How to Get Your Child Back on the Court/Field
You can actively help relieve your child’s heel pain (known as Sever’s disease) by taking a few simple measures. This condition is an inflammation of the heel growth plate and is very common in active children.
A Tuli heel cup, which is a soft, waffle-cone heel cup, is an excellent way to cushion the heel. Do not try to use a firm heel cup, the goal is shock absorption.
Next, you should purchase a night splint for your child. You may be able to find a night splint at your nearby pharmacy or you can order one online. If you search for ‘night splint’, you will find several choices. The night splint helps to decrease the pull of the Achilles tendon of the growth plate, but this may take several weeks to stretch.
Finally, use anti-inflammatory medication such as, Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen per package instructions in conjunction with ice three times a day for 20 minutes each time.
Last week in the blog post “Cleats and Your Child’s Heel Pain” we discussed how the sports shoes play an important part in the happy sports experience or the miserable experience.
If pain is persistent, please contact the office at Hoosier Foot and Ankle for a consultation to be certain that no bones are broken or tendons seriously damaged. You can call 317-660-2115 or use the online appointment request option available 24/7 for your convenience.
Cleats and Your Child’s Heel Pain
Do you have a child who suffers from heel pain? Has it gotten so bad they are unable to participate in their favorite sport? They are not alone. There are other boys and girls who suffer from heel pain that can get so painful; they are unable to continue with their normal activities. The pain is due to an inflammation .
There is growing evidence that this heel pain is caused by their sports footwear. The worst culprits tend to be cleat sports such as, soccer, football and baseball/softball. Why? Most cleats do not have a midsole and the weight distribution of the heel is not spread out evenly as in a gym shoe.
Soccer cleats are the worst of the group. When you add in the amount of running on hard ground associated with soccer, it is obvious that these athletes are the most affected group by heel pain.
The shoe companies need to acknowledge this problem and build a much better cleat; if one does they will dominate the cleat market. As your kids are getting ready for back to school sports programs, a consultation at Hoosier Foot and Ankle can help you determine some preventative plans such as stretching exercises, heel pads or arch supports. If the additional gear is recommended, the exercises become more important. You can help even more by being sure the child has good sneakers to wear steadily. Have him or her avoid very much barefoot time or flip-flops and slides during the sports season.
If your child has heel pain already please call today for a consultation about treatment. We would recommend the least invasive treatment that fits the diagnosis. You can phone 800-315-1363 for an appointment or use the online appointment request option available 24/7 for your convenience.
Eleven Steps to Pretty Feet
“I’ve been hanging out at the pool, gardening, and living in sandals through the hottest month on record. My feet are gross and it’s too hot to hide them in full shoes. What can I do?”
Having pretty feet may seem like an impossible task on your never ending to do list, but with a few simple and inexpensive steps you will be able to “bare” your feet without embarrassment.
- Start by soaking your feet twice a week for 10 to 15 minutes in lukewarm water mixed with a bath or table salt.
- Dry your feet well.
- Remove any toenail polish and use a nail brush to clean your nails.
- Soak your feet again for 5 to 10 minutes.
- For calluses or corns, carefully use a pumice stone or callus remover while your feet are moist and the skin is very soft.
- After drying your feet again, moisturize your feet with a good foot cream. Massage your feet while applying the cream working from the toes to the ankle. It is important to avoid using the cream between the toes as this can cause too much moisture and encourage fungal infections.
- When trimming your toenails, use a good quality nail trimmer following the shape of the toenail to guide you.
- Lightly rub olive oil on your nails and cuticles to moisturize them.
- Push your cuticles back with a cuticle stick. Do not trim your cuticles as this can break the natural barrier that protects the nail growth center from potential infections.
- Use a cotton ball to dry off your nails and the surrounding skin.
- You may now paint your nails, applying the first coat and letting it dry completely before applying the second coat.
Make this time your time and enjoy it. Consider your environment and create a relaxing space with candles, music and comfort.
Special considerations for your feet:
Athlete’s Foot — Try an anti-fungal cream for two weeks with acute cases and four weeks for chronic cases for your athlete’s foot. Moisture control is important for prevention of recurrence. Spray Lysol in your shoes and showers to kill fungus.
Calluses — Consider an over-the-counter arch support to reduce pressure if you have calluses.
Excessive Moisture — After showering each morning you should use an antiperspirant spray after drying your feet completely. Spray the tops and bottoms of your toes and the sole of your feet.
Nail Fungus — For mild cases, topical medications may be helpful. For more severe cases, Hoosier Foot and Ankle offers cool laser treatment in the clinic. Before doing treatment for nail fungus, get a solid diagnosis as Athletes Foot can act a lot like Nail Fungus. – Read more at As with athlete’s foot, moisture control is important for prevention of recurrence and spraying Lysol in your shoes and showers to fungus will help.
Odor – Odor is often controlled when you control moisture, but you can also use an odor repelling powder.
Footwear — Wear proper shoes that are fitted by a trained professional.
Warts – Use either a topical acid patch or freezing therapy – this may require multiple treatments or professional care. Again, wiping your shoes out with Lysol will also help remove any viruses that may be in your shoes or showers.
When Amputation is the Best Solution | Video
Last week you read a blog post here entitled Amputation is Not the “Lost Cause” Solution, about an article written by Dr. Shirley Catoire, DPM and Dr. Peter A. Blume, DPM and Dr. Bauer E. Sumpio, MD , which was published in PodiatryToday.com under the title “When Amputation is the Salvage Procedure.
The crux of that article was about the salvage gain that can come from a decision to amputate. So often, amputation of a limb or part of it seems like a defeat in the treatment plan.
But, the incidence of some catastrophic accidents or infections due to peripheral arterial disease is a very real issue. Being able to make the treatment plan and amputate part of a foot such as occurred for the patient in the video means the patient can survive, can recover and possibly be mobile in the future.
