A healthy, pretty foot.

Until 1949 when the millennium-long tradition was finally outlawed, most Chinese women had their feet broken and bound for life in order to adopt a desired pointed “lotus” shape. That practice sounds repugnant to modern women, thus it makes it even more surprising that a growing number of women are subjecting their feet to major surgical procedures for no other reason than to be able to walk in stilettos. 

Major Foot Surgeries Solely For Cosmetic Reasons 

Some of the surgeries include: 

Toe shortening - A bone segment is removed
Toe lengthening – The bone is cut and lengthened with an implant
Toe straightening – Bone near the joint is removed to fix a curl
Toe slimming – The bone is shaved
Foot padding – Filler or fat is injected into the ball of the foot
Foot narrowing – The entire foot is reduced in width 

Although some of these procedures are carried out to assist patients with deformed or injured feet, the recent boom in their popularity is strictly cosmetic: Women want their feet to look better in expensive shoes, or to be able to walk more comfortably on heels that can exceed four inches in height and place the foot at an extremely unnatural angle which is often greater than 45 degrees. 

The Desire For Carrie Bradshaw Feet 

The desire to have feet which could feature in Sex In The City protagonist Carrie Bradshaw’s ultimate Manolo Blahnik fantasy is driving thousands of women to undergo surgeries without considering the serious consequences. In a recent issue of the Wall Street Journal, I warned that these women “want to look their best and they don’t understand the risks.“ 

26 Bones & 30 Joints Designed To Hold Up Your Entire Body 

Both the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, and the American Podiatric Medical Association which represents nearly 9 out of every 10 podiatrists in the United States, and have adopted strong positions against these forms of cosmetic surgery. The human foot is a delicate assemblage of 26 major bones and 30 joints, and these organizations do not believe that women’s aspiration to look good on a Saturday evening balances out the risk of lifelong pain and permanent deformities which may require several corrective operations. Some women are rendered unable to walk properly at all from these ill-advised cosmetic surgeries. 

Foot Surgeries Are Being Considered In The Breast Augmentation League 

Enchanting women by the allure of operations which are hyped under fanciful names such as The Cinderella Procedure, aesthetic foot surgeries are flourishing in the moneyed canyons of Beverly Hills and many of the country’s elite enclaves such as Manhattan and Miami Beach. Lulled into a false sense of confidence by the apparent ease of breast augmentation surgeries, women fall into the trap of believing that their feet can have an equally easy makeover: while failing to consider that feet are designed to bear the weight of the entire body through a wide variety of strides, and are not to be modified to fit fashion. 

Unlike breasts, you have to walk on your feet!

Related Posts

Foot Articles on the Web

Here is my pick of the latest, greatest foot, ankle and podiatry related articles on the web:

Pregnancy is a bundle of joy, but not for your feet! Podiatrist Scott Kilberg has written a great review of the effects of pregnancy on our feet. Check out Foot Problems During Pregnancy and for more from Dr. Kilberg, visit his blog My Aching Foot.

Shin splints eventually affects just about every runner and Podiatrist Andrew Schneider has written a good synopsis on this common problem. His blog also has some of the best writing about our feet and ankles that you can find. Check out Dr. Schneider’s superb writing and and learn about shin splints HERE.

Bunions are among the top podiatry problems we see. Podiatrist Jennifer Feeny has written a good review – Bunions: A Pain in the Foot. Her blog can be found HERE. If you want to know when a Bunion is Not a Bunion, check out Dr. Marybeth Crane’s article HERE.

If you want to dance, you may have to pay the piper – or the podiatrist! Dance takes a toll on the feet. For a great introduction to foot pronation and how it can be the cause of your knee pain, read Lisa Howell’s How to Understand Overpronation and Knee Pain If You Have Flat Feet.  

Speaking of Flat Feet, there is a basic introduction to flat feet and Choosing the Best Running Shoes at the Running Shoe Guru.

America’s Podiatrist grows by word of mouth. If you like this post, please click below on TELL A FRIEND and tell someone. If you have not subscribed, please consider subscribing! Thanks!

Related Posts

Ask the Foot Doctor Your Questions

Today we start a new feature: the chance to ask Dr. Nirenberg a foot or ankle question.

