Invest A Little In Your Summer Shoes, It Can Pay Off Big!

Now that the sun is shining, you may be eager to spend more time outdoors and shed the excess clothing and heavy footwear. Just spend a little bit of time people watching and see how many have given up shoes and socks and are now baring all (well, at least all of their toes). The winter boots and shoes have been relegated to the basement or back of the closet, and you’ve pulled out the sneakers and sandals. However, before you go shopping for the new summer shoes, get a grip on some shoe standards.

Flat, rubber, plastic and foam flip-flops might be tempting. They are bright, colorful, cheery, and inexpensive, but they do not allow your foot to function as it’s meant to. The foot strikes the ground with the heel and transfers weight through the arch and mid-foot into the big toe where the push off begins. If you examine the bottom of a flip flop, you see it is flat and non-supportive. It forces the foot to do all of the work, and the effort is transferred then to the ankle, lower leg, knee, hip, and lower back, which can lead to fatigue and pain.  All flat-soled sandals are going to have the same effect on the body.  High heeled or platform sandals are just as impractical, maybe more so. The unnatural stance forces all of the weight forward onto the ball of the foot and can lead to neuromas, hammertoes, and bunions.

Well-formed sandals can alleviate pain and help prevent the arthritis that develops in the mid-foot as you age. You should look for sandals that have well-formed arches and a heel cup. This allows for shock absorption in the mid-foot and support in the heel area that prevents the foot from over-pronating. The sandal that provides arch support and appropriately cradles the foot can also help relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis. Sandals similar to flip-flops are available which provide a better made, arch-supportive and heel-formed shoe. For more information concerning the proper selection of sandals, go to:  http://www.kintec.net/kintec_approved.php.

If you need assistance selecting a sandal style appropriate for your foot health, call Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8886. He can provide you with tips for sandal selection that will help keep your feet in the pink.

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lr2aF5Ngo8&feature=related

Safety Boots - The Caped Crusaders of an Injury Free Workplace

Various government regulatory agencies mandate the type of foot wear worn in some workplaces. Assessments are performed on the work site and potential hazards are identified and considered in order to arrive at a requirement. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal regulatory agency. Each state may then have its own version of OSHA that handles additional state requirements that must be met.

Some work places may only require safety shoes, where the primary function of the shoe is to provide a specialized tread to prevent slip accidents that could translate to injuries. These shoes are most likely to be required in restaurants, or other locations, where the floor surface is apt to be slippery. Usually, when you think of safety you probably think of industrial sites where steel toed boots or shoes are required in order to meet OSHA regulations. This footwear must meet very specific compression and impact standards. OSHA requires boots and shoes to meet American Society of Testing and Measurement standards. It is important to know what the standards are to make sure your boots meet the requirements of your work site. Boots and shoes are given an impact and compression rating that specifies the weight limits that they will protect your feet at. It is important to know the ratings, if these limits were to be exceeded, your boots may not protect your feet. Boots carry these markings on a tab sewn inside of the boot. Boots offer better protection than shoes because of the additional plating designed to protect the instep of your foot.

Steel toed boots should always be worn where required. A crushing injury caused by a falling object is extremely painful and can result in serious damage to the foot structure and possibly loss of the foot. Always think safety first.

Have you suffered a foot or ankle injury? Dr. Bowman, from Houston Foot Specialists, is an expert at treating injuries and ailments of the foot and ankle. His diagnostic procedures include X-Rays, computed tomography, ultrasound and MRI. If you have a foot or ankle injury, need surgery to correct an injury or deformity, or suffer a condition causing you pain, call Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8886 and let him meet your feet. Also check out the wide array of products and services that are available.

References:

http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/services.html
http://www.constructiongear.com/about-steel-toe-work-boots.html

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Are Baseball Injuries in a League of their Own?

Well, not quite. Many sports share injuries in common, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, shin splints, sprains, Achilles tendonitis, ruptures, blisters, etc. From Little League to the Big League, the injuries remain the same, but since the MLB players have trainers and team doctors, let’s keep an eye on the younger ones and the backyard sports enthusiasts.

Foot and ankle injuries are the most common injuries in baseball, not to mention conditions that can develop due to over-training or under-conditioning. Common ailments are:

    •    Plantar fasciitis

    •    Achilles tendonitis

    •    Ruptures tendons

    •    Stress fractures

    •    Trauma fractures

    •    Sprains

    •    Trip and fall injuries

    •    Blisters

But in addition to this, one of the more unique requirements in baseball is going from a standstill to a sprint, then from a sprint to a standstill when running the bases. This forces a lot of stress on the feet and ankles yet it is not an exercise that is focused on much in training and conditioning. Generally emphasis is placed on hitting the ball and fielding practice. Base running, however, is not usually taught and safety can be overlooked. Maintain the field in the best playing condition possible. This might sound like a lot of work, but check for holes or ruts and fill them immediately. If you are a visiting team, check out the field. Have your team take a light run on it so they familiarize themselves with the playing conditions. When doing exercises, conduct practice drills that use quick stops and starts so the body slowly begins to understand what is expected of it. Coordination drills are also good at drawing focus to using their feet. Practicing coordination exercises can prevent young player’s feet from getting confused and causing injuries.

