Posts for category: Foot Care
It's easy to forget how important your feet are when they are in great health. However, when something is wrong in one of the complex foot structures, it hits you hard. Many activities that you perform without thinking about such as walking, running, and dancing may become painful or challenging. Your foot doctor in Vineland, NJ, Dr. Jeffrey Belancio of South Jersey Foot and Ankle Specialists, will help your feet get the best possible care.
5 Ways a Foot Doctor Can Help You and Your Feet
Education
Proper foot care involves the ability to identify foot problems early enough to get the right treatment. From your podiatrist, you can learn the best way to perform a foot exam yourself. The routine exams will help you spot the signs of foot problems so that you can treat them early enough to prevent complications. Proper education will also help you prevent foot problems such as toenail fungus.
Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetes can result in numerous foot complications. That's because it affects the nerve and blood supply to your feet. Complications of poorly handled diabetes can ultimately result in foot amputation. Your foot doctor in Vineland, NJ, helps manage foot complications from diabetes. Diabetic foot care includes regular foot exams with your podiatrist, basic foot care, patient education, wound care, and advice on suitable footwear.
Treat Podiatric Problems
When you get foot problems such as ingrown toenails, toenail fungus, bunions, arthritis, and heel pain, you need podiatric care. Your podiatrist provides proper podiatric treatment and management for such conditions. Treatment may involve medication, orthotic devices, or surgery.
Footwear Advice
Your podiatric issues may be due to the wrong type of footwear. Wearing specific types of shoes predisposes you to certain foot conditions. Performing sports in the wrong type of shoes could affect your performance and increase of risk of injury. Changing to more appropriate footwear may be part of your treatment for podiatric problems.
Foot Examination
When you see your podiatrist, he'll examine your feet thoroughly. These exams can help identify possible podiatric problems even if you're yet to feel anything wrong with your feet.
Call your foot doctor in Vineland, NJ, Dr. Belancio of South Jersey Foot and Ankle Specialists, at (856) 839-0579 for the best foot care.
Our feet are often overworked and underappreciated. They do so much for us and yet we often take them for granted unless they start to cause us issues. Whether you’re looking for ways to prevent foot problems from happening in the first place or you’re already dealing with these issues, there are many reasons people are turning to their podiatrist for custom orthotics.What are orthotics?
Sometimes known as arch support, custom orthotics give people the freedom to stand and move easier and more comfortably. Some people might opt for over-the-counter orthotics because of convenience; however, over-the-counter orthotics are not crafted uniquely to your feet, which often means that they won’t provide the relief you’re looking for from foot pain and other issues, and may even make problems worse. Instead, consider getting custom orthotics that are designed to correct your specific foot problems, ease symptoms, and make it easier for you to get back to your life.
Here are the types of custom orthotics that podiatrists often provide:
Rigid Orthotics
Rigid orthotics are often made from harder materials such as plastic or carbon fiber and are used to control function. They also help to control motion in the joints of the foot. They are most often used with walking shoes or dress shoes as they help with strains, aches and pains in the legs, thighs, and lower back.
Soft Orthotics
Just like the name states, soft orthotics are made out of more cushioned materials so they can act as shock absorbers, help with balance, and relieve pressure. They also cradle the soles of the foot and support everything from the heel and balls of your feet to the toes. Since soft orthotics help to absorb shock, they can be a good option for athletes and those with active lifestyles.
Semi-Rigid Orthotics
Semi-rigid orthotics can also be a great option for sports players as they provide a good balance. As the name implies, semi-rigid orthotics are made with layers of soft material that are backed by a rigid material. While this type is great for avid walkers and the like, semi-rigid orthotics are also prescribed to treat flatfoot and other foot disorders in children. If you’re planning on running a marathon this year and you’re experiencing foot pain, semi-rigid orthotics might help relieve some of the discomforts you’re feeling while training.
Are you interested in custom orthotics? If so, your podiatrist can chat more about orthotics and how they could benefit your feet based on your foot health, age, activities, and lifestyle.
If you’re an active person and you participate in sports that cause you to run and jump often, you’re at risk for Achilles tendinitis. Achilles tendinitis occurs as an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon and is most common in runners and older people who only play sports such as tennis or basketball on the weekends. Dr. Belancio at South Jersey Foot & Ankle Specialists in Vineland, NJ, can help diagnose your heel pain and help you treat your Achilles tendinitis.
