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Crofton, MD 21114

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Posts for: August, 2018

By Crofton Podiatry
August 29, 2018
Category: ankle pain

Whether or not you realize it, the Achilles tendon is very highly utilized, and therefore prone to developing Achilles tendonitis. It is the largest and strongest tendon in the body, allowing the calf muscle to pull up on the heel bone. Any time your heel is raised off the ground, your Achilles tendon is in action.

The Achilles is prone to injury and inflammation because of the forces it endures and how often it is utilized. If the tendon becomes inflamed from overuse, it can be characterized as Achilles tendonitis.

Causes of Achilles tendonitis

For most instances of Achilles tendonitis, it occurs because of a sudden increase in intensity or duration of activity. A common injury for runners, adding a lot of sprinting or uphill running can cause inflammation and pain. For some, symptoms can set in as soon as you engage in an abrupt activity. For others, it can cause you chronic pain that can get worse over time.

When you are affected by Achilles tendonitis, you might feel:

  • Soreness, aching or burning pain in the back of the ankle or calf, especially after a workout.
  • Swelling along the back of the ankle
  • Tenderness or stiffness at the back of the ankle when you wake up.
  • Development of a bone spur where the ankle meets the calf (after long-term aggravation of the Achilles tendon).

What you can do to ease the pain of Achilles tendonitis:

  • Stop what you’re doing! The Achilles tendon takes longer to heal because of the low blood flow. Give your ankle time to heal before you put it through more work. If our podiatrist believes you need to immobilize your feet, he’ll prescribe an orthotic brace or cast.
  • Stretch the Achilles tendon to relieve tightness or stiffness.
  • Get a foot massage. Roll a frozen water bottle or another cylindrical object up and down your lower leg. A partner can also help you release painful symptoms.
  • Use orthotics. Orthotic inserts can help to provide more support to your feet and ankles. Our podiatrist can help you figure out how to best utilize them.

In extreme cases, surgery might be necessary to correct a chronic case of Achilles tendonitis. Make an appointment today at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your family’s foot and ankle care needs. We provide services to the Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.


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By Crofton Podiatry
August 22, 2018
Category: Children's Feet
Tags: Orthotics   walk   inward   supportive shoes   gait  

Got your Back-to-School lists in hand? Clothing companies and office supply stores are ready to get your kiddos equipped with the latest and greatest. Backpacks, pencil cases, loose leaf paper, and of course, the best locker supplies, are at the top of the list. But don’t forget about those rapidly growing feet!

Get measured!

Children’s feet can grow at such a pace that they might need new shoes within three months (depending on their developmental stage)! While you might not add “get new shoes” to your back-to-school shopping list, you might want to add “measure feet for new shoes.” This way, if their feet have indeed grown, you’ll already be in a shoe store!

Observe their walk

Have your children walk in a straight line in their current shoes. Are they walking in a heel-to-toe gait or are they flat stomping? Do their ankles seem to roll inward or outward? Are their feet pointing inward or outward? Are the outer soles more worn down on one side than the other? Have they complained about any pain?

If you notice any of these issues, it might be a good time to review whether or not their shoes are supportive enough. Supportive shoes (with adequate arch and heel support) can help to reduce the risk of foot problems from developing. However, if your child complains of pain or if you notice that their gait is off, you may want to consider orthotics to correct issues and reduce pain.

Function OVER Fashion or Convenience

The “in” thing at school might be backless sandals or the latest Nike LeBron 15’s. While popularity might seem to be the most important thing for children and teenagers, remind them that uncomfortable or painful feet can get in the way of that. Encourage your children to find a balance between fashion and function, especially if they walk long distances to and from school. Oh! And don’t forget those socks! Not wearing socks with closed-toe shoes can really make for a stink fest (and talk about embarrassing smelly feet!).

Additionally, we warn parents against simply buying a pair of shoes for your children without them present. Unless they tried the specific pair of shoes on very recently, it’s in your children’s best interest to try the shoes on themselves. Each pair of shoes fits a bit differently, so it’s best to get a feel for them in the store.

If your child has been complaining of foot pain, or if you notice that your children are walking abnormally, make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your family’s foot and ankle care needs. Our Crofton, MD office serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.


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By Crofton Podiatry
August 15, 2018
Category: Arthritis
Tags: swelling   Gout   shoes   injury  

Gout can be a very debilitating condition to have. It can affect your daily life and require you to make many changes to your lifestyle. This form of arthritis is caused by a buildup of uric acid in your joints. It commonly affects your feet, especially your big toe joint. However, it can also affect other joints like the ankles and knees as well.

Following several painful bouts of gout, you may notice a pattern to when they arise. Participating in some activities or eating certain foods can put you at higher risk of experiencing a gout attack:

  • Eating foods that are high in purines (seafood, alcohols) and other inflammatory foods, such as those with a lot of refined sugar (sugary drinks)
  • Drinking excess alcohol
  • Not drinking enough water (dehydration)
  • Taking certain medications that cause a flare-up as a side effect
  • Being sick (including hospitalization, surgery, kidney disease)
  • Wearing poorly-fitting and unsupportive shoes (shoes that aggravate the affected joints can trigger an attack)
  • Jumping or other high-impact activity, injury (impact or trauma to the affected joint can cause a bout of gout)

You may also learn to recognize the symptoms of an oncoming bout of gout, including but not limited to:

  • Feeling: burning, tingling, pain, stiffness, and/or soreness in the joints
  • Seeing: redness and swelling

Do your best to avoid increasing the risk of a gout attack. However, if you have indulged a bit, you may want to take steps to reduce your chance of a prolonged and painful attack. This is especially the case for those who experience gout without warning, even being woken up by sudden painful gout attacks.