The Internet has changed how we learn and understand our world, and our medical problems and conditions—especially our foot and ankle problems. Information is now literally at our fingertips! I firmly believe knowledge is power. However, due to legal issues and restrictions on physicians practicing telemedicine, answers to questions are strictly for informational purposes. Readers will still be able to learn much by asking questions, but the answers are not a substitute for medical care (for a more medical detailed disclaimer read this site’s Terms of Use).

As for your questions, we are looking for great, fascinating foot and ankle questions that our readers will find interesting.

The questions can concern anything related to our feet and ankles, from simple warts or corns to arthritic or weak ankles, and everything in-between. Questions do not have to be strictly medical related. (For example, I was recently asked why our feet are ticklish, and soon I will post an entire article on this fascinating question.)  

So start asking your questions right now! Click Ask a Question.

America’s Podiatrist GROWS by word of mouth! If you liked this article, click below on “Tell a Friend” and tell your friends! If you have not subscribed, please SUBSCRIBE NOW.

Related Posts

Be Careful What You Put In the Toilet

I am not sure how to categorize this post (perhaps, under “Dumb Things People Do With Their Feet”).

In any event, don’t try this at home. An inmate at a city jail has been charged with felony mischief for using his foot to block the toilet and flood his cell.

I don’t want to think about the germs on his foot!

Read about this nonsense here: Buffalo News

America’s Podiatrist GROWS by word of mouth! If you liked this article, click below on “Tell a Friend” and tell your friends! If you have not subscribed, please SUBSCRIBE NOW.

Related Posts

Dempster Fractures His Big Toe

The Chicago Cubs pitcher, Ryan Dempster, is asking that right now. This week he broke his big toe. Many people think nothing can be done for a broken toe. Sometimes this is the case, but often a podiatrist can help alleviate the pain and ensure the broken toe heals as well as possible.

For sports fans like my partner at Friendly Foot Care, Dr. Michael Lacey, when he heard about Ryan Dempster’s broken big toe, he wondered aloud if, the Cubs’ Billy Goat curse was at work, yet again.

Broken Toes (Fractured Toes) Are Common

It is easy to break your big toe or any toe for that matter. Our feet are vulnerable, exposed to uneven surfaces, objects scattered on the floor–everything from dog toys to kid toys to last night’s shoes or work boots, to a package left in the hallway and on and on. It is easy to injure our feet or toes. 

The most common way people fracture the big toe is by slamming it into the post of their bed in the middle of the night. The next day they show up limping into my office with the toe sore and swollen.

Dr. Lacey and I have also seen broken toes (fractured toes) occur from objects dropped on the foot, everything from a steel beam to a frozen turkey, and from every imaginable kind of sports injury.

Dempster’s “sports injury” is unique. He wasn’t sliding into home plate or running to make a great catch. He was leaping over the dugout fence with a flourish—trying to show off—rather than just walking around the fence.

Toe Injuries Are Often Avoidable

Most toe fractures or broken toes are preventable. To prevent nighttime slams of your feet into the bed post, just add a child’s night light to your bedroom. For Dempster, I imagine that from now on we will see him walk around the dugout fence.

For Foot or Toe Fractures, Remember R.I.C.E.

The first thing to do if you bang your toe (assuming you have good circulation and are not a diabetic) is follow the basics of foot injury — R.I.C.E. This stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

The next thing is to see a doctor who knows feet (hopefully a podiatrist!).

What Will The Foot Doctor Do for a Broken Toe?

The usual way podiatrists treat a foot or toe fracture when the broken bones are in good, stable position is with immobilization—perhaps by cast, splint, or taping and padding. If the fractured bones are not in good position, they first need to be put back in the correct position. This may require the podiatrist to nudge the bones into their correct position or actually opening up of the toe and doing surgery.

The only way to know if the fractured toe needs surgery is with an x-ray and then by having the x-ray reviewed by a podiatrist or other qualified foot specialist. Consequently, if you are unlucky enough to hurt, bang or crush a toe, make sure you immediately seek medical care with a foot expert.

