Blog

One of the top ten diseases in United States is diabetes. Over 29 million Americans suffer from diabetes, with a few more famous diabetics being novelist Anne Rice, Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor and pop culture icon, Nick Jonas. Diabetic foot care is of critical importance, since diabetes can cause lack of blood flow in the legs and feet, resulting in numbness and loss of feeling. Due to the numbness, cuts and sores go unnoticed, which leads to infection. This means that diabetics need to spend a little extra time paying attention to their feet so they can remain healthy.…

Willie Cauley-Stein was one of this year’s big winners in the NBA draft when the Sacramento Kings chose him as the 6th overall draft.  His teammate over at the University of Kentucky, Karl Anthony Towns was first on the list after being picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former Kentucky big man suffered a stress fracture from a previous game against Louisville. The injury left the Wildcat center sidelined for the rest of the season. This is exactly what many analysts downplayed Willie Cauley-Stein’s draft standings even placing him outside the top ten picks. Big men with histories of foot…

The talus is a very important structure in the ankle. It is essential for the ankle’s normal movement. A talus fracture can occur during a broken ankle injury. A talus injury usually happens as a result of a vehicular accident or high impact falls. Signs and symptoms of a Talus fracture  Swelling and tenderness  Limited movement in the affected foot Pain during weight bearing activities Consult a podiatrist if you notice any of these symptoms to ensure proper diagnosis of the foot injury. A podiatrist can recommend several test to positively identify a talus fracture. This includes x-rays and other…

Therapeutic shoes have gone a long way in terms of design that these could pass as regular shoes without people noticing that you are wearing them. If you’re a diabetic or suffering from a foot condition, therapeutic shoes are a must for preventing diabetic foot conditions or preventing it from developing. Benefits of Therapeutic Footwear Better foot support Inserts could be used to restore normal foot structure to those with flat foot or high arches. The feet are responsible for supporting our weight. Any abnormalities in our foot structure leaves us at high risk for injury. A flat foot or…

Our toenails may not get the same attention as other foot structures. This is why many cases of toenail disorders have significantly progressed before it is brought to the attention of a podiatrist. A common toenail condition is onychomycosis or a fungal nail infection. Symptoms include a yellowish discoloration of the toenails accompanied with thickened nails. While a fungal nail is easy to identify, other toenail conditions exist.  Below is a list of toenail conditions and causes.    Senile nails – this condition usually comes with aging. As we grow old nails become brittle and ridges develop. You can minimize the…

 A Simple Look into Jump-related Foot Injuries Jumping injuries occur when the foot is subjected to abuse due to repeated trauma from high-impact activities. The feet are designed to absorb the shock of our body’s weight impact on the ground. The force of this pressure is multiplied a couple of times when jumping. Pain is an early sign of jumping-related foot injury, but it can also be caused by other foot disorders. Consult a podiatrist for proper diagnosis of a foot injury. Dr. Jonathan Kletz is a podiatrist who specializes in foot care and treating foot injuries. Jumping injuries are usually caused…

Acquired adult flatfoot deformity is the progressive and painful collapse of the foot’s arches giving it a flat appearance. AAFD usually happens when the nerves, tendons or ligaments are damaged which causes partial dislocation of the joints. If you notice any changes in your feet’s appearance or flatfoot, then a visit to a podiatrist is recommended to ensure proper treatments are made and prevent it from progressing even further. Dr. Jonathan Kletz is a podiatrist who specializes in helping people with foot disorders. Acquired adult flatfoot deformity has four stages. It is during the second stage when the symptoms become…

Claw toes is a foot disorder described as a claw-like foot deformity which resembles that of a bird. Some are born with this condition while other acquire this later in life. It can be caused by several factors. An underlying disease or an injury that affects foot muscles and nerves. It is advised that you consult a podiatrist when the first signs of a claw toe is observed. People suffering from claw toes may experience pain especially when wearing tight-fitting shoes. This foot deformity make wearing shoes painful. Claw toes are sometimes mistaken for hammertoes another foot deformity. But at…

A Quick Look into Webbed Toes Webbed toes is an unusual condition where the toes are fused together. This toe abnormality is not acquired but is something present at birth. Webbed toes and fingers can be seen during the early stages of pregnancy. However, this normally disappears as the fetus matures in the womb. An enzyme is responsible for dissolving the tissue connecting the digits giving us separate toes and fingers at birth.  Webbed toes usually occurs in the second and third toes. These are commonly connected by tissues but complex webbed toes have fused bones connecting it. Rare conditions…

Are you experiencing pain in your forefoot that gets worse with walking or running? Metatarsalgia is a foot condition that is described as pain felt at the ball of the foot or forefoot. This pain is triggered by walking, running, jumping or any activity that places pressure on the forefoot. People suffering from metatarsalgia may also experience pain when walking barefoot on hard surfaces like concrete, tiles and hardwood. Classic symptoms also include burning pain in the ball of the feet. The foot condition develops gradually as a result of changes in foot mechanics. Injury to the bones of the forefoot can…

