Heel pain is one of the most common reasons for chronic pain in adults and children. It can be caused by many factors including wearing shoes that are too tight. Chronic pain is also a result of gout, obesity, injury, and arthritis. Running can also create pain in the heels because of the amount of stress it puts on them.

There are a variety of conditions that can inflict pain underneath the heel or behind it, including Achilles tendinitis, Achilles tendon rupture, Bursitis (joint inflammation), Heel spurs, Paget’s disease, Bone tumors, Haglund’s deformities, and Osteomyelitis (bone infection).

Medical professionals can determine the exact reasons for your heel pain so that you can begin the appropriate treatment.

What is Heel Pain?

The arch and heel bone of the foot is often the source of heel pain.

For example, plantar fasciitis symptoms can be felt on the bottom of the foot or on the heel bone itself. Touching or pressing that area can also cause pain. Standing or walking for a long time can aggravate the pain as well. Usually, Achilles tendonitis is felt in both heels, but it may only be felt when pressing on one side of the heel bone.

On the other hand, bursitis, Haglund’s deformity, and Sever’s disease can be felt in the heel.

Heel pain can be caused by many conditions, but all of them are made worse by not following a medical treatment plan and wearing the wrong footwear.

What Causes Heel Pain?

Several factors can cause heel pain, such as:

* Inflammation of the tissues around the heel bone.

* An overuse or injury can result in inflammation of a thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot

* Overstretching can lead to tight calf muscles or Achilles tendonitis

* Formation of a bunion, which is an enlargement of the joints at the base of your big toe, causing your toes to press outwards, causing pressure on your feet.

How to Treat Heel Pain?

Heel pain can be inflicted by stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, iliotibial band syndrome, and Achilles tendonitis. Pain relievers, injections, and orthotic devices are nonsurgical treatments for heel pain. Most heel conditions do not require surgery.

The treatment depends on the condition. If, for example, you have plantar fasciitis, a condition characterized by pain in the heel and arch of the foot caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia–which is the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes– your podiatrist may recommend the following treatment plan:

* When you rest, apply ice packs to the injured area and then protect your heels with heel pads.

* When you sit or lie down, elevate your feet as much as possible.

* When you walk or run, stretch your calves, hamstrings, and Achilles tendon. Also, wear supportive shoes that have good arch support

The Best Ways to Prevent & Treat Heel Pain

Overuse and tight muscles give rise to heel pain. By keeping your feet flexible, wearing supportive shoes recommended by your doctor, and walking a few miles a day, you can prevent painful foot conditions.

Request an Appointment

Country Foot Care provides a wide range of holistic, conservative treatment options to patients with foot or ankle disorders. Our doctors have many years of experience and training, which allows them to help you with a wide range of treatment options. We have a full line of products to enhance your custom treatment plan. We offer a variety of treatments at our clinic, including Medical Foot Spas, Laser Therapy, Shockwave Therapy, and Vascular Testing. To schedule an appointment, please call 516-741-FEET or fill out our online appointment request form. Our offices are located at 155 Mineola Blvd, Mineola, NY 11501 and 479 Willis Ave, Williston Park, NY 11596.

Athletes who take part in sports that require running and jumping are more likely to get knee injuries. An ACL injury, which is a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, takes an average of 12 months to heal for a male.

In sports, injuries to the feet are common. Over a two-year period, 27% of all injuries in Division 1 athletics are foot and ankle-related. One reason is increased impact forces on the feet. Because of this, a lot of professionals are wearing custom orthotics.

The following are some common sports-related injuries:

Plantar Fasciitis

Symptoms of this condition include pain in the heel and lower part of the foot caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament. It is typically a dull pain that gets more severe with activity. The condition can be caused by overuse, flat feet, or being overweight.

Achilles Tendinitis

This is a condition that happens when the tendon that attaches your calf muscles to your heel bone becomes inflamed. Common causes of Achilles tendonitis are overuse, inflammation of the joint or bone, or an injury. If it is injured, it’s painful to walk and can take a long time to heal. If left untreated, it can result in chronic pain and disability.

Neuroma

In this condition, a nerve in the foot becomes compressed, causing pain. A neuroma can be caused by an injury or by either repetitive stress injuries or plantar fasciitis after it has progressed or an entrapped nerve.

Heel Spur

People who have flat feet and who walk a lot are most likely to develop this condition. If you have heel spurs, you should seek treatment right away.

Stress Fractures

Athletes and runners are often injured by this condition. When the muscles and bones of the leg, hips, or feet are overworked or stressed, they begin to break down. An impact on a bone repeatedly causes a stress fracture. Eventually, the bone breaks.

