AF&A Blog

We all know of Colt McCoy.  This Longhorn had a 45-8 college record making him the NCAA’s winningest quarterback.  After being selected in the 3^rd round of the NFL draft, Cleveland Browns president noted that Colt McCoy would be unlikely to see much playing time since the team already had three quarterbacks.  That prediction proved to be completely untrue after ankle injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace.  McCoy made an impressive rookie NFL start in week 7 when he led the Browns to a win against the defending Saints.  After a bye week, McCoy then helped the team to their 3^rd win of the season against the Patriots in week 9.  Weeks 10 and 11 were disappointing, even with over 200 passing yards from McCoy they couldn’t pull out another win.

This former Longhorn had a noticeable limp as the game progressed, but that didn’t stop him from leading a valiant effort late against Jacksonville.  After leaving the stadium with his right foot in a walking boot, it has been reported that he sprained his ankle.  We have talked about ankle injuries, especially in the NFL, several times before.  The collection of ligaments that keep your ankle in place are prone to injury when the leg and foot are strained in different directions.  For the average individual, getting knocked off your feet by a sack isn’t too much of a worry.  Even so, there are a variety of activities that can cause you to strain, or in other cases tear, the ligaments in your ankle.  Colt McCoy was able to continue playing through his injury, we hope without furthering his injury.  We here at AFAS would never recommend this course of action.  The possibility of making your injury worse and keeping you out longer should always keep you from continuing your activity once you are hurt.  Instead implement the RICE principle and seek medical attention.

Until next time, keep those ankles happy and healthy Austin!

We are halfway to the NFL’s Week 8 and there are a number of high profile quarterback’s whose seasons have become questionable. Tony Romo, who may not recover from his shoulder injury until the last few games of the season, and Brett Favre, who severely injured his ankle, are just two of them. While there may not be a lot of us rooting for the Vikings, the career achievements of Brett Favre have made him a much publicized player. Records including most consecutive starts by a player, most consecutive wins, and most career playoff completions just a few of a long list of achievements for him. The latest injury to the aged player caused him to limp off the field after a loss to the Packer’s on Sunday. This injury may cause him to end his streak of consecutive starts as well as his ability to be an effective player.

He may be the first one to admit that he’s ‘no spring chicken anymore.’ As with any older individual, it takes your body a little longer to heal than it may have when you were younger. Brett Favre, at around $1 million per game salary, isn’t your average 41 year old and has expressed a desire to play through the pain. While it has been reported that he can’t do further damage to the broken bone by playing, we here at AFAS have our reservations. This week he has been seen in a walking boot to help off load the ankle allowing it to rest and heal. While rest is important, it may be of no use if he rests all week only to jump into a game on Sunday. This athlete has played through injury before, and his high profile status may bring him to do it again, but at what peril to his health and performance?

This should be a word of warning to any ‘weekend warriors’ out there who are anxious to bounce back from an ankle injury. You must be sure to give your injury ample time to heal. Additionally, you should slowly work up to your activity with the proper exercises and physical therapy. Conditioning your body for your activities is the best way to prevent initial or recurring injuries. Failure to properly rehabilitate an injury can cause re-injury and continued complications…..even for professional athletes.

Until next time, keep those feet (and ankles) happy and healthy Austin!

It was game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals in May 2009 that Yao twisted his ankle. That year was one of his healthiest since a long list of injuries that began in 2005. That year, osteomyelitis infected his big toe; the 06-07 season brought a break to the right leg and 07-08 required foot surgery for a stress related fracture of the left foot. After coming back from all that, Yao was a significant factor in the 08-09 Rockets march to the NBA semifinals. He told reporters after game 3 that he played through a ‘twist’ in his ankle each quarter. Doctors took subsequent CT scans of the injured ankle and noted another fracture. After spending the year recovering from that surgery, Yao has spent the preseason slowly working up to his old self.

So, why are basketball players, especially the tallest ones, so susceptible to injury? There are several factors that play into this. One factor that we have talked about before is the compounding pressure and weight applied to your feet when you run. Many of the tallest players in the NBA are also the heaviest. When one foot takes the impact of a 300+ pound athlete sprinting down the hardwood floor, their bones and ligaments are put under a stress many of us will never experience. Add to that, a second factor. Quick changes in direct, pivots and cuts all subject the foot to ligamentous strain that can easily turn into injury. For these reasons, footwear and orthotic inserts are of the utmost importance to basketball players be they professionals or high school players.

Let’s get back to Yao. Is there hope for our center? Can we expect a productive season out of this international star? Only time will tell. For now, his doctors have limited him to playing only 24 minutes per game. This will provide time for him to work back to performance condition, but will provide challenges for the Rockets team. We can hope that Yao follows in the footsteps of Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Miami Heat who has fully recovered from a similar surgery. Unfortunately, there is the old adage ‘the bigger they are the harder they fall’ and there are many big players who have never recovered. Here’s hoping some medical expertise, the proper physical therapy, and a little luck make Yao Ming the strong center that has helped the Rockets out in the past.

Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

We all know the importance of using sun screen. Applying sunscreen to your face and arms may almost be second nature with the warm Texas sun beaming down every day. But, do you also remember to offer the same concession to your lower extremity? As you may have noticed before, the health of your legs and feet are our focus here at Austin Foot & Ankle and we wanted to talk a little about protecting your skin.

Our skin is the largest organ of the human body. It is the only organ that can be readily seen or examined without any special instruments. The skin on your feet and legs is prone to the same damage you are sure to guard against by applying sun block to the skin on your face or arms. Most of us could agree that nothing hurts worse than trying to slip a sunburned foot into a shoe; but it is the sun’s rays can cause much unseen damage that may lead to cancers.

All of us at AFAS want to remind you to protect the skin on your legs and feet as well as watching for any changes. Keep an eye on any markings to your skin. Changes in size and color are red flags for you to seek medical attention. Most problems that manifest in the skin can be treated with excellent results if caught early. Monitor any changes and be sure to note when it started, how long it has been present, and the specific changes that occurred. Make an appointment with Dr. Thomajan if you have any concerns about those skin changes to your foot and ankle. Until next time, stay healthy and happy Austin!

Hopefully, we have caught your attention with this familiar phrase synonymous with having calm and steady emotions. If your nerves are functioning, you can remain calm and collected as they allow you to perform any and all tasks to go about your day. It is our nerves let us know if something is too hot, too cold, or painful. This ‘gift’, or ability to feel, may not be a problem for you. It is our goal here at AFAS to keep you from becoming one of individuals living with neuropathy, or damage to their nerves. Damage to your nerves can come in many ways and living with diabetes is one source.

Often a complication of diabetes, you may know someone or experience firsthand the complications and diligence that is needed to maintain your health when your nerves can no longer allow you to feel. When your nerves can not send the proper signal to your brain, you may not notice you stepped on a nail or burned your hand. There is good evidence that the earliest stages of neuropathy occur in the smallest nerves.1,2 If you experience any type of tingling or pain in your toes, you should make an appointment with Dr. Thomajan. There is a simple skin test that can be used to measure the density of the nerve fiber and is quite sensitive to detection of problem areas.3 Staying healthy involves due diligence. If you experience any type of tingling, burning, or numbness in your toes, it is time to visit AFAS. Once the problem is identified, there are steps you and your physician can take limit and correct the damage. Until next time, Austin, stay healthy!

1. Sommer, Claudia, Skin Biopsy as a Diagnostic Tool, Current Opinion in Neurology 2008; 21.562-568

2. Smith, A.G., Singleton, JR. Impaired glucose intolerance and neuropathy. The Neurologist 2008;14;23-29.

3. Devigili et. al, Brain 2008; 131:1912-25

Hopefully, everyone had a great, injury free holiday weekend. With the weather being great here in Austin, we are sure everyone is spending more time outdoors and more time on their feet. It is always good to get more physical activity, but this time a year is often more injury prone. Why, you may ask? Well, chances are you were a little less than your active normal self over the winter months and through the holidays. Anytime there is a change in your activity level, your muscles, bones, and tendons are at increased risk for injury. A sedentary week followed a weekend softball game or 5 mile run is a good way to open the door to injury. Try taking a short walk on your lunch break or after dinner. Even a few simple stretching or strengthening exercises before you start your day can go a long way in injury prevention.

This is a great time, while you’re feeling well, to visit Dr. Thomajan at AFAS. A custom running or gait analysis can identify any problem areas in your feet that can easily be addressed with either a custom or over the counter orthotic. This is also a good step to finding the ‘proper’ shoe for your ‘foot type’. Taking the time to find out where those problem areas are now can keep you on your feet and help you avoid having to visit us due to an injury. Just a few sentences ago I mentioned simple exercises, well Dr. Thomajan and all of us here at AFAS can help you find the right exercise program for your foot type and specific concerns for avoiding injury. These are just a few of the things we can do to keep you pain free and active. Click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Thomajan. Until next time, stay healthy Austin!

While the temperature in Austin doesn’t fall below freezing too often, this is the time of year when we should all take extra care to watch our steps. Those unseen patches of ice, especially ‘black’ ice, can catch us off guard. While it might be more embarrassing to tumble to the ground, twisting or turning your ankle while staying upright may prove just as perilous.

Twisting your ankle can happen in an instant. You are probably quick to regain your footing but the pain and tenderness that remain alert you that something may be wrong. The worst thing you can do is to ‘walk it off.’ An easy acronym to remember, RICE, is your first line of defense for limiting ankle damage. Used by a variety of healthcare professionals, RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. These steps will help to limit any further damage to the ligaments that hold your foot and leg together at the ankle. Follow this initial treatment with a visit to Austin Foot & Ankle Specialists. A physical evaluation, along with x-rays, will be done to assess the extent of the damage that occurred. Based on these finds, your podiatrist will use special taping and compression as initial treatment though more advanced treatments may be necessary for more problematic injuries.

Ankle injuries can occur at any time, but icy winters increase your chances. Rubber bottom shoes or boots with good ankle support are a few footwear choices that can help you avoid these problems, but a little extra caution and care can go a long way. Until next time, stay safe and keep your feet and ankles healthy!