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

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Foot Notes

Posts for: March, 2016

By Clark Podiatry Center
March 30, 2016
Tags: heel pain   sever's disease  

Heel pain in a child may be linked to a growth spurt. In other words: Growing pains may be real!

A child with heel pain or difficulty walking may have Severs Disease/Calcaneal Apophysitis. In this condition, the heel bone grows faster than the surrounding tendons and muscles during a growth spurt, and they are overstretched.

In addition, there are biomechanical factors which can trigger the condition.  In feet which hyperpronate or flatten out too much or in children with tight achilles tendons, there can be a torque applied to the growth plate.  The added stresses of sports activities or extra weight often result in an injury to the growth plate area. 

You may observe other symptoms of this condition including:

  • Heel pain that eases with rest, and is worse after athletic activities like jumping or running
  • Redness or swelling in the heel
  • Tenderness when the back of the heel is squeezed. A feeling of tightness may also be there
  • Limping
  • Inability to walk unless on tip toe

Sever's disease can be found at different ages by gender because of the different ages of girls' and boys' growth spurts. For example, boys usually experience growth spurts at ages 10 to 15, so that's when the risk of Sever's disease is greatest. Girls, whose growth spurts are earlier between ages 8 and 13, may have Sever's disease at those earlier ages.

Preventing Sever's Disease

It is possible to prevent this painful condition with some common sense steps that are good tips for children of any age:

  • Provide them with supportive, well-fitting and well-cushioned shoes.
  • Encourage your child to stretch the hamstring, heel and calf gently and regularly.
  • Keep your child at a healthy weight to minimize heel pressure.
  • Limit running and jumping on surfaces that are inflexible and hard.
  • Watch your child to prevent over-training, especially if the heels are painful.

Watch for the signs of Sever's disease if your child participates in sports like basketball, soccer, football or gymnastics. Cleats are particularly hard and rigid and can aggravate the problem.

The good news? The risk of Sever's disease evaporates when the child is fully grown. Then the muscles and tendons will have grown to match the growth of the heel bone.

We Can Treat Sever's Disease To Eliminate Heel Pain

If your child is experiencing heel pain, please come in to The New Jersey Children's Foot Heath Institute at Clark Podiatry Center for an evaluation. We will recommend resting the foot and taking a break from all sports. Our other treatments include:

  • Icing the inflamed area several times a day.
  • Taking ibuprofen or naproxen to relieve pain and inflammation, with your doctor's approval.
  • Physical therapy and gentle stretching.
  • Adding heel cups or orthotics to reduce stress on the heel.
  • Wearing a cast or walking boot if these methods don't bring relief.

We will counsel you and your child on the best way to return to sports and other activities gradually.

Don't Wait To Resolve Your Child's Heel Pain

Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist has helped relieve the heel pain of many children and teens so they can return to normal activities. Please contact us for an appointment in our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website. Call us today to start your child down the path to recovery from Sever's disease.


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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 23, 2016
Tags: Athlete's Foot  

Do you have an itchy rash on your feet or between your toes? Have you noticed patches of scaly, dry or blistered skin anywhere on your feet?

Athlete's foot is caused by a contagious fungus that thrives and spreads in warm, moist places like your socks and shoes. Because it is so contagious, you may have picked it up at a public place like a pool, locker room or shower. It's so easily spread that you may get it by wearing someone else's shoes!

And it also easily spreads on you. The fungus can broaden to include even the soles of your feet. If not treated effectively, the infection can be transmitted to your hands and other locations - jock itch is caused by the same fungus.

Athlete's foot may also be in disguise as it's not always itchy and it's not always between your toes. You may see excessive scaling or dry skin on your soles - this could be athlete's foot too.

Over-the-Counter Remedies Not Successful in Treating Athlete's Foot

Non-prescription anti-fungal products come in many forms such as powders, sprays or lotions. These may temporarily relieve the itchiness and dryness associated with athlete's foot, but chances are that the infection will return.

