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Crofton, MD 21114

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By Crofton Podiatry
April 04, 2018
Category: Foot Injuries
Tags: swelling   falls   Orthotics   sprains   compression   sports injuries  

Quick! What do you do when you’ve injured your foot or ankle? Do you shake it off? Put some ice on it? Rush off to the emergency room?

Well, let’s start with the type of injury you’ve got and how severe it is. Many injuries, including falls, trips, sprains, bruises, and sports injuries tend to be mild or moderate. In most cases, if you can tolerate the pain or the pain comes and goes, you may not need emergency medical attention. Instead, you may be able to use the RICE method to keep symptoms at bay. Read on to learn more about the first step of treatment after a foot or ankle injury.

(Of course, if you’re not sure, or if symptoms do not get better in a few days, it’s best to seek medical attention.)

What is the RICE method? R = Rest, I = Ice, C = Compression, E = Elevation

After an injury, you may experience pain, redness, bruising, and/or swelling. To keep these symptoms at bay, use the RICE method. You’ll want to REST by stopping what you’re doing and waiting until you heal to get back into walking, running, or playing a sport. If you get back to using your injured foot or ankle too soon, you risk re-injuring it or making things worse. Better to miss out a little now, than to worsen the injury and require more treatment later.

ICING the injury can help reduce pain and swelling. Apply a cold compress to the injury for 15 minutes at a time to get the best results.

Additionally, if you use COMPRESSION socks or bandages around the impacted area, you can prevent excessive swelling as the body tries to protect the injured foot or ankle. It can promote healing by allowing for healthy circulation of blood and fluids.

Finally, whenever you can, ELEVATE the injured body part, also to promote circulation and reduce excessive swelling. If possible, raise the foot or ankle above heart level when you are lying down, and propped up a bit when sitting.

An injury doesn’t have to make you stop everything – but you should listen to your body and slow down. If you need better shoes or orthotics to support your feet, or if your mild injury seems to feel worse even when you apply RICE, make an appointment to come see us. Call Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505 to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. He can assess your injury and prescribe the proper treatment. Our team is ready to assist you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
January 31, 2018
Category: sports injuries

It’s official – The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will go head to head for the Vince Lombardi Trophy!

While talent, hard work, and teamwork are major factors that will determine who wins, injuries can end up really changing the outcome. Below, we discuss some common football injuries to watch for as you’re rooting for your team of choice:

  • Knee Injuries – The most common football injuries include tears in the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament), and/or the meniscus. These can come from blunt lateral impact or quick jukes, during which you may hear a “pop” from the knee. If injuries are severe enough, it can take the athletes out of the game or even the majority of the season as surgery and rehabilitation may be required.
  • Shoulder Injuries – A tackle, collision, or fall on the shoulder or arm can lead to a serious shoulder injury. Even if football players wear shoulder pads, they can still experience shoulder dislocations or separations in the rotator cuffs. Depending on the severity of the injury, it can take a long time to allow the injury to heal and renew flexibility and strength.
  • Ankle Injuries – Because of the many directions in which the ankle moves, there are many tendons and ligaments involved in the players’ actions, which also means that jumping, running, juking, or opponents’ tackles can cause ankle injuries like sprains or broken ankles. Overuse injuries like Achilles tendonitis can also cause chronic pain that can get worse without proper treatment (maybe even surgery) and healing time. Ankle braces are helpful for those that have repeat injuries.
  • Foot Injuries – Toes, the midfoot (metatarsal), and the heel bones are also at high risk of blunt trauma and overuse injuries. With the constant forces on the feet, football players can endure black toenails as well as bone fractures. 

So whichever team you’re rooting for, let’s hope that someone on that team doesn’t sustain an injury that takes him out of the championship game! If you get inspired to play a pickup game, be sure to take safety measures and warm up. Worried about an injury? Make an appointment by calling our office at (410) 721-4505. You can consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry for an assessment and treatment. Our team is ready to assist you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
June 07, 2017
Category: Feet Safety

The warm weather means more than fun in the sun. It also means caring for your lawn and fixing up your landscaping around your house. For those that maintain their lawns on their own, it’s important to be aware of the risks that come with using motorized landscaping tools like power mowers with rotary blades.  Thousands of Americans suffer power mower injuries each year, with hand and foot injuries topping the list of injury sites. Children younger than the age of 14 and older adults seem to be more likely to get injured.