Source: Chicago Tribune

America’s Podiatrist GROWS by word of mouth! If you liked this article, click below on “Tell a Friend” and tell your friends! If you have not subscribed, please SUBSCRIBE NOW.

Related Posts

Feet talk. Of course, they don’t rattle on like some annoying relative. They do often mirror overall health, at times being the first place to show signs of serious medical problems.

Is That Pain in the Foot a Tumor in the Neck?

For example, when a 41-year-old man came to my office with pain and swelling in his foot, he thought he had injured himself playing baseball; instead, we discovered a tumor in his neck. The tumor was altering chemicals in his body. One of these, uric acid, was so severely elevated that it couldn’t be contained in his bloodstream and entered several joints in his foot, causing his pain. The patient had the tumor removed, and a month later his foot pain disappeared. This case was especially rewarding because had this tumor not been caught, it could have affected his heart, possibly becoming fatal. (Read more about it HERE).

Most instances of feet revealing medical conditions are not this dramatic, but many systemic problems often show up in our feet first.

Nailing Down Nails

Let’s start with our toenails. Nowadays, with MRIs, CT scans, and hundreds of blood tests to choose from, few doctors look at toenails. Sadly, some don’t even give feet a cursory glance. But in ancient times, examining the toenails was as important as having patients stick out their tongue.

A small change in our toenails’ color, shape and pliability may be the only indication of a more serious medical problem. Toenails that become rounded or “clubbed” may mean the person has lung cancer, emphysema, liver disease or a heart problem.

Brittle nails could signal poor circulation, an iron deficiency or a kidney or thyroid problem. Short, small nail beds may be a sign of heart disease, and grey nails may mean the person has glaucoma.

Don’t Forget Your Vitamins

If you’re not eating your vegetables, toenails can reveal that too. A spoon-like or flat nail could mean a lack of certain B vitamins. Splitting and fraying of toenails may signal a need for folic acid or vitamin C. Small white patches on toenails could signal a zinc deficiency. (Read more about vitamins and our feet HERE).

Is That Redness on Your Foot an STD?

A rash or redness on the feet could be a sign of infection, a circulation problem or a sexually transmitted disease. That’s right, STDs—in my practice, I’ve seen signs of AIDS, herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea show up in the foot.

People are usually surprised to hear about sexual diseases in the foot. But when feet, oftentimes the big toe, get involved in sexual activity they are just as susceptible as any other body part to infectious diseases. Some diseases, like AIDS, cause growths and other skin changes on the feet, and others, like herpes, spread to the feet when the person removes their underwear.

Are your feet swelling up? When only one foot swells, it often signals a problem within the foot itself, such as infection or a fracture. It might also be due to a blood clot or a circulation problem. If both feet swell, it could mean you have heart, kidney or liver failure.

Is it just Dry Skin or Something More?

The skin of our feet tells us a lot, too. Dry skin may be a sign of an under-active thyroid, diabetes, poor circulation or malnutrition. Sweaty skin could mean an overactive thyroid, menopause, anxiety or a psychiatric disorder.

Bone deformities, such as heel spurs or bunions, may be a clue that the person has certain types of arthritis. Your doctor should check for these, as many arthritic diseases can affect the entire body, including the heart.      

Final Thoughts on Reading Your Feet

So, feet can reveal quite a lot of information about a person’s overall health, even when the condition has nothing to do with feet. On the lighter side, feet reveal plenty about a person’s personality as well. People love to adorn their feet with toe rings, ankle bracelets and even tattoos.

The most interesting tattoo I’ve seen was a trail of black ants on a young man that began at his big toe and went up his leg, apparently to his groin—I didn’t check.

America’s Podiatrist GROWS by word of mouth! If you liked this article, click below on “Tell a Friend” and tell your friends! If you have not subscribed, please SUBSCRIBE NOW.

Related Posts

Is Dr. Nirenberg a real doctor? Hear what Seinfeld has to say:

Podiatrists, or Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), are, in fact, real physicians.

