speed and training too fast, or possible from poor nutrition. This type of injury develops slowly, and symptoms are often ignored. It can become difficult to complete daily activities, and it helps to temporarily stop the activity that caused the injury. After a proper diagnosis is made, which generally occurs when an X-ray is taken, treatment can begin. A walking boot or a cast may be helpful in stabilizing the foot as the healing process takes place. The average time for a stress fracture to heal is four to six weeks, and then a gradual return to the chosen activity is often advised. If you have a stress fracture, please consult with a podiatrist as quickly as possible who can help you with the correct treatment plan.

Activities where too much pressure is put on the feet can cause stress fractures. To learn more, contact Warren Levy, DPM from Armitage Podiatry Center. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep your pain free and on your feet.

Dealing with Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle

Stress fractures occur in the foot and ankle when muscles in these areas weaken from too much or too little use.  The feet and ankles then lose support when walking or running from the impact of the ground. Since there is no protection, the bones receive the full impact of each step. Stress on the feet can cause cracks to form in the bones, thus creating stress fractures.

What Are Stress Fractures?

Stress fractures occur frequently in individuals whose daily activities cause great impact on the feet and ankles. Stress factors are most common among:

• Runners                                  
• People affected with Osteoporosis
• Tennis or basketball players
• Gymnasts
• High impact workouts

Symptoms

Pain from the fractures occur in the area of the fractures and can be constant or intermittent. It will often cause sharp or dull pain with swelling and tenderness. Engaging in any kind of activity which involves high impact will aggravate pain.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Chicago, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.

April is Foot Health Month! To honor the importance of good foot health and prepare for the warmer months and more attractive sandal-wearing, we can give our feet the proper time and attention they deserve for all they do for us. Because of all we subject our feet to, they are the part of the body that is most apt to sustain injury. Proper foot care is simple if tended to regularly. The things to do to care for your feet are routinely washing them and making sure to dry them completely, moisturizing the feet to prevent dry, cracked skin, avoiding lotion in between the toes, ensuring the proper fitting of shoes, choosing supportive shoes and socks that are not tight or irritating to feet, alternating the shoes you wear daily and changing up heel heights, wearing clean socks each day that socks are worn, and not going barefoot for extended time periods. Women who are pregnant, older, or have health conditions, like diabetes or poor circulation, need to pay additional attention to specific things related to their feet. For example, pregnant and elderly women need to wear shoes that have better shock absorbency, and women with diabetes need to check their feet regularly to make sure nothing unusual is going on that they may not feel. If getting pedicures in a salon is something that you do, make sure the tubs and instruments used are well sanitized. Most of these suggestions (other than pregnancy-related foot care) apply to men and women alike. Consulting with a podiatrist as part of your regular health care is a good practice to make sure these vital parts of the body are well maintained and painful foot problems, even disability, are prevented.

Everyday foot care is very important to prevent infection and other foot ailments. If you need your feet checked, contact Warren Levy, DPM from Armitage Podiatry Center. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Everyday Foot Care

Often, people take care of their bodies, face and hair more so than they do for their feet. But the feet are a very important aspect of our bodies, and one that we should pay more attention to. Without our feet, we would not be able to perform most daily tasks.

It is best to check your feet regularly to make sure there are no new bruises or cuts that you may not have noticed before. For dry feet, moisturizer can easily be a remedy and can be applied as often as necessary to the affected areas. Wearing shoes that fit well can also help you maintain good foot health, as well as making it easier to walk and do daily activities without the stress or pain of ill-fitting shoes, high heels, or even flip flops. Wearing clean socks with closed shoes is important to ensure that sweat and bacteria do not accumulate within the shoe. Clean socks help to prevent Athlete’s foot, fungi problems, bad odors, and can absorb sweat.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Chicago, IL . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.