2015: A new year, A new you, and new feet

2015: A new year, A new you, and new feet

As the New Year approaches many people make New Year’s Resolutions. Usually the resolutions are related to health and fitness. Foot health is related to one’s overall health. Many people run to the gym and start eating better right after January 1, but seeing your doctor is also related to your overall health. Most people go to their doctor’s’ for regular checkups, for example getting mammograms and Pap-smears yearly are common, but when was the last time you went to the podiatrist for a general foot checkup.

Many people think that they should only visit a podiatrist when they have a problem, but as podiatrist I belief it is just the opposite. Many foot related problems and injuries are avoidable with a regular checkups and exams. Many foot ailments occur with overuse, improper shoe gear and abnormal foot biomechanics.

Seeing a podiatrist for an exam is painless and most likely you will learn more about your feet than you ever thought was possible. A quick exam of your shoes and sneakers, and the way you walk barefoot can tell a lot about your foot. Many people go to the pharmacy and go to the foot care aisle and buy miscellaneous products to help their foot problems. To be honest I see many patients in the office who have tried these products and many times they have made their foot problems worse.

A big part of getting healthy in the New Year is working out. I personally love to exercise and I tell my patients all the time it is important to change your sneakers 2-3 times a years. In addition, custom molded orthotics is important to keeping your foot in a neutral position. Post people have flatfeet, some have high arches and few people have perfectly normal feet. Therefore, most people would benefit from a pair of orthotics. I personally have been wearing custom molded orthotics in my shoes for the past 25 years, without them I tend to have more pain and problems.

Many patients, who are adults, will tell me about their children’s foot problems. People are surprised to hear that I see many children. The truth is many foot problems begin in youth but are not noticed until adulthood. Therefore, having your child see the podiatrist is very important. Flatfeet are normal in an infant and even a toddler, but as your child approaches young adult hood, flatfeet isn’t normal and this should be addressed. One more thing that is important is to look at your feet, because one’s foot type in genetic. So if you are having problems with your feet, there is a 50% chance your child will also.

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o now that the New Year is upon us make it a priority to call your local podiatrist and ask for a consultation and a general foot exam.

To book an appointment with us and for more information please visit our website at www.foonj.com

Sterile Pedicures 08221 08234 New Jersey South Jersey

Last week on ABC’s 2020 there was a segment about the cleanliness at nail salons. The segment discussed how there is a high rate of infections at nail salons. I would like to discuss on this week’s blog about sterile pedicures and their advantage.

In the 2020 segment, ABC went undercover and inspected how certain salons sterilized and cleanse their equipment. Many salons do not disinfect their equipment properly. At our office we provide sterile pedicures. What this means is that all our equipment is sterilized in an autoclave. An autoclave is a machine that cleans medical equipment via steam and pressure. For example, in an Operating Room all surgical equipment is sterilized in this fashion. Using an autoclave significantly reducing the risk of infection since most of the bacteria and fungus is eradicated in the autoclave.

Another common thing to be weary of at a public nail salon is the cleanliness of the water baths. It is difficult to sterilize a water basin that is used for pedicures. The ideal situation would be for a liner in the water basin that can be replaced between each pedicure.

What is the risk in getting an unsterile pedicure?

There are two risks when getting an unsterile pedicure. The first is getting an infection. If the equipment is not clean there is a risk of getting an infection. The second risk is getting an ingrown toenail. Approximately 25% of patients that I see in the office with infected or non-infected ingrown toenails are from nail salons. These patients relate to me that at a salon the technician was trying to get a corner of a toenail out and in the process an ingrown toenail was created. At our office we have medical licensed nail technicians, who have a special certification by podiatrists, who perform our pedicures. They use sterile instruments, new paraffin wax for each patient and cut the toenails across. If the nail technicians are concerned about an ingrown toenail they do not trim the nails and have the patient see the podiatrist.

What is it so dangerous for diabetics to get unsterile pedicures?

