Recently, a man named Mike Stevens travelled from Mississippi to California to undergo a surgery that would transfer his big toe to his hand where it will replace the thumb he lost in an accident.  This may be a surprising idea to many people because the thumb and toes are not thought of as being as functional as the fingers.   However, the musculature and bone structure of the hands and feet are remarkable similar. 

 While it is very exciting that Mike will hopefully regain a large portion of the function of his thumb and be able to use his hands better in his career as a mechanic, he will have to take extra care to prevent additional deformities from occurring in his foot.  While Mike’s case is extreme, smaller changes in the action and structure of the muscle and ligaments of the foot are what can lead to various deformities and a decrease in the functionality of the foot.  One common example of this happening is the development of hammer toes.  Commonly, a muscle known as the tibialis posterior becomes weakened and muscles that attach to the bottom of the toes and act to flex them or pull them towards the ground are forced to “fire” earlier, longer and with more force to compensate.  This constant force leads to hammer toes which can cause painful corns on the tops of the second, third or fourth toes.  An excessive pull from one of the flexor muscles that causes hammer toes can also cause mallet toes.  The difference between a hammer toe and a mallet toe is that in mallet toe only the very tip of the toe is bent down towards the floor, while hammer toes have the base of the toe bent up away from the floor and the other 2/3 of the toe bent towards the ground.  Mallet toes can also cause corns or even black toenails from the nail abnormally hitting against the shoe forming a bruise. 

A variety of surgical procedures exist to successfully eliminate these deformities, but there are also many less invasive options for pain relief.  Corns should never be removed at home, especially in an individual with diabetes, as it can lead to serious infection if done improperly.  Your podiatrist can safely remove any corns or calluses and fit padding over the affected toe to lessen the development of painful corns in the future.  Custom orthotics can also be used to help correct the underlying muscle imbalance and any other abnormal changes in foot structure.  So whether you just had your big toe removed or you are tired of corns and your feet feeling tired and aching, contact your podiatrist to address these problems and allow your feet to function to the best of their ability!

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

Every February, New York Fashion Week in New York City brings strange new trends for the people of Columbus and the world to be entertained by.  One strange fashion presented at a previous fashion week took the term “pigeon toed” literally by having real stuffed birds positioned as if they were sitting on top of the foot.  As a shoe trend, “pigeon toed” may be stylish, but when seen as a walking pattern in children, parents should contact their podiatrist for a checkup as soon as possible. 

Kid feet are not simply smaller versions of adult feet.  The bones in the legs and feet of a small child are still developing and can sometimes take on an appearance that would be abnormal for an adult, but is normal for a kid.  For example, infants can have flat arches that would be abnormal for an adult, but are normal for a for certain periods of childhood development.  Walking with the toes turned in toward the midline of the body is the walking pattern commonly referred to as being “pigeon toed” or “in-toeing” and can appear and spontaneously resolve in some children, while in others can be a major cause for concern. 

Being pigeon-toed can represent bone deformity in the feet, tibia (or shin bone), or hip.   When the foot bones are involved, the condition is typically called “metatarsus adductus”.  The metatarsal bones at the base of each toe develop angled toward the midline of the body, commonly as a result of the child’s position while developing in the mother.  Treatment can be highly successful if the condition is caught before the infant is two years of age using a series of casts to properly re-align the bones.  Custom shoes and orthotics may also be used.  When the tibia or hip is rotated towards the midline of the body causing the feet to also appear “pigeon toed” casting or surgery may also be needed as treatment.  For all of these conditions, the earlier a parent notices the problem and contacts their podiatrist, the more treatment options will be available.  Take care of your little ones’ feet beginning before they begin walking and they can avoid being pigeon toed for a life that will hopefully also be free of wearing pigeon high-heels!

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. 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

A new treatment option that may one day be of great help to all those suffering from heel pain in Columbus has been making news for its success in a clinical trial.  The study focuses on an injection that shows potential for being used to treat individuals with plantar fasciitis who have not had significant pain relief with other treatments.