Comments at our YouTube channel indicate that after the dreaded amputation has been accomplished, the future for a patient who recovers from the amputation has promise and comfort.
Granted, we choose amputation after making other attempts to accomplish a successful healing of foot conditions. But, sometimes, when pre-emergency efforts fail, then we can see a different type of success for the patient.
Avoid accidents when you can. Pay attention to peripheral arterial conditions before gangrene can set in. These efforts can help more than anything to prevent amputation.
When you have an emergency injury, call 800-315-1363 for help with your needs. Call for a consultation if you are fighting peripheral arterial issues. I am, with the new associate, Dr. Catoire, ready to help you at any of our five podiatry clinics in the Indianapolis area.
Remember, Our Passion – Your Solution – Innovative Podiatric Care is the tag line for Hoosier Foot and Ankle.
A Dozen Situations When You Should Seek A Podiatrist
Pain in your feet is not normal. When your feet hurt, you hurt all over and want relief. How will you get that relief? As yourself these questions:
1. Should you treat it yourself?
2. Should you seek treatment from a podiatrist?
When considering self-treatment, you can start with RICE therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Anti-inflammatory medications can help with pain and swelling; just be sure to take them according to package directions. Proper shoe gear, fitted by a professional, is helpful for several painful conditions. Another consideration for self-treatment is an over-the-counter arch support to relieve pressure and support the foot.
Here are some situations where you should seek podiatric care:
1. If you experience pain that increases with activity. This could be a stress fracture or tendon injury. Both of these conditions require immediate care to prevent more serious problems.
2. Injuries that prevent you from putting weight on your foot due to significant swelling and pain require attention as soon as you can be seen by a podiatrist. This may mean going to the emergency room to be seen by the podiatrist on call.
3. Severe pain that lasts more than 24 hours can be the result of several conditions, therefore professional care is vital for diagnosis and treatment.
4. Open wounds or sores that are slow to heal on the foot should be seen by a podiatrist. If you have diabetes or poor circulation, you should seek immediate care within 24 hours of noticing the wound. The longer a wound is present, the higher the risk of infection.
5. If you have moles or other skin lesions on your feet that are irregular in shape or color, are painful, become open sores, or have changed appearance, you should see a professional as soon as possible to have a biopsy taken of the lesion. Your podiatrist will confirm a diagnosis and help generate a treatment plan once those results have been obtained.
6. Growths on the foot are not uncommon, but when they change or become painful, they should be examined.
7. Pain that wakes you up at night or when your legs are elevated, and is relieved by walking or dangling your feet is a common sign of poor circulation. Seeing a podiatrist is a good place to start your search for relief. After an examination and possibly some simple vascular testing, your podiatrist can make recommendations for further treatment and referrals as needed.
8. If you notice flattening of one arch, which may or may not be painful, you should seek care to determine the cause and plan subsequent treatment.
9. Changes in color of your foot or lower leg compared to the other side can indicate poor circulation (white discoloration), venous conditions (purple or blue discoloration), infection or gout (red discoloration). These conditions vary in severity, but should be evaluated.
10. An ingrown toenail that is causing pain or becomes red and swollen requires a simple in-office procedure to permanently remove the ingrown portion of the toenail.
11. Thickening and discoloration of your toenail which becomes painful or spreads to other nails can be treated by either topical or oral medications or laser treatment.
12. A foot deformity that is progressively getting worse should be evaluated and your treatment options reviewed.
You Do Not Need to Endure Heel Pain | EPAT® Video
Heel pain can be connected to inflammation. The condition is often identified as Plantar Fasciitis and can be connected to shoes, sports activities or injuries.
Treatment can vary from over-the-counter pain relievers, orthotics, or surgery. According to a recent post at IndianaShockwave.com, “Video | Shockwave Treatment for Heel Pain” when the the first choices of assertive, non-invasive treatments have not been successful, other options must be considered.
We’re offering Pulse Activation Shock Wave Therapy or EPAT®as a choice before resorting to surgery.
The post at IndianaShockwave.com has a link to a video from our YouTube Channel showing the EPAT® therapy being given to a patient.
If you have unrelieved heel pain, please call 800-315-1363 for a consultation appointment or you may use the online appointment request option available at our website 24/7 for your convenience. You do not need to endure heel pain.
Amputation is Not the “Lost Cause” Solution | Catoire
The decision to perform an amputation or partial amputation does not always fit the perception of a failure in treatment.
Amputation salvage procedures can preserve part of a limb or enhance the quality of life, even saving the life of the patient. Those goals do not represent failure or lost causes.
Recently, Dr. Shirley Catoire, DPM joined Dr. Peter A. Blume, DPM and Dr. Bauer E. Sumpio, MD in authoring an article for PodiatryToday.com discussing the possibilities and considerations for a decision to perform amputation.
As a multidisciplinary team, the authors recommend assessment of the issues that led to the patient’s current condition, plus what procedures can control or eliminate those issues.
Frequently, the patient has diabetes as one of the conditions that contributes to the foot problems being considered for salvage amputation.
You can read more about the detailed assessment recommendation at the article entitiled “When Is Amputation The Salvage Procedure?”
As an associate at Hoosier Foot and Ankle, Dr. Catoire is as committed as I am to avoiding unnecessary amputation. However, as the article discusses, sometimes the amputation has the best prognosis for the patient’s future comfort.
When you consult with us at Hoosier Foot and Ankle, you can know that we put your condition and your future highest on the list as we prepare a plan of treatment.
You can learn more about foot conditions and treatment, plus patient reward programs in our newsletter. Sign up at the Hoosier Foot and Ankle website today or text FOOTDOCS to 42828 to get started with our news.
