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Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for category: Foot Health Tips

By Clark Podiatry Center
March 24, 2020
Category: Foot Health Tips

We’re all spending much more time at home these days as we seek to limit the spread of the coronavirus. While we work from home, keep up with our children, or step outside for a moment, it’s still important to protect our feet. Clark Podiatry Center has a few safety tips that you and your family can practice during this time. Healthy feet and ankles are an important part of your overall health, too.

Stepping outside? Wear shoes.

Whether it’s a quick trip to the mailbox or a phone call in the backyard, always wear shoes. If you have diabetes, it is even more important to avoid walking barefoot. A small cut or bruise can have dangerous consequences and may also lead to a foot ulcer. Keep a pair of shoes by the door as a reminder.

Keep up with your foot hygiene

Don’t skip foot hygiene maintenance. It includes daily check-ups and keeping your feet clean and dry. Healthy foot care routines are a great way to prevent foot issues or detect them earlier. If you’re wearing socks or shoes in the house, be sure to let your shoes air out each night to prevent a fungal toenail infection. Also, don’t wear the same pair of socks to avoid smelly feet.

Fall proof your house

There are simple things that you can do to reduce your chances of falling or tripping in your house. It includes switching out slippery rugs with non-slip options or rearranging furniture that might be a hazard. Fall-proofing your home may also include choosing footwear wisely. Avoid wearing slippers without non-slip soles. Also, if you choose socks, look for those to be non-slip, as well.

While you enjoy the comforts of home, be sure to keep up the great work of monitoring and caring for your feet. If you have any questions or concerns, make an appointment with Dr. Brandon A. Macy, a board-certified podiatrist. He is located at our Clark, New Jersey office. Call (732) 382-3470. For concerns about your children, the New Jersey’s Children’s Foot Health Institute is also part of Clark Podiatry Center.

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By Clark Podiatry Center
December 26, 2018
Category: Foot Health Tips
Tags: Bunions   Orthotics   Athlete's Foot   fungal   toe exercises   wart   corn  

The holidays are coming to a close, and now it’s time to ring in the New Year! Whether you’re staying home with family or celebrating with friends at a party, remember to stay safe and keep your feet comfortable. After all, they’ve worked hard for you all year in 2018!

So how will you keep them healthy and in tip-top shape in the New Year? Here are some ways you can help your feet to be healthier and stronger so that they can keep you walking:

  • Daily foot hygiene is key to keeping your feet free from bacterial or fungal infection. Don’t start your year off with Athlete’s foot! Use flip flops in communal showers and wash your feet daily with soap and warm water! Why wait for infection symptoms when you can prevent them?
  • Incorporate foot exercises into your regular physical activity. Remember, we recommend moderate to vigorous activity, at least 3 times a week. Try doing exercises like calf stretches, heel-ups (tip toes), and toe exercises like curls with a small gym towel. You can even do some while sitting at your office desk, like foot circles, as well as pointing and flexing them.
  • Step it up! Got a new phone, smartwatch, or other activity trackers as a holiday gift? Put it to good use! Start tracking the number of steps you’re getting each day. It’s a great motivator to keep active instead of leading a sedentary lifestyle. You might be surprised just how much or how little steps you get in per day!
  • Start wearing the right shoes. We’re not necessarily saying that you are wearing the wrong shoes, but rather that there are shoes that may better suit your feet. Since they are working hard for us every day, why not get comfortable and supportive shoes for our feet? If you need orthotics, get them! That way they won’t be tired or sore at the end of a long day.
  • Stop ignoring your foot problems and finally get around to treating them. Had a pesky wart that doesn’t hurt but won’t go away? How about a new corn that’s been developing? Many women develop mild bunions and when left untreated, can become very large and disfigured. In the New Year, we urge you to come to see your podiatrist so that he can help you get the foot care that you need. Why wait for it to become a bigger problem?
  • Hydrate and Eat well. Most people want to start the year healthy. Eating a nutritious diet and remembering to stay hydrated is a great start. Not only will your whole body benefit, but you’ll also be reducing the risk of potential foot problems as well. Additionally, if you do have some foot problems, foods full of nutrients can help them heal more quickly.

Maybe you’ll incorporate these into your New Year’s Resolutions. It is, indeed the time to make important new healthy habits and break bad unhealthy ones.

Need some more help and encouragement for healthier feet in the New Year? Schedule your annual podiatry checkup by making an appointment to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet to ensure that there are no issues and recommend some great ways to keep you walking. Come see us at our Clark, NJ office today!

 

 

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June 26, 2018
Category: Foot Health Tips
Tags: Untagged

 

Some people have a limited idea of what a podiatrist does (“I didn’t know you take care of that!”) and as a result are surprised about what help is available for people of all ages.  Here’s a list of reasons it’s best to see your favorite podiatrist.