Treating Achilles Tendinitis
Often, you’ll be able to relieve the pain caused by Achilles tendinitis through at-home care, but it’s important to talk to your podiatrist in Vineland, NJ, about your heel pain to determine if further care needs to be applied. They may recommend that you take over-the-counter pain medications to help reduce your pain and inflammation. You can also ice your ankle daily, as well rest.
If at-home treatments don’t seem to help, your podiatrist may give you some exercises to do at home to help stretch and strengthen your foot. They may also recommend using an orthotic device to help elevate your heel and reduce some of the strain and stress placed on your Achilles tendon. This can help provide cushioning to your foot and hopefully will make you feel comfortable again.
If non-surgical options don’t seem to work, your podiatrist might suggest surgery to repair your Achilles tendon. This is usually only an option in severe cases that last several months without any signs of relief.
Contact Your Podiatrist Today!
Don’t let Achilles tendinitis go untreated! Contact Dr. Belancio at South Jersey Foot & Ankle Specialists in Vineland, NJ, to learn what exactly is causing your heel pain and how you can treat it. Call for more information and to make an appointment today at (856) 839-0579.
Whether you are concerned about high blood pressure or you already have been diagnosed with this chronic condition you may be surprised to hear that it can also impact your feet. After all, your blood pressure affects your circulatory system, which in turn impacts the body as a whole. Since uncontrolled or improperly controlled hypertension can damage blood vessels of the feet, you must have a podiatrist you can turn to to make sure your condition is under control.What problems does high blood pressure pose?
People with hypertension often deal with plaque buildup in the blood vessels. This is known as atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup also causes a decrease in circulation in the legs and feet. This can also increase your risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD). Over time, this decreased circulation can also lead to ulcers and, in more severe cases, amputation. This is why it’s incredibly important that you have a podiatrist that you turn to regularly for checkups and care if you have been diagnosed with hypertension.
What are the signs of poor circulation in the feet?
Wondering if you may already be dealing with poor circulation? Here are some of the telltale signs:
- Your feet and legs cramp up, especially during physical activity
- Color changes to the feet
- Numbness or tingling
- Temperature changes in your feet
- Hair loss on the legs or feet
- Sores
By getting your blood pressure under control we can also reduce your risk for developing PAD, heart disease, and other complications associated with hypertension. Some medications can be prescribed by your podiatrist to improve peripheral artery disease. Surgery may also be necessary to remove the blockage or widen the blood vessel to improve blood flow to the legs and feet.
If you are worried about your hypertension and how it may be impacting the health of your feet, there is never a better time to turn to a podiatrist for answers, support, and care.
Are you experiencing a sharp, burning pain between your toes that gets worse when walking or standing? Do you notice tingling or numbness in the toes, or pain and swelling on the soles of the feet? If so, you could be dealing with a condition known as Morton’s neuroma that causes thickening of the nerves between the toes. If you suspect that you might have Morton’s neuroma, a podiatrist will be the ideal doctor to turn to for treatment.Are neuromas dangerous?
It’s important not to confuse a neuroma with Morton’s neuroma. A neuroma is a benign growth that develops on the nerves; however, Morton’s neuroma is not a growth; it’s simply inflammation and swelling of the tissue around the nerves that lie between the toes (often between the third and fourth toes).
What causes Morton’s neuroma?
Any kind of intense pressure or compression placed on these toes can lead to inflammation of the tissue around the nerves. Some people are more at risk for developing Morton’s neuroma. Risk factors include:
- Playing certain sports such as running or tennis, which puts pressure on the balls of the feet
- Wearing high heels with a heel that’s more than 2 inches tall
- Wearing narrow shoes or shoes with pointed toes
- Certain foot conditions such as bunions or hammertoes
- Flat feet or high arches (or other congenital foot problems)
Since this condition involves inflamed tissue, you won’t notice a growth or bump in the area; however, you may simply experience pain that is gradual and minor at first and is alleviated by not wearing shoes. Symptoms often get worse with time and result in:
- Swelling between the toes
- A sharp burning pain between the toes that gets worse with activity
- Tingling or numbness in the foot
- Feeling like there is a pebble or stone in your shoe (often at the balls of the feet)
- Pain that’s intensified by standing on your tiptoes or wearing high heels or pointed-toe shoes
Most people can alleviate their symptoms through simple lifestyle modifications including:
- Icing
- Rest
- Massaging your feet
- Shoe pads
- Custom shoe inserts (that a podiatrist can craft just for you)
- Supportive footwear that offers shock-absorption
- Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs
- Steroid injections
- Local anesthetic injections