Fall Fashion Report: Which Trends are Good for Your Feet?

The Fall Fashion World is in full swing and with it comes all of the new and old shoe designs for the season. So, here is a quick run-down of the fashionable vs. the comfortable and supportive.

First up, is the pointy toe pump. This shoe style has been around for years and with each new season they come out with new colors, designs and materials. However, one thing is still true about these shoes that just never changes and that is their pointy toe box. The toe box is the part of the shoe that holds your toes and needs to be the shape of your toes.  For many people, this is a more rounded shape. So, a pointed shape will lead to conditions such as bunions and calluses because the shoe material is directly putting pressure on the sides of your big toe and little toe. So, instead of pointy toe shoes, many women should opt for a round toe to accommodate their toes.

Second are the moccasins. Now, there is a lot we can learn from the Native Americans, but unfortunately true moccasins are not a good shoe to wear outside anymore. The newer moccasins have a rubber sole to them that provides for a greater amount of protection when you are walking around outside which will help prevent you from stepping on a nail. However, these shoes do not have a great deal of support to them. For most of us, we have some type of foot complication such as a flat foot, a high arch or we have had an injury to our ankle in the past. So, these shoes do not offer the support and structure that we need to prevent our feet from hurting or prevent reinjury.

Third, we have boots. Now, boots have become extremely stylish the past couple of years starting with the Uggs boots. Unfortunately, Uggs boots offer practically zero support to your ankle and really only aid in keeping your feet warm. However, in the past couple of years they have also started marketing riding boots as being more than just for riding a horse. These boots, if you buy the right ones, can actually offer a great deal of support for your feet. So, when you are shopping for your next pair of boots, it is important to look for ones that have a hard supportive material around your foot and ankle.

If you have any questions about the best type of shoe wear for your feet or if you are struggling with finding shoes that don’t hurt your feet, please give our office a call at (978) 794-8406. We serve the Westford, Dracut, Wilmington, and Billerica, Massachusetts areas.

Do You Have a Bump on your Little Toe?

Many people have a bump on their little toe that doesn’t cause them any trouble at all, but for others, these bumps can cause them a lot of pain. These bumps are called tailor’s bunions because in the past tailors would sit with their legs crossed and would form bumps on the sides of their little toe. Due to the pressure that your shoe puts on the side of your feet, these bunions can cause a great deal of discomfort and limit people’s time they can spend on their feet.

So, what are bunions, and what is the treatment for bunions? Well, to put it simply, a bunion is due to your bone moving farther to the side of your foot and so it pushes against your skin and forms the bump that you can see. This bump is what is pushing up against your shoe and causing you the discomfort. So, what can we do for them? The conservative treatment is always the best avenue to travel down first and consists of padding the bump to separate it from your shoe and cushion it from the pressure. You can also buy wider shoes to provide more room for the bump. You can also avoid sitting in positions that put pressure on that side of your foot.

The next option is surgery for bunions. These procedures are done very quickly and you are able to go home the same day. However, you will need to be in a boot for a couple of weeks to protect the stitches and to cushion your foot. The surgery will remove that bump that is causing you the pain though and will relieve the pressure.

So, what can you expect if you have a tailor’s bunion? Well, when you come into the office we’ll want to see what kinds of things you have already tried for your bunion and get a feel as to how much pain it is causing you. X-rays will probably be taken of your foot to determine exactly what part of the bone is contributing and what the best course of treatment is for you.

If you or someone that you know has a tailor’s bunion that you would like to have looked at, please call our office at (978) 794-8406 and we can schedule you an appointment at one of our four offices. We serve the Bradford, Methuen, Lowell and North Andover, Massachusetts areas and would be more than happy to see  you and help you get back up on your feet.

Is your Foot Swelling?

Do you suffer from swelling in your feet, ankles or legs? This may be due to venous insufficiency. Circulation through your body is controlled much like a pump system. As blood travels from your upper body down to your toes it is assisted by gravity. However, once it gets down to your toes, how on Earth is it going to get back? Well, this is where your pump system comes in. As you walk throughout the day, your muscles help to push the blood back up to your heart. While the blood is moving up, there are little valves inside your veins that open and close to prevent the blood from slipping back down to your toes. Now, in an ideal situation, this system works pretty flawlessly. But, as we get older, our veins may stretch leading to insufficiency of these valves because they aren’t able to get the tight seal they once could. So, as a result we can end up with varicose veins that are dilated and aren’t as efficient as the veins we once had.