At Crofton Podiatry, we put the safety of our patients first. The following are guidelines you can follow to prevent injuries while using a power mower:

  • Safety gear: Wear goggles, hearing protection, long pants and closed-toe shoes with gripped outer soles. Use protective gloves when putting your hand near the blades (Try to use a stick or something else instead of your hands if possible) to fix something or replace blades.
  • Weather: Only mow lawns in good weather. A wet lawn can put you at risk of slipping and injuring your foot.
  • Children: Keep children and pets away from the lawn while mowing or using other landscaping tools. They may run up to the machines without you realizing it. Do not allow them to ride on the lawn mower, and do not allow them to even sit on an adults lap while on a lawn tractor as they can get injured while getting on or off.
  • Clear the Lawn: Before you start mowing, clear the lawn of toys, branches, and other debris so that they do not become projectiles when caught in the rotary blades. Children should be at least 12 years old before using a lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a riding mower.
  • Power landscaping tools: Buy ones that have auto shut-off when your hands release the handle. You also need to get one that is appropriate to your landscape – steep hills are a no-no for riding mowers.
  • While mowing: Always keep the clip bag attached. Mow across and not up and down hills. Also, never mow backwards unless you don’t have any alternative as it is high risk for injury if someone is behind you.
  • Tool maintenance: The power tools should be stored away from high traffic areas and out of reach of children. Only adults should adjust blade settings. Power mowers can get very hot and cause an explosion or fire. Refueling when hot can lead to burns. Never service the mower while it’s running (including unclogging or unjamming the blades) – shut it off and let it cool down first.

Injuries from power landscaping tools should be treated promptly! Go to the emergency department for severe injuries. For strains or sprains from using mowers, come see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. Make an appointment by calling (410) 721-4505. Our team is ready to assist you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

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By Brad Toll
September 24, 2015
Category: High Heels

Following ‘on the heels’ of last fall’s post regarding pumpkin spice and fall prevention in the autumn season, it seems only fitting that our next post should be about Posh Spice’s function meets fashion shoe line. It wasn’t too long ago when Victoria Beckham, now wife of uber soccer pro David Beckham, went by her internationally known name ‘Posh Spice’ in the infamous 90’s group Spice Girls.  Shedding her 90’s image for a more modern and mature look, Victoria is still expressing some of her previous grandeur with a new line of designer shoes. 

High-fashion shoes are notorious for the damage the cause to women’s feet, and are well attributed to the development of painful bunion, Morton’s neuromas, Achilles.  Yet, Posh must be feeling the pains of wearing the designer stilettos, as her new shoes ditch the narrow heels for a lower and platformed shoe.  This marks a stark divergence in the functionality of the shoe, and goes a significant length in maintaining the foot’s normal anatomy.

While higher-heels are always going to increase the risk of falls, sprains, and damage to your foot architecture, shoes that have a wider toe-box or that feature a firmer platform are certainly the preferable option.  For once – it seems a designer has woken up to this concept, and is willing to blend fashion with a greater sense of function.  If you’re looking for a new pair of dress shoes to enter the fall season, shoes like Beckham’s which feature a wider and more supportive base will go a long ways in maintaining your comfort and reducing long-term damage. 

Dr. Google doesn’t always have the right answer, and may only delay the correct diagnosis and intervention.  If you or a family member has any questions about foot pain, deformity, or proper shoe wear they should seek out a local expert to prevent treatment delay. If you’re in the Crofton, Annapolis or Bowie areas come see us at Crofton Podiatry for expert foot an ankle care.

By Brad Toll.

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By Brad Toll
November 30, 2014
Category: Removable Boot

A new fad is popping up across social media outlets such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Hundreds of photos tagged with the likes of #celebsinsurgicalboots are popping up online as more and more debutants hit the red carpet wearing the least fashionable item in the medical armory. It seems the trend is nearly inescapable, with its most recent additions to membership including: Shia LaBeouf, Reese Witherspoon, Kobe Bryant, David Beckham, and even ex-PODUS daughter Chelsea Clinton. While many fashion critics are lauding the new statement, medical practitioners across the nation are rejoicing as celebrities unofficially endorse the most effective (yet least patient appreciated) treatment for the foot and ankle.

Before you begin to ‘burn the boot’ it is important that you put into perspective just why your foot and ankle specialist put you into one in the first place. For starters, no – your doctor does not want to keep you from looking cute, and this is not (typically) a punishment for being a bad patient.  However, it is one of the most fundamental modalities for protecting your feet following an injury like sprains, fractures, plantar fasciitis or even surgery. Walking boots are specifically designed to evenly disperse the pressures of walking below your feet, providing open wounds or soft tissue injuries the time and environment they need to heal. Many physicians also suggest stretching and exercise techniques to maintain muscle strength during use. These are also critical to your recovery, as they increase blood flow to the injured area and prevent muscle atrophy.

Oftentimes at my clinic in Crofton Maryland, I’ll see patients who want quick healing, but aren’t willing to wear their boot. Trust me - we wouldn’t put you into these devices if it wasn’t absolutely critical to your healing. Ultimately –a walking boot may be one of the many components of an effective treatment plan; however, in many cases strict adherence to its use is quintessential to success. Following the instructions from your doctor (and respecting the boot!) is a crucial step in getting back into the shoes you actually want to be wearing.

By Dr. Brad Toll of Crofton Podiatry

Here's one of our wonderfully positive patients embracing the boot!

 
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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