This type of injury does not have a specific set of symptoms, but they can include:

* Pain in the affected bone

* Swelling around the injury

* Difficulty with weight-bearing or walking

* Discomfort while running

Ankle Sprain

This condition affects people of all ages. In most cases, this happens when someone lands on their ankle while it is bent or rolls their ankle. Usually caused by twisting of the foot, an ankle sprain may also damage the ligaments on the side of the foot.

Contact Country Foot Care

As Long Island podiatrists serving Nassau County, we provide a variety of foot care solutions to patients. Our highly trained doctors treat every patient individually, focusing on their specific needs and problems. They have the expertise and skills to treat your injury so that you can heal better and get back on your feet much faster than if you let your injury heal on its own. Visit us online at Country Foot Care or call 516-741-FEET for more information. Our Mineola office is located at 155 Mineola Blvd Mineola, NY 11501, and our Williston Park office is located at 479 Willis Ave Williston Park, NY 11596.

Wishing you all a Wonderful Holiday Season!

 

Country Foot Care, Holidays

A Jones fracture is a break or crack in the fifth metatarsal, which is one of the long bones in your foot. The fifth metatarsal bone helps form the outside edge of the foot and connects to your little toe. This type of injury can result from twisting or stress on the foot when participating in sports that require running and jumping.

What is a Metatarsal Fracture?

Your metatarsals are the long bones in your feet and toes that help you walk, run and transfer weight from your foot when standing or walking. The fifth metatarsal is also called the “lateral” or “outside” bone of the foot. It’s located on the outside of your foot connected to the little toe. Professional athlete, Football player Derrick Henry suffered this injury during a Thursday night football game against the Miami Dolphins. “I just felt it break,” Henry said after the game on the injury, which occurred in the first quarter of a 23-20 loss. A Jones Fracture requires surgery to heal, so Derrick was put on crutches and will be out for at least 12 weeks as he recovers from surgery.

The Symptoms

Symptoms may include pain in your foot that can be mild or severe, tenderness, swelling, and bruising. You might also have one leg that’s shorter than the other if you broke your fifth metatarsal bone while running or jumping because it changes the way your legs function. You might also feel like you can still move your toe or foot, but there is no movement because the ligaments are too tight to allow for any range of motion.

Causes

A Jones fracture occurs when someone jumps down to the ground from a height, lands on uneven footing, or experiences stress outside the foot. It’s also possible to injure your fifth metatarsal bone by twisting it excessively, but this type of injury isn’t as common as a Jones fracture because it causes more damage on the inside of the foot.

Treatment

First aid for a Jones fracture includes resting and icing your foot with a cold pack or bag of ice. Taking anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen can help to decrease swelling and pain while you’re revising your foot. You should place some padding, like a bandage or gauze, around your fifth metatarsal bone to prevent any further damage while it’s healing. Applying an ACE wrap is one way to do this on your own.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Your doctor might recommend that you wear a walking boot for comfort while you give the fracture time to heal on its own. They may also prescribe physical therapy rehab exercises like balancing on the injured side off the ground with one leg straight in front of the other or leaning against a wall for balance while you extend your foot. Physical therapy can help to improve the strength and flexibility of your injured leg while it heals.

Surgical Treatment

If non-surgical treatment fails, you might need surgery to repair the broken pieces of bone in your fifth metatarsal or fuse them with wire or pins. You may also require surgical repair if there is too much damage for the fracture to heal on its own by putting pressure on surrounding tissues. If an open wound has developed because part of the bone pierced through your skin, then you’ll likely need surgery to close that wound before it heals.

The most common method used for surgical fixation is called “pinning.” A small metal rod is placed into the center of the broken bone and held together with wires or pins during this process. If your doctor decides to fuse the fracture instead of pin it, then an incision might be made in the front of your foot or across the top of your fifth metatarsal to make sure that they heal in the proper position while producing a stronger bone.

Recovery

Suppose you had surgery for this type of injury. In that case, you might need anywhere from three months to several years before returning to regular physical activity, depending on how severe it was. You’ll likely wear a boot for six weeks after surgery while your toe is still numb. Once the feeling comes back into your foot, you’ll need another six weeks before walking without pain. Physical therapy can help you regain strength and range of motion in your foot so you can walk normally again.

Prevention

There’s no surefire way to prevent a Jones fracture from happening, but wearing the proper footwear and being aware of your surroundings before stepping down hard onto the ground is one good way to prevent it from happening.

