No matter what sport you are following this time of year, odds are good that you are going to see a few athletes using tape to support their feet and ankles.  Recently, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls caused a stir over the use of ankle taping after he felt that the tape on his ankles hindered his ability to play to his full capabilities.  Tape can be very beneficial for a wide variety of conditions in the foot and ankle in both athletes and non-athletes if done correctly. 

While Derrick Rose suffered an ankle sprain last year during the playoffs, he was lucky enough to not miss any games due to the injury.  This year he has not been so fortunate with his ankle injury and has been forced to miss playing time.  Rose is right to take care of this injury because many ankle sprains can progress to cause chronic ankle instability requiring surgical treatment to fully cure, even when they are properly cared for.  When the ligaments that stabilize the movements of the bones in and around the ankle joint become damaged, unnatural or excessive movement of the bones can result.  These abnormal movements can give the feeling of the ankle “giving out”, and can be painful.  Another condition called peroneal subluxation can contribute to chronic lateral ankle instability.  The tendons of the muscles peroneus brevis and peroneus longus run along the outside of the foot near the ligaments that are commonly damaged in ankle sprains.  If the tendons become irritated a tendonitis can result.  Peroneal subluxation can also occur if the fibrous structure that normally keeps the tendons on their course becomes damaged.  This allows the tendons to move out of place and causing a “snapping” sensation on the side of the foot. 

If these conditions of ankle instability are not painful, they can be treated with conservative methods such as taping or bracing to help maintain the stability of the ankle and prevent further damage to the foot and ankle.  When diagnosed with lateral ankle instability, your podiatrist may offer to tape your foot and ankle to provide some relief immediately until a more structured brace can be ordered or ankle surgery can be performed.    

While taping may not have been Rose’s favorite treatment option for his ankle injury, many people find taping to be a great option, either temporarily or to be used as needed, for conditions of the foot and ankle.  Other conditions that may gain some relief from orthopedic taping in addition to or before the use of surgery, physical therapy or custom orthotics include:  Achilles tendonitis, heel pain, posterior tibial tendonitis, and overpronation.

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington. If you would like to see apodiatrist in Dublin, Ohio near Tuttle Crossing, call 614-885-3338 for an appointment.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

This past week Logan Steiber of the Ohio State Wrestling team was awarded the Intermat Freshman of the year award.  The exciting wrestling season may have recently come to a close in Ohio high schools and at Ohio State, but for serious wrestlers, offseason training will be starting shortly.  While athletes are supposed to be the epitome of good health, wrestlers can face a variety of foot and other health problems both on and off the mat. 

Wrestlers frequently will often force themselves to extremes to reach their weight class for wrestling.  Those reaching for heavy weight status may, to the detriment of their own health, indulge in unhealthy eating habits.  While the extra weight may provide an advantage in the short term of trying to hold down an opponent, the resulting diabetes later in life may end up knocking the wrestler’s feet out from under them.  These facts were a sad reality this past week for the World Wrestling Entertainment’s retired wrestling legend Kamala when he underwent his third amputation in recent months from complications of diabetes and high blood pressure.  Podiatrists work with their diabetic patients to avoid amputations at all costs, performing them only when it is necessary to save the patient’s life from an infection of the foot travelling further up the leg to the body causing gangrene, or tissue death and septicemia.  By maintaining a low blood sugar, wrestlers with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes can avoid many of the complications seen in the foot that Kamala likely suffered from including neuropathy, and slow wound healing. 

At the other extreme, wrestlers trying to remain a lightweight frequently take up running in the offseason.  Wrestlers who enter into an intense running regimen too quickly after months spent just wrestling can experience common running ailments including shin splints, heel pain, and the development of painful corns and calluses.  By starting off slowly with low mileage, purchasing proper shoe gear and stretching these injuries may be avoidable.  Orthotics may also be helpful in avoiding painful conditions if the individual has underlying biomechanical and structural problems with their feet. 

