Toning Shoes: Are they worth the hype or do they need a caution label?

You may have seen the ads and have even been tempted to buy the latest advertised shoes, but heed our warning before opening your wallet. Several different companies, including Sketchers, Reebok and New Balance, have been marketing new type of fitness shoe that claims to tone or allow you to work out just by walking. Shoes that tone your body may sound great, but it may be too good to be true.

An article in today’s USAToday, A revolutionary sneaker, or overhyped gimmick? highlights the popularity of toning sneakers.

“The makers of ‘toning shoes’ say the shoes can help give wearers more shapely butts, legs and abs, often without the need for gym workouts. That's partly why toning shoes — which often have a rounded sole like a rocking chair, to stretch the wearer's leg muscles with each stride — represent the fastest-growing segment of the $17 billion-a-year athletic footwear industry.”

While the sneakers may be popular and promise an easy workout, they may have adverse effects and may end up causing more problems. Several podiatrists pointed out the shoes’ possible dangers.

"David Davidson, national president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, says the shoes basically make adults learn to walk, or run, all over again by changing their gait. That's a ‘scary’ prospect for someone with a "borderline problem" they might not know about.

Davidson says he's suspicious of any shoes that come with an instructional booklet and DVD.

‘Nothing about these shoes has any redeeming value to me,’ he says. ‘Sorry, I don't see it.’

Bryan Markinson, chief of podiatric medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says some of his patients who are "not in the greatest of shape" have inflamed their Achilles tendons while wearing toning shoes. People thinking of buying them, he says, should begin an "active stretching program" or else risk injury.

Jonathan Deland, chief of foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, warns the shoes can be ‘dangerous’ for people with balance problems."

Another blogger and certified pedorthist Janet Dixon also noted in a recent post the flaws and potential dangers of the shoes.

As always, consult with your podiatrist before trying any new shoe or workout routine. Everyone’s feet and walking style are different, so it is essential to work with your podiatrist to find out what is best for you. 

How to Battle Bad Foot Odor

Bad foot odor can be embarrassing and are often caused by a combination of sweat or moisture and normal bacteria found on feet. A little effort and minor lifestyle changes can solve foot odors issues easily.

Our feet are one of the sweatiest parts of our body. In fact, our feet can sweat up to a pint a day. When sweat and bacteria on our feet mix they produce isovaleric acid, which can cause unwanted foot odors. The medical term for smelly feet is bromhidrosis. The number one remedy and most effective cure for foot odor is simple. Keeping your feet dry and cleaning your feet daily is the most effective way to cure and prevent foot odors.

Ways to Keep feet dry:

• Wear socks that have proper ventilation
• Shoes that allow your feet to breath
• Deodorizing foot powder
• Ensuring feet are dry before putting on soaks and shoes
• Changing socks daily
• In addition, some people have smelly feet due to excessive sweating and unable to keep their feet dry. A small percent of the population suffer from hyperhidrosis, which can cause a person to sweat beyond their physical needs. Those individuals may have foot odors because they are unable to keep their feet dry.

Tips for battling excessively sweaty feet:

• Using antiperspirant deodorant spray
• Soak feet in salt solution. Mix a half a cup of kosher salt in a moderate filled basin of water. Soak feet for 5 to 10 minutes. Then do not rinse the salt off of your feet, but just pat them dry with a towel. The salt will soak up excess sweat.
• Reduce stress. Excessive stress can lead to excessive sweating.
• Changing socks more than once a day.

Additional tips to prevent bad foot odors:
Allowing shoe gear to adequately dry after every use
Spray shoe gear with Lysol or other antibacterial solutions
For more information on foot odors check out our website.

Principles of Good Running Shoes

Runners often pick running shoes based on the shoe brand. This may work sometimes, but good shoes should be chosen based on its structural elements and how it functions. Running is a high- impact activity that can be hard on a person’s joints and overall body, so finding the right shoe for running is essential.

The first thing a person should consider in a running shoe is the midsole, functional portion of the shoe. The midsole is the layer of the shoe, which is found between the outer sole and the upper portion of the shoe, absorbs shock, and controls excessive motion in a person’s running pattern. Knowing your foot type will determine what you should look for and consider in the midsole.

