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Gotham in the News

Your cute summer shoes are destroying your feet

7 best cross-training shoes to crush your next workout

You might want to think twice about walking barefoot, even at home.

Ask DOCTOR GOTHAM

Dear Dr. Gotham,
 

I’ve started to notice a black stripe on my nail. What does this mean? 

Sincerely,

Should I Be Worried

Dear Should I Be Worried,

There are numerous causes ofblack stripes on nails – some serious, some not – and the treatment of this condition depends on discovering the underlying cause. The most common reason for dark stripes down a person’s nail is a condition known as Linear Melanonychia which affects almost 50% of African Americans. This condition occurs when pigments in the nail known as melanocytes make excess pigment causing the nail beds to darken. Less common reasons include: side effects of certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs; skin cancer and immunodeficiency disease such as HIV, Lupus, and Sceroderma. Last but not least, another cause of black lines on the nails is a splinter hemorrhage, which occurs when blood vessels under the fingernail are damaged, resulting from impact and injuries. It’s always best to seek a medical opinion. 

September is....wedding month?

Dr. Gotham was recently featured in this piece from Women’s Health, discussing tips on picking the most comfortable shoes for weddings this Fall.

For most brides, September is one of the most popular times to get married and nothing feels better than dancing the night away until you wake up the next morning with blister-covered feet. And while you might be tempted to wear flats instead of heels to spare yourself the agony, that's actually not the best idea, says Miguel Cunha, M.D., podiatrist and founder of NYC-based Gotham Footcare. 

Completely flat shoes, he says, might mess with the arch in your foot, leading to heel pain, shin splints, and knee or back pain. 

Instead, he says, look for a shoe with a 1- to 3-inch heel height and built-in arch support for maximum comfort and staying power. And don't pull a Meghan Markle and buy shoes that are slightly too big—instead, shop at the end of the day when your feet are most swollen (sexy!) to ensure that you're getting the best fit.

Foot Care 101: What is the perfect heel height?

We recommend looking for a shoe that has a 1 inch heel or wedge height rather than one that is completely flat as it places less tension on the Achilles tendon and will feel more comfortable. Avoid shoes that are completely flat as they will contribute to pronation and collapse of the arch which may contribute to planter and posterior heel pain, shin splints, knee pain, and back pain. We also recommend a shoe that has an arch incorporated into its design, which can also help minimize discomfort. 

Health Focus: Morton’s Neuroma and Cryotherapy 

Have you ever felt like you were walking around with a pebble in your shoe, only to discover nothing was there? If so, you may have Morton’s Neuroma, a hard-to-treat, painful growth of nerve tissue in the foot that gives you the sensation of walking on a pebble, or can send radiating sensations shooting through the toes. So, what can you do?

At Gotham Footcare, we can do a surgical excision of the neuroma also known as Neurectomy which involves excising the involved nerve tissue, but this should be the absolute last resort for treatment, as removing the nerve has a poor prognosis (favorable outcome). Removing the nerve has a 20% risk that nerve may grow back and form a Morton’s stump neuroma which can become even more painful than the original symptoms.

Instead of surgically excising the nerve, Dr. Cunha specializes in a highly effective, alternative treatment option, known as Cryosurgery, a minimally invasive office-based procedure that requires no stitches and only takes 15 minutes to perform.

Cryosurgery has gone mainstream, with everyone from major league athletes to Real Housewives giving it a try to improve muscle recovery, lose weight and more. The procedure cyclically freezes the neuroma to degenerate the nerve tissue that carries painful impulses to the brain by reducing the conductivity and excitability of that affected nerve. This prevents future irritation and inflammation of the nerve – it stops the pain of Morton’s neuroma and allows you to return to your preoperative activities free of pain.

Product Plug: Lysol

There are many tips and tricks for making your footwear last longer. I recommend using Lysol. By spraying Lysol into your sneakers, it helps kill any microbes that may cross contaminate the outside environment to the inside of the shoe. Lysol disinfectant spray kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. I commonly inform my patients to use Lysol Spray to eliminate these germs by sanitizing their shoes, shoe inserts, and shower floors regularly. 

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

I came here after an ankle injury that resulted in plantar fasciitis. I was in terrible pain and could barely walk with a walking boot, but after months of physical therapy and doing the Tenex procedure, I am now completely healed! I highly recommend Dr. Kim who has a great bedside manner and really cares about her patients and their recovery. The rest of the staff are absolutely lovely, they always remember your name and are very friendly. The offices are clean, bright and modern, and I would highly recommend Gotham Foot Care for any of my friends and family in need of a podiatrist

- JULIA BUCHHEIM 

The Tenex  procedureis a minimally invasive procedure to identify and remove the pain generating scar tissue from the foot, which can occur due to various musculoskeletal conditions such as plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis. READ MORE