It may be possible that changing certain aspects of your lifestyle could help reduce the risk of suffering a Jones fracture as well. For example, adding more weight-bearing exercise into your routine may strengthen bones and make them less likely to break if you become injured. If you have a sedentary job or stay seated most of the day, stand up and move around periodically throughout the workday or find ways to increase how much activity you get every day by trying something new like yoga or dancing.

An alternative for this would be to list all of the services NY Country Foot Care provides and how they can help treat a Jones fracture.

Country Foot Care, located on Long Island, NY is a physical therapy clinic specializing in foot and ankle care for patients of all ages, including those who have suffered from a Jones fracture. If you’ve been diagnosed with a fifth metatarsal bone fracture and want to know more about the treatment options available, contact us at (516) 741-3338 or to request an appointment online, simply fill out our online form.

Conclusion

In Summary, Jones fractures are a common injury in sports where there is a lot of running and jumping involved. To prevent this from happening, wear proper footwear and get into the habit of wearing ankle braces for support when participating in these activities, especially if you have been diagnosed with a high-arched or flat foot. If the pain becomes too severe, seek immediate medical attention to avoid further complications.

Country Foot Care, Thanksgiving

LASER TREATMENT SPECIAL

$50 Off

Any New or Touch-Up Treatment

* Expires January 31, 2022

Have you ever noticed discoloration, thickening or brittleness of your toe nails? This could be a sign of fungal nails (tinea unguium). Here at Country Foot Care, we have a state-of-the-art laser to quickly remove your fungus and boost your confidence.

The treatment involves a high-intensity light passing through your nails, causing the fungal infection to vaporize without damaging the underlying tissues. The laser treatment allows your body to begin immediately growing new, healthy nails.

Although laser treatments are not covered by medical insurance, our practice offers interest-free financing to those who qualify. Additionally, most flex spending plans offer some degree of reimbursement as well.

LASER TREATMENT SPECIAL

$50 Off

Any New or Touch-Up Treatment

* Expires January 31, 2022

Pedi Smooth Moisturizing Cream & Pair Gel Socks

The combination of PediSmooth and Adessa gel socks soothe and rehydrate dry, rough feet from heel to toe. The patented gel lining is enriched with vitamins, nutrients and essential oils to restore skin’s soft and supple appearance. Adessa moisturizing gel socks are hypoallergenic, washable and reusable. Use of PediSmooth with the Adessa gel socks leaves feet feeling healthy, hydrated and smooth.

$45

Pedi Smooth Moisturizing Cream & Pair Gel Socks

$52 Value

Diabetic Slippers

Diabetic slippers vary greatly from normal slippers because they offer an array of health benefits and are designed with top quality materials.

The designs feature arch support, removable footbeds, adjustable closure designs, breathable leather uppers, and durable rubber outsoles designed with slippery floor surfaces in mind. 

$70

Diabetic Special: Diabetic Slippers

$75 Value

Diabetic Socks

For diabetics, protecting their feet is vital and that challenge doesn’t stop when they are resting at home.
A diabetic sock is a non-restrictive, but close fitting sock which is designed to alleviate pressures on the foot or leg.

$33

Diabetic Special: 3 Pack Diabetic Socks

$39 Value

Ingredients

  1. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing
    1 cup white whole-wheat flour
  2. 1 cup rolled oats
  3. 2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  4. 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  5. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  6. Pinch fine sea salt

Filling:

  1. 1/2 cup apple butter
  2. 4 ounces dried apples
  3. 4 ounces dried cherries, golden raisins or other dried fruit
  4. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple Crumble Bars

The combination of apple butter and dried apples adds layers of apple flavor to this hearty treat. Oats and whole-wheat flour amplify the satisfaction.

Directions:

  • For the base and streusel topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking pan.
  • Put the flour, oats, sugars, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 6 times, about 3 seconds per pulse, until some of the oatmeal is finely chopped and some still large or whole. Drizzle in the melted butter, toss with a fork and then pulse until the mixture comes together, about 8 times.
  • Press two-thirds of the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Squeeze spoonfuls of the remaining mixture in your palm to make chunks – some larger, some smaller – and place in a small bowl.
  • Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate both the base and the chunks for 30 minutes.
  • For the filling: Put the apple butter, dried fruit, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons water in the cleaned bowl of the food processor and pulse to a chunky paste. Spread the filling over the chilled base. Scatter the streusel topping over the filling, leaving some of the filling showing through. Bake until the streusel is toasty and crisp, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 2 hours, before slicing into 16 squares.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

  • Whether you plan to hit the winter trails, ski slopes, or take a walk around the neighborhood, select your shoes with comfort and safety in mind. Protect your feet from blisters, calluses and injury by selecting well-fitting shoes.
  • Wear shoes that have a bit of wiggle room in the toe-box. Cramping your toes in a small confined toe-box can cause bacteria and fungus to grow from the natural moisture and sweat your feet produce.
  • Wearing appropriate footwear is key. You want to look for shoes that have padding and are still roomy enough to not cut off circulation. Wearing shoes made from breathable fabrics can help control moisture.