So, what can cause varicose veins? Well, there are a whole slew of things. Obesity, pregnancy, prolonged standing and just plain aging can all lead to these larger veins. So, here’s the better question, what do we do about them? There are a few simple everyday things that you can do that will greatly reduce the swelling in your legs. The first thing you can do is very easy, just elevate your legs. By putting your legs up higher, you are allowing gravity to assist your valves and return the blood back to your heart. Compression stockings will also help, because they will provide more pressure evenly on your legs to assist the blood. As far as lifestyle changes, losing weight will help reduce the pressure on your veins and walking will assist your muscles.

Now, here’s the trouble with swelling, it can be a result of many different things, including infection, heart failure and blockage. So, it is very important that when you notice swelling in either or both of your feet, ankles or legs that you visit your doctor immediately. It is important that your condition be assessed so that the proper steps can be taken to take care of your condition. If you experience any of the above symptoms, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Dr. Wachtel serves the Middleton, Stoneham, Chelmsford and Lowell, Massachusetts areas.

Do You Feel Like There is a Pebble in Your Shoe?

Have you ever had the sensation of a pebble in your shoe when nothing is there or a burning, tingling sensation between your toes that goes away when you rest? If you have, then you may have a neuroma. A neuroma occurs when part of your nerve becomes entrapped and the constant rubbing against it causes inflammation and a scar like substance to build up on your nerve. In an area that is so small, this build-up can cause a great deal of discomfort. Depending on how large it is or how small your foot is, the pain can be downright unbearable. In the foot, the most common place for a person to get a neuroma is in between your 3^rd and 4^th toe.

Neuromas are a bit of a conundrum, because they can be tricky to diagnose and treat. However, many people have had a great deal of success and relief after treatment. As with most things, we always want to start with the simple treatments first. This means anything that is going to potentially relieve your pain without operating. So, for a neuroma, this includes orthoses that have padding built in to cushion your neuroma, wider shoes so that your toes are not pushing against the nerve, and steroid shots to numb and treat the neuroma.

Sometimes, conservative treatment doesn’t work though, and we are left with surgery as our last option. Typically before this point though, an x-ray and other imaging modalities will be used to determine if there is another cause for your pain or not. If it is indeed a neuroma then the surgical procedure is pretty straight forward and gets you back on your feet quickly.

If you or someone you know has been experiencing pain between their toes, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment. We see people in the Methuen, Reading, North Andover and Tewksbury, Massachusetts area. Through a thorough clinical evaluation and diagnostic studies, Dr. Wachtel will be able to determine your diagnosis and the best treatment plan for you and your lifestyle.

The Lowdown on Hiking Boots

It’s starting to cool down just a little bit and it is the perfect time for you to go hiking. As many of you know, when you are go hiking you should always wear sunscreen, bug spray and bring a bottle of water. What many people forget is that you should wear a sturdy pair of hiking shoes.

Hiking trails are known for their rocks, limbs and uneven terrain. With all of these different things contributing to your hiking trails means that there are many opportunities for your ankles to twist or for you to step on something that could puncture the sole of your shoe. When you are looking for sturdy hiking boots, one trick that you can use is to turn the shoe upside and hold it at the toes and heel and bend the shoe. If it only bends at one area then these shoes are sturdier and will offer you better support, however, if they just crumple up, these shoes won’t offer you the support you need for the hiking trail.

Many people think that they can take the shoes that they use to run, bike or walk in everyday and that they can be used in any circumstance. However, shoes are designed with specific activities in mind. For instance, hiking boots have a thicker sole that prevents thorns from puncturing through the sole, they have increased strength and cushioning around your ankle to help prevent rolling, and they are often made out of waterproof material to allow you to hike any terrain.

If you are having any trouble with discomfort in your shoes, Dr. Wachtel would be able to recommend the best type of shoes for your particular sport. There is a wide range of shoes that are available that will offer you the greatest support and comfort allowing you to perform at your best. Our offices serve the Tewksbury, Reading, Methuen, and Lowell, Massachusetts area. Our office staff would be more than happy to help schedule you an appointment.

Kinesio taping and Minor Injuries

Dwight Freeney of the Indianapolis Colts was injured on Sunday during their game against the Chicago Bears. The Colts are concerned as to whether or not their player will be able to get back into the game next week or even this season. This will all depend on the severity of the injury to his ankle. Since ankle sprains can vary greatly in their severity, the injury could mean resting for a few days to an entire season.

