Actress and singer Jennifer Hudson seems to be talking about Weight Watchers a lot these days. The truth is according to Hudson, it’s helped her achieve her goals and lose weight drastically. One area that has led to a positive change, is her painful feet due to her once obese weight frame. “Normally, I would take off my shoes off on the red carpet because my feet hurt so bad. And it was the weight. But now that’s all I’m wearing. It used to be flats, now it’s all heels. So, that’s a drastic change, said Hudson in a HuffPost Celebrity interview.  

Experts on the illness blame excessive eating and drinking for the increase in those prone to obesity.  There are many risk factors for gout other than alcohol and foot consumption and those include:  high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Your feet are an important part of your body, and if you think you may have sustained a foot injury or developed a foot illness due to weight you should seek out the care of a podiatrist such as Dr. Howard Hyman of The Podiatry Center, P.C.  Dr. Hyman can diagnose your injury as well as provide you with treatment options that work for you.

Obesity and your Feet

Since your feet are what support your entire weight when standing, any additional weight can result in pain and swelling.

Problems & Complications

Extra Weight – Even putting on just a few extra pounds could create serious complications for your feet.

Diabetes – People who are overweight are at serious risk of developing type-2 diabetes, which has an impact on your feet.

Plantar fasciitis – Pressure and stress that is placed on muscles, joints, and tendons can trigger this, which is an inflammation of tissue along the bottom of the foot.

Solutions

Footwear – Specially made footwear that supports your joints, arches, and ankles, and allows room for good circulation is a great option to mitigate pressure and pain.

Orthotics – These special inserts are inserted into shoes to absorb shock and also support your arches to keep your feet properly aligned.

For more information please follow this link.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Milburn NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker injured his left ankle in the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings after coming down on his leg awkwardly. Parker needed to be helped up off the court and into the locker room, transferring the burden onto Manu Ginobili. Although the team is making it into the playoffs with or without Parker, this leaves the San Antonio Spurs without their superstar player.

Athletes can miss important games as a result of ankle sprains as in the case of Tony Parker. Ankle sprains should always be treated no matter what. If you have sprained your ankle, seek the aid of a podiatrist like Dr. Howard Hyman of The Podiatry Center, P.C to ensure the injury is properly evaluated and appropriate treatment options are given.

How Ankle Sprains Occur

Ankle sprains take place when ligaments are stretched or torn beyond their capable limits. There are multiple ways that the ankle can become injured; including something as simple as walking. Ankle damage can happen from walking on uneven terrain or losing one’s footing.

What are the Symptoms?

• Skin Discoloration
• Bruising
• Swelling
• Limited Mobility

How to Care for my Ankle at Home?

Self-care for ankle sprains includes keeping it propped up and elevated, remaining off your feet and applying ice packs as needed. Wrapping the ankle with an ACE bandage and taking over-the-counter pain relievers can also be helpful. The most important step is to avoid placing further stress to the affected area.

Preventing a Sprain

• Wearing occasion-appropriate shoes
• Stretching before exercises and sports
• Knowing your body’s limits

For more information at how to treat a sprained ankle, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Milburn NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.

Read the full article about Ankle Sprains.

Crane driver and sports enthusiast Brian Girdwood has struggled with arthritis in the joints for six years. “Years of boxing, rugby and marathons in the Army were taking their toll,” said Girdwood. Painkillers and other treatments seemed to have no effect, according to Girdwood. That was until he was offered surgery to remove a small amount of bone from elsewhere in the body and fuse the bones in his neck together to stop them from grinding against each other. Editor Carol Davis states bone fusion is often used to cure some of the wear and tear in the spine and ankles, or for deformities such as hammertoes. For Brain, the benefits have been positive, having his bones fused, and now being able to move his head without fear of pain.

If you are experiencing foot pain and think it might be caused by arthritis, you should seek the care of a podiatrist like Dr. Howard Hyman of The Podiatry Center, P.C is experienced in treating patients with foot pain caused by arthritis, and can provide you with a proper diagnosis to determine if your foot pain is in fact caused by arthritis.

Arthritic Foot Care

We walk approximately 75,000 miles in the average lifetime, putting a great deal of stress on the 26 bones and 30 joints that we have in our feet. Our feet lose flexibility and elasticity as we get older. Our shock absorbers weaken, and if arthritis occurs, the joints become inflamed and distorted. Arthritic foot care and treatment is crucial when this happens.

Take care of your feet by wearing footwear that is well-fitted. Certain conditions can develop when you wear shoes that don’t fit properly; such as hammertoes, neuroma, and bunions. Wearing shoes that have a lower heel and extra room in the shoe can help your feet be comfortable. In cases of rheumatoid arthritis, the arch in your foot can become problematic. Buying shoes with adequate arch support helps; especially those that contour to your foot.

Alleviating Arthritic Pain

Specific exercises may help prevent further pain and injury and increase your mobility.

To learn more about arthritic foot care, please follow the link below.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Milburn NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.


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A recent study published in Footwear Science shows that the surface underfoot plays a major role in foot-strike determination. Results showed that only 20% of subjects landed on their midfoot or forefoot, on a soft surface. While on a hard surface the percent increased to 65%.

According to UMass running biomechanics group, a study they conducted also showed most test subjects switched to a mid- or forefoot strike on the hard surface when running on hard surface versus soft EVA foam like material. Researchers believe runners tend to be forefoot strikers due a mechanism to “reduce pain.”   
The biomechanics of the foot, ankle, and lower leg are essential to understanding the proper functioning of the lower leg and foot. If you suspect a problem with your biomechanics and believe it is causing foot pain, ankle pain, or walking instability, it is recommended to see a podiatrist, like Howard Hyman of The Podiatry Center, P.C for immediate consultation, care, and treatment options.

Biomechanics in Podiatry

Podiatric biomechanics is a particular sector of specialty podiatry with licensed practitioners who are trained to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and lower leg. Biomechanics deals with the forces that act against the body causing an interference with the biological structure and focuses on the movement of the ankle, the foot and the forces that interact with them.

A History of Biomechanics

- Biomechanics dates back to the BC era in Egypt where evidence of professional foot care has been recorded.
- In 1974 biomechanics gained a higher profile from the studies of Merton Root, who claimed that by changing or controlling the forces between the ankle and the foot, corrections or conditions could be implemented to gain strength and coordination to the area.

Modern technology improvements are based on past theories and therapeutic processes providing a better understanding of podiatry concepts for biomechanics. Computers provide accurate determinations about the forces, moments and patterns of the foot and lower legs with the most important information captured.

To learn more about biomechanics in podiatry please follow link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Milburn NJ. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.

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