COVID 19 Signs in the TOES of People Without Symptoms

COVID 19 manifestations are now seen in young people, including kids, that are otherwise asymptomatic.   Due to the changes in the arteries and clotting issues, a variety of changes are showing up in the toes.

Discoloration, small sores and even just signs that look like an ingrown nail may be present. Please keep an eye out for these changes in your kids and in younger adults.  It could be a sign that they ARE infected even thought they may not have any respiratory symptoms.

(thank you to the mom's podiatry group for photos with permission).

Dancing in the New Year! Resolutions Your Feet Will LOVE

As the countdown to the New Year fades and we retire the "special event" heels for another year, it's time to think about what resolutions you can make to start the year on the right foot!

Okay, on the left foot too.  After weeks of holidays and parties, the start of the year is a perfect time to give your feet a rest.  Below are five resolutions to help give them the pampering they deserve.

Give your toenails a breather.
Unless you have a mid-winter warm weather trip planned, January is the perfect time to evaluate the health of your toe nails.  Remove the polish and let the nails breath!  Look for any white spots or yellow discoloration.  Fungus often hides behind the veil of polish and it's important to identify the infection early for the best chance of successful treatment.  Laser treatments, combined with topical treatment, will give you the best odds of getting rid of the fungus in time for summer.

Protect your fascia from the strain and gain!
The plantar fascia is the tissue that lies on the bottom of your feet running from your heels to the balls of your feet.  Strain and stress on the tissue is common with preparations for holidays including extra shopping and cooking. Speaking of holiday cooking, stress is also increased with the weight gain that may come along with it.  Plantar Fasciitis is the common term used for strain of the fascia and presents itself as heel or arch pain.  At home treatments including stretching and wearing shoes with supportive heels but the pain can be stubborn and used to require surgery.  Good news is there are now many new less invasive treatments if your heel pain doesn't go away on its own!

Have your other resolutions be supported by your foot wear!
If you have resolved to be more active, make sure you are wearing the proper foot wear.  Running is the easiest sport to take on but its important to make sure you are wearing running shoes which are designed for heel to toe motion.  Running shoes are also the perfect shoe for athletic walking because they padding and provide ample room for the toes.  Court sports, however, require shoes that allow for side to side motion so tennis shoes have a defined purpose and are not just a type of casual foot wear.  Finally, for those that take to the hoops, basketball shoes are designed with added stability for the ankle.  As you begin your new sport, remember:  foot pain is never normal.  Increased activity can result in stress on the bones and tendons, and ligaments are prone to sprains.  Get checked out if pain remains after a day or two of rest, elevation and icing an injury.

Give your high heels a break.
The best part of winter is that many styles of boots are either flat or with a lower heel.  High heels put constant pressure on the ball of the foot - over seven time the normal pressure with heels as low as three inches.  Wearing shoes with lower heels will allow the balls of the feet (specifically the metatarsal heads) a chance to rebound from the stress and strain that is placed on the soft tissues surrounding the area.  Common injuries to this area due to high heels include bursitis, torn ligaments, displacing the natural padding and stress fractures.

Give your own heels a break.
Winter brings on dry, cracked heels.  Partially due to the dryness of the cold winter air; but also due to friction that occurs on our heels in boots and other shoes that may not provide enough heel support.  Treating dry cracked skin is important before the cracks deepen and develop fissures which may become infected.  I recently read a beauty tip to crush aspirin to use in a lotion.  It sounds crazy but aspirin has acetic acid and acids are used to help get through the dryness.  A much better solution is to treat the skin with a prepared acid-based lotion including those with lactic, salicylic or hyaluronic or glycolic acids.  These lotions and creams will exfoliate the dry skin to different degrees.  As always, be sure to discuss any treatments of the feet with your podiatric physician to make sure they are appropriate - especially if you are a diabetic or have circulatory problems.

Here is to a starting the New Year with Health Feet!

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!!

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.