Our Foot & Ankle Care FAQ

Proper foot care is important for everyone, but it is especially important for diabetics. Due to circulation issues, diabetic feet tend to be more susceptible to injury—and often those injuries can go undetected. For this reason, it’s a good idea for these individuals to have a consistent relationship with a podiatrist regardless of whether or not they are experiencing pain. 

Nerve Damage in Diabetes 

It seems only natural to go to the doctor when you’re experiencing pain. Many of us would not consider going to a specialist like a podiatrist until we are dealing with significant pain or injury. Unfortunately for diabetics, nerve damage is one of the common side effects of their condition—and this can make proper treatment of injuries difficult. 

This nerve damage is called neuropathy, and its most common symptom is numbness. It is considered to be one of the more frequent complications of living with long-term diabetes, and it’s caused by poor blood sugar control over an extended period of time. While all of our nerves can be affected by high sugars, the longest nerves—the ones that extend from spine to toe—tend to be the most impacted. This is why you will experience neuropathy in your feet and legs before your hands or arms. 

The Risk of Neuropathy Injury 

Our feet take a beating. Between walking, exercising, and potentially ill-fitting footwear, our feet endure more hits and strains than any other part of our body. In a healthy individual, a cut or blister on the foot isn’t usually a big deal, but it can turn into a severe issue for a person with neuropathy. 

Diabetic neuropathy causes numbness, which in turn can lead to obliviousness to injury. Without pain, we aren’t alerted to anything being wrong. But diabetes can cause quickly cause a lot of issues. Poorly controlled blood sugar can lead to dried-out skin, which in turn causes calluses or even ulcers on your feet. Combine this with the numbing lack of circulation and you just might find yourself walking around on an injury you don’t even know you have. Since the numbness prevents you from being aware of an issue, this can allow a minor injury to turn into a more serious infection. 

Proper Prevention 

Daily self-care is essential to make sure your diabetes stays in check and injuries are avoided. Follow all maintenance plans followed by your doctor, including proper diet and timed insulin. Then, work a self-examination of your feet into your daily routine. 

In the morning, before bedtime, and also anytime you take your shoes off, take a few moments to look over your feet. Check for any signs of strain—chafing, blistering, cuts, or bruises. You might want to use a mirror to help you check the areas that are hard to see. 

If you notice any irregularities, write down what you see and the date you noticed it. Some find it helpful to also take a photo. Practice at-home treatment and spend as much time off your feet as you can. Pay close attention to the irregularity and observe it for any changes or progressions in the coming days. 

Finally, know when it’s time to see a podiatrist. As a general rule, you should make an appointment if you’re experiencing any of the following: 

• Pain in your legs or thighs, even if you don’t have sensation in your feet 
• A change in foot shape 
• Severely dry or cracked skin on your feet
• Any change in skin color or temperature to the touch 
• Thickened or yellowing toenails 
• Blisters, sores, ulcers, corns, or ingrown toenails 
• Any evidence of a fungal infection like athlete’s foot

It’s also a great idea to visit a podiatrist several times a year even if you do not experience any issues. The professionals at Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists are able to provide thorough foot examinations and preventative measures that can help a diabetic avoid severe injury. 

Are You Looking For Diabetic Foot Care in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for diabetic foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

Related Links: Healthy Foot Care for Diabetes Diabetes and Your Feet The Importance of Understanding and Performing a Foot Self-Exam

 

 

In a small percentage of the population who has a rather stable foot structure, a good motion control running shoe can reduce the tendency to pronate or collapse the arch during activity and as a result, experience relief from some mild symptoms in their feet, knees, or even backs.  But factually speaking, very few people who suffer from any significant structural problems or who have any significant pathology can go without an orthotic in combination with a good motion control running shoe. 

We highly recommend that our patients get a good, solid and well constructed motion control shoe or sneaker when we dispense their orthotics.  The orthotic and shoe work together to provide maximum stability and corrective position which allows and encourages optimal and non-pathologic function of the foot and ankle during activity. 

Lastly, the "supportive insoles, arch supports or arch cookies" that are promoted to be in these types of shoes and sneakers are obviously generically placed into the shoe or sneaker which simply does not support every individual's arch or foot structure the same way.  This can be an issue for many people.  Any significant degree of asymmetry or difference in foot structure from one foot to the other generally necessitates a custom-made orthotic that will fit and work in conjunction with a well supportive shoe or sneaker.

Are You Considering Custom Orthotics  in Austin, TX?

If you are considering custom orthotics, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

Yes. Especially if you are competitive or do extensive mileage each week.  Experience has shown us that when the orthotics place the bones of the foot in a more corrected and structurally aligned position, this necessitates less energy expenditure by the muscles of the foot and leg as the bones of the foot lock together and in essence, stay aligned during the thousands of "up and down pistoning motions" while cycling. 

Conversely, when the foot is not in its ideal structural position, it necessitates the muscles of the foot and lower leg to work harder to keep nudging the bones of the foot back into their ideal alignment.  This done over and over during the hours and thousands of downstrokes of the cycling action, causes the muscles to work much harder and predisposes them and even the bones of the foot to injury from overuse.  

Almost one for one, the cyclists who use these types of orthotics in their cycling shoes have relayed they go faster and longer using less energy and experiencing significantly less "fatigue" during cycling.  Depending on the style of cycle shoe, you may necessitate a pair specifically for that activity but for the most part, the orthotics that you can put into your sneakers or lace-up dress shoes fit into cycling shoes. 

Are You Considering Custom Orthotics  in Austin, TX?

