Among the more common injuries we see at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center are ankle sprains. In many instances these injuries come about on the playing field in soccer or football, for example, when your foot is planted and headed one way and then suddenly gets twisted in a different direction. Ankle sprains can also occur less dramatically, like stepping off a curb or missing the bottom step.

How Severe is the Sprain?

If you’ve sprained your ankle you will most likely experience pain, swelling and bruising. Ankle sprains can range from mild to severe. The degree of pain and swelling will correlate to the severity of the sprain. If you have sprained your ankle badly, you may not be able to bear weight or walk on it. Getting your ankle evaluated promptly and beginning rehabilitation as soon as possible is very important. Patients who delay treatment or just limp along at home until their ankle stops hurting are more likely to have repeated sprains and possibly long-term, chronic ankle pain and weakness.

Repairing the Damage

If you have swelling and bruising along with pain after twisting your ankle it should be evaluated by one of our board certified foot and ankle surgeons, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas. After examining your ankle, the foot doctor will most likely want you to have a digital x-ray (which can be done conveniently right in our Long Beach office) to rule out a fracture, which can happen at the same time as a sprain. Once the podiatrist has assessed the degree of injury, an appropriate treatment plan can be developed.

The PRINCE Regimen

Until your appointment, you can care for your ankle using the PRINCE regimen:

Protection: Use a brace or other ankle support

Rest: Stay off your foot or avoid bearing weight by using crutches

Ice: Apply ice for 10-20 minutes every hour or two for the first 24 to 72 hours

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications: Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief

Compression: An ACE bandage or elastic compression wrap for the first 24-36 hours will help reduce swelling

Elevation: Keep your ankle above the level of your heart for 2-3 hours a day if possible

To get your ankle checked, contact us at: 562-420-9800 as soon as possible after the injury occurs.

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, most Americans will have put 75,000 miles on their feet by the time they reach the age of 50! Although in some ways our lives have become more sedentary than in previous generations we now engage in much more rigorous fitness activities to compensate then in times past which can mean even greater wear and tear on feet and ankles. Take running, for example, which puts pressure on each foot equivalent to 3 to 4 times the weight of your body. Even walking for a person who weighs 150 pounds will exert an estimated 127,000 pounds of pressure per foot per mile. At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want to share these figures to help you gain more respect for your feet and the importance of caring for them. Your feet are wonderfully made complex structures comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. You can help keep your feet healthy and prevent many common problems by following a few footcare basics:

• Develop a regular care regimen. Wash feet daily and dry thoroughly (especially between the toes). Apply a rich moisturizer to keep skin supple and hydrated. If you tend to sweat excessively, use a talc or anti-fungal foot powder as well.
• Make good shoe choices. Poorly fitting shoes are one of the biggest causes of foot problems. Be sure that toes are not squeezed and that the shoes you wear provide good arch and ankle support. Avoid overly high heels and discard shoes when they are worn out.
• Exercise wisely. Being fit is important for your feet and the rest of your body too. Regular exercise is recommended but be sure to start gradually and work up to longer and more intense workouts in order to avoid injury.
• Inspect your feet periodically. Look for changes in size, shape, skin color or temperature as well as any lumps, bumps or unusual changes in your toes. Most foot problems are more successfully treated and with less invasive means if caught in the early stages. Report anything suspicious to your foot doctor.

• Don’t ignore pain in your feet—it’s never normal! Our board certified podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas will conduct a thorough examination of your feet and diagnose the source of your pain. A custom treatment plan will soon have you on track to getting back to the active lifestyle you normally enjoy. Contact our Long Beach office by calling: 562-420-9800 for an appointment.

Do you ever have those mornings when you’re in a rush, so you don’t have all the time you need to properly perform your skin care regimen? On one of those mornings have you ever secretly used your hand or foot skin cream on your face?

You probably think “What’s the harm?” Here’s a look at why all skin creams aren’t the same and what you should be using to treat dry feet.

Skin Cream: Is Each One Equal When It Comes to Your Feet?

The simple answer is no, not all skin creams are created equal because each skin cream is designed to treat specific areas of the body. By their nature, the skin of your face and that of your hands or feet aren’t the same. The skin on your face is more delicate, while the skin on your hands and feet is thicker. Skin is actually different everywhere, which means different care and different formulas.

Hand and foot creams may have the same basis as face creams, and they have ingredients in common, but they have different concentrations of them, which is what makes all the difference.

Hand and foot creams need to work as barriers. For this, they need to have high concentrations of wax, greases, oils, and chemical exfoliating agents. If you use them on your face, you risk causing blocked pores and pimples. So, while you can use a face skin cream on your feet or your hands, you shouldn’t do it the other way around—even if you have a tiny dry patch. Foot and hand creams are just too rich, thick, and sticky to be applied to your facial skin.

Treating Dry, Cracked Feet at Home

With the cold weather just over the horizon, so too are dry feet. Here are some tips on how you can treat dry, cracked feet at home:

• Wash feet daily with warm, soapy water. Don’t use hot water because it dries out skin. Hot water is also harmful to diabetics and anyone else with impaired circulation to the feet.
• Exfoliate the feet, especially the heels, while washing. Use a warm cloth or pumice stone, and rub the skin gently to slough off dead skin.
• Dry feet thoroughly. Dry well between the toes since fungus and bacteria like to grow in warm, moist, dark places.
• Moisturize daily. Try using products containing urea, which is naturally present in skin cells. Using a product that has urea increases the skin’s ability to hold in moisture. Avoid moisturizer between the toes. Put on cotton socks after moisturizing.
• Soak your feet. Limit foot soaks to 10-15 minutes, three times a week. Soaking for long periods of time can dry out your feet. Use a solution of ¼ cup white vinegar and enough warm water to cover the feet up to the ankles. The mild acetic acid in vinegar softens skin.

