Items filtered by date: June 2014

Reality TV might be fake, but star Heather Dubrow had some real life drama involving her son. The Real Housewives of Orange County reality TV star took Nicholas to the hospital since he experienced some pain in his heel. Doctors diagnosed Nicholas with Sever’s disease, a bone disorder common among minors.

Dubrow later uploaded a photo of her son and his doctor on Instagram with the caption: “Thank you SO much to our dear friend Dr. Scott Forman for taking care of Nicky!! #sever'sdisease #inflammationofthegrowthplate #castfortwoweeks.” Nicholas is said to be in condition other than having to wear a plaster cast for some time.

Severs Disease often occurs in children and teens. If your child is contending with foot or ankle pain, see podiatrist Sharon L. Pletcher, DPM of Family Foot Center. Dr. Pletcher can treat your child’s foot and ankle needs.

Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease is also known as calcaneal apophysitis, which is a medical condition that causes heel pain I none or both feet. The disease is known to affect children between the ages of 8 and 14.

Sever’s disease occurs when part of the child’s heel known as the growth plate (calcaneal epiphysis) is attached to the Achilles tendon. This area can suffer injury when the muscles and tendons of the growing foot do not keep pace with bone growth. Therefore, the constant pain which one experiences at the back of the heel will make the child unable to put any weight on the heel. The child is then forced to walk on their toes.

Toe gait- develops in which the child must change the way they walk to avoid placing weight on the heel. This can lead to other problems as well in the future.

Symptoms

Acute pain – pain asscoiatied with Sever’s disease is usually felt in the heel when the child engages in physical activity such as walking, jumping and or running.

Highly active – children who are very active are among the most susceptible in experiencing Sever’s disease, because of the stress and tension placed on their feet.

For more information about Sever’s Disease, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in State College, PA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

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Reporter Dustin Long of the Motor Racing Network recently broke his ankle while trying to interview NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Pocono Raceway. The two were walking and talking and ended up in the NASCAR inspection area, where Long took a nasty fall from off of the scales.

He later uploaded a photo of his mangled ankle on Twitter, to which Earnhardt, Jr. responded with a post profusely apologizing for leading him into such a dangerous area of the track. Luckily Long was able to take the incident in stride and ended up being well enough to cover that weekend’s race at Pocono anyway.

Broken ankles are usually incredibly painful and can sometimes take a while to recover from. If you need help dealing with a broken ankle, call podiatrist Sharon L. Pletcher, DPM of Family Foot Center. Dr. Pletcher will determine how badly hurt you are and treat your injury with the knowledge and skills of a seasoned medical professional.

Broken Ankles

The ankle consists of three bones- the tibia, the fibula, and the talus. The tibia and the fibula are the two bones that connect to your knees. They sit directly above the talus bone, which is protected by a fibrous membrane and allows slight movement in the ankle joint. A break usually occurs in one of these bones after the foot is twisted too far, a strong impact like jumping from a great height, or repeated stresses like running.

Diagnosis

If you suffer an ankle injury, it is essential that you receive a correct diagnosis. One of the first signs that the ankle is broken is an inability to put any weight on it. There will often be severe bruising and swelling at the sight of the injury. Your doctor may also order an x-ray be taken to determine the exact location and extent of the injury.

Treatment

Without proper care, a broken ankle may not heal properly and could cause arthritis and instability later in life. Therefore, seeking proper treatment is essential to making a full recovery.

There a number of steps you can take to accelerate the healing process however.

For more information about Broken Ankles, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in State College, PA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

Read more about Broken Ankles

Former MLB player Kevin Youkilis went international when he was contracted to play with Japanese team the Rakuten Golden Eagles. However, after contending with chronic plantar fasciitis, Youkilis was forced to make an early leave. Youkilis was signed a deal to play afull season, but as his symptoms progressed Youkilis had to make treatment his number one priority.

 "It was definitely a unique experience," Youkilis said, who remains positive in spite of his setback. "It was fun being in a different culture, learning a new language.” Youkilis returned to the states to make a guest appearance for the Red Sox’s anniversary celebration in Fenway Park. 

Plantar fasciitis can be painful and debilitating. If you have foot or ankle pain, visit podiatrist Sharon L. Pletcher, DPM of Family Foot Center. Dr. Pletcher can treat your foot and ankle needs with professionalism and care.  

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis refers to heel and arch pain caused by an inflammation of the connective tissues on the bottom of the foot.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

• Ill-fitting shoes
• Weight change
• Excessive running
• Non-supportive shoes
• Overpronation

How Can It Be Treated?