  1. Pain.  Pain is never normal—heel pain, arch pain, painful bunions, hammertoes, corns and calluses.  
  2. Skin conditions.  Warts, rashes, identifying skin cancers in the feet, fungal conditions of skin and nails. Ingrown toenails.
  3. Sports injuries. Sprains, strains, fractures of the toes, feet and ankles. (and without the long waits in emergency rooms only to be seen by non-specialists)
  4. Specialized care for diabetics.  Treatment of ulcers and infections, preventive foot care that is vital for diabetics.
  5. Specialized care for children.  Besides common ingrown nails and warts, most adult foot issues have their roots in how the child develops structurally. Getting an early start on treating and preventing problems pays off in the long run. “Prevention is better than correction”.

There’s actually more to the list.  As you can see, the podiatrist is a generalist on a specific area of the body—part primary care, orthopedist, dermatologist, rheumatologist, radiologist, pediatrician, surgeon, and more.  For most any issue involving the foot and ankle, some of which can cause leg, knee, hip or back pain as well, the podiatrists office is the place to go!

For more information or an appointment, contact us at 732-382-3470 or visit our website at www.clarkpodiatry.com. 

At Clark Podiatry Center, we want to keep you walking!

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November 28, 2017
Category: Foot Health Tips

There are a lot of you out there who know that your two shoes don’t fit exactly the same. One may be a half size or more different from the other.  Why is that?

 Other than the obvious issue of someone who has had a traumatic injury to one of their feet, it is actually fairly common occurrence.  You may notice that one of your arches may appear different from the other.  That’s a big hint.

 Here’s the surprising fact:  the underlying cause may actually be a curvature or rotational problem—in your spine!  When this happens, your body makes up for it in different ways.  The pelvis can tilt, with the result that one of your legs functions as if it is longer than the other.  Your body compensates even more for this, with the longer leg turning outward a bit and that same foot will flatten out more than the other.

As the arch lowers in that longer leg, the foot naturally lengthens, so that foot may wind up a quarter to a half size larger than the other. Your shoes will wear out differently on the short and long side as well.  The majority of symptoms will occur on the longer side with the arch that flattens more and could be in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, back, or even your neck.

What to do about this? First, you should buy your shoes for the larger foot.  We’ll treat any symptoms which develop on either side and only about 5% of the time will we have to address the inequality of your leg lengths with some sort of in-the-shoe lift.

The takeaway point:  Different shoe sizes are common, and very often because of back issues.  We’re ready, willing and able to deal with any structural imbalances that are present so we can keep you walking—comfortably!

For more information or an appointment, contact us at 732-382-3470 or visit our website at www.clarkpodiatry.com. 

This is Dr. Brandon Macy and I want to keep you walking! 

#ClarkPodiatryCenter #NJCFHI

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By Clark Podiatry Center
October 06, 2017
Category: Foot Health Tips
Tags: arthritis   osteoporosis  

If you’ve been reading our blog posts, you may remember that we have 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in each foot (including the ankle). That’s a lot of moving parts that can be affected by musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis or osteoporosis. That’s why we are taking part in raising awareness, as part of Bone and Joint Action Week, which takes place from October 12th to the 20th.

We’ve gathered some facts and tips for our patients so that you may be well-informed about these issues. We hope they will help you take preventative measures, as well as learn the signs and symptoms related to musculoskeletal disease so that you can treat them early.

  • If you are over the age of 18, you’ve got over a 50% chance of being affected by one of the many musculoskeletal (bone and joint) conditions.
  • Common musculoskeletal issues include: arthritis, osteoporosis, spinal problems and back pain, as well as traumatic injury.
  • Musculoskeletal issues are a leading cause of physical disability and severe long-term pain.
  • “Movement is Medicine – Keep moving for health and wealth!” is the theme put forth by the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health of the Bone and Joint Decade. This is to stress the importance of physical activity, not only to prevent bone and joint issues, but also to remind those with musculoskeletal disease to keep moving to feel better.
  • Keep your bones and joints healthy! Take care of them through regular lifelong activity, eating a healthy and wholesome diet, as well as healthcare maintenance with regular checkups. See your doctor at first sign of pain or discomfort in your bones, before disease progression. Developing strong bones earlier is important for bone health later, as your bones begin to deteriorate as you get older.
  • Prevention Tips: Developing your strength, endurance, flexibility, and posture are essential to maintaining good bone and joint health. Learn how your body reacts to certain activities and foods, especially if you or someone in your family has arthritis. Furthermore, take caution when engaging in certain activities, making sure to use protective gear and equipment, as well as wearing the correct types of shoes.

If you’ve got symptoms of musculoskeletal conditions affecting your bones and joints, consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy for an assessment of your feet and ankles. We are here to treat your family’s needs at The New Jersey Children’s Foot Health Institute at Clark Podiatry Center. Make an appointment to see us today at our Clark, NJ office.

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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