A popular treatment that we have seen on our televisions lately is kinesio taping. Think back to the Olympics and the colored tape that you saw all over the swimmers and volleyball players. This type of tape has become popular quickly due to the personal testaments of the Olympic and professional athletes. The tape is used to assist injured joints and muscles to allow the athlete the ability to play with minor injuries.

Kinesio taping is applied along the length of a muscle or around a joint to offload the area and provide increased support allowing the injured area assistance. It is a waterproof tape that can be left on the skin for 3 days. There are no known contraindications to using the tape other than some fair skinned people may have a mild reaction. The tape can be bought at any of your local sports stores, but in order to learn how to properly apply the tape you must schedule a visit with your podiatrist. They can properly show you how to apply the tape as well as examine your injury.

It is important to assess the level of injury in order to determine the treatment that is best. Although, kinesio taping can be very helpful for mild injuries or for sore muscles anything that is more severe requires physical exam. After an exam, your podiatrist will be able to determine what extent of treatment you need as well as how long you will need to rest.

If you or someone you know is interested in kinesio taping, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to help determine what the best treatment would be for you. Our offices treat the Tewksbury, Reading, Methuen and Lowell, Massachusetts area.

Diabetic Ulcer Prevention with Orthotics

Diabetic foot care is all about the prevention of ulcers, neuropathy and the quick treatment if any of these conditions develop. Ulcerations is a huge concern for diabetic patients because a break in the skin of a diabetic patient can quickly lead to a medical emergency and amputation. It is not a matter that should be taken lightly and it requires immediate attention from a podiatrist.

Once a person with diabetes develops an ulcer, they are at risk for an ulcer in that location for the rest of their life. This is due to the fact that when skin heals, it will never return to its original strength. Since we have learned this, podiatrists work to take special precautions with these areas of the foot. One way that we do this is through orthosis. Many times when people hear about orthotics they think about inserts that change the position of the foot, diabetic orthosis are a little bit different. They are molded to fit the shape of your foot exactly so that there is no space between your foot and the surface of the orthosis. This serves to prevent any areas of increased pressure. Now, if you have an area that has had an ulcer in the past or is more prone to one, then your podiatrist will take the proper steps to provide extra accommodations for that area.

It is also necessary to come in for routine care every 2-3 months so that your podiatrist can keep an eye on you. They will be able to check between your toes and on your feet for any signs of ulcers or areas that may be prone to getting an ulcer. Through the relationship you form with your podiatrist you will be able to work together to help prevent any medical complications. It is very important that you maintain this relationship.

If you or someone you know has diabetes, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Our offices serve Billerica, Dracut, Westford and Methuen, Massachusetts. Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to form a relationship with you to provide the best diabetic preventative care he can.

Diabetes Prevention

An interview with the CEO of EKF Diagnostics was recently interviewed about the prevention of diabetes. In recent studies, they have suggested that patients should be using a test known as HbA1C rather than a glucose stick test to monitor their sugar. A HbA1C is a test that looks at your sugar average over the past 2-3 months rather than a glucose stick test that just looks at it right now. By looking at an average over the past several months, your clinician is better able to tell if your body is processing your sugar the way that it should be or not.

If your HbA1C is high, then it will allow you to be able to make minimal adjustments such a diet monitoring, adding exercise to your daily routine and being more aware of your body before you become diabetic. As a result, you may be able to prevent diabetes and with it prevent all of the problems that result, such as hear conditions, loss of sensation, and kidney problems.

Diabetes is a difficult disease because it is a gateway disease that opens the door to all kinds of health issues throughout your entire body. Since it can cause so many additional issues, it is important to prevent diabetes and if you are diagnosed, to keep it under control. The best way to do this is through weight control. Each of us have extremely busy schedules and it can be difficult to fit exercise into our daily routine, but small changes can make a huge difference. So, when you get to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, when you go to the grocery store, park at the end of the parking lot instead of trying to fight for the closest spot, and encourage family activities like hiking, biking, or taking an evening walk. All of these activities will not only promote a healthy lifestyle for you, but it will help your family members to be healthy as well. It is important that we learn these concepts from an early age so that we can lead as healthy of a life as we can.

If you are concerned about the health of yourself or someone you know, our office would be more than happy to schedule you an appointment. Dr. Wachtel can teach you the signs and symptoms of diabetes as well as the best preventative steps that you can take. Dr. Wachtel also has a book that you can receive for free titled Diabetes and Your Healthy Feet. Our offices serve the Burlington, Chelmsford, Newburyport and Lowell, Massachusetts areas.