Warm dry feet, warm heart.

  • Moisture wicking socks are excellent at keeping your feet warm and dry. When your feet sweat, wet socks allow the cold to sleep in. This makes you extra cold, as well as promoting bacteria and fungal growth. You can tell that your feet are sweaty when they appear extra pale or your toes “wrinkle”. If you notice that your feet feel itchy because they are wet, soaking your feet in a warm water bath with vinegar (white or apple cider both work) for 10 minutes will help. Remember to dry your feet completely when you take your socks off and again after your bath or shower.
  • A nice way to restore heat into your feet is to apply foot cream in a circular motion and massage from your heels to your toes.
  • Suffer from cracked scaly feet? A home remedy using a mixture of olive oil and sea salt replenishes moisture while gently exfoliating away layers of superficial dead skin.
  • It is important that your feet are well hydrated without being wet. A good rule of thumb for good foot hydration: creams are better than lotions or petroleum products because creams allow your feet to “breathe”.

Watch for ice and snow.

  • Winter wonderlands can be beautiful but also dangerous. Use caution when traveling outdoors and watch for ice and snow patches along your trail.
  • Remove wet shoes and socks as soon as possible when you are inside. With snow sitting on the ground, it’s hard to keep your feet completely dry. By removing your wet shoes and socks as soon as you can helps prevent bacterial and fungal infections.
  • Before putting your shoes back on, check to make sure they are completely dry.
  • Wearing inappropriate shoes can cause frostbite. Please wear warm and waterproof boots when you go out into the snow.

Listen to and look at your feet.

  • Don’t let cold, wet, painful feet ruin your winter fun. Inspect your feet regularly for evidence of ingrown toenails, rashes, cracked peeling skin, blisters or calluses. If you notice any of these issues, contact Country Foot Care at (516) 741-FEET or make an appointment on our website.

Preparing Your Feet For The Fall

You may not like to hear the words that Summer has come to an end, but it is over. You will soon be storing your sandals until next year’s warm weather. Now, you are getting out your footwear for the fall. It’s important to give your feet some extra care right now. There are certain things you need to do to prepare your feet for the fall weather.

Indoor Heating

During the fall and winter months, you will be experiencing lower indoor humidity due to indoor heating. Your skin will be dryer and this includes your feet. The heels on your feet have a good chance of becoming dry and cracking. It could cause pain when walking. The best way to handle this situation is to purchase a good quality foot cream. It should be applied to your heels and other dry spots on your feet after bathing.

Painful Calluses

If you spend a significant amount of time during the summer going barefoot, your feet could develop calluses and roughness. In some cases, you may use a moisturizer but it would not be enough to resolve the problem. The thick, layered skin of calluses can not only be uncomfortable, but can also dry out, increasing your risk of fissures, and opening the door for infection. At Country Foot Care, we can debride down the thickened layers to relieve pressure, then determine and treat the underlying cause of the problem

Footwear

Even when the temperature is cool outside, if you wear shoes and socks that do not permit your feet to breathe, you will have problems. This will create a moist warm environment and unwanted foot odor, as well as fungus, will develop. When snow or rain causes your feet to become soggy, you will need to take sufficient time for your footwear to dry before putting it back on. Natural wicking materials such as wool are a good choice. Boots and shoes should be alternated so a dry pair is worn each day.

Wear and Tear

You may have footwear for the fall and winter that have spent the entire summer in the back of your closet. Now is the time to carefully examine your fall shoes and boots. Look for signs of wearing on the outside and the inside. When you try them on, be certain they still feel comfortable. It’s important to determine if they properly support your feet. If this is not the case, it may be time to consider buying some new fall shoes or boots.

Nail Polish

It is now time to remove nail polish. Many people do keep their toenails polished in the winter. Should your toenails have been painted non-stop during the summertime, you should remove the nail polish and examine your toes. If you notice you have thick yellow nails, you may have a fungal infection. This can be obtained when walking in public pools and other public places with bare feet. If a problem is detected, it is time to make an appointment with your podiatrist.

The medical professionals at Country Foot Care provide our patients with successful treatments based on years of experience and education. We also maintain a stock of important products to accommodate our patient’s customized treatments. Contact us today to make an appointment and learn how we can help you.