Sometimes we are the last person to know we have smelly feet. We don’t recognize that we are suffering from smelly feet because we might have become accustomed to the smell and regard it as something normal. But smelly feet are far from normal and a quick glance on your friend’s face could give you an idea on how disturbing this can be. So, before you suffer the humiliation of having someone point this out to you, let us take a look into what causes smelly feet and how to prevent it. What causes smelly feet? Our feet contain sweat…

Our feet and ankles are responsible for the unenviable task of supporting our body weight and all our major movements. Even simple movements such as walking or standing in place exert great pressure on the feet and all its structures. This is why activities such as sports which place additional stress on the feet increase the chance for foot and ankle injuries. Athletes are constantly at risks for injuries especially because of the amount of stress they place on their body compared to a non-athletes. As a matter of fact, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) said that 25%…

Pain in your ankle or the unusual gradual flattening of the foot during adulthood are just some of the early indications of acquired adult flatfoot deformity. Once these are observed, it is important that you consult with a podiatrist for proper diagnosis of the foot condition. This is to stop the deformity from progressing and to take advantage of non-surgical treatments. Visit a podiatrist for more information on AAFD. Dr. Jonathan Kletz  is a podiatrist who specializes in helping people with foot disorders. Treatment options for Acquired adult flatfoot deformity are based on the severity of the condition. Those in the latter…

Shoes are an important arsenal in a woman’s wardrobe. In fact, women go into great lengths just to get that perfect shoe to complement their evening gown or office clothes.  When it comes to shoes, high heels will always come on top as one of the must haves.   The risk of foot injury among high heel wearers is high. Giving your feet a break and proper foot care goes a long way in preventing foot injury. Visit a podiatrist for chronic foot pain. Dr. Jonathan Kletz is a podiatrist who specializes in helping people with foot disorders.  These are some of…

Our toenails may not get the same attention as other foot structures. This is why many cases of toenail disorders have significantly progressed before it is brought to the attention of a podiatrist. A common toenail condition is onychomycosis or fungal nails. Symptoms include a yellowish discoloration of the toenails accompanied with thickened nails. While a fungal nail is easy to identify, other toenail conditions exist as well.  Below is a list of toenail conditions and causes.   Senile nails – this condition usually comes with aging. As we grow old nails become brittle and ridges develop. You can minimize the…

Sweaty Feet   Sweating is our body’s natural response to heat or stress. However, hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating. A person suffering from hyperhidrosis can experience this over their palms, armpits and feet. It’s no wonder why people with hyperhidrosis have excessive sweaty feet. With over 250,000 sweat glands in both feet, it has the greatest concentration of sweat glands in the body.   Hyperhidrosis in itself is not a cause of medical concern. It becomes a problem when it becomes a contributing factor to the development of athlete’s foot, plantar warts and other skin conditions. Hyperhidrosis…

It's easy to ignore toenail conditions, it could easily be hidden from the sight of others and most of these don’t cause pain. But if left untreated toenail conditions can lead to serious infection and even toenail deformity. Green and yellowish nails – discoloration can be caused by an infection. A greenish tint indicates bacterial infection while yellow toenails can be due to a fungal infection. Medications and ointments are readily available for treating infections. Trimming your toes regularly could also help remove nail discoloration. Prevent further infection by checking for wounds or blisters. These are easy entry points for infection.…

Warts are small but painless growths on the skin. They are usually caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Warts are usually self-limiting and eventually disappear on their own. But for those who would like to get rid of these skin imperfections quickly, over the counter medications are available. Warts could also appear on the bottom of the foot. These warts are called Plantar Warts. Stubborn plantar warts that do not respond to over the counter medications should be examined by a podiatrist. Dr. Jonathan Kletz is a podiatrist who specializes in foot care and treating foot warts. Who are good candidates…

Every day, millions of women wearing high heels walk, jump and even run to their office. High heels were not certainly designed for these purposes. Performing these activities while wearing high heels is a sure recipe for foot injury. Never the less, women continue to wear high heels. Functionality was certainly not a high priority in the design of high heels.  These were made to answer the discriminating taste of women wanting to make a fashion statement. It is a must-have weapon in a woman’s wardrobe arsenal. So asking women to drop those high heels for running shoes is certainly…

Understanding Heel Pain - Texas Foot Works Heel pain is one of the most common foot concerns podiatrists see.” The condition is so common that many Americans simply regard this as part of their daily lives. For many, heel pain may come and go, but for some it can become a chronic or long-term medical condition making this a real health concern.    Studies show that our heels absorb 1.25 x of our bodyweight when walking and close to three times our bodyweight when running. Quick Facts on Heel Pain Heel pain affects 3.6 percent of the population Wearing flat shoes…