• Conservative measures – anti-inflammatories, ice packs, stretching exercises, physical therapy, orthotic devices. 
• Shockwave therapy – sends sound waves to the areas where pain is experience.  Requires multiple sessions.  This is used for very persistent cases of plantar fasciitis. 
• Ultrasound-guided technique with steroid injections into the plantar fascia.  This is from a relatively new and small study, but was shown to be effective in most cases treated.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in State College, PA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

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Plantar fasciitis is a foot problem affecting the plantar fascia, a connective tissue in the heel. This condition is treatable, but in many cases can take up to a year to be effective.

Conventional treatments have included exercises, rest, arch supports, and night splints. If this proves to be ineffective, many patients undergo shockwave therapy. In shockwave therapy, sound waves are directed to the area where pain is experienced. This therapy can be affective, but is somewhat painful, and calls for several sessions. Even still, shockwave therapy does not always alleviate the pain caused by plantar fasciitis.

Luca M. Sconfienza, M.D., from the University of Genoa in Italy, conducted the study. The new treatment involves an ultrasound-guided technique with a steroid injection to the plantar fascia. It is a one-time outpatient procedure involving a small amount of anesthesia. This technique, known as dry-needling, causes small amounts of bleeding that aid in healing the fascia.

It was discovered that 42 of the 44 patients involved in the study had their symptoms disappear entirely within three weeks. “This therapy is quicker, easier, less painful, and less expensive than shockwave therapy” Dr. Sconfienza stated. “In cases of mild plantar fasciitis, patients should first try non-invasive solutions before any other treatments. But when pain becomes annoying and affects the activities of daily living, dry-needling with steroid injection is a viable option," she added.

Luke Rockhold was able to defeat opponent Tim Boetsch in a middleweight MMA bout at UFC 172. Unfortunately, Rockhold’s victory was not without his share of cuts and bruises, or injuries. Rockhold later revealed at the event’s post night press conference that he sustained a broken toe.

Rockhold displayed the X-rayed injury on Instagram. The photo indicated that Rockhold the middle toe in his right foot. According to the UFC rankings Rockhold is number 5 in the world rankings, making a title bout a possibility in the near future.  

Broken toes can make pain feel like you’re trapped in a cage. If you injured your toe, see podiatrist Sharon L. Pletcher, DPM of Family Foot Center. Dr. Pletcher can attend to your foot and ankle injuries.

What to Know About a Broken Toe

Although most people try to avoid foot trauma such as banging, stubbing, or dropping heavy objects on their feet, the unfortunate fact is that it is a common occurrence. Given the fact that toes are positioned in front of the feet, they typically sustain the brunt of such trauma. When trauma occurs to a toe, the result can be a painful break (fracture). Another type of trauma that can break a toe is repeated activity that places stress on the toe for prolonged periods of time.

Symptoms of a Broken Toe

• throbbing pain
• swelling
• bruising on the skin and toenail
• inability to move the toe with ease.
• crooked or disfigured appearance
• tingling or numbness in the toe
• fever or chills throughout their body

It is best to stay off of the injured toe with the affected foot elevated on pillows. Alleviate swelling by placing an ice pack on the broken toe for 15 minutes every two hours then taping the two toes together with medical tape. 

For more information on broken toe please follow link below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in State College, PA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

Read more on Broken Toe

Although most people try to avoid foot trauma such as banging, stubbing, or dropping heavy objects on their feet, the unfortunate fact is that it is a common occurrence. Given the fact that toes are positioned in front of the feet, they typically sustain the brunt of such trauma. When trauma occurs to a toe, the result can be a painful break (fracture). Another type of trauma that can break a toe is repeated activity that places stress on the toe for prolonged periods of time.

Broken toes can be categorized as either minor or severe fractures. Symptoms of minor toe fractures include throbbing pain, swelling, bruising on the skin and toenail, and the inability to move the toe with ease. Severe toe fractures require medical attention and are indicated when the broken toe appears crooked or disfigured, when there is tingling or numbness in the toe, when the injured person experiences fever or chills throughout their body, and when there is an open, bleeding wound present on the toe.

Generally, a minor toe break will heal without long-term complications, but it is important to discontinue activities that put pressure on the toe. It is best to stay off of the injured toe with the affected foot elevated on pillows. Swelling can be alleviated by placing an ice pack on the broken toe for 15 minutes every two hours during the first two days after the fracture. The broken toe should be immobilized by placing a small cotton ball between the injured toe and the toe beside it, then taping the two toes together with medical tape. 

Severe toe fractures may be treated with a splint, cast, and in some cases, minor surgery; especially when the big toe has been broken. Due to its position and the pressure it endures with daily activity, future complications can occur if the big toe is not properly treated. Pain associated with minor toe fractures can be managed with over-the-counter pain medications, and prescription pain killers may be necessary for severe toe fractures.

The healing time for a broken toe is approximately four to six weeks. In severe cases where the toe becomes infected or requires surgery, healing time can take up to eight weeks or more. While complications associated with a broken toe are immediately apparent, it is important to note that there are rare cases when additional complications, such as osteoarthritis, can develop over time.