Another problem that can lead to injury is cleats. Although cleats and spikes offer traction, they also can get caught and cause sprains, trips and twists. Buy cleats to fit. You can’t count on multiple seasons because of the growth rate in youngsters, so don’t handicap young players with shoes that are too big. This can lead to blisters, friction problems, fractures, sprains and falls.

Although base sliding it is fun it poses another opportunity for injuries such as sprains, fractures and broken toes. Proper sliding technique needs to be taught and it should not include using cleats as assault weapons. Remember, this is supposed to be fun. Focus on staying safe and avoiding injury. Check your youngster over for blisters, redness and swelling. What they don’t tell you can hurt them.

If you or your youngster sustains injury to your foot or ankle, contact Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8886.

References:

http://www.healingfeet.com/blog/foot-care/safe-preventing-foot-and-ankle-injuries-in-baseball-players
http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/educational-videos.html
http://communityfootcare.net/stay-in-the-game-avoiding-baseball-related-foot-and-ankle-injury/

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And This Little Piggy Lived Happily Ever After…

Have you ever stumbled around in the dark, stubbed your toe, and wound up inventing words? Well, join the club. A stubbing injury is one of the most common sources of a broken toe. There are a couple of misconceptions regarding broken toes. It is not true that “nothing” can be done for a broken toe. Also, it is not true that if you can walk on it, it is not broken. There are twenty six bones in the foot, and nineteen of them are either in the toes or long bones in the mid foot area. This makes the foot a complex area of concern. When you fracture any bone, you need to be evaluated to assess the overall damage and receive proper treatment.

Fractures can be divided into two cause factors: traumatic or stress. A traumatic fracture is due to an injury, such as stubbing your toe. A stress fracture is a tiny break that results from hard and repetitive action, such as a basketball player who jumps and lands repeatedly.

Symptoms of a traumatic fracture include:

    ·    Pain in the immediate area

    ·    Perhaps you hear a sound at the time of the break

    ·    Misshapen

    ·    Bruising and discoloration

Symptoms of a stress fracture include:

    ·    Pain during normal activity that disappears when resting

    ·    Swelling

    ·    Painful in the area of fracture when touched.

Because symptoms of fractures and sprains are similar, it is critical that you see Dr. Bowman.  He can examine your foot injury to make sure you receive proper treatment. Failure to get proper treatment can result in complexities ranging from deformity to long term loss of function.

Treatment for broken toes may include “buddy taping.” This means the injured toe is taped to the toe next to it for support. You should wear a supportive shoe to further protect the injury.  A cast is seldom necessary unless the fracture involves the big toe or multiple toes. If the fracture is displaced or a gap is noted, then you may need surgery. Make sure you schedule a follow-up appointment with Dr. Bowman so he can track your progress. Call (713 ) 467-8886 to schedule.

Broken bones usually take about 6 weeks to heal completely. Follow the doctor’s instructions so you can avoid complications like chronic pain or deformity. This will ensure your little piggies lead a long and happy life. Do you have a broken toe or metatarsal story to relate?  Feel free to share by leaving a comment!

References:

http://www.weil4feet.com/common_toe_metatarsal_fractures.html
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/broken-toe

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Spring into spring, but not too fast!

The warm and humid days of spring are here and it’s time to get outside. Take a short daytrip to Galveston for a barefoot walk on the beach, or head on over to Kemah and see what’s cooking on the boardwalk. Just get outside and enjoy the season. As you enjoy a little down time, contemplate how you are going to increase your activity level coming off from an idle winter.

Although we are not so bound by the seasons here in Houston, people generally tend to slack off of physical activity a little anyway during the winter.  You runners out there who are getting back into shape and stepping it up by increasing mileage and speed, whoa there a minute. When you try to do too much too soon, you increase the risk of injury to your feet or ankles. If you are a beginning runner, there is even a special program to get you up and running three miles in a two month period (walk/jog). This is exactly what the doctor ordered.

To keep motivated as your train, remember:

- Don’t get impatient. The goal is to get you moving and keep you moving. Start slow and gradually increase in baby-step increments.

- Seek a pleasant environment. Enjoy a park setting or a country road.

- Get loose.  Be sure to do 5 minute warm up and cool down exercises.

- Recruit a friend. There is motivation and dedication built in.

- Your shoes are important and kept in good condition. If your feet feel good, it’s easier for you to face your run.

- Treat your feet kindly by bathing or soaking daily and keeping nails groomed. Hey, how about a massage?

- Don’t give up the plan. Conditioning is a gradual thing. You will see results. In the beginning you don’t need to focus on speed or distance.

Allow yourself to progress through your training and conditioning at a reasonable pace. The goal is to make incremental progress. If you get a little over zealous, or sustain a running injury, call Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8896. He wants to see you make forward strides.  If you have a story or comment to share about your running or training, please comment below.

References:

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--14242-2-1-2,00.html
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

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