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Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for category: Exercise

By Clark Podiatry Center
January 14, 2020
Category: Exercise
Tags: sports injuries   fitness  

Starting your exercise journey can be exciting as you begin a fresh start for the new year. It can also be a bit intimidating if you feel like you’re approaching the goal alone. Dr. Brandon A. Macy of Clark Podiatry Center works hard to keep you walking, and this includes speeding things up a bit during an exercise program or sporting activity. Don’t forget that your feet and ankles will be feeling the pressure during these new activities. Here are a few ways to protect yourself from sports injuries:

Stretch and rest

Set yourself up for success by stretching before and after fitness activities and resting when it’s time for a break. Stretching allows your muscles to become stronger and more flexible. As you’re moving back and forth, well-stretched muscles also improve your range of motion. If you experience pain while stretching, stop. It’s okay to ease into stretches based on your level of flexibility.

Keep your bones healthy and strong

Limit your chances of a fracture, or broken bone, by increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a glass of milk, a Vitamin D supplement or a healthy amount of time in the sun (wearing sunscreen, of course). Healthy, strong bones help to protect you from the consequences of a trip, a bump or a fall. 

Don’t push through the pain

If you’re experiencing pain, it’s time to stop. The further along you continue in pain, the more likely you are to worsen your condition. Your pain could have a simple solution, such as a change of footwear. It could also be something that needs more attention, such as Achilles tendonitis.

Start exercising the right way, so that you can continue throughout the year. If you have questions about getting started, schedule an appointment with Clark Podiatry Center or call 732-382-3470. Dr. Brandon A. Macy is a board-certified podiatrist at our Clark, New Jersey office. New Jersey’s Children’s Foot Health Institute is a part of the Clark Podiatry Center, too.

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By Clark Podiatry Center
October 03, 2019
Category: Exercise

Walking is a basic human activity and has been for centuries. As we make our way to and from destinations, it is estimated that an average person takes 7,500 steps in a day, and if you live to the age of 80, you will likely take close to 216,000,000 steps. Considering this, keeping an eye on your foot health is very important.

Some of the benefits of walking include:

  • Burning calories – every mile walked you burn off 100 calories
  • Heart rate – walking increases the heart rate strengthening the heart muscle pumping blood to necessary parts of the body
  • Blood sugar – helps keep your blood sugar level stable
  • Cholesterol levels – works to reduce cholesterol levels
  • Improve circulation – pumping of blood increases the size of blood vessels
  • Mood – walking is also said to improve mood and may relieve some aspects of depression

Overall, walking is a very good activity, but if you haven’t done a lot, you need to see your doctor or podiatrist before you take up a regimen. Sudden physical exertion can also be a stressor if done too intensely depending on your overall physical condition.

Another thing a podiatrist can do is help you find the right shoe. Depending on your feet, you may need to have an orthotic to help you walk properly as some people have different ways of walking. Two different ways of walking include:

  • Pronator – have flat feet and roll their ankles inward. Pronators need a sturdier shoe
  • Supinator - have high arches and need shoes that provide cushioning for shock absorption

Not all shoes or footwear provide the same support, so choosing the right shoe or sneaker is very important for your foot health. Most running shoes provide good support but must be fit carefully to your feet. Measuring your feet at the end of the day is best because your foot is slightly swollen from walking all day and will allow you room for a comfortable fit.

Your podiatrist will also check for any issues that you have that need to be compensated for such as corns and calluses, bunions, hammertoe, heel spurs, or other.

If you have any questions about walking or have any other concerns about your feet, please make an appointment with us. Dr. Brandon A. Macy, who is associated with New Jersey Children's Foot Health Institute, will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments to get you back to being active. Call Clark Podiatry at (732) 382-3470.

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By Clark Podiatry Center
January 23, 2019
Category: Exercise
Tags: stretch   workout   walk   comfortable shoes  

Have you been keeping up with your New Year’s Resolutions to be healthier this year? One way you can do that is to stay active and eat nutritious foods!

You might argue that:

  • You don’t have enough time to fit in a gym workout every day.
  • You’re too tired to exercise after a long day and commute home.
  • You lack the motivation to keep up an exercise routine.

Well, we are here to help you remedy that! We’ve got many ideas on how you can increase your physical activity where you spend many hours in your day. That’s right, you can add to your step count right at work!

Here are some sneaky ways to increase your energy output, where you might normally feel like you’re at an idle desk job:

  • Park at the other end of the parking lot, or get off the bus or subway one or two stops earlier.
  • Schedule water breaks. Set an alarm every hour (or more often if you plan to drink smaller amounts) to get a cup of water. Not only will you be sitting less all day, but you’ll also increase your step count AND meet your daily hydration goals. As an added bonus, the increased water intake will also prompt you to take more bathroom breaks as well! (Hint: take the long way to the kitchen or bathroom!)
  • Walk during your lunch. Pick up food at a restaurant down the street, make some phone calls as you walk, run an errand, or just take a walk at a nearby park during your lunch break. If you plan well enough, you may be able to eat while you work, so that your lunch break can be better utilized. (Hint: form a walking group and bring comfortable walking shoes to wear during your longer walks).
  • Carry your “instant” message to your coworker instead of sending a chat or ping. That may sound so foreign and inefficient, but that’s not the goal here. Our goal is to add steps, remember? Bonus points if your coworker is not on the same floor with you and you take the stairs rather than the elevator.
  • Stand up, stretch, and walk in place every 30 minutes to an hour. This will help increase your circulation and encourage an energy spike. Your posture will probably benefit too!

