While it has not become a craze in Columbus yet, a new cosmetic surgery craze in Great Britain has begun making headlines in the US over the past few weeks.  Dermal filler is being injected into women’s feet to provide additional cushioning in areas that are placed under excess pressure by wearing extreme high heels.  The surgery has been nicknamed a “Loub job” in reference to the French shoe designer Christian Louboutin who has been quoted that he does not care if his shoe creations are uncomfortable.  With unpleasant thoughts of wearing painful heels to upcoming graduations and graduation parties for their kids at Westerville South High School, Beechcroft High School or any of the other schools in the Columbus area, women should be pleased to know that less extreme measures can offer great pain relief!

While it would be ideal for optimal foot health to completely eliminate high heels and stilettos from a woman’s shoe choices, it is understandable that there are occasions where dressing up is necessary.  When choosing a dress shoe there are a few things women can do to decrease the pain and potential for injury or deformity caused by the shoe.  Selecting a shoe with a wider toebox versus a pointy toe can limit the development of painful corns and calluses as well as bunions and hammertoes.  If possible, choosing a lower height heel can also decrease the extreme amount of pressure placed on the ball of the foot. 

Certain areas of the foot are affected worse than other when wearing heels.  These areas include the ball of the foot, the bottom and back of the heel and the toe pads, which are some of the areas where dermal filler is being injected in the cosmetic surgery “Loub job”.  High heels are notorious for causing a painful bony bump on the back of the heel in women that is called a “Haglund’s deformity” or “Pump Bump”.  This bump develops from the excess irritation caused by the rigid structure of a pump or high heeled style shoe.  Changing the shoes and adding a heel grip device to the shoe to provide a cushion in the painful aspect are options to decrease the symptoms.  Surgery offers the ability to completely remove the painful bump.  Metatarsalgia, or pain in the ball of the foot, is another issue being targeted by these injections.  There are many custom padding options that your podiatrist can create that will offer the extra cushioning, without having to go through an injection.  It is also important to realize that pain in the ball of the foot may be occurring for reasons that will not be cured by increasing the foot’s cushioning.  For example, neuromas are seen with increased frequency in women who wear heels but often require surgery or injections to remove the irritated nerve in order to alleviate the pain.  For this reason, it is always crucial to have a thorough appointment with your podiatrist to correctly diagnose a problem before self-treating or selecting a treatment from another health professional if they have not identified the underlying cause of the pain. 

Talk to your podiatrist to discuss all the options to enjoy and show off your toes at graduations and spring events without suffering through foot pain!

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. If you would like to see a podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio near Tuttle Crossing, call 614-859-FEET(3338) for an appointment.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

Fans of both American Idol and Aerosmith may have noticed that Steven Tyler has recently been getting media attention not for his singing, dancing or judging skills – but for the wild appearance of his toes!  Stephen claims that the years of dancing and wearing ill-fitting, unsupportive shoes have taken their toll on his feet, which now bear a variety of deformities. 

The most noticeable problem in Stephen’s feet is his overlapping and underlapping toes.  The second toe of his right foot completely overlaps the big toe, or hallux, and toes three, four and five of both feet underlap the adjacent toe.  Not only are underlapping and overlapping toes thought of as cosmetically unappealing, but they also can cause painful corns and calluses on the tops of the toes and make finding properly fitting shoes  a challenge.  Many times underlapping of the toes are a congenital deformity that is present from birth.  Most commonly the fifth toe will be rotated and underlap the fourth toe, a condition specifically called digiti quinti varus.  There are a variety of underlying causes of digiti quinti varus but one of the most common is a coalition, or fusion of the two bones that normally make up the fifth toe.  Another common cause of underlapping and overlapping toes that develop early in life is muscle and ligament imbalances, which can often be treated by taping and bracing.  When the condition develops later in life, as in Steven Tyler’s case, a tear of the plantar plate may have occurred.  The plantar plate is a thickening in the capsule of the joint at the base of each two and serves as an attachment for ligaments that connect the metatarsals.  When the plantar plate tears, these connections are disrupted and the involved toe may deviate over another and metatarsalgia, or pain in the forefoot, and swelling may develop. 

