A Marathon in Flip Flops?

Last week I read an article of a man attempting to break into the Guiness Book of World Records by running a marathon in flip flops. Unfortunately, he was unable to break the world record but he did develop pain in the balls of his feet, sore quadriceps and blisters.  In fact the article from Runner's World By Scott Douglas stated "By the following day, Levasseur said, the balls of his feet were "quite sore," in part because "with the minimal padding and inability to place my foot like I normally do, I had to slap the front of my foot quite a bit, especially on the downhills." Levasseur said his ankles and quadriceps were also more sore than usual because of his altered gait."  This reminds me how important having the right shoes for the particular activity is. Now maybe we do not go to the extremes as far as attempting to wear flip flops while running a marathon, but we have trouble wearing the appropriate shoes. For example, for the day "out shopping" in shoe boots look great but an hour into shopping, our feet may not think so. What can wearing the wrong shoes do to your feet?

First, blisters on feet are a common problem caused by friction from shoes or socks which rubs repeatedly on the skin. If the shoe fits improperly, the resulting friction can cause blisters on prominent areas of the foot such as the back of the heel or on the toes. By wearing roomier shoes, with wider toe boxes, and proper fitting shoes can prevent these problems. If you wear hiking boots ensure all seams are flat inside the boot. Take care of the boots, do not leave them on radiators or near heaters. This may cause the leather to shrink and cause the seams to protrude.  Keep feet as dry as possible. Wet shoes, boots and socks will cause blisters far quicker than dry ones. 

Ball of foot pain can develop with shoes without proper padding into the forefoot of the shoe. If you are a runner on a hard surface you need a shoe with a sufficient padding. Also, footwear with a narrow toe box forces the ball of foot area to be forced into a minimal amount of space. This can cause pain when walking. Another factor that can cause excessive pressure in the foot include shoes with heels that are too high. By purchasing shoes with a wider toe box and sufficient forefoot cushioning should eliminate ball of foot pain related to improper shoes.

Lastly, if you wear shoes without sufficient arch support you can develop ankle pain. The tendon that is the major supporter of the arch crosses the inside portion of the ankle as it attaches to the midfoot. This is the tibialis posterior tendon. If there is not enough support, the tendon can become irritated and inflamed as it works harder to support the arch. Behind the ankle the blood supply to the tendon is the poorest so this is the area most susceptible area to injury. By wearing shoes with good arch supports with an orthotic that will externally support the arch and take away the need for this tendon to work so hard.

I don't believe many people would wear flip flops to run a marathon but I don't believe we consider how appropriate our shoes are for our daily activities.

Dr. "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/

Comprehending a Doctor Visit

As the face of healthcare is changing, doctors are no longer going to be paid on productivity but on successful outcomes. However, a recent article in Forbes magazine recognizes that patients only understand or remember less than 20% of what their doctor tells them during their appointment. If a patient cannot understand or remember what was discussed with them, we have a very poor chance of a successful outcomes. Obviously, as a doctor we need to become better communicators. In our practice, we have used our own website as an adjunct teaching tool. By placing patient education and instructions on our website, we can easily refer patients there to answer questions they may have or re-explain something that they may have forgotten. However, here are a few tips to help you get the most information out of your visits with your doctor.

First, write down any questions or concerns you have. Often, I get phone calls several hours after an appointment about a concern a patient forgot to ask. Unfortunately, with a busy schedule it can take awhile to get back to the patient. It is much better to get these questions or concerns answered during your appointment.

Second, take notes. even if you are only able to put down a few key words, this can stimulate your memory. For example, when I am discussing heel pain I say there are 3 important tenets of treatment; reducing inflammation, stretching, and arch support.  If you are able to jot these down then when you get home you will remember that stretching is an integral part of the treatment plan for heel pain. Even if you don't remember the stretches demonstrated, you will remember that you need to stretch and can simply look on our website for the necessary stretches.

If it is an important visit that is going to be extended and detailed, for example, a pre-operative visit, where you expect the surgeon to discuss the surgery and post operative course, then bring someone else with you. 4 ears are better than 2.  As an example my mother went alone to her pre-op visit for her upcoming knee surgery. Afterwards I asked several basic questions such as: would she stay the night, would she go home, or go to a rehab hospital after the surgery. My mom stated she didn't think he went over these questions. Not to doubt my mom, but more than likely he did explain everything and she was just overwhelmed with so much information that she did not remember. It would have have helped to someone else with her to increase the chance of information retained.

As patients and doctors we need to become a better communicators. Doctors must work on conversing in 2 languages; the medical one, and most importantly being able to translate medical terms into layman's terms for our patients. Patients need to make sure the information is comprehended to ensure a cohesive relationship.

Dr "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/

I never heard of a Lis Franc injury

 To add to the New York Jet's woes, wide receiver Santonio Holmes may have suffered a dreaded Lis Franc's injury. He crumpled after catching the ball and seemed to loose his footing. So far x-rays are negative. A copy of his MRI is being sent to a leading foot surgeon to read. What is this and why is this such a devastating injury? When might he be able to return? To answer these questions it is important to understand the complex anatomy in this area of the foot.

The Lis franc's area is made up of five long bones called the metatarsal bones and 4 smaller bones( the cuboid and 3 cuneiforms). In addition, there are several soft tissue structures that hold these joints together, the biggest one is between the bones closest to the inside of the midfoot called the Lis Franc ligament (named after a French surgeon who preformed amputations in the midfoot during war times). Injury can occur causing fractures of the bone, dislocations of the mid-foot joints, or injury to the soft tissues surrounding these areas. Injury can occur through direct injury, such as dropping a heavy object on the foot, or indirectly through a twisting injury when the foot is fixed to the ground, i.e.- a cleat stuck in the turf. With these injuries, the joints can be damaged along with the cartiledge. With fractures or a tear of the Lis Franc ligament, surgery may be needed to achieve a more stable foot. The recovery time is 6-8 weeks non-weight bearing following the surgery and progressing over the next 2 months from non- to partial- to finally full-weight bearing. The concern with this injury is whether there is a return of the mobility of the midfoot. Often, professional athletes' ability to return to professional sports is questionable.

The x-rays for Santonio Holmes are negative but let's hope the MRI does not show a Lis Franc's ligament tear. "Gang Green" has enough issues for this season.

Dr. "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/