IMPORTANT PEDICURE TIPS!!

We are in full swing of summer now and women everywhere are getting their weekly pedicures or bimonthly!  Best advice if you have callouses is to SEE A PODIATRIST FIRST!

(BTW - toe nails grow slower than fingernails so you do NOT need to have them done with every manicure).




I often have patients saying they "catch" fungus from a pedicure but I honestly think that is not always the case.  Direct infection to the skin of the feet and legs, however is another story.

While not common, there are certainly documented cases where infections occur as a result of transferring bacteria (or fungus) from one person to another.   CBS News just put out this article of a woman almost losing her leg because a contaminated callous shaver was used on her.

So here are my tips for pedicures!

1)  Pedicurists in most states are not allowed to use blades or other callous removers.  If you have callouses that are thick, painful or simply unsightly, SEE A PODIATRIST to have them removed before you have your pedicure!  The benefits to the skin from the pedicure will last much longer if you have the callouses removed properly from a podiatrist.

Pinch Callous

2) Understand that callouses are a result of a structural problem and will continue to develop unless those problems are corrected.  Your podiatrist (podiatric physician) will educate you on the whys, hows and whens that influence your callouses.  Sometimes simply wearing custom orthotics can get rid of that "pinch" callous on the joint of your big toe that many of us seem to have.

3) Go to a salon first thing in the morning when the tools and whirlpools have the least chance of being contaminated.

4) Make sure they are using freshly sterilized instruments, including the nail files!

5) Never shave just prior to going for a pedicure.  This will reduce the risk of bacteria entering your skin if there is a contamination.

Finally - enjoy your freshly painted pink/red/blue/gray toes!!

When Your Feet Still Hurt AFTER You Take Your Heels Off!

High Heels - some people love them, some people leave them.  Most women are like myself, wear them on occasions.  Granted, most women will admit that their feet hurt while they are wearing their heels, but what does it mean if your feet hurt after you take them off?

Pain at the ball of the foot, most commonly felt while wearing high heels, can be more of a problem then direct pressure from shoes.  Wearing heels, even occasionally, can cause tearing in one or more of the ligaments that are on the bottom of the joints located at the ball of the foot.  Pain at the ball of the foot is usually due to inflammation, scar tissue or a partial tear of this ligament.  The pain remains even when wearing flat shoes or without shoes because damage has occurred.

This ligament, known as the plantar plate, is responsible for keeping the toes straight.  When torn even partially, the ligament causes the toe to rotate or displace over time with or without pain.  Even without pain, there are can be swelling on the top of the foot in that region.   But its not just pain, swelling and damage to the ligament that you need to worry about.  It is not uncommon to develop hammertoes because of a disruption of this ligament. 

Treatment for this problem is dependent on when you seek treatment and how much damage there is to the tissue.  Sometimes extended physical therapy and taking the pressure off the ligament can allow the tissue to heal.  Often, using some of the newer forms of regenerative medicine can result in a quicker resolution.  Finally, surgery may be necessary as a last resort.

One thing to caution you on pain in this area.  NEVER have a cortisone injection unless you have ruled out damage to this ligament.  Cortisone, often used for inflammation in the area and/or neuromas in the area can weaken the ligament and cause further damage.

Sarah Jessica Parker - Did She Say High Heels and Cheap Shoes??

I love Sarah Jessica Parker.  I love Sex and the City.  I love high heels.  But do I love the recent comments she made in Net-a-Porter about heels, cheap shoes and foot problems?  No! 

Lets see what they said she said.

Sarah Jessica Parker, we all know, is known for her many years of day to day wearing of beautiful, extravagant and expensive high heel shoes during Sex and the City.  In fact, in the article she said,  "I worked 18-hour days and never took them off."  But during filming of I Don't Know How She Does It, she wore a pair of cheaper shoes that led to her an ankle injury.

So she went to a podiatrist and she said he said, "Your foot does things it shouldn't be able to do. That bone there... You've created that bone. It doesn't belong there."  Is that really what he said?

They said she said that she slipped because the sole of the shoe was not leather.  Certainly a non-slip sole is important;  but, I bet he said that the cost of shoe is less of a factor than the components of the shoe.  I bet he said that a wider heel shoe is a more stable shoe despite the height of the heel.  And I bet he said that a higher heel shoe is a less stable shoe despite the width of the heel.  I am wondering if she said he said anything along those lines.  I bet he did.

Lets think about what she said he said about her bones.  First of all, wearing stilettos for years in your 20's, even if your foot type finds them comfortable, will lead to foot problems in your 30's.  That's what I said he probably said.   That would certainly be what I said had she come to see me.  The shoes do hold your feet in an unnatural position and puts strain on the bones in an unnatural way.  But did he actually say that they caused a specific bone?  I doubt that is what he said.  Maybe that's not really what they said she said he said.

Wearing those sky high heels on a daily basis may cause or contribute to many bone problems such as arthritis, stress fractures, bunions and hammertoes or even cause bone spurs.  Or an even bigger problem is when you wear high heels on a daily basis, your Achilles tendon tightens and shortens and it makes it almost impossible to wear flats!  If her podiatrist had asked Ms. Parker if that was the case, I am willing to bet my most expensive shoes that he said she said yes! 

You may love wearing those heels now; but no matter who you are, Sarah Jessica Parker included, those high heels will present problems down the line if you wear them too much.  

That's all I am saying.

Why is December the perfect time to take care of your foot problems?

Most active people choose the winter months to have foot surgery to allow them to return to full activity in time for Spring and Summer activities. Walking, gardening, running and even sunbathing are all activities that are enjoyed best after foot problems have resolved.

December is the month this is easiest to take advantage of satisfied insurance deductibles and when patients enjoy the smallest amount of out of pocket expenses.

With online holiday shopping so popular, holiday shopping is no longer a deterrent for foot surgery.

There is nothing like sitting with your feet elevated on a cold winter day with a warm fire nearby! Foot surgery recovery and winter go hand in hand (or foot in foot)!

Don't Let Your Feet Keep You From Wearing High Heels!!

As both a woman who likes to be fashionable and a podiatrist that needs to be sensible, my goal is to help women wear the shoes they want to wear more comfortably!

Recently, FOX32 Chicago interviewed me for a story on cosmetic foot surgery for women who wear high heels. Like almost all podiatric surgeons, I do not consider most foot surgeries to be cosmetic even if the goal is to wear shoes more comfortably. Many women think of correcting bunions, hammertoes and other unattractive foot deformities as cosmetic; but there is usually a structural abnormality associated with those unsightly problems. Insurances almost always cover the correction of foot deformities - even if there is the added bonus of making your feet more attractive!

While FOX32 Chicago initially intended to focus on only cosmetic procedures, my interview clearly shows that when the feet are involved, the definition of what is cosmetic is clearly not black and white. While some newer procedures (such as dermal fillers to the ball of the feet and laser for fungal nails) are not covered by insurance, there are very few purely cosmetic surgeries of the feet.

Function of the foot is always a factor in solving any foot problem. Cosmetic benefits aside, foot surgery is aimed to improve foot function.

My main concern with women is being able to wear fashionable foot wear comfortably and smartly. I believe it is important for any podiatrist to counsel their patients on how to wear high heels safely, how best to shop for shoes and advocates knowing not only your true shoe size but also your foot type before shoe shopping.