Diabetics are immunocompromised, which means their immune system is weakened, and therefore they are at higher risk for infection. In addition to diabetics, patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease are at higher risk of not healing an infection. Patients with these diseases should be careful about getting an unsterile pedicure, if they were to get an infection they would be at high risk of a non-healing wound.  Therefore, it is highly recommended to get a pedicure at our office, where the pedicures are sterile and there is minimum risk for getting an infection.

Recently I filmed “Health Update’ with Robin Stoloff on NBC 40. I discussed the benefits of getting a sterile pedicure. Keep an eye out for the segment to air in the next few weeks.

For more information on sterile pedicures and to schedule one please call the office at 609-272-1450 or visit our website at www.footnj.com

Ball of Foot Pain Part II South Jersey Podiatrist

In last week’s blog I discussed how neuromas and stress fractures can cause pain in the ball of the foot. In this week’s blog I will discuss other causes of metatarsalgia. Just as a review, metatarsalgia is pain along the metatarsal bones. This is a general term and there are many different causes of this type of pain.

What is capsulitis?

A common complaint that many podiatrists hear about is pain along the 2^nd Metatarsal phalangeal joint. This is the joint where the 2^nd toe meets the 2^nd metatarsal. Pain in this area can either radiate to the toe or to the ball of the foot. It is important for the podiatrist to distinguish this with a neuroma, since there can be similar symptoms. Capsulitis is inflammation around the joint, most commonly being the 2^nd toe/metatarsal joint. Many times this can be caused by a patient’s biomechanics. Other times it can be caused by an increase in activity. The 1^st toe/metatarsal joint is programmed to take a significant amount of stress is able to accommodate for the body weight. If there is an excessive amount of activity the stress can shift to the 2^nd toe joint and therefore cause capsulitis. If there is chronic inflammation in the 2^nd toe joint that is not treated it can lead to ligament ruptures. The most common ligament that is ruptured in this joint is the plantar plate. This is the ligament on the bottom of the foot that holds the 2^nd toe and metatarsal in a straight position. If there are even microscopic tears in the tendon the 2^nd toe can begin to drift upward and/or to the side. When this begins to happen this is called pre-dislocation syndrome.  There can be swelling on the bottom of the foot near this joint, sometimes a callus may form in this area. Many patients will confuse this with a hammertoe. A hammertoe is a deformity within the toe joint, whereas pre-dislocation syndrome is a misalignment in the toe/metatarsal joint.

How is pre-dislocation syndrome treated?

This syndrome in the early stages is treated like any inflammation. An x-ray will be performed to rule out a fracture, tumor etc. Anti-inflammatory medications, ice, and rest will help with the symptoms. Orthotics will help in the long run to help support the joint and redistribute the pressure off of the inflamed area.  If conservative treatment fails surgery to repair the ligament and realign the joint may be necessary. Most of the time conservative treatment helps with decreasing the symptoms. If surgery is required your physician will order an MRI or ultrasound to assess the joint and where the damage is. Surgery typically includes repairing the rupture ligament and realigning the toe. Many times a pin or internal hardware is required to fuse the joint into a straight position.  Post operatively orthotics will be needed in order that the dislocation and the deformity do not return.

For more information, please visit our website at www.footnj.com

Sterile Pedicure

Why are thousands being infected through contaminated cross shared manicure and pedicure instruments?
Autoclaved, disposable or personal tools are Wstill not a must for these procedures.

With so many lawsuits connected to deaths, chronic infections and disfigure- ment from pedicures, you would think the public would be clamor- ing for reform. Just the opposite, most consumers completely blow off the risks and have the “it won’t hap- pen to me” attitude.

Approximately $6 Billion dollars are spent on spa related nail care every year, making it a huge indus- try. Unfortunately, along with that pretty pedicure you can take home: hepatitis B and C, cutaneous herpes, warts, bacterial and fungal infec- tions, and even HIV. These can be deadly, especially in the diabetic or immune-compromised patients.

So . . . before you kick off your shoes, consider the potential downsides of pedicures.

People with diabetes are at risk for a number of complications. Foot infections are common. If they develop a break in the skin, it can be a life-threatening complication.

