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Podiatrist - Clark, NJ
1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for: September, 2018

By Clark Podiatry Center
September 26, 2018
Category: arthritis

Your feet and ankles each have 33 joints that allow you to move about freely. Curling and pointing your toes, standing on your tip toes, as well as walking or running in different directions are all doable thanks to those joints. But a diagnosis of arthritis can change all that. Once arthritis sets in, your joints can become stiff and painful. You can have days of severe inflammation, where you can barely move around, even in your own home.

That’s why we’ve come up with some tips to make it easier to live with arthritis in the feet:

  • Physical therapy and Foot Exercises: It may seem counterintuitive to exercise the feet, but it’s actually very helpful to perform low-impact exercises. Especially for those with gouty arthritis, exercise can help prevent uric acid buildup, which can cause a painful gout attack. Flexibility and mobility exercises like stretching and swimming can reduce the risk of painful inflammation on tendons and ligaments in the joints.
  • Wear supportive shoes. A lot of cushioning can help reduce the impact on the joints. Additionally, you can use orthotic inserts to add padding to joints that are particularly painful (e.g. big toe joint or back of the heel).
  • Orthotics. During your podiatry assessment, Dr. Macy might recommend custom orthotics for your feet, depending on how arthritis is affecting you.
  • Reduce or eliminate high-impact activities. The more high-impact activities (e.g. basketball, football, running) that you participate in, the more likely you are to experience inflammation around your joints (which absorb that impact). This can worsen symptoms, so look to alternative exercises and activities to stay physically active.
  • Schedule in periods of rest. Sometimes, life seems to be about “go, go, go”. However, schedule in periods of rest so that your joints can recover in between periods of walking or standing to reduce the risk of arthritis flare-ups.
  • Make your home more comfortable. Use cushioned mats around the house, wherever you’ll be standing around. For examples, in front of sinks, the oven, and counters where you might prepare food.
  • Eat nutritiously and maintain a healthy weight. Anti-inflammatory foods are a must and the less weight that your joints have to support, the better for preventing inflammation.
  • Reduce stress. Stress tends to make inflammation worse in your body. Find ways to reduce stress, such as meditation and getting foot massages.

Take good care of your arthritic feet! If you’ve been experiencing joint pain in the feet, come in for an assessment! We can help you determine how you can best treat your condition. Make an appointment to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. We are located in Clark, NJ and serve patients in all of Union County! We keep you walking!


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By Clark Podiatry Center
September 18, 2018
Category: Toenail problems

The summer might be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore your toenails! On the contrary, now that you might be wearing more closed-toed shoes with socks, you might be at more of a risk for fungal problems.

Today’s focus is on how fungal growth can mean infections on the toenails. Toenail fungus, also called onychomycosis, is caused by the same family of fungus (tinea) that causes Athlete’s Foot and Ringworm. When the fungus affects the toenails, they can become brittle, discolored, and or thick.

Where do I get fungal toenails?

  • The gym – A common place of contagion is a gym locker room with showers. The damp and warm environment allows the fungus to thrive, making it easy to transfer from person to person when each is barefoot. (Use flip-flops at the gym!)
  • Your family member – If someone in your family has foot fungus or fungal toenails, it can spread via shared towels or showers that do not fully dry between uses.
  • Your roommate – Similarly, if you have a roommate with whom you share a bathroom, you can become infected via shared towels or showers.
  • The community pool – While the chlorine does its best to disinfect and reduce microorganism growth, most people have moments of being barefoot between the pool and the locker room. Foot fungus thrives in moisture associated with pool areas.

Wearing closed-toed shoes, especially if you wear them every day, can also be the culprit of a fungal infection. In the fall and winter, your feet are warm inside the shoes. Those who sweat in closed-toed shoes create the perfect environment for fungus to grow. When opportunity strikes, the microorganism can infect the skin and toenails.

How do I get rid of these unsightly fungal toenails?

Depending on the severity of the fungal toenails, Dr. Macy might suggest:

  • Antifungal creams or lotions directly to the nails.
  • Medicated nail polish: The prescribed nail polish has an antifungal in it and should be used once daily.
  • Oral antifungal medication if your infection sites are throughout the body. 
  • Laser Therapy: This is a low risk, painless treatment, which kills the fungus living in the toenails. As your nails grow out, it should grow without the fungal symptoms. Our office also has Keryflex available to cosmetically restore any damaged toenails, especially as you wait for your own nails to grow out.

