Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Foot Ulcers Independently Linked to Mortality in Diabetes Patients

Over the years as a Podiatrist I have seen many patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers. I have also been fortunate enough to see many patients with Diabetes that have never had an ulcer.  There are many things that you can do to prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
1. Monitor your diet.  Spikes in Blood sugar have been shown to predispose patients to neuropathy and diabetic foot ulcers.
2. Have your Hemoglobin A1C checked! This gives you a recording of how your sugars have been running for the past 3 months.
3. Check your feet daily.  If you notice any sores or wounds come in to see your Podiatrist or Primary Care Physician Immediately!!

Dermagraft is one of the ways that we treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers here at Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists.
If you are having any foot problems come in to see us at:

dpmkirk.vpweb.com

Plantar Fasciitis Part 2

What are heel spurs?

This is a bony growth on your heel bone.  We all think of bone as the skeleton in the
corner of the classroom in high school biology. Bone is actually a dynamic living tissue.  When bone is put under stress at the site of
a tendon or ligament, such as the Achilles Tendon or the Plantar Fascia, it can
make the bone bleed.  When bone bleeds,
it forms new bone to heal.   These spurs can be seen
on X-rays and can extend out as far as half an inch.  Fortunately, the spur is not the actual
source of the problem.

What is plantar fasciitis?

The band of tissue that runs on the bottom (plantar
surface) of the foot is called the plantar fascia.  If you add an itis onto a word it means
inflammation, so this is inflammation of the plantar fascia.  This is very common in athletes that need to
do a lot of jumping.  This can be
devastating for basketball players and is quite painful!

The plantar fascia can become stretched over time beyond
where it normally should go.  This can
lead to small tears in the fascia which leads to inflammation.  This in turn may lead to a heel spur. 

Improper shoes with no support may aggravate this condition.  I must say that the majority of patients that
come into my office, are sporting a pair of cute flip flops or other shoes with
no support. 

With plantar fasciitis the first step after a period of
rest is often the most painful.  This is
due to the plantar fascia elongating or stretching out suddenly.  Most people find with walking that the pain
decreases or lessens, but will return after a period of rest. 

Stay tuned to learn more about plantar fasciitis!! 

Plantar Fasciitis Heel Spur Syndrome Part 1

Heel Pain/Plantar Fasciitis:  What is it?
This is part one in a series of articles about heel pain.  Why do I have this?  I like to tell patients that it is caused by telling lies, but they quickly realize that this will not help their foot.  So on to the real causes of foot pain.  And why you should go to see your Podiatrist and not your neighbor for this problem.

There are a number of different causes of heel pain that we will go over.  These will include: Bone bruises, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, excessive pronation and other diseases of the heels.

Heel pain is usually caused by a problem with your walking gait or biomechanics.  This will put excess stress and pressure on the soft tissues that attach to the heel bone and the bone itself.  The causes of this stress can vary from wearing improper shoes, being overweight, or a bruising that occurred while walking, jumping or running on hard surfaces.

There are 26 bones in each of your feet and the heel bone or calcaneus is the largest one. There are over 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments in the foot and 33 joints.  All of these are exposed to outside influences such as your shoes and the ground we walk on.  So our choices of where we work, what surface of floor we have in our homes and what type of shoes we wear will all influence whether or not we have pain in our heels.

One of the main reasons to see your Podiatrist about your heel pain is that you can have some arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infectious problems such as osteomyelitis or a bone tumor.  A quick set of x-rays and sometimes blood work can rule this out!! And hopefully, although you had to go to your Podiatrist, take time out of your day, and pay your co-pay or deductible, you will be lucky enough to just have your regular old heel pain that can be treated simply.  Continue to follow along and I will go over more causes, and treatment options for your heel pain!

Diabetic Amputation

Patriot Guard Rider looks beyond amputation wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth Local News

Many patients  over the years will experience an amputation associated with diabetes.  There are some things that you can do to prevent this.
1. Watch your diet. Limiting the amount of sugar you take in will help.
2. Get moving, even if you exercise for 10 minutes at a time, it will add up to your 30 minutes a day!
3. Check your feet daily. If you notice any open wounds or sores, come in to see your Podiatrist or your Primary Care Physician immediately.

For all of your Foot Care Needs: Come on in to:
Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists
14800 West Mountain View Blvd. Ste 160
Surprise, AZ 85374
623-584-5556
623-584-0755
dpmkirk.vpweb.com
fixingfeet.com

Hammertoes - Causes And Cures

Hammertoes - Causes And Cures

Hammertoes are when the toe bends at the first joint of the digit.  This usually occurs in the smaller toes 2-5 and is more common in women then men.

Some hammertoes are flexible and some are rigid.  This can be seen when you can no longer straighten out the toe with your hand. 

Hammertoes are caused by a muscle imbalance that causes increased pressure in the joints and tendons of the toe leading to the toe bending.  They can also be caused by trauma or it can be hereditary.  Wearing tight shoes can also contribute to the pain associated with hammertoes.

What you can do:
1. Wear shoes that have a deep-wide toe box that allow your toes to wiggle a little bit.
2. Apply non-medicated padding to the toe.
3. Visit your Podiatrist
4. Avoid shoes with a heel greater then 2 inches.

Your Podiatrist May:
Tape or Pad your toes
Make Custom Orthotics
Perform Surgery

It is important to see your Podiatrist early to avoid surgical treatment if possible. 

www.ati.es/blog/
francis-drake-photos-0/
?hammertoe-photos

Come on in to:
Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists
14800 West Mountain View Blvd. Ste 160
Surprise, AZ 85374
623-584-5556
623-584-0755
dpmkirk.vpweb.com
fixingfeet.com

Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke!!

Diet Drinks Linked to Heart Problems, Stroke

Here is another concern for our patients with Diabetes! Many patients switch to Diet drinks to help with the sugar.  Unfortunately, this rarely works and can frequently make the problems worse.  So what do you do?  Start by swapping out one diet drink for a glass of water.  Do this every week until you are down to one or less per week!  You will feel better.
Other things that you can do with diabetes:
1. Check your feet every day!!
2. No bare feet!!
3.  If you notice any foot sores or wounds come in to see your Podiatrist or Primary Care Physician Immediately!

Put your feet in good hands.  For all of your foot care needs.  Come in to:
Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists
14800 West Mountain View Blvd
Suite 160
Surprise, AZ 85374
623-584-5556
623-584-0755
dpmkirk.vpweb.com
fixingfeet.com

Diabetes Peripheral Neuopathy

NeuRemedy, "The Neuropathy Vitamin", is used to nutritionally manage the pain, burning, numbness and tingling associated with peripheral neuropathy. 

Foot injuries occur more frequently with the decreased levels of sensation often 

associated with peripheral neuropathy. Take care of your feet with these ten tips for better foot health!

  

 "Ten Tips for Better Foot Care for People with Peripheral Neuropathy"

  

    1.    Examine your feet once a day.  Your ability to feel injuries or sores on your feet may be diminished by the effects of peripheral neuropathy.  Do not forget to inspect between the toes! Use a mirror if necessary.

   2.   Notify your doctor if you find a problem.  Receiving treatment immediately following an injury will likely decrease long-term consequences.  See your podiatrist for help.

   3.   Get your feet checked professionally and frequently.  Your podiatrist or physician may recognize problems with your feet that you may miss.  

   4.   Keep your feet clean.  Wash your feet with soap and water and dry them well once a day. Be certain to wash and dry between your toes. If you have an open sore consult your physician before washing.

   5.     No operating on yourself!  Do not trim corns, calluses or toenails on your own.  Seek the assistance of a medical professional.

   6.     Avoid ill fitting shoes. Make certain that shoes fit properly to prevent rubs or sores. Have your shoes fitted by a professional.

   7.     Wear the right socks.  Select socks that are soft and do not cut off circulation to your feet.  Put a pair of clean and dry socks on every time you put on your shoes.

   8.      Wear the right shoe for the activity.  Wear athletic shoes when exercising.  This will help you to avoid injuries.

   9.     Don't walk barefoot.  Insensitive unprotected feet are prone to cuts and puncture wounds. 

  10.   Stop smoking immediately.  Now is a better time than ever.  Avoid second hand smoke and smokeless tobacco. Smoking interferes with your body's ability to heal injuries and may cause non-healing sores, gangrene and amputations.

It is our goal to continue to be a resource for answers to your questions about peripheral neuropathy and to help you make educated decisions about how to manage your peripheral neuropathy symptoms.
  
NeuRemedy is a medical food which is specifically formulated for the nutritional management of people suffering from peripheral neuropathy.  The active ingredient in NeuRemedy has been extensively and successfully used in Europe and Asia for decades.  It has been studied in the scientific literature and shown to be safe and very often effective. Realm Labs, LLC has recently made NeuRemedy available to people suffering from peripheral neuropathy in the U.S.A.

For all of your foot care needs, come on down to:

Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists

14800 West Mountain View Blvd

Ste 160

Surprise, AZ 85374

623-584-5556

623-584-0755: Fax

dpmkirk.vpweb.com

fixingfeet.com

Diabetes and Neuropathy

Feel The Difference : Metanx® Feel the Difference



We have many patients that have Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.  We frequently use Metanx to help with the symptoms.  We have had a lot of good success with metanx.  Ask your doctor about it today!!
Come on in to:
Surprise Foot and Ankle Specialists
14800 West Mountain View Blvd
Ste 160
Surprise, AZ 85374
623-584-5556
623-584-0755
dpmkirk.vpweb.com
fixingfeet.com

Blue Shine Laser

I have a few new machines that we have in the office to report about!

We now have the Blue Shine Laser. We have been having good success and we are having good feedback from our patients. 

If you are having foot and ankle pain, come on down to:
Surprise Foot And Ankle Specialists
14800 West Mountain View Blvd. Ste 160
Surprise, AZ 85376
623-584-5556
623-584-0755
dpmkirk.vpweb.com
fixingfeet.com