I would caution individuals with diabetes not to receive a pedicure because of the sanitary conditions of the salon, the skills of the individual performing the pedicure, and the cleanliness of the instruments used.

A 43-year-old San Jose, California woman’s husband remembers the small cut on her toe that led to her death from a skin infection in 2004. A 46-year-old Ft. Worth, Texas mother left the pedicure salon with a small abrasion on her heel and died of staph related illness in Feb 2006. Her family is still embroiled in a wrongful death lawsuit.

“Death by Pedicure” is the first inside book on the “dirty secrets of nail salons.” Dr. Robert Spalding, Jr., TN podiatrist, has spent 10 years lecturing on the problems in the nail salon industry. This book goes into detail concerning foot and nail infections that have been mentioned by every major news wire and TV station in the U.S.

You may never be 100% safe from infection when receiving a pedicure, but there are many simple precautions consumers can take to protect themselves.

1. What does the salon look like? If it’s not clean and shiny like a doctor’s office, don’t stay!
2. Check the photo on the license of the nail technician. Make sure they match.
3. Ask about sanitation procedures. Instruments should be autoclaved in a steam sterilizer just like surgical instruments. When in doubt, bring your own! In our office we can offer you individual medical grade instrument sets available to purchase and clean yourself.
4. Is the spa chair pipe-less and cleaned after each pedicure?
5. Never let the technician use a sharp blade to trim a callus or cuticle. This puts you more at risk. If your calluses or heel fissures are that thick, please visit your podiatrist PRIOR to the nail salon. Tools that use razor blades may ONLY be used by a doctor.

Nail salons are definitely improving their sanitation and trying to make you safer, but you must be a savvy consumer. Demand a safe pedicure or you and your family may be sorry!

Let me introduce a waterless paraffin pedicure that is available in our professional podiatry office. It was designed for those individuals who suffer from diseases such as dia- betes, arthritis, high-risk pregnancy patients, chemotherapy patients and other medical disorders that may otherwise prohibit the use of these services. It was also intended for those who have had bad pedi- cures and for those who describe themselves as “germaphobes.”” You may already be familiar with paraf- fin wax treatments at spas and nail salons -- it’s a luxurious addition to a manicure or pedicure. This helps to moisturize the foot and has the same effect as soaking a foot in a tub of water. However, this approach is environmentally better since you do not waste water and it is more sanitary. But you may be surprised at what else paraffin wax is used to treat.

Paraffin wax is a common option in heat therapy treatments for people with arthritis or other rheumatic diseases -- the heat helps increase blood flow and relax the muscles, which can help relieve pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Paraffin wax can even soften hardened skin caused by scleroderma, a disease in which col- lagen accumulates on the body -- it increases the skin’s elasticity, allowing for increased move- ment and mobility. Enhance your pedicure with the moisturiz- ing properties of paraffin. The paraffin and heat softens and improves skin all over the feet, especially in tough, calloused areas.

But the benefits of paraffin wax don’t stop there. Because paraf- fin wax treatments are a form of heat therapy, they’re often used for muscle, tendon and ligament ailments. As with conditions like arthritis, they increase blood flow, improve joint stiffness and reduce pain. They’re also used to treat bur- sitis, tendonitis, sprains and pulled muscles.

It’s about going green and being safe. A waterless pedicure is just how it sounds. Foot baths have been replaced by sanitized steamed tow- els. By wrapping your feet in these towels, your chances of catching a fungus or bacteria from the foot bath vanish. As an added bonus, you are helping the environment by preserving water without lifting a finger.

Our office is different in many ways. We autoclave our instruments just as they do in a hospital; this sterilizes, not sanitizes, our equip- ment. Everything else is disposable, making sure there is no chance for cross contamination. All files are thrown away or given to the client to take home with them, ensuring that nothing is ever used on anyone else.

In case you already have had a bad experience with

the dirty salons and suffer from toe nail fungus, we are offering the laser treatment by the best device available, “Rolls Royce” of all laser machines – Sciton Clear Sense laser – the newest laser technology on market that gives patient the advanced care they desire.

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