Don’t Let Old Man Winter Sneak Up on You

Although the weather in Texas is generally mild, January is the coldest month of the year and it’s always possible for some slippery days to sneak into the forecast. Unfortunately, it only takes one icy patch to cause a stumble or fall that can result in an ankle sprain, fracture or other foot injury. At Texas Foot Specialists, we believe in being proactive in taking care of your feet and that means being prepared for winter’s worst. Below are some tips to help avoid falls when the temperature drops:

Keep a pair of shoes or boots with rubber soles and good traction in your car for unexpected icy precipitation.

Have a bag of cat litter, sand or salt in your garage to sprinkle on walkways, sidewalks and driveways on slippery days.

When snow and sleet fall, look for paths that are cleared, salted and well-lit for safest passage. Your usual path to the office or store may not be the safest one.

Keep your hands free when walking on slippery surfaces. This will ensure that your view is not obstructed and also allow you to use your hands to help maintain your balance or break a fall.

• Rest—stay off your feet until the foot doctor has examined you.

• Ice—ice the injured area—20 minutes on, 40 minutes off.

• Compression—use a compression bandage to help control swelling and reduce pain.

• Elevation—keep the injured foot elevated slightly above heart level.

• In Case of Injury

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a slip or fall may still occur. If that happens and you believe you have suffered an ankle twisting or other foot injury, contact our Pasadena (281) 991-0600, Sugar Land (281) 242-4448 or Houston (713) 664-6677 office. Our podiatrists, Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller, will examine your feet and determine what type of injury you have and how to best treat it.

Five Sports Injuries of the Foot and Ankle - The Texas Foot Specialists

Injuries are quite common in athletes. This is because of the physical demands that each sport requires. And one of the most abused parts in any sport is the feet. It is constantly exposed to stress from explosive movements such as jumping, running or quickly changing directions. The foot is one of the most robust structures in the body but it too has its limits. And when it is stretched beyond its limits, foot and ankle injuries can occur.

Five Foot and ankle sports injuries commonly seen in athletes:

1. Ankle sprains. This is usually the result of landing on an uneven surface which results to the foot turning in a bad position. This can result to a partial or complete tear of the ligaments responsible for stabilizing and supporting your ankle joint.
2. Achilles tendon injury. Coined as Achilles tendonitis, this injury to the Achilles tendon. It is often the result of over usage of the tendon. Usually an acute inflammation, the tendon may become ruptured especially if it is already weak.
3. Plantar fasciitis. This is a condition wherein the tissue that connects the heel to the toes becomes inflamed. Once there is plantar fasciitis, you may feel pain in your heel or in your arch.
4. Stress fractures. A stress fracture is most common in runners. This is an injury to the tendons and ligaments which are located on the inside and outside of your ankle. This can cause stress in your foot bones. Though a stress fracture does not happen in one event, repetitive stress on the bone may cause it to break. As a matter of fact, 5-15% on all running-related injuries are dedicated to stress fractures and 49% of all injuries are usually seen on those people who ran a range of 25 to 44 miles a week.
5. Turf toe. An athlete can also suffer from a turf toe which is best described as a sprain of the main joint on your big toe. It is painful and will result to limited joint movement in your big toe.

Pain and swelling are the first indication of a possible injury. Although most of the pain felt could be due to a strained muscle, lingering pain could be a sign of a serious foot and ankle injury. When this happens, consult a podiatrist.  Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller are Podiatrists who specialize in helping athletes suffering from foot and ankle injuries.  

A sport that has relatively high amount of foot and ankle injuries is soccer. Soccer injuries are usually the result of collisions when one player strikes another with a forceful impact. Since soccer can also be an example of a contact sport, a player usually gets a direct blow to his lower leg. This accounts for 20-30% ankle injuries in all of the recorded soccer injuries. 

The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston, we specialize in helping people with foot disorders. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.

New York Yankee Pitcher Bryan Mitchell Falls to Turf Toe Injury - The Texas Foot Specialists

New York Yankees pitcher Bryan Mitchell is rumored to have a grade 3 Turf toe. Mitchell is a professional baseball pitcher who suffered an injury in a game against Atlanta Braves. It is said that he was running to cover the first base. His injury will require him a surgery that will take him three months to fully recover.

