Another common over-use injury for athletes and exercise enthusiasts is stress fractures. These are common in the small bones of your foot and ankle. When you use your feet a lot, and add a lot of stress to them, this can cause small, incomplete fractures known as stress fractures. These account for up to 15% of all sports-related injuries. The symptoms include pain, swelling, and redness in the area of the fracture. Your podiatrist will need to perform an examination including X-Rays to properly diagnose your condition. Then treatment usually consists of immobilization with a cast or walking boot for a period of time paired with medication for pain, followed by possible use of an orthotic to prevent further injury and use.

This injury is most often caused by repeated use of the foot, especially when performing a repetitive or high impact action (running is both of these). There are a few things that you can do to prevent an injury of this type. First of all, vary your workouts. Pair you high impact workouts like running or aerobics with low impact, high cardiac output exercises like biking, swimming, walking, or a low impact exercise machine like a stair climber or elliptical. You can also look for low impact seasonal activities like cross country skiing or snow shoeing. You should also make sure you are wearing the appropriate footwear for all your activities. Wear tennis shoes for workouts or runs, and be sure your shoes are in good condition with adequate support and padding. Remember to lace and tie your shoes completely. People who work on hard surfaces, like concrete, or stand for long periods of time are not only susceptible to plantar fasciitis, but also to stress fractures. Be sure that your work shoes are supportive and not high heeled. You may also want to consider orthotics as a preventative measure, as they return your foot to a neutral biomechanical position and help relieve some of the stress placed on your foot.

If you think you are experiencing a stress fracture, just remember RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This will help you find some relief and will aid in reducing any swelling you may experience. You can also take an over-the-counter pain medication for any soreness, discomfort, or pain. You should then call your podiatrist to set up an appointment for diagnostic tests and to begin your treatment. Leaving stress fractures untreated will lead to further pain, and a more severe fracture. They need to be treated as soon as possible.

There have been numerous cases in sporting news about athletes having problems with plantar fasciitis. In light of the largest worldwide athletic stage, the Olympics, we thought this would be a perfect time to bring you some information on this common over-use injury of the foot.

The plantar fascia is the band of connective tissue which connects the heel of the foot to the toes. When it is over-used it can become inflammed and painful. This condition is known as plantar fasciitis. The pain from plantar fasciitis is usually described as ranging from an ache or throb to a stabbing pain, and it is most commonly located on the bottom of the foot, where the arch meets the heel. The pain is often at its worst in the morning or after sitting down, and may subside once you use your foot.

There are a few common causes of plantar fasciitis. Athletes and those who exercise for enjoyment or health reasons often experience this condition, as repeated use can cause strain on the plantar fascia. Runner especially experience over-use injuries like plantar fasciitis, stress fractures of the feet and ankles, and shin splints. Also, people who spend a lot of time on their feet in a day are susceptible to plantar fasciitis. Standing on hard surfaces, like concrete, can exacerbate the problem. And the shoes you are wearing factors in as well. Shoes that do not support your arches are more likely to contribute to problems of your feet. And lastly, your existing foot biomechanics factor in to your overall foot health. If you have high arches or low arches, in-toeing, out-toeing or another structural problem with your feet, you may experience side effects, among them plantar fasciitis.

What can you do to prevent or treat plantar fasciitis? There are many options for prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis. Firstly, your shoes are the most important part for preventing this condition. Make sure you are wearing the appropriate shoes for your activities. You should be wearing athletic shoes with good support for your sports or exercise routines. And if you will be walking long distances you should wear the appropriate shoes (not sandals or heels). Keep your shoes in mind when planning your activities and replace shoes that are worn out. Replacing your shoes so they offer the correct support will prevent lots of pain and the expense and time off from an injury. A second option is conservative footcare. Conservative footcare is any non-surgical care we can offer. This includes taping, braces, cortisone injections, APC injections, ESWT treatments, stretching exercises, night splints, physical therapy, medications and orthotics. There are many options for helping you relieve your pain conservatively. Custom molded orthotics are one of the most successful ways to treat plantar fasciitis. Unlike over-the-counter or "Custom Fit" orthotics, these are made from a 3-D scan of your foot to fit it exactly, offer support, and return your foot to a neutral position. These are also a great idea for athletes who want to prevent over-use complications in their feet. Orthotics also help align your body, and can aid in the relief of ankle, knee, hip or back pain caused from misalignment.

We hope that as you train for fun, competition, or health reasons you remember that your training doesn't have to be painful. Your feet and ankles can perform to the level you desire, but you may need a little help. Call our office as soon as you have a problem and we can begin treating you to get you back to your highly active level.

Everyone here at The Advanced Footcare Clinic is excited about the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. We have been following many sports, and enjoying all the interesting stories about the athlete's backgrounds, personal challenges they face, and the difficulties of their sports. We know that many of our patients are interested in these games as well, and that many of our patients enjoy exercising for pleasure and for their health. Like these athletes, you too may experience foot and ankle problems when you are using your feet in athletics. That is why we are happy to present a brand new blog on the Olympics and your footcare. Simply go to: http://olympicsfootdoc.blogspot.com/ to visit our new blog all about Olympic events, medal updates, injury reports on the athletes, and injuries and conditions you may suffer from while participating in Olympic activities on your own (like skiing or skating) or other non-Olympic activities. We know that the feet are the foundation of your whole body, and when you experience a problem with them, it hinders your everyday and athletic activity. That is why we want to educate our patients on their footcare, and incorporating the interesting topic of the Olympics makes that fun and easy. So visit our blog, or look to this one for continuing updates on the Olympics and your foot health.

The Advanced Footcare Clinic will be at the Day of Dance for Health event sponsored by Blanchard Valley Health Systems! The event is to raise awareness for women's health issues, as well as enjoy a day to enjoy different dance styles, watch dance performance groups, take in music, eat good food, sign up for give-a-ways, receive health screenings and even win door prizes. Our office will have a booth at this event to share valuable health information about your feet. When you are exercising or dancing regularly you can really improve your over-all health. But nothing will hinder your ability to do so quicker than sore feet. So we want to give you tips on how to avoid this type of pain, as well as making you aware that we are available when you do experience foot problems. We will also have special offers and products from our office. Our display will include examples of our new therapeutic shoes. We want our patients to see that our shoes are not what they traditionally think of as therapeutic shoes, but they have been updated to offer great style as well as great footcare. And these shoes are available to all our patients, not just diabetics. We will also have an offer on a free pair of Dr. Comfort brand slippers for anyone who makes an appointment to see the podiatrist. And lastly, we will be offering free giveaways on some of our most recommended moisturizers, creams, scrubs, soaks, and other products.

The event will be held on Saturday, February 27th from 10:00am to 2:00pm. It will be in the University of Findlay's Koehler Center and the admission fee is a toothbrush and/or tube of tooth paste for charity. There is no preregistration required. Any questions can be directed to 419-423-5551. We look forward to seeing you that Saturday to enjoy yourself and learn all about women's health needs.