Fall Sports: Keeping Your Feet Fit & Fabulous All Season Long!

For soccer, football, and rugby players – as well as all the other fall athletes – this is the best time of the year. The bright sunny days and cool evenings of autumn provide perfect conditions for athletic endeavors. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or are just starting a couch-to-5k routine, you want your feet to be happy and healthy. Here’s what you need to make sure that your foot health care is top notch:

Choose The Right Footwear

The best thing you can do to keep your feet fit and fabulous through the fall sports season is choose footwear that fits properly. For proper foot health care, you want shoes that fit your feet securely, without pinching or squeezing. There should be room for your toes to lie flat, and for air to circulate around your feet. Do not choose athletic shoes that are too tight: blisters don’t improve anyone’s performance! Your shoes should also fit the activity in which you’re engaged. Pick shoes that offer plenty of cushioning and support. If you’re not sure what type of shoes are best for your fall sports participation, talk to your coach or your Advanced Foot & Ankle Center Podiatrist. They’ll be able to steer you in the right direction.

Size Up Your Socks

Socks are more than a fashion accessory! The right socks provide cushioning, an extra layer of protection to your tender flesh (good news if you’re run into by someone wearing soccer cleats!), and wick away moisture: all great features for improving foot health care. Here’s the thing: many people don’t take the time to make sure their socks fit properly. Simply grabbing any old package of tube socks off the sale rack isn’t doing your fall athlete any favorites. Find socks that are neither too large – slipping and sliding in your socks can place unwanted pressures and tensions on the structure of the foot – nor too small, which results in squeezed, confined toes and feet.

Inspect Your Feet Daily

Take a few moments every day to look at your feet. It’s way too easy for us to ignore our feet – for most of the day they’re hidden away in our socks and shoes! – but our foot health care needs attention. You’re looking for any signs of accident or injury, particularly any wounds or scratches. These should heal quickly, without signs of infection. If you see any areas that are red, inflamed, or are hot and painful to the touch, seek treatment from your Advanced Foot & Ankle Center Podiatrist quickly.

Moisturize: Inside & Out

Drink plenty of water and moisturize your feet regularly for fall feet that look and feel fabulous. Staying hydrated is particularly important when you’re taking up a new athletic endeavor, for both your overall and foot health care. The increased levels of physical activity can result in increased perspiration, drying your system out. Replenishing your system with water and healthy sports drinks is a good idea. Regularly moisturizing your feet counters the effects of dry skin, reducing painful splits and cracks.

Fend Off Fungus

Two of the most common foot health care complaints reported by fall athletes are toenail fungus and athlete’s foot. Both conditions are caused by fungal spores, too small to be seen by the naked eye, that flourish in locker rooms, gym showers, and other wet environments. These spores grow and thrive in the warm, sweaty confines of athletic shoes. The result is an unsightly, unpleasant, smelly infection. If you see signs of toenail fungal infection or athlete’s foot, seek prompt treatment from your Advanced Foot & Ankle Center Podiatrist. Fast, effective treatment leaves your feet looking fabulous all season long!

Runners' Foot Blisters - Causes, Prevention & Treatment

Foot Blisters - Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

Symptoms of Foot Blisters:

You've probably seen foot blisters before: Small bubbles of skin filled with clear fluid that can appear anywhere on your foot. Some are painless, but others can be extremely painful -- enough to cause you to stop your run.

Cause of Foot Blisters:

Blisters on the feet are usually caused by friction, typically between skin and sock. Excessive moisture due to sweaty feet or wet conditions can also lead to blisters. Wearing running shoes that are too small or tied way too tight can also cause blisters.

Prevention of Foot Blisters:

To prevent blisters altogether, make sure your shoes fit properly. Your running shoe should be at least 1/2 a size bigger than your street shoe size, since your feet swell when you run. You should have a little room in your toebox.

