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Osteoporosis causes a bone fracture in one out of every two women and one out of every four men over the age of 50. Since May is National Osteoporosis Month, we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center think this is a good time to talk about this disease, which can have a big impact on the health of your feet.
Although stress fractures can occur due to trauma, accidents or overuse from an exercise or sport, they can also be the sign of weak bones.
Osteoporosis occurs when you lose too much bone, make too little bone or both. Many patients don’t realize that bone is living tissue that is constantly being torn down and built up. There are many conditions and factors that can result in loss of bone strength. These include:
If you are experiencing symptoms such as pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising or difficulty bearing weight on the affected foot, it’s important that you not put off getting these symptoms evaluated. Make an appointment at our Long Beach office so that our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas can examine your foot and diagnose the problem and its cause. The foot doctor can help determine your personal risk for osteoporosis and whether or not bone density or other tests should be ordered at this time.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can help increase bone strength and lower your risk for fractures, such as:
Being educated is your best defense against osteoporosis. Have more questions? Contact us at: (562) 420-9800.
Do you constantly feel like your ankle is going to “give out?” Does walking on uneven surfaces, in high heels or stepping off a curb frequently cause your ankle to turn? If so, you may be suffering from chronic ankle instability, a condition that we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center know many patients find very frustrating.
In nearly all cases, at the root of a weak ankle condition is a previous ankle injury or problem. Common sources include:
Sometimes patients fail to complete the full course of rehabilitation for an ankle injury. Physical therapy and other treatments are geared toward healing the overstretched ankle ligaments and also strengthening the muscles that surround the ankle. When the pain stops, that’s when a patient stops therapy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the ankle is fully healed. Going back to normal activities can lead to another sprain because the ankle is still weak. The more injuries, the weaker the ankle becomes.
The first step is getting your ankles evaluated. Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas will examine your ankles and feet. The foot doctor will also ask questions about previous injuries, your medical history and recent activities. Digital x-rays (which can be done right in our Long Beach office) and/or other imaging studies may also be ordered to help get a clear picture of the condition of the ankle bones and joints.
Depending on the cause and extent of the ankle damage, a treatment plan will be developed which may include:
If you have weak ankles, don’t wait to get treatment. Contact us today by calling (562) 420-9800.
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