Archive for March, 2009

Finding the Right Foot Arch Support

If the shoe fits, wear it. It’s a common phrase, translating roughly to “if it works, do it.” For foot pain sufferers, finding a shoe that fits can be nearly impossible, and finding a method of pain relief can feel just as difficult. It doesn’t need to be hard to find the right foot arch support, if you know where to look.

Dr. Jeff Davies, a physician and biomedical engineer, saw a need for affordable quality arch support, and created www.archatomics.com. Not only does this website give you all the information about foot pain and its common causes, but it also offers relief. If you’ve ever been to a podiatrist, you know that it can be very expensive to get custom orthotics made; but at www.archatomics.com, 100% personalized orthotic arch supports are at a fraction of the cost you’d pay at a doctor’s office.

What makes these arch supports so great is that they come from a reliable business that guarantees your satisfaction with their product. Their easy to use casting kit gives you custom results without the pricey doctor’s visit. If you have any questions, you can call Dr. Davies directly and actually speak to him! It’s that kind of personal service that sets this company apart. They care very much about your foot pain, and they want to help alleviate that pain as much as you do! Not only is the kit simple to use, but once the company receives it by return post, your custom orthotics only take about four days to make! This swift turnaround time gets you the relief that you need faster!

Give Archatomics a try! You’ve got nothing but agonizing foot pain to lose! This is one of those instances of the shoe fitting www.archatomics.com works, you should try them!

To find out more about foot arch support , take a moment and
visit us at www.archatomics.com

Top Tips to Treat and Prevent Heel Pain

Heel pain can occur at either of two places: the bottom of the heel or the back of the heel. The heel bone, the calcaneus, is the largest bone of the foot and bears our full weight during part of each stride. The painful heel, in almost all instances, is caused by excessive strain on one of the two major ligaments, and the pain occurs where these ligaments attach to the bone.

First, the Achilles tendon attaches at the back of the heel. This is the strongest tendon in the body and connects the muscles on the back of the calf to the heel. The force of contraction of the calf muscles enables us to stand on tiptoe and gives an extra thrust as we walk. Damage to this tendon attachment is called Achilles tendinitis. Frequently, there will also be tears in the tendon itself or in the lower part of the muscle.

Second, the heel spur syndrome affects the bottom of the heel. This is where the ligaments that make up the arch of the foot attach to the heel bone. These ligaments function like a bowstring to arch the foot, so they are under pressure every time we stand or step. If a problem at the bottom of the heel persists, calcium may develop in the inflamed area where the ligaments attach. The presence of the calcium spur may or may not cause additional pain. Many people have pain without visible spurs on X-ray, while others have spurs but no pain.

Usually heel pain is a simple result of a minor and forgotten injury. Unfortunately, since we strain the injured part every time we walk or stand, these problems can become a vicious cycle in which there is more injury, more inflammation, more injury, and so forth.

Rest, avoidance of further injury, and gradual resumption of activity as the pain subsides are indicated. Non-weight-bearing activities like swimming can be continued full tilt.

For Achilles tendinitis, rest the foot or feet. Use a shoe with a high heel wedge and a lot of padding, since this limits the stretch on the tendon. Warm up and stretch carefully for 10 to 15 minutes before exercise. Exercises such as tennis or walking uphill are not good; these stress the tendon. Remember that tight muscles on the back of the leg put extra strain on this tendon, so warm up with gentle toe touching or other stretching exercises for the calf muscles.

For the heel spur syndrome the activities to avoid are ones that cause pounding on the bottom of the heel. Heel padding will help, but support for the arch is even more important since this takes tension off the ligaments whose job it is to hold the arch. A strap around the foot at the level of the top eyelets on a shoe, secured firmly but not tightly by Velcro, can give good relief. Commercially made running shoes are sometimes very helpful. In most of these shoes the cushioning air cells break down after a few months, so you should change shoes even before they appear worn out. Don’t worry about wearing a silly-looking shoe; forget fashion and concentrate on getting well. This kind of problem can take a year or more to resolve, or it may go away quickly. Keep trying.

Raymond Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is the Founder of Bodyfixes Group specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He is currently the author of the latest edition of “Neck Exercises and Workouts.” Visit http://www.bodyfixes.com for more information.

Cure Athletes Foot In 7 Days.

Cure Athletes Foot, Nail Fungus & Jock Itch In Just 7 Days! Newly Increased Commissions. Affiliates Receive $20.02 Per Sale!

Cure Athletes Foot In 7 Days.