Making Your Own Moisturizer

Here are some easy home-made moisturizers that can help heal dry, cracked feet.

Coconut Shea Butter—combine ¾ cup coconut oil with ½ cup shea butter in a sauce pan and place on low heat. Once they’ve melted, remove from the heat and stir in 15 drops of lavender essential oil. Store in a glass jar with a lid somewhere cool. Massage this foot moisturizer into feet, focusing on dry, cracked areas. Cover feet with cotton socks right away. Try this once in a while for some nice pampering or repeat on a regular basis to soften dry feet.

Honey Foot Cream—warm 1 cup of organic honey slightly to make it easier to spread. Stir in 2 tablespoons of warm milk and the juice of ½ an orange. Use a pumice stone or foot file to slough off some of the callused skin before spreading a layer of mixture evenly onto your heels, massaging as you go to help it sink in. Leave it on for 45 minutes and then rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. Do this twice daily. If you prefer, you can apply this skin cream before bed and let it dry and then leave it on overnight.

Treating Dry Feet

If you are concerned about having dry feet or have any questions about what products are safe to use on your feet, then you should book an appointment with Dr. Vikki and Dr. Connie of the Superior Foot and Ankle Care Center. With years of collective experience in their field, they will be able to help you find the best products to use on your feet.

If you’ve noticed that your toes have been looking a little strange to you lately, or that they have become unusually rigid and tight, you may have hammertoes. A hammertoe is as unpleasant as it sounds: as the namesake suggests, a hammertoe is a deformity which causes the toes to bend sharply downwards rather than straightforward, resembling the silhouette of a hammer.

It is a common but painful condition affecting over 200,000 Americans per year, typically resulting from years of wearing ill-fitting shoes with narrow toe boxes, such as fashionable heels. Fortunately, hammertoe is easily diagnosed and treated, if you know what to look out for. Here is a look at hammertoe causes, symptoms, and treatment:

What Is Hammertoe?

While hammertoe can affect any of the toes, it is most commonly seen afflicting the second, third, or fourth toe. This deformity results when the middle joint of the toe becomes dislocated, forcing the toe to bend sharply downward and buckle in this position. The underlying cause is a muscle and ligament imbalance surrounding the toe joint, where the muscles have tightened from being forced into a flexed position – such as when wearing cramped shoes – to the point where they can no longer straighten out. Pain can result from excessive friction and rubbing against the top of the deformed toe, and corns and calluses may form to further exacerbate the condition.

A number of factors can contribute to the development of hammertoe:

• An uncommonly high foot arch
• Flat feet
• Cramped or ill-fitting shoes
• Pressure from a bunion
• Toe injury
• Arthritis
• Tight tendons or ligaments in the feet

Symptoms & Diagnosis of Hammertoes

Hammertoe is easily recognizable, but you’ll want to confirm with a podiatrist for an official diagnosis. Common symptoms which indicate hammertoe include:

• Pain when walking
• Pain when stretching the affected toe
• A toe which bends downwards and is difficult to move
• Difficulty wiggling the toes or flexing the foot
• Calluses or corns
• Toes taking on a claw-like appearance

There are two types, or stages, of hammertoes: flexible and rigid. A flexible hammertoe means that the condition was caught within its early stages, where the toe is still able to move at the middle joint. This form of hammertoe is still mild, and has a number of various treatment options available. When the condition progresses to the point where the tendons become rigid enough to push the joints out of alignment, the toe will become immovable. At this stage, surgery is usually required.

Your podiatrist can often visually diagnose hammertoe with a physical exam. However, if you’ve had a toe injury, imaging tests may also be required.

Hammertoe Treatment & Prevention

The course of treatment depends upon how far your hammertoe has progressed.

Mild hammertoe that has been caught in its early stages and still remains flexible has a much greater variety of treatment options available. The first step is identifying the cause responsible for the hammertoe. If cramped footwear is the issue, simply switching to better shoes can remedy the condition. If flat feet or high arches are to blame, custom insoles or toe pads can offset the damage. For corns, over-the-counter medications or pads may suffice. Again, consult a podiatrist to determine the source of your hammertoe, to properly advise you on the appropriate treatment option.

Severe hammertoe that has become rigid and inflexible will require surgical intervention to restore motion to the toe. Hammertoe surgery may involve repositioning of the toe, removal of damaged bone, and realignment of the tendons.

The best prevention tip for hammertoes is to make sure that your shoes are fitting properly, and that your feet’s special needs are met. This means getting insoles or orthotics if you require them, and ensuring that your shoes are not too snug nor the heels too high. In general, it is recommended to avoid any heel over 2 inches in height. If you notice any pain, discomfort, or deformity, consult a podiatrist at your earliest convenience to avoid further complications.

Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Vikki and Dr. Connie

If walking has become painful and you suspect that hammertoes are to blame, schedule a consultation with trusted podiatrists Dr. Vikki and Dr. Connie at the Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center today.