Have a professional evaluate your troublesome skin condition. At Clark Podiatry Center, we will give your feet a comprehensive examination. A prescription medication applied directly to the skin can further healing as it relieves your discomfort. For more stubborn cases, we'll prescribe oral medication along with the topical medicine to eliminate the fungus.

Prevent Athlete's Foot Before It Begins

Athlete's foot can be prevented by protecting your feet and taking good care of your feet and footwear:

  • Choose shoes made of materials that breathe like leather, or are well-ventilated.
  • Select socks that wick moisture away from the skin - cotton socks are not the best choice.
  • Don't linger in damp or sweaty socks or shoes. Change both at the same time.
  • Let your feet air out when you can, such as when relaxing at home.
  • Alternate between several pairs of shoes so they completely dry out when not in use.
  • Powder your feet frequently to absorb perspiration.
  • Don't walk barefoot in public places, especially pools and gyms. Take along flip flops or shower shoes.
  • Don't wear someone else's shoes and don't even use a towel that isn't yours.

Visit Us for Quick Relief from Athlete's Foot

You need professional help to get rid of a pesky athlete's foot fungal infection. Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist can help relieve the irritation and bring about full healing. You can contact us for an appointment in our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website. Don't suffer with the itch of athlete's foot - call us today!


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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 16, 2016
Tags: Plantar Warts  

It's fun to walk barefoot and many of us do it at home and in public places. But walking without protection on your feet can make you susceptible to picking up contagious foot problems.

One of these is plantar warts. These growths are caused by a virus that thrives in public gyms, showers and pools. The warts appear on the sole of your foot. Because you place so much pressure on the heel or ball of the foot, the warts grow into the foot instead of outward. In appearance a plantar wart looks like a small growth with a rough surface and it can cause a sharp, burning pain when you stand on it.

Teenagers and children are often prone to plantar warts. Anyone with a weakened immune system may also be at risk.

How To Avoid Plantar Warts

You can reduce your risk of getting a plantar wart with these simple foot care steps:

  • Always wear shoes or flip flops in public places. Never go barefoot unless at a sandy beach.
  • Wash and dry your feet daily and change your socks and shoes every day.
  • If you have warts, don't touch them. Don't use the same implements like a toenail clipper or emery board on your healthy foot.
  • Keep an eye on your children's feet for anything that appears to be a wart.

We Can Successfully Treat Plantar Warts

Plantar warts can disappear on their own but it can take a lot of time, even a couple of years. Over-the-counter solutions can help temporarily but the wart often returns.

To permanently eliminate a painful wart, contact Clark Podiatry Center. After diagnosing your problem, we'll treat you for your individual condition including:

  • Cryotherapy - this technique freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen. First we numb the general area of the wart so you won't feel any pain, and then apply the nitrogen directly to the growth. It may be necessary to repeat this treatment. The dead tissue will slough off within a couple of weeks.
  • Salicylic acid available with prescription that will gradually peel the tissue away.
  • Laser treatment forces the wart tissue to die when the blood vessels are closed.
  • Surgical removal of the wart.

In some patients, we find that combining treatments is the best solution, such as first freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen and then periodically applying salicylic acid.

Get Help for Painful Plantar Warts

Don't waste time with over-the-counter treatments for plantar warts that bring only temporary relief. Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist has successfully treated plantar warts in many patients, including children and teens. Call us for an appointment in our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website. You can find long-lasting relief for painful plantar warts!


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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 06, 2016
Category: Uncategorized
Tags: Untagged

Have you noticed that your child's toes point inward when he or she walks? This is a foot abnormality called in-toeing and is fairly common in young children.

Children can also be seen out-toeing which is just the opposite and where the toes point outward when walking. This condition is much less common than in-toeing.

Although different from each other, both of these abnormalities can be caused by the same conditions:

  • The position of the baby in the womb before birth
  • Genetics
  • Sitting or sleeping in certain positions for a long period of time

When parents observe their children walking either with in-toeing or out-toeing characteristics and bring their children to see us at Clark Podiatry Center, they are relieved to learn that most of these abnormalities resolve on their own as the child ages. Most tendencies to in-toe or out-toe are gone without any special treatment by age 8.