Are your fungal toenails causing you embarrassment? Do you want to be free of unsightly toenails? Come to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy for an assessment. Make an appointment today to be rid of those fungal toenails. We are located in Clark, NJ and serve patients in all of Union County! We keep you walking!

 


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By Clark Podiatry Center
September 12, 2018
Category: Shoes

Did you know that the shoes you wear might be the reason that your bunions are getting worse? Without the proper supportive features, your footwear can be causing your feet to work harder to grip the shoes for stability.

Shoe features to avoid:

  • Pointy shoes – When footwear forces the front of your feet into an unnatural shape, a bony growth (spur) can appear at the side of your big toe joint to support your foot. The big toe begins to turn more toward the smaller toes, instead of pointing straight ahead.
  • Narrow/Tight shoes – When shoes are too tight in the front, and there’s no room to wiggle the toes, they can become very cramped. This also forces the big toe into unnatural positions and can cause irritation to the big toe joint.
  • Thong sandals or flip-flops – When the toes are not encased, they become unstable and can slide around. As the feet work harder to maintain stability and grip harder in flip-flops, bunions can become aggravated. The inflammation and positioning can cause the deformity to worsen over time.
  • High heels – Shoes with high heels can put excessive pressure on the forefoot, especially on the big toe joint. A bony spur can push out to help support that pressure.
  • Flat shoes with no arch support – Those with flat feet or low arches are more likely to put pressure on the big toe joint. If you will be wearing flat shoes, make sure they have arch support or at least an orthotic insert to help with flat feet.

After an assessment by our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy, he might suggest custom orthotics for your shoes. He’ll also recommend shoes with a roomy toe box and good arch and heel support. Read our guidelines about what to look for when purchasing shoes that are healthy for the feet.

Make an appointment with Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He will assess your feet to keep you walking. Our office in Clark, NJ serves the Westfield area and surrounding Union County. 


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By Clark Podiatry Center
September 05, 2018

Are the children in school or about to go back to school? Make sure that they are prepared for academic learning and physical activity with the right shoes! Foot pain from shoes that are not supportive or painful can be distracting for them. Give them the best foot forward as they start the new school year.

Your children will most likely need more than one pair of shoes. Make sure you focus on safety and support as you fit your children with new shoes:

  • Everyday casual shoes – Shoes that they will wear to school on most days will wear out faster. This is especially true if they walk to and from school. Be sure to purchase shoes that are made of good material, have arch and heel support, and ample cushioning in the inner sole. If shoes lack these characteristics, orthotic inserts can help prevent foot problems.
  • Everyday casual shoes part 2 – Does your child sweat excessively due to hyperhidrosis? We recommend that (s)he has at least 2 or more everyday shoes in the rotation. That way, each pair of shoes can dry out completely between wears. Drying shoes out will help prevent bacterial growth and foot odor.
  • Uniform shoes – Most shoes that are a part of the uniform are made with supportive features. However, if your child needs extra support, you can use generic orthotic inserts. For specific needs, come in to see Dr. Macy for custom-made orthotics at our office.
  • Sneakers for physical education – Not all casual shoes will be sneakers. That’s why you should make sure to have at least one pair of sneakers or running shoes in the rotation for PE class. Your child is also more likely to sweat during PE, which can feel uncomfortable when going back to academic classes.
  • Shoes for sports – Do your children participate in after-school sports? Depending on the sport, your child might need cleats, wrestling shoes, cheerleading shoes, etc. These activity-specific shoes are designed with the movements they make while playing sports, so be sure to get the appropriate shoes.

Don’t forget to have your child measured and try shoes on before purchasing them. Additionally, growing feet shouldn’t experience growing pains. If they do, come to see Dr. Brandon Macy, our board-certified podiatrist at The New Jersey Children’s Foot Health Institute, at the Clark Podiatry Center. He will assess your child’s feet to keep him/her walking. Make an appointment today! Our office in Clark, NJ serves the Westfield area and surrounding Union County. 


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1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

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