Newsletter Edition 4 Gotham Footcare

Summer is in full swing here at Gotham Footcare and there’s nothing more important than taking some time to refresh and relax this time of year. We hope you are enjoying family, friends, fun and a little self-care – whether you are taking an extended vacation or simply enjoying the long summer evenings.

Read on to check out some ideas for platform sandals that are perfect for a Friday Happy Hour and tips to quelling the smell of the summertime funk. Whether you’re suffering from Morton’s Neuroma, purchasing new shoes for back-to-school or looking to take better care of your toes, we have you covered!

Here’s to a long and healthy summer!

Dr. Miguel Cunha

(AKA Dr. Gotham)

7 Cute and Comfy Platform Sandals That Have Amazing Reviews

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Help! My Feet Stink!

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The Foot-Care Products and Creams Podiatrists Use On Themselves

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Dear Dr. Gotham,

I have been treating my Morton’s Neuroma pretty conservatively, but lately the pain is getting worse. My friend said I should consider Cryosurgery. What is Cryosurgery and how can it help my Morton’s Neuroma?

Sincerely,

It Hurts!

Dear Hurts,

Cryosurgery is a form of Cryotherapy most commonly executed to treat Morton’s Neuroma. The procedure cyclically shrinks and 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. In plain-speak, it helps to reset the nerve and eliminate pain… Most people don’t know that:

1) Cryosurgery is NOT Superficial. It’s actually a deep procedure. Podiatrists must make a small incision into the skin and go in with a probe to target the nerve directly.

2) Cryosurgery preserves nerve function. This procedure does not destroy the nerve or leave the patient with permanent numbness. If anything, the goal is to restore the nerve to its healthy state. Unlike the neurectomy procedure which removes the nerve to permanently eliminate sensation.

3) It’s minimally invasive. While the surgery may be deep, it’s a 25-minute, same-day procedure that does not require general anesthesia. The incision does not require stiches or hardware and will allow the patient to return to work in a day or two.

It’s a great option to treat your neuroma and eradicate the pain.

Good luck!

Dr. Gotham

It's National Wiggle Your Toes Day!

National Wiggle Your Toes Day is a fun little holiday on August 6 that encourages people around the country to participate by going barefoot, wearing flip flops or showing off your toes. While we would never encourage our patients to walk around barefoot or wear shoes that could injure their feet (like flip flops!), we do encourage our patients to consider the health of their toes. Here are a few toe care tips to consider as you show off your feet.

Examine the color of your toenails each week. There are several things that can negatively impact the color or texture of your nail. Fungus is a common issue that we see. Yellow or brown and thickened nails are signs of fungal nails that can be easily treated by a Podiatrist. But, other colors could indicate larger health issues. For example, a black stripe on your nail could be a result of skin cancer, HIV or Lupus.

Don’t walk barefoot ever (especially at the gym!). Walking barefoot on hard surfaces allows our foot to collapse which can lead to a tremendous amount of stress not only to the foot but to the rest of the body, which has the same detriments as wearing flip flops. Walking barefoot also exposes our feet to bacterial and fungal organisms that can infect the skin and nails. These organisms can lead to infections that change the appearance, smell, and comfort of the foot such as athletes foot or fungal nails.

Pay better attention to your shoe gear. Make sure that you don’t exhaust the lifeline of your shoe. Rotate your shoes frequently and do not hold on to a shoe when they are worn out. Pay attention to the quality of your shoes not just the sale. The shoe must fit appropriately and be comfortable. Pay special attention to the size, fit and feel. A comfortable shoe will eliminate foot pain or toe deformities.

Do not conduct “bathroom surgery” on an ingrown toenail. Taking care of an ingrown on your own can result in a serious infection. When you have an ingrown nail, you’ll know how bad it is depending on where the pain is. If you have pain that’s just at the tip of the corner if it’s something you can just clip and you notice that after a day or so of soaking and it goes away, but if cutting the tip isn’t sufficient to address the pain and you have pain at the side or at the base of the nail – you need to go to a specialist sooner rather than later. There’s actually going to be more nail inserted at the toe. So, when the pain is that the base of the nail it means that the nail is deeper and that’s going to be addressed by a specialist.

Foot Care 101: How To Properly Size Your Child's Back-to-School Shoes

We all know that children’s feet grow pretty quickly! It probably feels like you’re buying new shoes every other weekend… but, it’s still important to ensure that your child always has the best fit. I recommend buying shoes at the end of the day when your child’s feet are most swollen. If the shoes feel comfortable at the end of the day, most likely they will feel comfortable throughout the day.

To ensure proper fit, measure your child’s foot with a brannock device for both length and width. In order to determine whether the forefront of the shoe is wide enough, I suggest that you trace your child’s foot onto a piece of paper at the end of the day. Then place the shoe over the tracing of the foot. If the tracing of the foot is external to the periphery of the shoe then you know that your shoes are too narrow.

Health Focus: Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis is inflammation along the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body and is, therefore, susceptible to overuse injuries from running and jumping type exercises. It is responsible for plantarflexion of the ankle (causing the front of the foot to lower and lift the heel off the ground).

Typically, this condition is not related to a specific injury but rather due to several factors like increasing the amount of intensity of physical activity too quickly, wearing high heels or having tight calf muscles. So, what’s the treatment for Achilles Tendonitis? READ MORE

Product Plug: Straight Edge Toenail Clipper

I recommend using Straight Edge Toenail Clippers to maintain healthy nails and avoid painful ingrown toenails. A straight edge toenail clipper ensures the nails are cut straight across decreasing the chance of ingrown toenails. This can be easily achieved at home, however if an ingrown toenail is present it is recommended that you make an appointment with my office. Whatever you do, don’t attempt a bathroom surgery!

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL

Who would guess that missing one step on a stairwell could cause years of foot and leg pain? During my junior year of college, I sprained my ankle on my way back to my dorm room from my university’s library. I visited the school’s on-campus nurse, got it wrapped and was told that if I rested for a few days it would all get better. A few weeks later I was back to normal, or so I thought. READ MORE