A good running shoe should also have a stiff supportive heel. A supportive heel is necessary because most runners have a heel to toe running pattern. The heel is an essential part of the shoe, because it is important source of stability. Also the heel can be a point of adjustment to increase comfort in some runner’s gait. That is why people can buy running shoes with difference in heel thickness. Some runners need a thicker heel to reduce the pull on the posterior elements in their legs such as their Achilles tendon, while other runners need a thinner heel. For all runners it is important to make sure the heel counter is comfortable for your foot and running pattern.

The outer sole of a running shoe is critical too. It is attached to the midsole and functions to resist wear, provide traction, and absorb shock. More importantly it is vital that the outer sole matches the terrain of the shoe’s intended use. The outer soles are made out of different materials and various rubber combinations. Be sure to select a shoe with an outer sole that matches your style of running.

It is also critical there is enough room in the toe box of the shoe. The toe box of the shoe should be flexible enough to allow adequate flexion in the big and second toes. A person should have a thumbnail distance between the end of the shoe and a person’s big toe. This will allow for adequate movement in the toes and reduce trauma to the toenails during runs.

Finding a quality running shoe is important. When evaluating shoes quality make sure it contains all of the necessary elements of a running shoe, and most importantly it works with your foot type. For more information on shoes check out our website.

A common cause of heel pain in children

Heel pain is as common in children as it is in adults, except the cause of heel pain for most children is due to inflammation of the growing bone of the heel. This inflammatory condition is known as Sever’s disease or Calcaneal Apophysitis.

Sever’s disease is characterized by pain in the heel caused by inflammation of the calcaneal physis or growing heel bone. The heel bone becomes inflamed in an area in which growth is still occurring called the physis. The physis becomes inflamed due to excessive pulling of the Achilles tendon.  Most physicians agree that the heel pain in Sever’s disease is due to micro-trauma in the growing heel bone due to over pulling of the Achilles tendon; however, the absolute cause of Sever’s disease is unknown.

Sever’s disease is considered to be an overuse-disease in children between the ages of 8 – 12 years old. Symptoms are most common in active or overweight children, especially in children who play soccer, participate in gymnastics, or any activities that requires excess running or jumping. Commonly, children who play soccer develop Sever’s disease because of their footwear or soccer cleats. Most soccer cleats have negative heels, which will increase stress in the region where the Achilles tendon inserts onto the heel.

Sever’s disease can occur in one or both heels. Clinically, children with Sever’s disease will have no swelling or redness, but instead will have extreme tenderness on the back of their heel, especially when squeezed and causes heel pain in children. It can be easily treated with simple heel lifts in a child’s shoe or with rest, ice, and pain medication. However, in extreme cases it is necessary to immobilize the whole foot in a cast for a week or two for proper healing of the inflamed bone. If you think your child has Sever’s disease see a podiatrist. For more information on heel pain and other foot related issues, please visit our website.

Knowing your foot type will help finding shoes

Buying new shoes can be a stressful process for many people especially with the millions of brands and styles. Knowing your arch type will help determine what kinds of shoes will best suit your feet.

Here is a simple process to determine your arch type:

1. Fill a shallow basin with water.
2. Step in the basin and then immediately transfer your foot to a paper grocery bag or piece of paper.
3. Next let the grocery bag or paper dry.
4. After the water has set on the grocery bag compare your foot imprint to the figure below.

O = High arch

1  = High arch

2  = Neutral arch

3  = Flat arch

High, flat, and neutral arches all function differently in which a person walks or is also referred to as gait. So, it is imperative that a person finds a shoe that properly supports their foot. If a person has a high arch, they will need to make sure to purchase a shoe that has more cushioning. People with high arches need more cushioning and less support because their foot under pronates and encounters more stress. A high arch foot is more rigid and rolls outward while running and walking. Because a high arch foot under pronates it leads to great impact on the foot during gait.

People with flat feet or low arches need a shoe that is more supportive. A person with a low arch needs a shoe that is more supportive because they have excess pronation in their gait. Which means when they walk or run they tend to roll their foot inward. This leads to less stability in their foot. So having a more structured or supportive shoe is important.

