117 Lazelle Rd East Ste. B
Columbus , OH 43235
5130 Bradenton Avenue Ste. A
Dublin, OH 43017
Phone: (614) 859-FEET (3338)
Fax: (877) 877-4797

Our Blog

Posts for tag: Ball of Foot Pain

By drbhatia
May 30, 2011
Category: Foot Care

 

As Columbus fans who attended Lady Gaga’s March “Monster Ball” concert at the Value City Arena can attest to, Lady Gaga is known for her wild fashion statements.  Although she may make walking in crazy shoes look effortless as she stomps across piano keys or performs on Saturday Night Live, it may be somewhat of a painful process to pull off that look.

Women everywhere know how painful wearing even moderate high heels can be on a day to day basis.  For Gaga’s “Bad Romance” music video off her last CD, the 12 inch tall Alexander McQueen shoes she chose to wear had been so troublesome to walk in that it is reported that three runway models had refused to wear them on their runway debut.  Based on Lady Gaga’s visit to “The View” this past Wednesday, it seems as though her affinity for hard-to-balance shoes has only grown with her latest release.  For some time she has been a fan of designer Noritaka Tatehana’s giant heel-less platforms that only offer support under the front, ball of the foot.  The similarly heel-less platforms she sported on “The View” had her towering over the hosts of the show with their insane height.  

 While she may be pushing fashion boundaries to the extremes, Lady Gaga is also pushing her feet to the extreme and is likely to incur some foot pain as a result of her shoe wear.  By not having any heel support at all, all body weight is shifted to put pressure on the front of the foot.  This can cause problems such as sesamoiditis, in which two small bones called sesamoids, at the base of the big toe become irritated and inflamed.   This is also a common injury in dancers who also place extra pressure on the front of their foot.  Standing on the front of the foot at such an extreme angle also makes calf muscles work extra hard to maintain balance.  Not only can this cause Achilles tendonitis and associated heel pain, but when that balance cannot be maintained falls, ankle sprains and ankle fractures are more likely.  Because the ankle joint involves the talus bone in the  foot and the tibia, with both the fibula and calcaneus, or heel bone, closely contacting the bones of the ankle joint, fractures can require serious surgery to correct and realign broken bones.  Even Lady Gaga has been spotted falling at the airport in her heel-less shoes and is lucky that she did not have any serious injuries!  Hopefully Lady Gaga takes care of her feet on a regular basis when she is not in public wearing crazy shoes and that she knows a good podiatrist to help prevent or treat any future problems! 

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.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

0 Comment(s) Permalink
By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia
November 15, 2010
Category: Foot Care

MetatarsalgiaMetatarsalgia denotes a common foot condition characterized by pain and inflammation of the joints and bones of the ball of the foot - the area just before the toes, also called the metatarsal region.

Symptoms of metatarsalgia can develop suddenly, especially after an increase in exercise or high-impact activities, but normally the problems develop over time. Common symptoms of metatarsalgia include:

  • Sharp, aching or burning pain in the ball of your foot -- the part of the sole just behind the toes
  • Pain that intensifies when you stand, walk or run
  • Pain that radiates from the balls of the feet into the toes
  • Numbness or tingling in the toes
  • A feeling in your feet as if you are walking with a pebble in your shoe
  • Pain that increases when walking barefoot

Sometimes a single factor can trigger metatarsalgia. More often, multiple factors contribute to the pain, including:

  • Over-training or Over-activity. Extensive training and high-impact sports, especially running, places an abnormal amount of stress on the balls of the feet, causing irritation, inflammation and pain.
  • Other foot disorders. High arches, hammertoes, bunions, stress fractures and Morton's neuroma can all trigger metatarsalgia symptoms.
  • Poor-fitting footwear. High heels, narrow-toed shoes and shoes without adequate padding can all contribute to metatarsal problems.
  • Excess weight. Extra weight places excess pressure on your metatarsals.
  • Aging. The fat pads on the metatarsals thin out as a person ages, diminishing the ability of the metatarsal bones to protect themselves.

Although generally not serious, metatarsalgia can disrupt your day to day activities, and when left untreated can lead to additional pain in your unaffected foot, back or hips. Treatment to eliminate metatarsalgia symptoms can be as simple as resting, icing the affected area and wearing proper-fitting shoes to significantly reduce swelling and ease pain.

When conservative treatments aren't affective and pain persists, visit Columbus Podiatry & Surgery for a full exam and a proper diagnosis. In most cases, metatarsalgia can be treated non-surgically. An experienced podiatrist at our Columbus office may prescribe specially-designed orthotics or shock-absorbing insoles and arch supports to prevent and minimize future problems with metatarsalgia.

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.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

0 Comment(s) Permalink


Archive:

Tags

Categories:

Our Blog Facebook Twitter Myspace

 

Podiatrist - Animesh Bhatia, D.P.M., C.W.S. , Sarah Newby, D.P.M. , Columbus OH, 43235, Dublin, OH 43017, (614) 885-3338
If you are in search of an experienced podiatrist in Columbus Ohio, you have come to the right place. Our podiatrists in Columbus, OH and Dublin, OH are highly skilled in many aspects of podiatric treatments. Selecting a foot doctor in your area can be a difficult task, but it doesn't have to be, especially when you have Dr. Bhatia and Dr. Newby as options.