Buy socks specifically made for running, such asWrightSocks. Look for socks made of synthetic fabrics (not cotton!) such as Teflon or CoolMax, which wick moisture away from your feet, preventing the sock from bunching up and causing blisters. Also, buy socks with no seams and a smooth surface. Some runners wear double-layer socks created to deter blisters. The idea with those socks is that any friction occurs between the two sock layers instead of your skin and the sock.

You can also spread BodyGlide or Vaseline on problem areas. But go easy: Too much and you'll be sliding around in your shoes.

If you go for a pedicure , make sure they don't remove your calluses with a razor or emory board. The callused skin serves as blister protection for your feet, so if it's removed, you'll be more at risk for blisters.

Some runners also put moleskin or athletic tape over "hot spots" on their feet that are prone to blisters, as a preventive measure. If you do this, just make sure the moleskin or tape is applied smoothly (no wrinkles) and not too tight.

Treatment of Foot Blisters:

If you already have a blister and it's not painful, just leave it alone, since the skin serves as protection. It will eventually break and the fluid will drain. If the blister is painful, then you should boil a needle for 5-10 minutes in water and once cool, carefully pierce the blister. Press the fluid out and use an antiseptic cream on it. Cover the area with a product such Band-Aid Blister Block or moleskin to protect against infection and provide cushioning.

If you're running in a race, such as a marathon, and you develop a painful blister, stop at one of the medical stations. They'll be able to treat your blister and hopefully get you back in the race, running pain-free.

Dr. DiPretoro has been voted Top Doctor in Podiatric Surgery!! Delaware Today 2011.

Delaware Today magazine Top Doctors 2011, The Surgeons: Podiatry - Delaware Today - October 2011 - Delaware

Dr. DiPretoro has been voted Top Doctor in PODIATRY! - Delaware Today - October 2012

PODIATRY: Top Doctors in Delaware 2012 - Delaware Today - October 2012 - Delaware

Broken Toes

Broken Toe

Broken Toe Overview

Another name for a broken toe is a toe fracture. Each toe is made up of several bones. One or more of these bones may be fractured after an injury to the foot or toes.

Broken Toe Causes

Broken toes usually result from some form of trauma or injury to the foot or toe. Injuries such as stubbing a toe or dropping a heavy object on a toe may cause a fracture. Sometimes a broken toe may result from prolonged repetitive movements, as in certain sports activities. This is called a stress fracture.

Broken Toe Symptoms

• After the injury, pain, swelling, or stiffness will occur. Bruising of the skin around the toe may also be noticeable. The toe may not look normal, and it may even look bent or deformed if the broken bone is out of place. It may be difficult to walk because of the pain, especially if the big toe is fractured.
• Shoes may be painful to wear or feel too tight.
• A doctor may take an x-ray film to see if a toe is broken, but x-ray films are not always necessary if the fracture is in one of the smaller toes.
• Some other problems may develop in addition to, or as a result of, the fracture. These complications can occur right away after the injury (minutes to days), or can happen much later (weeks to years).
  
  
  • Immediate complications
    
    
    • Nail injury: A collection of blood may develop underneath the toenail called a subungual hematoma. If it is large, it may have to be drained. To drain a subungual hematoma a doctor will make a small hole in the toenail to drain the blood out. If the hematoma is very large or painful, the entire toenail may need to be removed.
    • Open fracture: Rarely, the broken bone in a toe fracture may stick out through the skin. This is called an open or compound fracture. Careful cleansing of the wound and possibly antibiotic medication will be needed to prevent the bone from becoming infected. Sometimes surgery may even be necessary.
  • Delayed complications
    
    
    • After the toe fracture heals, the person may still be left with arthritis, pain, stiffness, or even a deformity.
    • Sometimes, the fractured bone will not heal completely (called a nonunion), or will heal improperly (called a malunion). Rarely, surgery may be necessary to fix this problem.

When to Seek Medical Care

The injured toe should be looked at every day. Call a doctor if any of the following occur:

• Worsening or new pain not relieved by pain medication and the measures described in the treatment section
• Sores, redness, or open wounds near the injured toe
• A cast or splint is damaged or broken

Go to a hospital’s emergency department if the following signs or symptoms are present:

• Cold, numb, or tingling toes
• Blue or gray colored skin
• Open wounds, bleeding, or drainage from near the broken toe.