 A person with a neutral arch just needs a stable shoe. A stable shoe that adequate support and cushion. People with neutral arches have a happy functional medium between high and low foot types. Neutral arches will adequately pronate or roll their foot inward for proper ankle stability and proper shock absorption.

Having the proper amount of pronation in your gait is important, so it is important to find the right shoe that will function with a your foot type and will make finding shoes easier. For more information on shoes and foot types check our website.

Helpful links about shoes:

• Shoe Fitting Guide
• Things a good shoe should have
• APMA  approved shoes

Best way to protect yourself from a bad pedicure

With summer around the corner, there is nothing more lavish or important to some woman than a pedicure. However, you must heed caution because that relaxing footbath and pretty nail polish could be more trouble than what it is worth.  Proper precautions must be taken otherwise that foot massage could lead to a massive infection or worse.

There are several preventative measures that can be taken to prevent issues from a pedicure. One of the first steps to take is to make sure that you do not have any cuts or abrasions on your legs or feet. Getting a pedicure with open wounds drastically increases your chances of an infection. Also, do not get a pedicure the day of or after shaving your legs.

Ensure that the instruments that are being used on your feet have been properly sterilized. Most doctors recommend to people frequently receiving pedicures to buy their own set of instruments. Having your private set will ensure that the tools are sterile.

It is important to pay close attention to how the technician cuts your nails. Some technicians will either cut your nails too short or improperly, which can lead to possible infections and ingrown toenails. One major mistake nail technicians make are pushing back a person’s cuticles. Your cuticles serve as a seal and barrier for your toes. To have that barrier disrupted leaves your toes in vulnerable to all kinds of problems.

Lastly, make sure that the place you receive pedicures from have good habits of keeping their establishment clean, which includes: clean floors, washbasins, chairs, and other things of that nature. Furthermore, going to a nail salon where the nail technicians are certified can prevent major problems too. A certified nail technician means that they have been approved by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) when it comes to sterilization of nail supplies.

Even though pedicure can be potentially hazardous, with the right precautions they can be relatively safe. If you receive a pedicure and notice any pain or swelling in your legs or feet see a podiatrist. For more information on pedicure visit our website.

Painful Ankle Sprains

A common injury that causes ankle pain is an ankle sprain. A sprained ankle occurs when the ankle rolls over or the foot inverts causing the ligaments around the ankle to be stretched or damaged. The most common ankle ligament that is damaged is the talo-fibula ligament. In more severe sprains the calcaneo-fibula ligament will be damaged too.

(courtesy of the National Institutes of Health)

The various signs of ankle sprains:

1. Pain on weight bearing
2. Pain on ankle rotation
3. Swelling around ankle
4. Ankle warm to touch

How an ankle heals is determined by how quickly treatment is commenced. The basic principle for treating all ankle sprains is based on the acronym R.I.C.E and anti-inflammatory medication. The acronym R.I.C.E. stands for:

R-rest (do not walk on it)

I-ice to reduce inflammation

C-Compressive bandages to immobilize the ankle

E- Elevate the ankle above the heart for 48 hours as much as possible

If the ankle does not improve after 48 hours then you should consult a medical professional, because the ankle could be fractured as well as sprained. If the ankle does improve after 48 hours there should be adequate physical therapy and a gradual return to physical activities.  There are a number of things that can be done to prevent ankle sprains through proper stretching and strengthening the muscle around the ankle and foot.

The severity of an ankle sprain is determined by the pain of the patient on weight bearing, number of ligaments damaged, and by the integrity of the joint structures. For some people sprains are due to bad luck. However, there are some people who are pre-disposed to ankle sprains. Those pre-disposing factors are:

1. Poor rehabilitation of a previous sprained ankle
2. Certain foot types are prone to ankle sprains due their foot and ankle relationship
3. Weak muscle around the ankle that are not strong enough to protect the ankle from rolling over the foot

When an ankle sprain is not properly treated it can lead to future strains and chronic ankle pain. So the next time you have an ankle sprain make sure it is adequately treated. If you have chronic ankle pain or have an ankle sprain that last longer than 48 hours see your local podiatrist. For more information on ankle sprains check out of website.