If you don’t have your own podiatrist to help you care for your feet, it may be a good idea to find one. A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in feet and ankles. They’re trained to diagnose and treat, as well as do surgery so they truly are the foot specialists of the medical community.

Dr. Oliver Zong, a cosmetic foot surgeon in New York City, offers BlissTree.com readers tips on keeping your feet healthy in part 1 of this 2 part series. Dr. Zong is also Director of Surgery at NYC Foot Care and is on the Board of Directors at the Gramercy Park Surgery Center.

Stretching.  Stretching primes the body for the strenuous activity.  Stretch before and after running.  Concentrate on the calves, hamstrings, quads and feet.

Shoes. Invest in a good pair of running shoes.  They provide specific impact support that running demands.   If feet sweat heavily during running try putting talcum powder in your shoes to keep feet dry.

Orthotics.  If you have arch or heel pain, you may be a perfect candidate for orthotics.  Visit a podiatrist to inquire about purchasing orthotics for your shoes.

Socks.  Cotton socks absorb moisture. For a long run like a marathon, your feet may require a synthetic sock (containing acrylic), which helps alleviate moisture from your skin.   Make sure that the seams of your socks are not in an area of pressure, which can lead to a lot of pain. If you cannot find a comfortable location for the seams try turning socks inside out.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications. Do not pop Advil before a race to prevent aches that may arise during the race.  Save this treatment for the day after the race.  Taking anti-inflammatory medications will mask any pain that is felt during the race and can lead to more serious injury.  Pain is a valuable feedback mechanism that you need to pay attention to during a long run.

Groom Toenails.  Make sure your toenails are not long before a race.  They should not extend past the tip of your toe and should be shaped in a straight cut.  If you do not properly groom your toenails before a marathon you run the risk of developing an ingrown nail or even a fungal nail.

Toes.  If you have a tendency to develop corns and callouses on the tips of your toes try adding padding in your sneakers underneath your toes.   If your toes or toenails turn black you may have developed subungual hematoma (bleeding under the nails).  This may cause nails to fall off.  Keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection and seek treatment from your podiatrist.

Blisters. Blisters are the results of excessive friction between shoes and feet.  Take preventative steps by making sure shoes fit properly and are laced up so that they are form fitting to your feet.  If you are prone to blisters apply Vaseline to problem areas prior to your run or try padded “blister proof” socks like those made by Thorlo.  Additionally, applying moleskin to problem areas also prevents blisters from forming.

Visit Your Podiatrist.  Dr. Zong’s patients who run in the New York City Marathon make appointments the week before the race to get rid of corns, callouses, get moleskin, have their orthodics padded, and in some cases receive cortisone injections for their heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) so they can run in their dream event.

Finish Line. When the race is complete Dr. Zong says practice RICE.  Rest your feet.  Ice feet to keep inflammation and swelling down. Compress with ACE wraps to reduce swelling.  Elevate feet to help them rest up for the next big run.

Come back tomorrow to read about some of the common injuries that runners may experience.

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Image: StockXchng.com

Post from: Blisstree

10 Tips for Running & Foot Care, part 1

The underlying belief behind the shoes is “barefoot is best.” This seems to make sense because humans were barefoot for a long time, according to evolution and generational progress. It also seems that some of our footwear actually causes foot problems, such as hammer toes and bunions. So, people think that humans were meant to be barefoot.

Others aren’t as convinced and there are concerns about how the human foot would do with day after day without support or protection.

A company called Vibram have come up with a new shoe called the FiveFingers Shoe, which addresses the protection angly. The shoes, described as gloves for the feet, are not the prettiest to look at, but their goal isn’t looks, it’s function.

A podiatrist quoted in this article, SOMETHING STRANGE IS AFOOT , expressed some concerns about the shoes:

“These offer relatively no support,” says Dr. Rock Positano, a foot specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “They do not support the arch well and may lead to postural problems that not only can adversely affect the ankles and feet, but also the shins, knees, hips and back.”

Now, I’ve not tried these shoes; I’ve not even seen them other than in photos, but I’d love to hear what other podiatrists think of these new barefoot shoes.

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Post from: Blisstree

FiveFingers Shoes – Good or Bad Footwear?

Many people develop foot pain over the years, for various reasons. Pain can be caused by accidents, arthritis, bunions, fallen arches, even nerve damage from diseases like diabetes, as well as many other causes. When we’re young, we can often shake off the pain and still manage to go about our lives; but as people age, having a sore foot can be more than an inconvenience, it can be life altering.

Imagine not being able to get out of your house because it hurts to walk or even just to put on shoes. Imagine pain so intense in your feet that you can’t sleep. It’s not a pretty picture.

I wonder if anyone reading this blog is either a podiatrist or knows one well enough to ask if he or she would like to talk about foot pain in this blog. I think it would be a real eye-opener for some people.

If you are a podiatrist or know one and are interested in either being interviewed or writing a guest post, please let me know.

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Post from: Blisstree

Foot pain causes a lot more than just discomfort – any podiatrists out there?