Podiatrists specialize in treating foot and ankle problems. Podiatrists treat all problems related to the foot or ankle, and the variety of cases is endless. However, the most common problems I see are:

• Heel and/or arch pain

• Ingrown toe nails

• Bunions (bumps on the inside of the big toe)

• Hammertoes (bent toes)

• Flat feet

• Foot or ankle arthritis

• Fungal toenails

• Sores (ulcers)

• Infections

• Sprains and fractures

• Ankle pain or weakness

• Nerve problems and neuropathy (numbness, burning, or tingling)

• Shin splints

• Gout

• Athlete’s foot

• Sports medicine and diabetics foot problems

• Children’s foot problems

• Swelling or discoloration

• Plantar warts

• Arthritis of foot and ankle

• Heel spurs

• Arthritis

• Tendonitis

• Blisters

• Corns and Callouses

• Moles, cysts, tumors or lesions

When to Call a Podiatrist:

1. You Have Foot or Ankle Pain

Some aches and pains in our feet or ankles may go away in a day in a two; others do not, and that is when you need to go to a podiatrist.

Many people who see me for a painful foot or ankle have had pain for several days or weeks, but some have been limping around for several months or even over a year!

Pain is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. Don’t ignore it.

However, not all people with foot or ankle problems have pain. For example, diabetics who have neuropathy (a deterioration of the nerves of their feet) may fracture a bone or develop an infection or sore on their foot and not have any pain.

Recently, I had a patient with diabetes come to see me complaining of a small sore on the bottom of their foot; an x-ray revealed a needle inside the foot.

Because the patient had very little feeling in her feet she didn’t know she had stepped on anything sharp.

In all patients, foot and ankle problems can quickly become serious, but diabetics are especially at risk.

Diabetics who don’t seek podiatric care promptly often develop gangrene and need a toe or the whole foot amputated.

Prompt treatment is essential. All diabetics or anyone else with decreased feeling in their feet need to have any foot or ankle problems checked by a podiatrist immediately.

2. You Notice Changes in Your Feet

Some people may notice one foot swelling or flattening.

Diabetics and others with neuropathy may not have pain, however these are the people most at risk for a particularly serious problem called charcot arthropathy.

In charcot arthropathy, the bones of the foot weaken and slide out of position, and may actually break through the bottom of the foot, leading to infection and even amputation.

For other patients, a rapid flattening of one foot may mean the main tendon holding up their foot has torn.

It is a good guideline for anyone who notices swelling, redness, increased warmth, or a change in the shape of his or her foot or ankle to see a podiatrist promptly.

3. You Find Something Abnormal On Your Foot or Ankle

A podiatrist should check any lumps, bumps, cysts, tumors, or moles on your foot or ankles. These problems are usually harmless, but occasionally they can be cancer and life threatening.

Final Thoughts on Foot and Ankle Problems

If you have a foot or ankle problem or pain, the best advice I can give you is: Don’t wait for it to go away—it may not.  

If you experience persistent pain, notice changes in the shape or color of your feet, or find an abnormality, then see your podiatrist right away. To learn more about podiatry, podiatrists, and podiatric medicine, visit the website of the American Podiatric Medical Association

If you liked this story, please help us grow this site! Click below on “Tell a Friend” and tell your friends! If you have not subscribed,  SUBSCRIBE NOW.

Related Posts

Bunions, Flat Feet & Weak Ankles

Most of us don’t think about our feet until they hurt.

Even then, we limp around hoping the pain will go away. But with two to three times our body weight pushing down on each foot with every step, it usually doesn’t.

Fortunately, you can do a few things for relief.

1. Wear Only Great-Fitting Shoes

In one study, 88% of women admitted that at some point they knowingly squeezed their feet into shoes that were too small.

Further, as we age, our feet tend to become larger, but most people insist on wearing the same shoe size they wore years ago.

In addition to making sure your shoes fit properly, make sure they have a good arch support and that the heel counter—the area that wraps around your heel—is firm and strong.

2. Feet Need Exercise, Too

I can hear the couch potatoes now:  “My feet get enough exercise.”  Perhaps, but walking to the fridge or standing in line at McDonald’s isn’t exactly exercise.

Most people agree our entire body needs exercise, but few people think about keeping their feet in shape.

Yet, with the average person walking over a hundred thousand miles in their lifetime, feet need all the help they can get.