When you feel a bout of gout about to happen, or if you want to reduce the risk of gout attacks, try some of the following:

  • Hydrate! Drink lots and lots of water to assist you in flushing out excess uric acid.
  • Exercise! If symptoms have not fully set in, but you feel an attack coming on, you’ll want to keep moving (walk around) in order to promote circulation. It will help you prevent large uric acid buildup. However, if symptoms have set in and you are in pain, it’s best to rest.
  • Rest! If you’re already in pain, sit and elevate your feet. An excess strain on painful joints will worsen the gout attack.
  • Use ice packs or cold compresses and/or take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to reduce inflammation and pain.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with gout, you should keep up with a healthy lifestyle and diet. Keep up with your medications to reduce your chance of a gout attack. However, if you need additional assistance with foot care for gout, make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your foot and ankle care needs. Contact our dedicated team at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

 


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By Crofton Podiatry
August 08, 2018
Category: Foot health
Tags: swelling   Athlete's Foot   Gout   Orthotics   Diabetes   surgery   pain   arthritis   injury   psoriasis   fungal   ingrown   cracked heels  

There are some obvious times to visit a foot doctor:

  1. Foot injury – A podiatrist can help you find the best way to take care of foot injuries, with anything from orthotics to surgery.
  2. Ankle injury – Yep! Podiatrists also take care of ankle issues.
  3. Foot and ankle pain – If you suddenly notice pain or have ongoing pain that doesn’t seem to get better with time or at-home treatment, our podiatry team will help you figure out what’s going on.podiatrist

Beyond the more obvious reasons for visiting a podiatrist, some other very important times to call our office for foot health care are:

  1. Annual foot examinations – Some foot and ankle issues can arise with subtle symptoms. Catching a problem early can allow for a simpler intervention. Additionally, since a foot doctor is a fully-licensed medical professional, they can help diagnose other problems that may present symptoms affecting the feet. In fact, some patients learn about their diabetes after coming for a foot problem checkup.
  2. Conditions or diseases like arthritis, gout, or diabetes – Speaking of diabetes, folks with certain diseases can develop side effects that affect the feet. A podiatrist can help you manage symptoms like pain or numbness.
  3. Swelling or numbness – If you have swelling or numbness that is unexplained or persists for a long time, come in to check for underlying conditions.
  4. New deformities or changes in skin – Sometimes changes in the feet go unnoticed compared to changes in other parts of the body. That’s why it’s important to check the feet often for any changes that might need treatment. Additionally, severely dry, cracked heels, as well as other conditions like Athlete’s foot or psoriasis may require podiatrist help for treatment.
  5. Ingrown or fungal toenails – Most times, moderate to severe cases of ingrown or fungal toenails requires the attention of a podiatrist. Trying to treat these toenail conditions at home may be fruitless or even more harmful (e.g. trying to pry out ingrown toenails can lead to infection).

As you can see, there are many reasons why you might want to make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your foot and ankle care needs. Please contact us and visit our podiatry team at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

 


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By Crofton Podiatry
August 01, 2018
Category: Bunion

Got bunions? They’re not as fun as Funyuns, but they may make you tear up like onions. The bony growths that stick out from the big toe joint can cause you pain and discomfort. For some, it’s manageable, but for others, putting shoes on can be painful and some footwear can be impossible to fit into.

Where did your bunions come from?

A bunion is a deformity at the base of the big toe. The bone behind the big toe joint is unstable and it can shift up and away, causing the big toe to turn in towards the other smaller toes. The constant pressure on that joint area from wearing shoes can cause a bony growth to develop. When left unchecked, the bony growth can become so large that the foot shape changes. The top of the big toe moves from pointing forward to pointing at the other toes. Fitting into sandals or other structured shoes with smaller toe boxes will be difficult.

What other things could happen when you have bunions?

When left untreated, bunions can cause further complications for your feet. Additional foot problems can arise, leading to other areas of pain and/or discomfort for your feet. The following complications can arise if bunions become severe:

  • Toe deformities: hammertoes, mallet toes, and overlapping toes can all occur because of the misalignment of the big toe. The big toe can push the smaller toes into different positions, especially while wearing shoes – and the long-term effect is that the toes become stiff in those positions.
  • Bursitis: Chronic inflammation of fluid-filled sacs (bursa) that provide cushioning around joints. As the big toe joint is irritated by footwear rubbing against the area sticking out, the bursae become inflamed and cause you pain.
  • Ball of foot pain: Also called metatarsalgia, it occurs when there is chronic inflammation of the balls of the feet. The bunion issue can cause you to want to transfer pressure onto your other toes and the rest of the midfoot, away from the bunion. The balls of the feet experience strain from overuse.

So if you have bunions, take steps to reduce worsening symptoms, for it can lead to further complications. Try some at-home treatments for your bunions and wear shoes that won’t aggravate your bunion pain. If you have a severe bunion and need help treating it, make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your foot and ankle needs. Visit our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

 


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2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25
Crofton, MD 21114

Podiatrist - Crofton, Crofton Podiatry, 2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25, Crofton MD, 21114 (410) 721-4505