All of these little tricks can help you increase your activity and help you stay focused and alert! It’s a win-win situation at work!

If getting up so often is not appealing or might be distracting to co-workers or your boss, get some exercise by doing some toe exercises under the desk. If nothing else, it will help you strengthen your feet, ankles, and toes, as well as increase circulation. It’s especially important if you’re prone to swollen feet if you stay sitting for a long time. (We’re hinting at you, pregnant ladies!)

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By Clark Podiatry Center
November 27, 2018
Category: Exercise
Tags: swelling   stretch   compression socks  

Got a long flight coming up? Got kids going with you? You might prepare for it by testing out neck pillows, noise-canceling headphones, and maybe some eye masks. But what will you do to make the flight more comfortable for the feet?

Here are some foot-related items you could test out:

  • Compression socks - to promote circulation and reduce swelling.
  • Disposable slippers or flip-flops – Unless you’re used to it, you might not want to be seated with your shoes on the whole flight, which could be 10+ hours. (Hint: ask your airline if they will give you disposable slippers!).
  • Footrest or hammock – there are a few products out there for people who want to rest their feet higher than the floor. Many folks with short legs (like your children) might be more comfortable if they can prop their feet up.

More importantly, however, you and your children should try to keep your feet active as much as possible throughout the flight. Why? That’s because the long period of inactivity (in an upright position) can cause your feet to be uncomfortable due to low circulation. When you do get up, your feet might not fit as comfortably into your shoes, and you might even feel some numbness or tingling. In rare cases, it can also lead to blood clots, especially if you are prone to them.

Here are some of the foot-related activities you can do on a long haul flight.

  • Drink a lot of water and go to the bathroom. Hydration is helpful for circulation. It also makes you want to go to the bathroom more, which gets you up and out of your seat more. Make sure you have your children drink water every time you do.
  • Gone to the bathroom? Great! Use it as an excuse to spread and stretch. Walk up and down the aisle and get moving!
  • Draw circles with your toes. Rotate at the ankle and make them larger or smaller as you go. It will also help you with some stretching, pointing and flexing your feet.
  • Scrunch your toes, hold, and then spread them wide, hold. This exercise will wake up many tendons and ligaments in your feet and engage the whole foot!
  • Try some toeholds if you have space. While sitting, trying bringing your knees up (engaging your abs) so that you can reach your feet. Gently pull your toes back and stretch the plantar fascia and your Achilles tendon.
  • Finally, conduct an orchestra with your feet. It’s a great movement for your feet and ankles.

Which of these exercises were you and your children able to do? If you noticed any pain or problems with your feet while doing these movements on board, come to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy. He can assess your feet, and find a solution to treat your pain. Come to see him at Clark Podiatry Center. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep you walking. 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 15, 2018
Category: Exercise
Tags: exercising  

Well, what we mean is, you can still work out! Okay, so you might not necessarily WANT to keep exercising. Or if you love working out, maybe you DO!

Regardless of which camp you’re in, we do encourage you to keep up your physical activity, at least 3 times a week. If you routinely do exercises that include running or jumping, you may feel stumped about how to keep active. That’s why we’ve come up with some ideas for alternative exercises you can do instead!

Get approval from our podiatrist or your physician before performing the following exercises, depending on the extent of your injury:

Exercises to try at home:

  • Leg extensions on the couch. Lean back and place your hands behind you on your couch. With your feet lifted off the ground, straighten your legs, hold for a few seconds, then bend at the knees and release. Do several repetitions as you feel the strain in the abs and thighs.
  • Ab crunches: On a mat or carpeted floor, do some ab crunches with your feet up, knees bent. Crunch up to the knees, then release. Variation, crunch up with the elbow touching the knee of the opposite side.
  • Upper body workout: Use items around the home, like bottle or gallon of water, thick book, or laundry detergent to do some arm workouts, like bicep curls, tricep extensions.
  • Pushups: If only one foot is injured, you can do pushups with the injured foot resting on the other foot.

Exercises to try at the gym:

  • Swimming: If your injury is mild, and it can hand some movement, swimming might be a good alternative, especially to get your cardiovascular workout.
  • Machine workouts: Try any of several machines, such as a lateral pull down machine, leg curl machine, or chest press machine. These do not require the feet or ankle at all.
  • Upper body workout: You can also add free weights to do certain workouts, such as seated body twists while holding free weights.
  • Pull-ups: step up to the pull-up bar with your uninjured foot and go to town. Just be sure to step down softly again on the uninjured foot.

You have probably come in to see us about your foot or ankle injury. If not, or if you plan to workout, make an appointment to see our board-certified podiatrist, Brandon Macy, DPM at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet and give you options to make your workouts possible. Come see him at our Clark, NJ office, which serves the surrounding Union County areas. 

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1114 Raritan Road
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Podiatrist - Clark, Dr. Brandon Macy, 1114 Raritan Road, Clark NJ, 07066 732-382-3470