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Clark, NJ 07066

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Foot Notes

Posts for tag: Orthotics

By Clark Podiatry Center
January 16, 2019

Congratulations! You have a little one on the way, and so you might be wondering all about how to care for him or her. There’s a lot to consider, like feeding, bathing, sleeping, swaddling, and of course, changing diapers. Getting all of those things figured out is not easy, and your mind might be swirling.

Just take one thing at a time, and you’ll be just fine!

Right after your baby is born, one of the first things you might want to do is to count the fingers and toes, to make sure you’ve got 10 of each. Your doctor will do the same to make sure the baby has no major problems. Just so that you are aware, after the exhaustion of giving birth, your care team will examine the following about your newborn’s feet:

  • Count the toes – Sometimes, babies can be born with 6 toes on one or both of the feet called polydactyly. Don’t worry though it can be easily treated by a simple surgical removal from the foot. Then, the child’s foot/feet will begin to develop normally, with 5 toes.
  • Check the toes – Some children can be born with webbed toes. They can be surgically corrected during infancy, or if there are no developmental problems, can be left alone.
  • Tickle the feet – The doctor will tickle the feet to make sure the nerves are functioning properly. When the feet are tickled, they should play.
  • Check the shape of the feet – If the feet and toes seem to point forward, the baby will likely have normal development. However, if the foot has more of a “C” shape, this is called metatarsus adductus. It can cause pigeon-toeing and difficulty fitting into shoes properly, depending on the severity of the deformity. Stretching and plastering starting from infancy will help correct the shape.
  • Check the angle of the feet – Depending on genetics or how much room the baby has in the womb, the feet can look like they are turned inward. With this condition, called clubfoot, the outer part and front part of the ankle is overstretched. Don’t worry too much though. Treatment can begin right after birth, while the bones are still soft. Doctors will stretch and cast the foot so that it develops more and more toward the proper position. Special orthotics can be used when the baby starts to walk in order to keep the position correct.
  • Check the ankles, knees, and hips – This is to ensure that their legs are not dislocated during the birthing process. Dislocation can cause the baby severe discomfort and abnormal development.

If your baby was born with normal feet, that’s great news! But if you’ve been informed about foot problems from birth, don’t worry, we can help! After initial care at the hospital, continued care can be sought at our office. Come see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at New Jersey Children's Foot Health Institute of Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet, and find the best treatment for your baby’s foot needs. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep you walking.

 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
January 02, 2019
Category: foot injuries

Now that we are in full swing of winter, it’s time to talk about all the fun you and your children will have during the cold winter months! Most winter activities, related to snow and ice can be a lot of fun but come with their share of possible foot and ankle injuries too.

The most common injuries that children and adults encounter while having winter fun include:

  • Stress fractures or broken bones: These are common from slips and falls on the slippery ice and snow.
  • Overuse injuries: Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are common overuse injuries from straining the feet and ankles. If they seem to affect you often, we can help you with custom orthotics.
  • Ankle sprain: These injuries are also common from slips and falls, or twists of the ankles.
  • Blisters: Certain types of shoes or ill-fitting shoes can often cause blisters with winter activities.

Many of these injuries have to do with wearing the right shoes for the activity and making sure they fit well. Prevent winter fun foot injuries by checking your winter footwear habits:

  • Ski/snowboard boots and snowshoes – These are specific to the activity and need to fit properly to enjoy the activity without injury. Footwear that is too big or loose can cause you to lose control, as well as require a lot of strain and effort from your feet. Footwear that is too small or tight can leave you with cramped toes and blisters.
  • Ice skates – To glide effortlessly across the ice, you’ll need to have skates that fit well. Most skates tend to be pointy in the front, so be sure that your feet are not too cramped when trying them on. Otherwise, you can aggravate bunions, neuromas, and other toe issues like hammertoes. If you tend to blister in the same areas, use padding or a bandage to prevent excessive chafing of the skin.
  • Hiking boots – If you like taking winter hikes, be sure to have boots with thick tread to help you grip the snowy trails. Check out our tips on choosing your children’s hiking shoes.
  • Winter boots (in general) – If your children’s favorite activity in the winter is to go sledding, snow tubing, or snowball fights, there aren’t special shoes for those activities. You’ll still want to use winter boots, which we talked about here.
  • Socks - Okay, so these are not shoes, but are important to think about. Try on all winter shoes and boots with socks to make sure that thick socks can be accommodated comfortably.

More tips for preventing injuries during winter activities:

  • Start slowly, stretch, and warm up.
  • Prevent Frostbite. Children and adults should make sure that snow and ice do not get into the shoes. When socks and shoes are wet on the inside, the feet can be at risk for frostbite in cold temperatures. If socks get wet during winter fun activities, change them so that feet are not exposed to the cold for a long period.
  • Supervise children when they are participating in outdoor winter activities like sledding and snow tubing. If they are too rowdy, it can cause collisions with other children and injuries to many other parts of the body, including the head.

Have you or your child suffered an injury while trying to have some winter fun? Come see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet, and find the best treatment for any winter foot injuries. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep you walking.

 

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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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By Clark Podiatry Center
December 11, 2018
Category: Shoes

If you haven’t already, dust off those winter boots! The winter weather can cause quite a chill from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Keeping your feet warm can help warm up the entire body, so why resist wearing those boots?

First things first. How are your old boots?

  • They may only be a year old if you bought them last year, but depending on the quality of their build, they can already be worn down. Check for any signs of problems with structural integrity or worn down insoles. Additionally, check if the outer soles are also in good shape. After all, you want them to be able to help you grip when it’s slippery outside.
  • Even as adults, our feet can change shape or size, so double check that they still fit you well.
  • For children, this is especially true and might need new boots each year. Their feet can keep growing until around 16-20 years of age.

Time for new winter boots?

If your winter boots are worn down or don’t seem to fit correctly (maybe due to worsening bunions), consider buying new shoes for the season. Winter boots may feel like they should just be comfortable and chunky, but without proper support, a day of trudging through the snow can leave you with tired and achy feet, like with plantar fasciitis.

Here’s what to keep in mind when buying new boots for you and your family:

  • Get measured in the afternoon. Just like regular shoes, you’ll want winter boots to fit properly. There’s a good chance your children’s feet have become bigger and won’t fit into last year’s boots.
  • Buy boots with grippy outer soles to help you when you walk over any snow or ice.
  • The inner arch and heel cup will also help stabilize your feet if you encounter slippery conditions.

Finally, make sure you try on your boots with thick socks. As the weather becomes even colder, you might want to layer up. Your boots should have enough room to accommodate thicker socks.

Can’t find boots that fit you well? Do you have a foot deformity or other foot issues? We can help you with custom orthotics. Come to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet, and find a solution to keep your feet comfortable and warm this winter. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep you walking. 

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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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1114 Raritan Road
Clark, NJ 07066

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