If you are considering custom orthotics, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

Laser treatment for toenail fungus gets to the root of the problem—fast! In fifteen minutes, you’ll enjoy the benefits of fungus-killing focused light that will bring healing to your unsightly nails. Creams, lacquers, and oral treatments are hit and miss. They may or may not reach the source of your crumbling, yellowing nails. In fact, topical nail applications simply can’t get to the hard-to-reach nail bed.

Enjoy safe, pain-free treatment for your fungal toenails with Blue Shine Laser Therapy. This laser uses light to reach the source of your infection. In as few as 6-9 months, you can expect a new, healthy nail in place of the old, infected one—now that’s a solution that works.

If toenail fungus has you hiding your feet, it’s time to take action. Call Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists at (512) 328-8900 or complete our contact form today to learn more about laser treatment for toenail fungus. Dr. Craig H. Thomajan DPM, FACFAS looks forward to helping you end the embarrassment of fungal nails.

Are You Looking for a Foot Care Doctor in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

We treat post-static dyskinesia (meaning impaired movement after being at rest) in various ways, once we have determined what is causing your discomfort. Early morning heel pain when you first step out of bed is most often due to plantar fasciitis—inflammation of or damage to the ligament under your arch.

RICE therapy (rest, icing, compression, elevation) can help bring down swelling and soreness, and stretching exercises can help recondition the ligament and reduce the damage to the heel from the ligament pulling on it too tightly. For persistent pain, we can try injection therapy using medication, extracorporeal shockwave therapy using energy waves, or cryotherapy using low temperatures. Once the pain has subsided, we will evaluate the biomechanical issues causing your plantar fasciitis and design custom orthotics to correct them.

Are You Looking for a Plantar Fasciitis Specialist in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for plantar fasciitis care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

Ankle fracture recovery time depends on your individual health and the seriousness of your injury. A simple fracture where the bones stay aligned will heal more quickly than a complex one that requires surgery. In general, you can expect six or more weeks to recover. Even after that, you may need to take it easy for a time. The doctors will check your healing progress by taking regular X-rays and using them to determine when it is safe for you to return to your activities.

Are You Looking for a Stress Fracture Expert in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for stress fracture care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

As a general rule, for children under the age of 16 years, every year or every whole shoe size change as in foot growing from a size four to a size five.  After age 16, general rule is about once every two years.   From age 20, it changes to about once every three to five years which is of course only necessary if there are still issues of instability or pain.  With that being said, if the child's bone structure and or mechanics and instability are positively affected by the orthotics to the degree of becoming stable, the orthotics are only needed if the child/young adult is more comfortable wearing them than not.

Are You Looking for Pediatric Foot Care in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for pediatric foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

The answer to this frequently asked question is in fact neither.  This is to say that neither a "hard" or "soft" orthotic is better or in fact ideal.  An orthotic, when properly made, should be hard enough to gently support and realign the bones of your foot yet be soft enough to compress slightly during activity to allow your foot to function properly.  Your foot is dynamic - it is not rigid or static in nature.  Therefore, the best performing orthotic is one that is dynamic because it both supports and flexes in a controlled manor during activity.  The Total Contact Orthotics your doctor uses does just that.

Are You Considering Custom Orthotics  in Austin, TX?

If you are considering custom orthotics, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

No, never.  A child should be comfortable throughout their growing years.  Oftentimes pain in the feet, ankles, knees, and back are an indication of faulty mechanics and the subsequent malalignment of the bones of their feet and ankles.  In our opinion, growing pains are not something you grow out of as they continue into adulthood in the form of other problems such as arthritis for example.  But fortunately "growing pains" or any other structural or functional problem your child is having is rather easily handled in almost every case with a good pair of total contact orthotics.  Your doctor can tell you very easily if your child will benefit from a pair of custom orthotics.   

Are You Looking for Pediatric Foot Care in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for pediatric foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

You absolutely can get a pedicure with a fungal infection, but it is important to honestly address the situation with the salon ahead of time. When doing so, find out if the salon has the proper sterilization practices and necessary tools to handle fungal nails. Keep in mind that you may be asked to bring in your own polishes and tools.

If you find yourself wondering whether it is safe to get a pedicure while having fungal nails, it might be time to look into treatment options to eradicate the fungus and restore your nails to their natural, healthy condition. Our practice offers laser therapy using the HyperBlue 1530, which is an FDA-approved machine, to eliminate toenail fungus at the source. This is a safe, effective, and painless procedure to clear up your nails. We also offer other treatment methods for dealing with this embarrassing condition.

Are You Looking for a Toenail Fungus Specialist in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for toenail fungus care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

From aqua shoes to FiveFingers styles to minimalist varieties, bare footwear is becoming a popular fad. There are opposing opinions, however, as to the safety of wearing these trendy types of running shoes. The theory behind them is that people have been running for millions of years, historically barefoot or in simple shoes like moccasins or sandals. Some feel that modern-day running shoes provide too much control and cushioning, reducing the ability of foot muscles and tendons to strengthen naturally. Opposing views suggest that foot and ankle injuries can be prevented by choosing running shoes with strong stability and support. As of today, the jury is still out on what’s best for the health of your feet.

Are You Looking for a Sports Injuries Expert in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for sports injury care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

There are various methods of treating warts at home, with varying rates of success. Home remedies that people use include rubbing garlic on them, applying a paste made of castor oil and baking powder, and soaking warts in pineapple juice, but these techniques are not effective. Others believe that using duct tape can help clear up these growths, although evidence does not support this practice.

A better approach to at-home care for warts is to buy over-the-counter products, especially those containing salicylic acid, or using cryotherapy. Something to keep in mind when trying these approaches is that treatment will take time and reapplications. Do not expect warts to clear up overnight.

Are You Looking for a Plantar Warts Specialist in Austin, TX?

If you are looking for plantar wart care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

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