AF&A Blog

With Nebraska’s impending move to the Big 10, this would be last time the Husker’s could attempt to get a conference win in Texas. The last few weeks of football have been tough here in Austin. The rest of the football world was looking at us as underdogs against the number 5 ranked Nebraska team. It was pretty obvious that Mack Brown and the Longhorn players didn’t pay any mind to all that talk as they prepared for this weekend’s game.

Every member of the UT team put forth the effort to bring home the win. Whether it was Garrett Gilbert picking up yards running, or the defense limiting Nebraska to less than half their average yards, the Longhorns won the game on the ground. Football cleats are especially designed for the traction and durability needed on play on the field, but it is those players feet that must stand up to the running game every Saturday. With over 200 rushing yards collected in this weekend’s win, those players’ feet need some TLC to optimize their play rest of the season. Key things such as applying heat and massaging your feet will increases the circulation and allow their body to bath the muscles in tendons in nutrition and healing growth factors.

After a long day of walking, your feet could also benefit from the same therapy athletes apply. Rest, stretching, and massaging are all things that can help your feet avoid and prevent injury. The Longhorn players benefit from having a team staff to provide the right physical therapy and physician care. You don’t have to be a college athlete to give your feet similar care. Take the time after a long day on your feet to rest and massage them, and be sure to visit AFAS on the first sign of pain or damage.

Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin! Hook ‘em horns!

….says the title of a recent online article from Live Science. A recent July publication of research in the Journal of Experimental Biology took a closer look at the long term use of high heels. The article is a quick read, but since you are reading our blog, we will give you the short of it. After following 11 women who wore high heels 5 days a week for 2 years, they found the calve muscles of these women shortened and the associated tendons to be stiff and thickened. This led to pain while walking without heels; the pain and muscle/tendon changes in these women were a direct contrast to the women they followed who did not wear heels.

We here at AFAS have tried to make you aware of some dangers of unstable shoes in past blogs. We wanted to put a little more emphasis on the dangers associated with high heels and some things you can do to avoid them. While we probably would not recommend heels for a healthy foot, we do understand the cultural and fashion ties to this footwear. We do not propose you eliminate heels, but rather take the time to stretch out your leg muscles after a long day wearing a pair. Shortened muscles and stiff tendons are more likely to be injured so do not discount this information lightly. A visit with Dr. Thomajan can educate you on ways to correct associated problems and keep your legs healthy. Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

If you’re a frequent visitor to our website, you may have noticed a free book offer link in the left had margins. We here at AF&A are always trying to improve the health and well being of our patients. Keeping the old adage ‘an ounce of prevent is worth a pound of cure’, we do our very best to educate you about proper foot care and ways to avoid injury. We hope that information provided in the books by Dr. Thomajan will help you to be pro-active in your own health.

Running is a fun and easy activity that requires little equipment. Whether enjoying the occasional jog or are thinking about starting exercise program, you should always take care to avoid injury. Dr. Thomajan’s book talks about some common injuries and precautions you can take to Keep Running.

Diabetes affects your whole body. Your feet, unfortunately, take the brunt of increased weight and vascular problems that often occur during the course of this chronic disease. Anyone who is living with diabetes needs to be extremely diligent and pro-active in their foot health. A good place to start is requesting Dr. Thomajan’s book.

Visit the AFAS homepage and click on the icon. You will be directed to a form to fill out after clicking the link. After choosing one of the two books and entering the remainder of the information sit back and wait for your book to arrive by mail. Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

As a youth, I spent some time around the family auto body shop. The smells of thinners, paints, and various chemicals were overpowering and I was required to keep my distance. These memories were triggered recently by similar scents coming from a nail salon. Walking past such an establishment recently, the door swung open and the strong chemical scent caused me to become a little light headed. I thought this an excellent topic for this week’s blog as nail polish is used so frequently.

The strong chemicals contained in polish (formaldehyde), removers (acetone), and the like may help complete your style, but may also be damaging your nails. Repeated and frequent use can weaken your nails and make them more prone to infection. But, you are just covering up that unsightly fungal nail? You may only be making the problems worse. Fungus tends to grow in warm, dark places and by covering your nail with polish you have just helped it become darker. Additionally, the removal and reapplication may have weakened enough to allow the fungus to spread.

If you have concerns that you may have a fungal nail, make a visit to AFAS. Many over the counter treatments are ineffective and seeking out a professional will be better to rid you of this problem. There are multiple treatment options that you can discuss with Dr. Thomajan and he will be able to plan which will be most effective for you. If fungus is not an issue, you should still consider using a more ‘nail friendly’ polish than the ones commonly found at your local salon. Products such as Nova Nail Rx actually help to strengthen your nails and as well as avoid fungal infections. Nova Nail Rx is available in a variety of colors and can be found in the office as well as our online store. Other ‘nail friendly’ polishes and removers can be found at our online store.  Healthy nails mean happy feet. Until next time, stay happy and health Austin!