Foot exercises tone, stretch, and strengthen feet, while alleviating fatigue, soothing soreness, and increasing blood flow.

3. Take the Plunge

Nothing soothes sore, aching feet more than a relaxing footbath.

You can use a bathtub or plastic basin, or for some serious relief, I recommend buying a massaging footbath.

Make sure the water is warm, not hot (I’ve seen patients soak in water so hot they received second-degree burns).

Add good quality bubble bath to the water; and for those who are not diabetic or have poor circulation, adding Epsom salts is great, too.

4. Moisturize Your Way to Healthier Feet

Good moisturizers can sooth dry, irritated skin.

The secret to finding a good moisturizer for your feet is not by price; more expensive doesn’t mean better.

Read the ingredients and avoid products with alcohol or alcohol derivatives—the best dry-skin products tend to be creams without alcohol.

These are gooier and absorb slowly, so I recommend applying them just before going to bed.

5. Nailing Down Nails

Caring for your nails will go a long way in helping to alleviate foot problems.

Long, jagged, and thickened toenails can catch on socks or pantyhose, dig into adjacent toes, or suffer injury by pressing against the inside of our shoes.

In my practice, I have seen unkempt nails lead to blisters, infections, ingrown toenails, and even gangrene.

When trimming your toenails, follow the contour of the toe and avoid cutting into the corners. Smooth any rough edges with a nail file.

Final Thoughts on Aching Feet

Caring for your feet is your responsibility. However, when problems don’t go away, become serious, or if you have diabetes or poor circulation, get professional help and see a podiatrist.

Related Posts

Many of my older patients wish they had taken better care of their feet when they were younger.

Thankfully, doctors and the health food industry are finally recognizing what many people have wanted for years: safe, natural ways to keep their feet strong and healthy.

The safest, simplest way to keep your feet healthy throughout life is already in your kitchen: water.

Water regulates temperature and metabolism, delivers electrolytes to muscles and lubricates our joints.

With each foot containing 33 joints and depending on 19 muscles, even slight dehydration can cause your feet to cramp and fatigue.

I recommend drinking eight glasses of water a day.

Guzzling Mountain Dew, Mocha Frappuccinos or six-packs of Bud Light isn’t the same.

Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages can actually cause dehydration.

Drinking water, not only for your feet, but also for your whole body, should be common sense, yet at any time, 75 percent of Americans are mildly dehydrated.

Moderate or severe lack of water can make feet cold and more vulnerable to infection.

Dehydration can also make toenails brittle and the skin of our feet dry.

Dry skin may not seem like a big problem, but on the feet, dry skin can crack and develop deep, painful fissures that are at risk for infection.

A patient with dry skin on their heel.

I’ve seen simple breaks in the skin, particularly in the feet of the elderly and people with diabetes, lead to catastrophic infections, at times resulting in the foot’s amputation.

However, dry skin on the feet may indicate more than just a lack of moisture.

Sometimes it’s psoriasis, a fungal infection or a sign of a more serious condition, such as diabetes, poor circulation or a thyroid disorder.

If your feet have severe or persisting dry skin, you should see a podiatrist.  

The best way to soothe dry skin is with moisturizers and applying vitamin A, D and E. You can put these on your feet separately, mix a concoction or buy a vitamin-enriched cream.

When choosing a cream, don’t go by price; more expensive doesn’t mean better.

Read the ingredients and avoid products containing alcohol or alcohol derivatives, which actually dry skin. Surprisingly, alcohol is common in many so-called moisturizers.

Dry, irritated skin also responds to foot powder, particularly when the powder is enriched with zinc or menthol.

A sprinkle a day will not only help keep the skin moisturized, but also lessen odor and perspiration.

Urea also helps keep feet healthy. A natural compound, urea attracts moisture, slowing its escape from the skin. Look for it by itself or in moisturizers.

For patients with severely cracked heels, I often prescribe medicated creams containing 40 percent urea.     

I also recommend urea for frail, brittle toenails.

To strengthen toenails, apply Biotin, a B vitamin, and take calcium and vitamin A. Vitamin C helps nails too—not that they have to fight off colds, but they can get painful hangnails, which this vitamin prevents.

