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November 19, 2014

Feeling pins and needles in your feet?

If you experience burning, tingling, stabbing, pins-and-needles sensation in your feet, you’re not alone. This sensation is referred to as peripheral neuropathy and commonly affects diabetics. 60-70% of diabetics will develop peripheral neuropathy because they have uncontrolled blood sugars which damage nerves in the hands and feet leading to a tingling sensation and loss of feeling. Your feet may feel numb and you may loose the ability to feel temperature and pain making you more susceptible to injury, infection and burns. It is important to check your feet every day for signs of injury or infection. Many patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy are unable to sense a small pebble in their shoe and after walking on it all day long can develop a wound. It is important to wear properly fitted shoes and avoid walking barefoot. Make sure to check the temperature of the shower water before jumping in to avoid burning your feet.

There is no cure for peripheral neuropathy but there are medications that can help with the tingling sensation. Controlling blood sugar can help prevent the onset of peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy can also be caused by a vitamin B deficiency, certain medications, alcoholism, autoimmune diseases, infections, toxins and by many others. A herniated disk can also produce symptoms of a burning, tingling pain in the legs and feet. Come see Dr. Dardashti at Foot& Ankle Doctors, Inc for adequate diagnosis and treatment of your foot pain.

Dr. David Dardashti

November 13, 2014November 13, 2014

Budding Bunions

Bunions are every shoe lover’s worse nightmare. A bunion is a painful bump that forms on the joint at the base of the first or fifth toe making it difficult to wear shoes. These deformities progress over time and can be debilitating especially in runners. Overpronators are more prone to bunions because they place excessive stress on the big toe when running. This repetitive stress causes changes to the joint resulting in deviation of the toe inwards towards the other toes.

Padding and taping your foot before running can help position the foot in a more “normal” alignment and prevent abnormal stresses. Toe exercises can help strengthen the foot muscles and reduce the progression of the deformity. Physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications can reduce the inflammation at the joint. Orthotics and proper fitted shoes with a deep and wide toe box are also recommended. If these treatment options fail or in severe cases surgical intervention is required to realign the joint and remove the bony bump on the side of the foot.

If you are concerned about your bunion come and see Dr. Nejad for a consult.

November 5, 2014

Kevin Durant suffers from a Jones fracture

We are sad to hear that Kevin Durant is suffering from a Jones fracture. A Jones fracture is a common fracture of the 5th metatarsal (a long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe) commonly caused by an inward twisting injury of the foot.

Durant most likely experienced pain, swelling and tenderness along the outside of his foot, had difficulty walking and may have had some bruising. It was crucial that Durant was diagnosed and treated immediately because the 5th metatarsal has a poor blood supply that impedes the healing process.

Nonsurgical treatments for Durant includes resting and icing, immobilizing his foot with a cast and avoiding placing any weight on his foot. Jones fractures can take 6 weeks to heal and another 2-3 weeks of rehabilitation to build up muscle strength and range of motion.

Most professional athletes opt to treat a Jones fracture operatively with a screw or plate placed across the fracture site to avoid the possibility of delayed healing or non-unions, which are frequent with Jones fractures. It could be 8-12 weeks before Durant returns to the court if he decides to have surgery.

All of us at Foot & Ankle Doctors, Inc. are wishing Durant a speedy recovery.

Dr. Dardashti

October 29, 2014

What are custom orthotics?

Custom orthotics are devices that are custom molded to your feet. They fit comfortably inside your shoes and are designed to reduce stress and strain on the feet, knees legs hips and back. Orthotics will help improve your gait making walking and running more comfortable. Orthotics will help to correct your body’s misalignments also known as “biomechanical or structural deformities.” Most people that have biomechanical deformities will develop symptoms that usually present as pain in the joints, muscles or tendons.

Think of wearing orthotics as similar to wearing eyeglasses. When you wear your glasses they help correct your sight by placing corrective lenses in front of the eyes. This helps your eyes function as close to 20/20 vision. Orthotics help the body function in a similar way by helping to restore normal biomechanical function in your feet and legs.

There are a variety of types of custom orthotics, the two main types are: functional orthotics and accommodative orthotics. Functional orthotics help re-align the feet and legs. They reduce, or control abnormal motion that may be causing pain in the foot, leg and back. Accommodative orthotics are made out of softer material and they are designed to absorb shock and reduce pressure. They are less effective in controlling abnormal motion, they simply cushion and pad ulcers, painful calluses, bony prominences and other pathologies of the foot.

If you have pain or discomfort and think you can benefit from orthotics come see Dr. Nejad or Dr. Dardashti at Foot & Ankle Doctors, Inc.

October 23, 2014

The VIP’s of wound healing

According to APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) approximately 15% of individuals with diabetes will develop an ulcer. Celebrities like Halle Berry and Tom Hanks are diabetic and it is important for them or any person with diabetes to check their feet daily and ensure they do not have any open lesions. Wound healing is slowed when you have diabetes so it is important to treat wounds promptly. There are three important factors Dr. Dardashti checks when a patient presents with a wound and they can be summarized as “VIP.”

V is for vascular, for a wound to heal you need an adequate blood supply to provide proper nutrients to the injured area in order for healing to take place

I stands for infection, an infected wound needs to be treated with antibiotics before the wound can heal itself

P stands for pressure; some wounds on the feet are in places that are constantly subjected to increased pressures when walking. This chronic pressure will cause the tissue to breakdown resulting in a wound, thus it is important to relieve pressure from a wound to allow it to properly heal.

Dr. David Dardashti

October 18, 2014October 18, 2014

Morning Heel Pain

Do you ever wake up and have pain in your feet after stepping out of bed? Do you have foot pain when walking barefoot? You may have a condition known as plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a long band of tissue that stretches from your heel along the length of the arch and inserts into the toes helping to support the arch of the feet. When this band of tissue becomes aggravated or strained it becomes inflamed. The inflammation of this ligament is called plantar fasciitis.

Overpronation is the most common cause of plantar fasciitis. Pronation is an inward rolling movement of the foot that naturally occurs when walking or running. When pronation occurs in excess amount it is termed overpronation, which results in excessive inward rolling, stretching and flattening of the foot resulting in increased stress on the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain in runners because they pull and stretch this band of tissue causing microscopic tearing. Overweight individuals can also experience plantar fasciitis because they put a lot of pressure and force on the band causing small tears leading to inflammation and pain. Most people with plantar fasciitis experience a stabbing pain at their heel with the first few steps it the morning, or after getting up from sitting for an extended period of time. The pain tends to get better after moving around.

If the underlying cause of plantar fasciitis is left untreated it can progress into chronic heel, knee, hip or back pain. Plantar fasciitis can be easily treated if caught early. If you experience any of these symptoms see your local podiatrist or come see us at Foot & Ankle Doctors, Inc.

Dr. Farshid Nejad

Foot and Ankle Doctor Blog Space

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