Luckily for the time being, patients suffering from plantar fasciitis can visit their podiatrist for a variety of treatment options that, for the majority of individuals, will provide great pain relief.  The first step in treating your plantar fasciitis is to determine if you in fact have plantar fasciitis.  While plantar fasciitis is one of the more common causes of heel pain, there are many other problems that occur relatively frequently that can also cause heel pain.  Some of the cardinal signs of this condition include the most intense pain of the day occurring when you take your first step out of bed in the morning and pain localized primarily to the bottom of the heel, at the front edge of the heel fat pad, on the side closer to the opposite foot.  A nerve entrapment can also cause similar pain on the bottom surface of the heel.  A nerve entrapment in this area typically involves what is known as “Baxter’s nerve” which supplies sensation and power to a muscle that allows movement to the smallest toe.  When the nerve is compressed, it is similar to a bruise and is called neuropraxia.  This bruise of the nerve then causes pain and decreases its ability to transfer information.  If the entrapped nerve is caught and treated, recovery occurs in around three to four months.  In areas around the heel that could cause heel pain in a location very near to the pain of plantar fasciitis also include fractures, and tendonitis.  

Once your plantar fasciitis has been correctly diagnosed, there are a variety of treatment paths to begin with.  While treatment varies for each individual, most people begin treatment with a conservative approach using the least invasive options available to start.  Some of the conservative treatment options include:  stretching, taping, icing, and wearing orthotics.   All of these treatment options can have great success in many patients if performed correctly.  The next step in treatment for plantar fasciitis that has not responded to the previously mentioned treatments can be an injection of a steroid with numbing agents.  This is done in addition to continuing conservative treatments.  The steroid is injected for its anti-inflammatory properties which serve to “soothe” the aggravated plantar fascia and relieve pain.  While surgery would typically be the last treatment resort as a plantar fascia that is still painful, the aforementioned research study provides a potential new option.  It has suggested that injecting plasma rich protein actually provides greater pain relief and healing potential than injecting steroids.  Hopefully this new research will continue, and the information gained can allow patients to receive the highest quality treatment options from their podiatrist!

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 614-885-3338 for an appointment.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

The Patriot’s tight end Rob Gronkowski’s performance at the Super Bowl should serve as a reminder to all athletes and non-athletes of the impact a few ligaments in your foot can have on your daily activities.  Earlier in the season, Rob had suffered one of the most common sports injuries, a severe ankle sprain and like many professional athletes, was willing to sacrifice the health of his feet and body to try to help his team at their biggest game of the year.  Luckily, Rob did not suffer any additional injuries while playing football on his already weakened ankle and underwent surgery this past Friday to treat his partially torn ligaments. 

Most ankle sprains occur when an individual has their foot in an inverted and plantar flexed position, meaning that the inner arch is lifted off the ground and their toes are flexed towards the ground.  Gronkowski’s injury occurred in the opposite of this motion with his foot everted, or with the side of the foot closer to the smaller toes lifted off the ground.  When injuries do occur with the foot in this position, damage tends to be more severe with a longer time needed for healing.  Although he did not break any bones, Gronkowski is said to have torn two ligaments.  While many would people think this should mean faster healing, it is important to remember that while a fracture can take around 6-8 weeks to heal, a damaged ligament also requires six to eight weeks to heal back to good strength. 

Ankle arthroscopy was used to surgically stabilize Gronkowski’s torn ligaments.  Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery where a small incision is made that allows a tiny camera and surgical instruments to enter inside the affected joint.  This type of surgery was used because the damaged ligaments are intricately connected to not only to the opposing bones of the joint, but also to the capsule surrounding the joint.  This type of minimally invasive procedure means a smaller scar, and less wound for bacteria to try to enter.  Following this surgery, Gronkowski will be in a cast for about eight weeks to minimize excessive movement of the ligaments and promote healing.   This is very similar to bone healing, in which motion also needs to be minimized to prevent a nonunion, or the bone fragments not coming back together. 

In the meantime, Gronkowski’s doctor has hopefully gotten him into a physical therapy program to maintain his range of motion and reduce joint stiffness in the future.  To lessen the workload of the healed ligaments, orthotics, a brace, or specialized athletic shoes can also be used to increase the stability of the ankle joint after the eight weeks in the boot are completed. 

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

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