Caring for your feet as you age also means keeping your bones strong.

Bones form the foot’s foundation, in turn supporting our entire body. With aging, bones lose strength and develop osteoporosis.

Combine osteoporosis in your feet—each foot a jigsaw puzzle of 28 small bones—with a one hundred and fifty or two hundred pound person landing on them repeatedly and you have a great chance for fractures.

Women past menopause are at the greatest risk for osteoporosis.

A simple test can check for osteoporosis and, if necessary, your doctor will prescribe medication.

To help prevent osteoporosis, eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and exercise regularly, doing activities that put weight on your feet such as walking, aerobics or weight lifting.

Lastly, vitamins and minerals—and in rare cases, even water—are not always safe for everyone. Before starting any supplements, always check with your doctor.

Related Posts

Times Correspondent | Monday, September 01, 2008 |

The relatively painless procedure of giving a injection of alcohol in the foot has been “out for a few years,” according to Dr. Michael Nirenberg, podiatrist for Crown Point’s Friendly Foot Care, but like anything else new in medicine it starts slow by testing the waters to see how people do with it.

Nirenberg has been giving the shot for several years but has seen a growth because of its good results. A new podiatrist at Friendly Foot Care, Dr. Michael G. Lacey, has performed the procedure for the last seven years in Chicago.

The doctors stress that the injection is not for everybody.

“Some people may still need a small surgical procedure,” Nirenberg said.

“Others don’t need a shot or surgery, but may require a custom-made arch support. But for those who do — it’s better than surgery.” Patients typically receive four to seven injections over a period of four to six weeks. Those treated don’t have to stop their activities or miss a day of work. Patients also need not rest or soak their feet afterwards, they can drive straight home and go for a jog.

The shot itself, which “kills” the neuroma, only takes a few seconds.

“We’ll use a diagnostic ultrasound to confirm where the neuroma is at but a lot of times we don’t need it,” Nirenberg said.

He said most insurance companies cover the injection because they recognize the benefit of having a person get a shot as opposed to surgery.

Without surgery, of course, a patient avoids any possible complications that go with it like scar tissue or infection. Surgery would also likely mean a six-to-eight-week recovery period.

Valparaiso’s Leigh Romanov had the treatment done on her right foot, now she’s doing the same for her left one.

“The shots don’t hurt at all,” she said. “I feel like I have my feet again.”

Surgery was Romanov’s only other option. Her feet tingled so much she had to give up running. It got to a point where walking barefoot caused pain.

“I’m running now, it was fantastic,” she said. “It takes about five to six (injections) to notice a difference, but it’s pain free.”

A shot of alcohol — or more specifically, an injection of alcohol — could alleviate a painful nerve problem that occurs in the ball of the foot and affects millions of Americans. For many patients, this alcohol injection is an alternative to surgery.

“We’re saving people from going under the knife,” said Dr. Michael Nirenberg of Crown Point’s Friendly Foot Care.

Getting on the nerves

Dr. Lou Santangelo, chief resident of podiatry at Chicago’s Norwegian American Hospital, has been giving the alcohol injections for the past few years. Santangelo, who is currently working out of Lansing Foot and Ankle Center, provides the injection for both patients suffering from neuroma and those with nerve entrapment, in which the nerve becomes irritated because of scar tissue in the area.

“Some people would prefer to take the nerve out,” Santangelo said. “But that’s a surgical procedure n so this is a way to avoid surgery but still give the patient relief. It works pretty well.”

There are other types of foot injections to relieve pain as well.

Dr. Armand Gasbarro, who’s operated Lansing Foot and Ankle Clinic in downtown Lansing for 48 years, said patients who suffer from general inflammation may require a steroid injection.

“It reduces the inflammation,” Gasbarro said.

This type of injection also reduces a patient’s pain following surgery.

“It diminishes post-operative pain tremendously,” Gasbarro said.

SOURCE: Times Newspaper, Sept 1, 2008.

http://nwitimes.com/articles/2008/09/01/get_healthy/get_healthy/docad1b375ecd4e9051862574b30065c8b5.txt

Related Posts