Tyler has also complained of a history of Morton’s neuroma contributing to the painful state of his feet over the years.  A neuroma is an enlargement of a nerve that typically results from irritation to that nerve.  A Morton’s neuroma is found between the third and fourth toes that is the most common location of a neuroma in the foot.  Metatarsalgia, tingling and burning pain are common complaints of those suffering from a neuroma.  Neuromas may be treated by your podiatrist with injection of corticosteroids to decrease pain and swelling, or surgery to excise the painful neuroma.  To avoid Steven’s neuromas and toe deformities, be sure to keep your feet in rock and roll shape with supportive shoes and regular checkups with your podiatrist at the first signs of 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 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 Friday, the Columbus Dispatch published a story in support of “Falls Prevention Awareness Day” in Ohio.  The article discussed ways for the senior citizen population of Columbus to prevent falls and the serious injuries and hospitalizations that can accompany them.  One crucial aspect of fall prevention not directly stated in the article is the importance of foot health in the elderly in maintaining good balance and stability. 

Feet provide the base of support for the body and in an older individual changes have often occurred that weaken that base.  Arthritis of the foot joints, foot deformities, muscle weakness and improper footwear can all play a role in changing the way that the foot keeps the body balanced.   Bunions, calluses, hammertoes, and ingrown toenails can all cause pain in the foot.  The body’s natural response is to avoid causing pain by changing the weight distribution on the foot so less pressure is placed on the deformity.  This change can alter the gait to be more unsteady and increase the chance that a fall may occur.  With a visit to your podiatrist there are many options to relieve these types of pain, and thus increase stability.  Calluses and ingrown toenails can often be removed at an office visit, while hammertoes and bunions can be treated with surgery or their pain can be lessened using nonsurgical methods.  Arthritis or other problems that may not allow the normal range of joint motion also can be treated with surgical methods, or with nonsurgical methods such as custom orthotics that can allow for better functioning of the entire foot while decreasing the pain of the afflicted joint.  Simple foot exercises can be used to maintain muscle strength against the loss of muscle mass that accompanies normal aging.  In the article in the Columbus Dispatch, this concept was being put to practice by the woman “tracing alphabet letters” with her toes.  One last tip is to ensure that shoes fit properly and that the shoe bottom is not slippery.  Shoes that do not fit properly can cause pain if they are too small or can cause tripping from the abnormally increased foot motion in the shoe if they are too large. 

By taking small measures to “fall-proof” your feet with the help of your podiatrist you can avoid the big health problems and expenses that come with a serious fall!

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 Powell. To visit our podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio call 614-885-FEET (3338)

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

Ballroom dancing classes have experienced a jump in popularity in Columbus dance studios with the rise of “Dancing with the Stars” and other dancing programs on television.  Talk show host Wendy Williams, who was a competitor on the current season, tweeted a picture of her seriously beat up looking feet before she was eliminated on that night’s show!  The caption on the picture, which stated “Feet don’t fail me now!” indicates just how important foot health is in any athletic competition, especially one known for its glitzy high-heeled shoes!

Unfortunately for Wendy, her feet were apparently so painful from her bunions that she struggled with her ability to dance on the night she was eliminated.  Bunions on the middle side of each foot were located in the joint at the base of her big toe, which is a typical bunion location.  A bunion of the big toe, or hallux, is caused by “Hallux abducto valgus” which is basically when the tip of the big toe is angled in towards, and often overlaps the second toe, instead of lying straight as it should.  This inappropriate angling of the tip of the toe causes the base of the toe to protrude out from the foot more than normal.

The protuberances caused by bunions have resulted in immense pain for Wendy because of increased pressure and friction against where the shoe would normally just firmly contact the middle side of the foot.  This excessive pressure can cause the body to thicken the outer layer of skin cells as a way to protect the deeper layers of the foot.  These thickenings of the skin are called corns and calluses can cause pain.  Hammer toes, where the first joint in any of the small toes is bent abnormally, are also commonly seen as a consequence of bunions.  Hammer toes can result in increased pressure on the top of the toe and lead to more painful corns. 

There are a variety of bunion treatments as well as a variety of ways to be proactive in preventing a bunion.  Wendy Williams seems to have had a bunion removal surgery, or bunionectomy, several years ago, but has failed to take appropriate preventative measures to keep the bunion from reoccurring.  While bunionectomies can be extremely helpful for relieving the pain and other conditions caused by a bunion, it is important to take additional measures to get the best results from your surgery.  After a surgery, physical therapy and orthotics are often suggested to keep the big toe in its proper position.  For bunion prevention, before a bunion ever occurs or after bunion removal surgery, comfortable well-fitted shoes are key. 

Wendy’s tendency to wear ill-fitting, pointy high heels on a regular basis and even more so with her appearance on Dancing with the Stars may have lead to an exacerbation of her bunion pain and slight re-occurrence of her bunion.  Wendy should have contacted her podiatrist to take care of her bunions before it cost her her shot at the disco ball dancing trophy!

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