In-Toeing Runs in Families

There is no method to prevent in-toeing as genetics plays a large role. Here are the 3 most common types of in-toeing:

  • Tibia torsion or twisted shin exhibits in-toeing because the whole lower leg twists inward. This abnormality often begins when the baby is in the womb, and when the child reaches school age the tibia will usually fully un-twist. If the shin is still twisted or the twist is severe by age 9 or 10, surgery may be required to correct the problem.
  • Metatarsus adductus, also known as a curved foot, occurs when the feet bend inwards beginning at the middle of the foot. A serious case of in-toeing will be very rigid. If an infant is observed with rigid in-toeing, they may benefit from wearing a cast or special shoes beginning at 6 or 9 months to correct this deformity.
  • In femoral anteversion or a twisted thighbone, the twist occurs higher at the femur. Parents usually notice this abnormality by age 6. Because of the twisted thighbone, both the knees and feet point inward. Almost all twisted thighbone cases correct by themselves. However, a child over age 9 with this condition who has an abnormal gait or trips frequently may need surgery.

Out-Toeing Is Much Less Common

Although not as frequent as in-toeing, out-toeing can cause pain and disability if persisting into adulthood. In children, out-toeing often resolves itself. Some children with flat feet also show out-toeing but this type of abnormality rarely causes discomfort.

Contact Us with Any Concerns About Your Child's Foot Health

We are experts in diagnosing and treating pediatric foot problems. Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist has the right experience to resolve any foot pain in your child. Please contact us at our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website to schedule an appointment. We look forward to meeting you and your child in our office soon.


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By Clark Podiatry Center
March 03, 2016
Tags: heel pain  

If you have a stabbing pain on the bottom of your heel that hits you when you first get out of bed in the morning, you may have plantar fasciitis. The pain may gradually subside as you begin to move about, but can strike again after you've been sitting for a while.

The plantar fascia is a thick tissue running along the bottom of your foot that connects your toes to your heel bone. Small tears in the tissue from excessive stress can cause it to become irritated or inflamed. Overpronation, or when your foot rolls inward while walking, is a common cause of plantar fasciitis. It can also affect runners and those carrying excess weight, as well as anyone wearing shoes without enough support or individuals who stand for long periods on hard surfaces.

Get Help for Your Heel Pain

Without proper treatment plantar fasciitis can develop into chronic heel pain. You may also experience knee, back or hip problems if your gait changes as your body tries to deal with the pain.

Please contact us at Clark Podiatry Center if you have persistent heel pain. We will give your feet a careful examination and take x-rays to rule out other problems like a stress fracture.

With a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, we begin with conservative treatments. These include:

  • Resting and applying ice to the heel to relieve inflammation.
  • Taking anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen.
  • Gently stretching the Achilles tendon area, foot and calf to ease tightness.
  • Stretching the arch and calf at night by wearing a splint to bed.
  • Physical therapy.
  • Steroid injections for pain relief.

Custom-fitted orthotics can relieve the stress on the plantar fascia as well as correct for an abnormal walking pattern.

New Technology To Heal Plantar Fasciitis

For persistent problems, we use Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy - also known as ESWT - to reduce inflammation and relieve heel pain. This pain-free technology uses shock waves that actually stimulate your body's healing response. Your body grows new tissue to replace the damaged area.

ESWT treatments are non-invasive and naturally numb the area to reduce pain.

For more information, read our blog on What is Shockwave Therapy?

Don't Suffer from Persistent Heel Pain

Dr. Brandon Macy, board certified podiatrist has extensive experience in resolving heel pain in his patients. Please call our Clark office at 732-382-3470 or use the contact information at the website to schedule an appointment. We can find a solution that works on your plantar fasciitis so come in to our office soon!


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Call Today 732-382-3470

1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

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