• Exams and Tests

  A doctor will ask some questions to determine how the toe was injured. Then the doctor will examine the injured toe and should also make sure there are no other injuries.
  It is best to seek medical evaluation soon after the injury to ensure proper treatment and healing.
  • A doctor may take an x-ray film to see if a toe is broken or fractured.
  • X-ray films are not always necessary to make the diagnosis of a broken toe, especially if the break is in one of the smaller toes.

  Broken Toe Treatment Self-Care at Home

  These are things that can be done at home to help decrease the pain and swelling and to help the fracture heal properly.
  • Elevation
    
    
    • Swelling that occurs after the injury worsens pain.
    • To decrease the swelling (and the pain), keep the foot raised above the level of the heart as much as possible.
    • Prop the foot up on some pillows, especially when sleeping. Reclining in a lounge chair is also helpful.
  • Ice
    
    
    • Put ice in a plastic bag and apply it to the injury for 15-20 minutes every 1-2 hours for the first 1-2 days.
    • Make sure to place a towel between the skin and the bag of ice to protect the skin.
  • Rest
    
    
    • Avoid any strenuous exercise, prolonged standing, or walking.
    • Crutches may be needed, or a special shoe to wear when walking to avoid putting weight on the fracture while it heals.

  Medical Treatment

  Depending on the location and severity of the toe fracture, the fracture may need to be reduced (put back into place) and splinted or casted. If there is an open wound near the injured toe, a tetanus shot and antibiotic medication may also be necessary.

  Medications

  Pain medications
  • Usually only acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin) is needed for pain.
  • Talk to the doctor before taking any new medications.
  • For a severe fracture, the doctor may prescribe something stronger.
  • Pain will be helped by elevating the foot and using ice packs.

  Other Therapy

  • Reduction
    
    
    • If the toe fracture is displaced (the 2 ends of the broken bone are out of place) or rotated (the toe is pointing in the wrong direction), the doctor may need to reduce it, or put it back into place.
    • Sometimes a shot of medication (called local anesthesia) may be needed to numb the toe before it is put back into place.
    • After a reduction, the broken bone will need support to hold it in place while it heals.
  • Buddy taping
    
    
    • If the toe fracture is a minor or small fracture in a bone of one of the small toes, a doctor may only need to tape the injured toe to the one next to it for support. This treatment is also called buddy taping.
    • If the toe is buddy taped, it is usually safe to bathe, and then replace the tape afterward, but check with the doctor to make sure it is OK.
    • If the tape is replaced by the person with the toe injury, they should make sure to put a small piece of cotton or gauze between the toes that are taped together. This prevents the skin between the toes from developing sores or blisters.
  • Casting
    
    
    • A cast is usually not required for a simple toe fracture.
    • A hard-soled, sturdy, and supportive shoe should be worn.
    • A doctor may give a special shoe to wear if the foot or toes are very swollen.
    • A cast (or even surgery) may be needed if the big toe is broken, a fracture involves a joint, or a lot of small toe fractures occur at once.
    • A cast may also be needed if a bone in the foot or leg is broken in addition to the toe.
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    • Next Steps Follow-up

      Talk to the doctor to find out when to schedule an appointment to have the injured toe evaluated to make sure it is healing properly. If any problems or complications develop sooner, the appointment should be scheduled sooner.

      Prevention

      To help prevent an injury resulting in a broken toe, sturdy and supportive shoes should be worn.

      Outlook

      Broken toes usually take about 6 weeks to heal. If problems last longer than 6 weeks, another x-ray film may be needed, or the injury should be rechecked by the doctor to see how the bone is healing.
      Simple fractures usually heal well with no problems. However, a very bad fracture or a fracture that goes into a joint is at risk for developing arthritis, pain, stiffness, and possibly even a deformity.