When they are in season, a study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that collegiate wrestlers have an injury rate second only to spring football.  The ankle is one of the most commonly and most seriously injured parts of the body in wrestling.  During takedowns and sparring, ankle sprains and muscle strains can occur when the foot is planted on the ground and forced to twist in an unnatural way.  Wrestling is also notorious for the occurrence of athlete’s foot or “ring worm”.  This skin condition is not actually due to having worms in the skin, but is caused by infection with a fungus.  When it occurs in the foot this is also known as tinea pedis and can spread to cause fungal toenails if not treated. 

Wrestlers should make good use of the beginning of their offseason to visit their podiatrist and make a complete recovery from any lingering foot and ankle injuries or skin infections.  With good health, they will be quick on their feet when the time comes for their next big match!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington. If you would like to see a podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio near Tuttle Crossing, call 614-885-3338 for an appointment.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

While Katy Perry was in Columbus at the Schottenstein Arena on September 13, one of her original opening acts, up and coming pop star Jessie J was unable to perform that night and for most of the tour.  In June, Jessie had jumped off a stage while dancing during rehearsals and badly hurt her foot.  Now, in recent interviews, Jessie has been describing the story of her injury and how she now feels it will cause her painful arthritis for the rest of her life.  Jessie and anyone else who has suffered a traumatic ankle injury need to know their treatment options to avoid or cope with possible arthritis in the future. 

After her injury, Jessie was initially diagnosed with a ligament injury of the ankle.  Unfortunately it was not diagnosed until later that she had also fractured 4 bones in her foot and ankle.  While ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries that dancers can encounter, it is also important that the individual be evaluated by x-ray or other radiographic imaging for bony injury if have symptoms of tenderness when they press on bone or are unable to stand on only the injured foot.  Chronic lateral ankle pain, or pain on the outside of the ankle, can result from both ligament or bone damage to the ankle, but bone fractures can also lead to arthritis of the ankle.  While arthritis in the knee or hip common result from wear and tear over time, the most common cause of arthritis of the ankle is a previous traumatic injury. 

The missed diagnosis of broken bones has led to a more severe situation for Jessie’s ankle.  Because Jessie’s fractures were not diagnosed until later, the broken bone pieces were allowed to continue moving in an unstable manner in her foot as she continued to bear some weight on them in a brace for the ligament injury.  Without proper blood supply or biomechanical stability, bone pieces cannot realign and unite.  This is called a non-union and when it occurs as it likely did with Jessie a graft of bone material must be surgically placed in the foot to promote union and healing of the bones.  After this “bone transplant” as Jessie has been referring to it, she now complains of chronic pain in her ankle and a possible future of painful arthritis.  Because she cannot turn back time and get her foot promptly diagnosed correctly to have possibly avoided the non-healing of her bones, Jessie and all foot and ankle arthritis suffers should talk to their podiatrist about their options to reach a much less painful state.  Physical therapy may be an initial step to healing and regaining motion in the joint after surgery.  There are also other surgical options to help an arthritic joint function less painfully and thus with better motion, including a fusion of the bones that make up the joint or a total joint replacement.  For active individuals such as Jessie, studies have shown that in arthritic patients who received a total ankle replacement were able to greatly increase their sports activity from their previous arthritic state. 

Luckily for Jessie J her diagnosis was eventually caught and she will hopefully look into future treatments to alleviate some of the pain of her current condition and possible arthritis!  

Please visit www.columbusfoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Westerville. To schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio, near Tuttle Crossing Mall, please call 614-885-FEET (3338).

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

Halle Berry may not only have been afraid for her foot after she fractured it while shooting the movie “Cloud Atlas”, but she also may have feared for her job in revealing what she was doing when the fracture occurred!   Initially Berry reported that she was taking a casual stroll on her day off around the property she was staying at.  However, more recently she admitted that she was actually chasing goats with her young daughter leading up the injury!  Although the idea of chasing goats does not seem to make much sense, it at least makes a lot more sense for how a foot fracture developed!

To better understand fractures and how they occur, it is important to know that fractures can generally be divided into two groups: stress fractures and general bone fractures.  Stress fractures typically occur in people doing a low-intensity repetitive motion, such as running, marching or walking long distances.  The bone is not able to remodel and heal itself fast enough to keep up with the repetitive stress being place on it.  Muscles that are fatigued may also play a role in the development of a stress fracture because they will not be able to contract and redistribute force over a larger area. 

