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Items filtered by date: May 2015

barefoot running7Apple and Android app Charity Miles allows users to earn corporate sponsorships for charity while walking, running, or biking. Charity Miles founder and developer Gene Gurkoff spent a lot of time running for charity while in law school, raising money for Parkinson’s Disease in honor of his grandfather. One Charity Miles member, Jake Brown, is running across the United States barefoot from west to east. Brown met up in New Mexico with Jack Fussell, another Charity Miles member, before continuing on his way.

If you have any concerns about barefoot running, contact Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M. of Florida. Dr. Klein will treat your foot and ankle needs.

Barefoot Running

Barefoot running is a fairly popular trend in the running world. More than just simply ‘running without shoes,” barefoot running affects the way your feet hit the ground and your overall posture. Barefoot runners land on the front part of their feet as opposed to those who wear shoes, who usually strike their heel as they hit the ground.

Barefoot running contains many advantages, including:

  • A lower risk for ankle and foot injuries
  • Improvement in balance and body  posture
  • Strengthens muscles in the lower legs, ankles and feet that are not normally worked when wearing shoes

There are also some disadvantages to barefoot running, which include:

  • Lack of shoes increases the risk of incurring blisters, scrapes, bruises and cuts
  • Risk of Achilles tendonitis as a result of landing on the front of your feet constantly
  • Needing time and transition to adjust as the switch cannot be automatic

Start on even, flat surfaces and consider investing in minimalist running shoes. Minimalist running shoes provide the ‘feel’ of barefoot running while affording the same protection you get from wearing shoes. Barefoot running can be safe and enjoyable with the proper planning and transition.

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

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foot pain4While walking is an activity and exercise that comes naturally, many people are prone to developing detrimental walking habits that can lead to problems. To promote proper walking technique, ensure that your shoes provide enough support but allow your feet to “breathe”, walk with the head up and back straight, start on even ground and work up to hills later, and cool down after walking. Stretching exercises and walking at a slower pace are great ways to cool down.

Exercising the feet and ankles regularly is a great way to prevent injuries. If you have any foot or ankle concerns, contact Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M. of Florida. Dr. Klein will treat your foot and ankle needs.

Exercise for Your Feet

Exercise for your feet can help you to gain strength, mobility and flexibility in your feet. They say that strengthening your feet can be just as rewarding as strengthening another part of the body. Your feet are very important and often we forget about them in our daily tasks. But it is because of our feet that are we able to get going and do what we need to. For those of us fortunate not to have any foot problems, it is an important gesture to take care of them to ensure its good health in the long run.

Some foot health exercises can include ankle pumps, tip-toeing, toe rise, lifting off the floor doing reps and sets, also flexing the toes and involving the shins may help too. It is best to speak with your doctor regarding how to do these fitness steps and how often is right for you. Everyone’s needs and bodies are different and it varies from individual to individual to determine what should be done for you to maintain strength in your feet.

Once you get into a routine of doing regular exercise, you may notice a difference in your feet and how strong they may become.

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

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stressfractMusic sensation Usher had recently undergone surgery to repair a fractured foot. The performer did not let his injury keep him from putting on a show, however; at the 2015 Global Citizen Earth Day concert in Washington, D.C., Usher hit the stage with a crutch and leg brace.

The singer performed his classic hits as well as covering John Legend’s Oscar-winning song “Glory” and The Beatles’ “Come Together”. Surprises further came with a guest performance by Common.  

Stress fractures can become painful if left untreated for an extended period of time. If you would like assistance in treating a stress fracture, consult with Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M. of Florida. Dr. Klein can determine the severity of your condition and provide you with quality care.

Coping with Podiatric Stress Fractures

Stress Fractures occur on the foot and ankle when muscles in these areas weaken as a result of overexertion or underuse.  As a result, the ankles and feet lose support when walking or running from the ground. Since these bones are not protected, they receive the full impact of each step. The stress on the feet causes the bones to form cracks.

What are Stress Fractures?

Stress Fractures are very common among those who are highly active and involved in sports or activities that make excessive use of their legs and feet. Stress fractures are especially common among:

-athletes (gymnasts, tennis players, basketball players)
-runners/joggers
-osteoporosis patients
-those who engage in high-intensity workouts

Stress Fracture Symptoms

Pain from the fractures occur in the area of the fractures, and can be either constant or periodic. The pain is usually sharp or dull, accompanied by swelling and tenderness. Engagement in any kind of high impact activity will exacerbate the pain.

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

Read more about Stress Fractures

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fiaAfter recently spraining his right foot, Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies still intends to continue playing into the playoffs. The sharp pains the Grizzlies guard experiences are not enough to keep him on the bench. The Grizzlies have seen Conley play through pain before. “It’s going to flare up no matter what I do,” Conley said. “I just go out there and play as if I’m not injured and see how much I can do and what I can do to help the team and the following day is just rehab and recover.”

Full recovery is much more difficult if one continues to play sports with a foot or ankle injury. If you would like assistance with an injury, see Dr. Ian Klein, D.P.M. of Florida. Dr. Klein will assess your injury and provide you with a quality treatment plan.  

Playing Sports with Foot Injuries

Many types of foot injuries affect athletes over the course of their athletic career. Despite their setbacks, many of these athletes will continue to play with mild foot injuries and attempt to ‘push’ through the pain. In order to be able to prevent injuries, it is important to stretch before any activity, wear proper footwear and replace shoes as needed. Some of the foot and ankle injuries athletes are at risk for include:

  • Turf toe- upward bending of the big toe outside normal range of motion
  • Stress Fractures
  • Overpronation- excessive foot movement during gait
  • Plantar Fasciitis- swollen ligament in the foot’s base
  • Strains

For more serious injuries it is recommended to consult with a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist as fractures and other serious conditions may require surgery.

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

Read more about Playing Sports with Foot Injuries

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