Turf toe is the term used to describe the sprain of the ligaments around the big toe joint. This injury is caused when the big toe is jammed forcefully while running or jumping. Consult a podiatrist for any type of foot injury. Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller are Podiatrists who specialize in helping people with chronic foot pain and other types of foot conditions.

 What are the signs and symptoms of Turf toe? 

• There is limited toe movement
• At a time of injury, a snapping or popping sound can be heard
• Your mobility is reduced
• Your toe is swelling
• Your big toe is bruising
• There is pain at the base of your big toe
• Tenderness
•  Pain and other symptoms are mild at first but it will gradually get worse. Not everyone will experience all these symptoms but everyone complains about pain. 

Tips on how to prevent turf toe

• With the help of a proper footwear, turf toe and other toe injuries can be avoided and prevented. You can also try various stretching exercises that will strengthen your toes.
• Instead of tennis shoes, it is much better if you will wear cleats
• Wearing proper shoes that provide protection most especially on your toes
• Toe walking - you must do this exercise slowly at first. It is simple as standing on your tiptoes and walk
• Pencil pick-up - you have to use your toe to pick up the pencil on the floor while you are sitting

Tips on how to treat a turf toe

• Rest - putting weights and pressures on your toes should be avoided when you are in the healing process
• Ice - should be applied on the injured part every hour that will take 15 to 20 minutes to lessen the pain
• Compression - it is important to tape your toes with the help of elastic bandages to prevent your toes from moving
• Elevation - with the help of pillows and cushions, you have to raise your injured foot above your heart level
• Anti-inflammatory drugs - over the counter medication like Ibuprofen can help to lessen the pain

It is said that turf toe can cause long-term problems even with proper medication and treatment. This can also lead to hyper flexion injuries. The pain will subside from two to three weeks with the help of proper treatment and medication. 

The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston we specialize in helping people suffering from chronic foot problems. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.

Understanding Achilles Tendonitis - The Texas Foot Specialists

Some of us may have experienced having an inflamed Achilles tendon or Achilles tendonitis. This condition makes it difficult for us to walk or even lift our foot. This is common especially for athletes because the Achilles tendon is responsible for supporting almost every heavy foot movement.

The Achilles tendon is located at the back of your foot and connect your calf to your heel. It is used while walking or running, making it constantly exposed to being overused or abused. But this is not only caused by constant use of the Achilles tendon, it can also be due to arthritis which is often seen in middle-aged people or the elderly.

Symptoms of an Achilles tendon includes pain when walking or running. There could also be visible bruising and swelling at the back of your heels. Although this might cause a slight discomfort, visiting a podiatrist is a good way of preventing further injury.

Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller are Podiatrists is a podiatrist who specializes in helping people suffering from Achilles tendonitis and other foot disorders.

Treatment:

The goal of treatment for Achilles tendonitis is to lessen the pressure on the tendon and reduce inflammation. Below are a few tips on how to manage the pain and prevent further injury if you suspect an Achilles tendon injury.

1. Stay away from activities that can aggravate your Achilles tendonitis
2. Make use of shoe inserts to free your tendon from pressure while it heals.
3. Ice application for 20 minutes per hour when the stage is at its acute phase.
4. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken to help reduce pain and inflammation.
5. Casting the foot or wearing a restrictive ankle-boot will minimise your movement and giving your tendon more time to heal.
6. Steroid injections may be used, however, this procedure must only be done by a specialized doctor.

Surgery:

Surgery is considered as the last option when treating Achilles tendonitis. This is only performed when conservative treatment fail. A period of 6 months is given for non-surgical treatments before surgery is recommended. Damaged structures may be removed or re-attached.

Prevention:

1. Maintain your normal and healthy weight.
2. Avoid sudden increases in difficulty when sports training, do this gradually.
3. Stretch during warm ups and cool downs.
4. Rest your foot once pain is felt. 

The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston we specialize in helping people with Achilles tendonitis. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.