In this acute instance however, it is more likely that Halle suffered from a general bone fracture than a stress fracture.  This means that the cortex or hard outer shell of the bone was damaged all the way through in the area of the injury.  It was reported that Halle heard a “crack” & felt pain immediately shooting up her foot.  Because she was running on uneven terrain, it possible that Halle also sprained her ankle by rolling her foot.  While it has not been reported which metatarsal Halle broke, the fifth (or little toe metatarsal) is the most commonly fractured of the metatarsals in people above the age of 5.  In the instance of a 5^thmetatarsal fracture, it would be imperative to know exactly what position Halle’s foot was in and to have x-rays and other images taken to determine the location and characteristics of the fracture.  If she did in fact roll her ankle, she may not only have ligament and tendon damage, but the forceful stretch of tendon’s connecting to the bone may have pulled off, or avulsed a piece of the metatarsal causing the fracture.  Another scenario would be if she were propelling herself off the side of her foot, to run after a goat, she may have incurred a “Jones fracture”.  A Jones fracture not only disrupts the cortex of the bone, but also disrupts the blood supply to the bone that is crucial to its proper healing.  This type of fracture can require more serious treatment including surgery and longer periods of being non-weight bearing on the foot. 

The most important step in adequate healing of a fracture foot is getting the correct diagnosis in a timely manner.  Each of the different types of fractures described may have a slightly different course of treatment and identifying that course is critical to prevent delayed or improper healing or a longer course of foot pain for the patient.  Any actress, athlete or other individual who believes they may have a fracture or other foot injury should contact their podiatrist as soon as possible to ensure that they will be able to get back to chasing goats and all other fun activities as quickly as possible!

Please visit www.columbusfoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio  in between Westerville, Worthington and Powell. To schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio, near Tuttle Crossing Mall, please call 614-885-FEET (3338).

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

This past weekend around Columbus was the 30^thannual Pride Festival.  While there was a wide variety of unusual attire at this parade, shoes are one fashion accessory to choose carefully before heading out to any summer parade or festival.  While the look of the shoes may be of utmost importance to many fashionistas, choosing shoes that provide comfort can make your day much more enjoyable. 

Summer means more shoe options including flip flops and a variety of other sandals.  Knowing which type of shoe is healthies twas a topic of a recent article on Oprah’s website and can help to make better choices when shopping for new shoes.  Surprisingly, ballet flat shoes were ranked as the most dangerous type of shoe.  Part of the reason for this ranking is that many people would consider a flat to be more comfortable and healthy for feet than a higher shoe and they then over-wear them.  A flat has as little arch support as the similarly dangerous flip-flop, but ballet flats also put pressure on the sides of the foot, the back of the heel and the tips of the toes.  Extreme lack of any arch support in flip flops or flats can lead to foot pain in individuals with flat feet or overpronation.  Because they do not enclose the entire foot, flip flops can give some relief to those suffering from the pain of bunions or calluses rubbing against shoes.  Both ballet flats and similarly structured flat styles of sneakers such as “Chuck Taylors” that do enclose the foot will not only aggravate these conditions on the sides of the feet and toes, but their rigid heel areas can cause a Haglund’s deformity.  In this condition, a bursa over the heel bone or calcaneus becomes irritated from being rubbed against and causes pain. 

Of the elevated shoes discussed in the article, stilettos were not surprisingly chosen as the most dangerous.  A better choice for an occasion requiring a more formal shoe would be a wedge.  If the wedge has a cork or raffia sole, it will offer more shock absorption and thus can help prevent joint damage.  Wedges also offer slightly more stability than a stiletto, which can help to avoid ankle sprains.  While a properly fitted athletic shoe with adequate support will often be the optimal choice for foot health, wearing them at every occasion may not always be possible.  It is good to be aware and evaluate other shoe options to make healthy choices about your feet.  Orthotics can also be helpful in making an uncomfortable shoe more bearable!

Please visit www.columbusfoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Westerville, Ohio.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia