Items filtered by date: October 2022

Parents can have differing opinions when it comes to their children walking barefoot. Their reasons can range from the child preventing a foot injury when the shoes are kept on to children possibly having a heightened sense of their environment while walking barefoot outdoors. Recent studies have shown that waking barefoot may benefit the brain and nervous system and this may result from the child being more conscious of their surroundings. An additional benefit can be improved balance due to the feet getting accustomed to walking on various surfaces. Frequently wearing shoes may inhibit the natural toe spread and may gradually lead to sustaining a foot injury. Falling episodes may be reduced when the lower legs and feet are strengthened by walking barefoot. If you have questions about your child’s foot development, please confer with a podiatrist who can confirm if walking barefoot is good for their overall development.

Making sure that your children maintain good foot health is very important as they grow. If you have any questions, contact Dr. Richard T. Bauer of Summit Foot & Ankle. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Keeping Children's Feet Healthy

Having healthy feet during childhood can help prevent medical problems later in life, namely in the back and legs. As children grow, their feet require different types of care. Here are some things to consider...

Although babies do not walk yet, it is still very important to take care of their feet.

Avoid putting tight shoes or socks on his or her feet.

Allow the baby to stretch and kick his or her feet to feel comfortable.

As a toddler, kids are now on the move and begin to develop differently. At this age, toddlers are getting a feel for walking, so don’t be alarmed if your toddler is unsteady or ‘walks funny’. 

As your child gets older, it is important to teach them how to take care of their feet.

Show them proper hygiene to prevent infections such as fungus.

Be watchful for any pain or injury.

Have all injuries checked by a doctor as soon as possible.

Comfortable, protective shoes should always be worn, especially at play.

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

Athlete’s foot is a specific kind of foot condition that is spread by a fungus and causes a scaly rash, especially between the toes. To prevent or mitigate the spread of the fungal infection, an individual might consider being particularly careful with how they handle their laundry. This is because spores can often spread from clothes to clothes. First, someone might try separating infected clothes from non-infected clothes. For example, if someone in the household has been exposed to athlete’s foot, one might separate that person’s clothes into a bin to be washed separately from the other clothes. When the infected batch of laundry is washed, one could use hot water for the infected laundry because cold water does not eliminate the fungus. The goal is to prevent the fungus from spreading to other materials in the wash. Contact a podiatrist today to learn more about preventing the spread of athlete’s foot.

Athlete’s foot is an inconvenient condition that can be easily reduced with the proper treatment. If you have any concerns about your feet and ankles, contact Dr. Richard T. Bauer from Summit Foot & Ankle.  Our doctor will treat your foot and ankle needs.

Athlete’s Foot: The Sole Story

Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, can be an extremely contagious foot infection. It is commonly contracted in public changing areas and bathrooms, dormitory style living quarters, around locker rooms and public swimming pools, or anywhere your feet often come into contact with other people.

Solutions to Combat Athlete’s Foot

• Hydrate your feet by using lotion
• Exfoliate
• Buff off nails
• Use of anti-fungal products
• Examine your feet and visit your doctor if any suspicious blisters or cuts develop

Athlete’s foot can cause many irritating symptoms such as dry and flaking skin, itching, and redness. Some more severe symptoms can include bleeding and cracked skin, intense itching and burning, and even pain when walking. In the worst cases, Athlete’s foot can cause blistering as well. Speak to your podiatrist for a better understanding of the different causes of Athlete’s foot, as well as help in determining which treatment options are best for you.

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

Different martial arts can lead to different injuries. Martial arts seem safe for young athletes, especially at beginner and intermediate levels. The risk of injury with these sports is lower than other sports but can still happen. Strains, sprains, and bruising can occur when practicing martial arts. Strains can occur in both muscles and tendons from sudden and extreme force. Foot injuries usually result from kicks, jumps, or sparring. The toes can be jammed, leading to bruising, dislocation, or fractures. Ankle injuries are less common, however, some martial arts movements such as the stand and kick or step and punch may place the ankle at risk. Ankle sprains can happen while participating in these sports and often involve inversion injury to the lateral ankle ligaments as the participant bears weight on the outer edge of the foot. These same ligaments can be hurt by striking the heel so hard that the foot is pushed into plantarflexion. This can happen from heel kicking the floor as one lands to break a fall or by landing on the opponent’s foot. If you participate or plan to participate in martial arts, it would be helpful to see a podiatrist to learn how to prevent or treat foot injuries common to these sports.

Sports related foot and ankle injuries require proper treatment before players can go back to their regular routines. For more information, contact Dr. Richard T. Bauer of Summit Foot & Ankle. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Sports Related Foot and Ankle Injuries

Foot and ankle injuries are a common occurrence when it comes to athletes of any sport. While many athletes dismiss the initial aches and pains, the truth is that ignoring potential foot and ankle injuries can lead to serious problems. As athletes continue to place pressure and strain the area further, a mild injury can turn into something as serious as a rupture and may lead to a permanent disability. There are many factors that contribute to sports related foot and ankle injuries, which include failure to warm up properly, not providing support or wearing bad footwear. Common injuries and conditions athletes face, including:

• Plantar Fasciitis
• Plantar Fasciosis
• Achilles Tendinitis
• Achilles Tendon Rupture
• Ankle Sprains

Sports related injuries are commonly treated using the RICE method. This includes rest, applying ice to the injured area, compression and elevating the ankle. More serious sprains and injuries may require surgery, which could include arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery. Rehabilitation and therapy may also be required in order to get any recovering athlete to become fully functional again. Any unusual aches and pains an athlete sustains must be evaluated by a licensed, reputable medical professional.

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

Toe pain can be very uncomfortable. The toes contain bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. An injury or infection to any one of these components can lead to toe pain. Pain in the toe region can be throbbing, piercing, continuous, or can briefly last. Aging can cause toe pain as the structures in the toe are subjected to so much wear and tear over a lifetime and this, in and of itself, can lead to toe pain. An injury to the toes, such as a stress fracture, dislocation, or sprain can damage them and cause pain. Bunions, athlete’s foot, and arthritis are also common causes of toe pain. When toe pain is the result of other physical conditions like peripheral arterial disease, or if it gives rise to other complications and leads to an infection, it can be dangerous, and a medical professional should be contacted immediately. If you are experiencing toe pain, you may or may not know the cause. A podiatrist can assist in providing a diagnosis and suggest an appropriate treatment.

Toe pain can disrupt your daily activities. If you have any concerns, contact Dr. Richard T. Bauer of Summit Foot & Ankle. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

What Causes Toe Pain?

Most severe toe pain is caused due to a sports injury, trauma from dropping something heavy on the toe, or bumping into something rigid. Other problems can develop over time for various reasons.

Toe pain can be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:

• Trauma
• Sports injury
• Wearing shoes that are too tight
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Corns and calluses
• Hammertoe
• Bunions
• Blisters
• Ingrown toenails
• Sprains
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Dislocations

When to See a Podiatrist

• Severe pain
• Persistent pain that lasts more than a week
• Signs of infection
• Continued swelling
• Pain that prevents walking

Diagnosis

In many cases the cause of toe pain is obvious, but in others, a podiatrist may want to use more advanced methods to determine the problem. These can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatments for toe pain and injuries vary and may include shoe inserts, padding, taping, medicines, injections, and in some cases, surgery. If you believe that you have broken a toe, please see a podiatrist as soon as possible.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Latham, NY . We offer the newest diagnostic tools and technology to treat your foot and ankle needs.