Posts Tagged ‘foot’
Are you one of the millions of Americans who will resolve to exercise more in the New Year? If so, take advice from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and take it slowly. Too much activity too quickly can cause a multitude of foot and ankle problems including stress fractures, ruptured tendons, or plantar fasciitis.
The best way to avoid these foot and ankle injuries is to know your limits and to follow a sensible program when exercising. Preventative measures include:
- Select the proper footwear for the specific type of exercise
- Start out slowly when beginning an exercise program following a layoff period
- Walk and stretch to warm up gradually before running or walking
- Focus on stretching and strengthening the muscles in the calf
- Increase running or walking distance and speed gradually, in increments no greater than 10% per week
- Avoid unaccustomed strenuous sprinting
- Take the time to cool down properly after exercise
Keith L. Wapner, MD, clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital and President-Elect of the AOFAS, sees many patients with overuse injuries and he offers the following advice, “Plantar fasciitis, tendonitis and stress fractures are the most common overuse injuries. These can be avoided by remembering to include a stretching protocol prior to your workout and following the “rule of tens” by not increasing your exercise amount by more than ten percent per week.”
By adhering to these simple measures you may avoid painful overuse ankle injuries and achieve success with your New Year’s resolution. For more information on overuse injuries as well as resources on foot and ankle care go to the AOFAS website http://www.aofas.org. The site also features a surgeon referral service that makes it easy for patients to find a local orthopaedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle care.
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For years orthopaedic surgeons specializing in foot and ankle care have been warning women about the perils of wearing high heels. Now a new study by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) details the correlation between the heel height and amount of pain, pressure and strain it puts on your feet.
Twenty-one healthy men and women participated in the study, where each participant stood barefoot on wooden blocks of 2 cm, 3 cm, and 4 cm in height placed below the heel. The study results revealed a significant increase in pressure on the metatarsal heads (the ends of the metatarsal bones that connect to the toes) as the heel height was raised. This increased pressure contributes to pain, callous and bony deformities.
The study authors suggest limiting heel height to no greater than 2 cm (.8 inches) as well as the use of padding at the ball of the foot can significantly reduce discomfort and risk of injury to the metatarsal heads.
The AOFAS website www.aofas.org contains public education resources on the care and treatment of the foot and ankle, including a section titled: Smart Tips for Wearing High Heels. Tips include:
- Wear a shorter heel. A 2-inch heel causes fewer problems than a 4-inch heel. A shorter heel will give an elongated appearance if it is a thin stiletto type rather than a thick or chunky heel.
- Try to save the use of high heeled shoes for functions where you will not be on your feet for extended periods of time; treat them as a limited privilege accessory.
- Take your designer shoes to a pedorthist to have them custom fit to your feet. They may be able to stretch the toe box to better accommodate your feet.
- Try wearing a larger size than usual and insert heel cups into the backs for a better comfortable fit.
- Wear open toe shoes instead of a similarly styled shoe that causes discomfort in your toes. Partially open toe shoes have become more acceptable in many work environments, allowing you to further customize your shoes to your feet.
- Remember that however appealing high heel, high fashion shoes are, your feet need to carry you around for a lifetime. Treat them kindly!
Following the above tips as well as the study data which suggests limiting heel height to no greater than 2 cm (.8 inches) will go a long way in reducing foot discomfort.
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