Cryosurgery has become more popular over the last few years for relief of painful foot problems. Now thanks to advancements in the technique, the procedure has become more accurate allowing more reproducible results with higher success rates than cryosurgery performed as recent as the past few years!

Dr. Marc Katz, a podiatrist and cryosurgeon in Tampa, FL, has pioneered new advanced techniques to improve the accuracy and results of foot cryosurgery. He has coined the CryoMax procedure which involves the use of a color power ultrasound for guidance to accurately target and treat the abnormal nerve. This doppler technology is different than the common black and white doppler imaging used by some cryosurgeons. The nerve and vessel structures can be identified with ease using the color doppler. Of course there is a learning curve which is fairly steep but the outcome is much more positive.

The most common foot cryosurgery procedures performed today do not use any visual guidance to place the cryosurgery probe. The area of foot pain is found by pressing points of tenderness on the foot and the probe is placed where the pain seems to occur. Dr. Katz does not like the random approaches of the past. The exact nerve branch needs to be identified. This can be accomplished with the use of the color power doppler and small amounts of anesthetic accurately placed. Dr. Katz stated that he developed this technique because of the need for better results with minimal discomfort. This is a much more scientific approach with better outcomes. Cryosurgery involves freezing of the nerves and without proper guidance the procedure may be hit or miss. Of course, no technique is perfect but he feels that CryoMax is far superior and he has the results to prove it.

Dr. Katz is one of a few podiatrists in the US to do the procedure. He has patients that travel from many cities across the US and he also sees patients from Canada and even other countries.

The most common cryosurgery procedures for foot pain are performed for neuritis or nerve inflammation, foot neuroma and all types of heel pain. Many other types of foot and ankle pain can be treated as well. The use of CryoMax has been an excellent addition to treatment options available. The need for more major traditional surgery has been mostly eliminated in Dr. Katz’s Tampa practice. Patients have been pleased with the fast healing and short recovery time. They walk out of the office after the procedure and take it easy for a few days. After about 24 hours a Band-aid is applied and the incision is so small there is no stitch. In some cases, the patient may require more than one treatment. However patients readily admit that they would repeat the procedure without hesitation for the relief.

So what exactly happens when a patient has cryosurgery?

The cryosurgery process is all natural. The cryosurgery probe causes the fluid in the tissues to freeze around the nerve. There is no chemical that goes into the foot and nothing is removed from the foot. The procedure can be done even if the patient has had prior treatments including traditional surgery.

Basically, super freezing is applied to the nerve that is causing pain. When controlled freezing and thawing occur, a portion of the nerve will breakdown. This causes a prolonged anesthetic effect and thus pain relief. This occurs because the pain signal to the brain has been disrupted. The physician can then address the underlying cause of problem and correct it to obtain more lasting relief. It is the natural course of healing for the body to attempt re-growth of the nerve. So many patients will receive custom orthotic arch support devices to realign the foot and ankle and allow healing without repeat damage to the nerve.

One major advantage of cryosurgery is that when the nerve heals and new growth forms, there is no occurrence of a stump neuroma. A stump neuroma is a disorderly growth of nerve tissue often resulting in chronic unresolved pain. Since the cryosurgical procedure leaves the outer coating or insulation of the nerve intact, the newly growing nerve has a pathway for orderly growth and allows pain-free regeneration.

Dr. Katz recommends this treatment to his patients before consideration of more invasive procedures including the removal of the neuroma, heel surgeries and soft tissue release procedures. I don’t compare cryosurgery to nerve removal or nerve releases procedures. It’s like comparing apples to oranges! I believe that the procedure should be tried because of its success and it may avoid the need for more risky procedures. This is a totally different approach to relieving pain and it is the future of pain relief. Katz says that if he can have a large percentage of his patients avoid a poor outcome it is certainly to the advantage of the patient. In addition, health care costs are decreased since a costly surgery center or hospital visit can be avoided because the procedure is performed in the office setting.

Cryosurgery is an excellent safe option for relief of foot and ankle pain. With advances in technology and technique, patients have additional choices available in their treatment regimen. The future of medicine is evolving into minimally invasive methods of treatment. Patients can now take advantage of this cutting edge pain relief technology.

Dr. Marc Katz is a Tampa Podiatrist that provides cutting edge techniques for relief of foot and ankle pain including Cryosurgery. Dr. Katz is Florida’s premier cryosurgeon treating neuroma’s, neuropathy and heel pain. http://www.tampacryosurgery.com http://www.thetampapodiatrist.com