With summer in full swing, we want to use this blog to talk about prevention. You can prevent many foot problems by taking steps to protect the skin of your feet. One step, which has been mentioned before, is the use of sun block. Another we would like to discuss is the use of moisturizer. By taking care to keep the skin of your feet healthy, you can avoid damage and drying that can lead to more serious problems.

As we mentioned in our “By the skin of your feet..” blog a few weeks ago, sunscreen is as important to the skin of your feet as it is to the rest of your body. Use a sun block with an SPF factor of at least 15 and be sure to reapply if you are in the sun for prolonged periods of time. The three types of ‘skin cancer’ are all associated with increased exposure to the sun. Take the easy step of applying sun block and keep the sun from damaging your skin.

The warm weather may have you wearing more open backed shoes and sandals. These types of footwear allow the padding of your heel to spread out and hasten drying or callus formation. You may have applied lotion to your dry feet with little resolution. This can be especially troublesome if you are living with diabetes, kidney disease, or circulation problems. Dry heels can lead to fissures, poor healing and further complications in these situations. Lotions are typically inadequate to moisturize the thick and dry skin of your feet. Creams and emulsions made specifically for feet are often the better choice. Keep your feet moisturized and your skin intact by utilizing some of these products.

The use of sun block and moisturizers can do a lot to maintain the integrity of the skin covering your feet. If you already have thickened, cracked heels, it is important to see a podiatrist. Dr. Thomajan will need to remove some of the thickened skin for proper healing to occur in this case. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Until next time, keep healthy and happy Austin!

With the beautiful weather out there, we here at Austin Foot and Ankle Specialist want to make sure you are taking full advantage. The warm weather is a great time to break out your sandals, flip flops or open toed shoes. Don’t let any unsightly corns, warts or cracks stop you from showing off your feet! There are a number of ‘over the counter’ products you can use to get rid of warts or moisturize your feet, but often these treatments are slow and time consuming. As a healthcare provider, Dr. Thomajan has a number of different treatments at his disposal that can often resolve these issues at a much faster rate.

Fungal toe nails are another problem that may be keeping you out of your summer shoes. The thickened, discolored nail is caused by a fungal infection to the area. While initially not painful, this condition can become more problematic with time. Fungal nails can often be associated with athlete’s foot and this infection can easily spread to other toe nails. After an initial assessment to eliminate any more serious problems, Dr. Thomajan will discuss a number of treatment options with you. There are a number of prescriptions that are quite effective especially when used in combination with other podiatric care such as laser treatment or debridement.

Don’t be embarrassed by the maladies that may be affecting your feet. After a proper evaluation by Dr. Thomajan and an appropriate treatment, you can get full use out of your summer footwear. Make an appointment today and until next time stay healthy 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 we all may not be professional athletes, those individuals need to take special care of their feet….and you do too! No matter how you stay physically active, whether it is golfing, running, or a daily walk, remember to keep you feet happy and healthy. Some basics to keep in mind, such as using the proper shoe for your activity, knowing your limits, and keeping your feet dry are all helpful in avoiding problems. However, here are a few common problems that may arise, some things you can do to prevent these things from affecting your daily activities, and when to visit your doctor.

1. “Athlete’s Feet” – is the something we have all been wary of when using the shower at the gym, but can affect anyone anywhere. The fungi and its friends that cause this uncomfortable condition are part of the world around us and can be acquired almost anywhere. By making sure you dry your feet thoroughly, before slipping on cotton socks, as well as keeping your shoes dry, are all first line defense to keep this problem from afflicting you. There are plenty of treatments available to fight this problem and it is important to see your podiatrist to prevent spread of an infection, especially when living with diabetes.

2. Heel Pain – there are a number of reasons this may become a problem for you. Surely, you find that by resting the area the pain subsides. Unfortunately, most of us are required to be on our feet through the day and this pain can come back time and time again becoming a real problem. A variety of inserts for your shoes and other non-invasive methods can be implemented by your podiatrist to help you function without pain. If the problem is due to foot structure or anatomical issue, the doctor can also discuss the appropriate options for this correction as well.

3. “Shin Splints”- are something many of us have experienced before. Often associated with overuse or a change in activity intensity, they are often relieved by rest. A modification of the offending activity will often prevent reoccurrence. A change in foot wear or the implementation of an orthoses many help to correct the problem. If the problem persists, you should make an appointment with your podiatrist who can make sure it is not a more serious problem and assist in finding solutions.

As we all prepare for the holiday season, our schedules begin to change and we may be spending a lot more time walking around. Just like an athlete in competition we may be asking more of our feet than we usually do. Assure yourself a happy and health holiday paying proper attention your soles and toes!