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

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

New York Giants co-owner has discovered an unusual good luck charm for his team with a little help from his two daughters.  In late December, his daughters painted his nails in red and blue, the Giants’ colors, and the team has not lost a game since then.  Steve has left the polish on in the hopes that the good luck charm can work its magic for one last game at the Super Bowl. 

While his nail polish certainly may not be looking “pedicure perfect” after 5 weeks, the health of Steve’s toes and nails are in no danger as long as he still has been taking regular care of his feet.  Pedicures for both men and women can be relaxing and safe for as long as you keep the health of your feet a priority.  If Steve decides to keep his trend going there are a few things he should know about the relationship between toenails and overall health.  First, nail polish is completely safe to use on healthy toenails.  However, if a toenail fungus, or onychomycosis is present, nail polish should not be applied.  The polish “locks in” the fungus and allows it to continue thriving on nail tissue.  Treatment should be sought when nails appear abnormally thickened or discolored, as this can be a sign of an invasion of “dermatophytes”, the organisms most commonly at the root of a nail fungus.  After the nail infection is treated with PinPointe Foot Laser or a variety of other medications and the fungus has resolved, regular nail polish may be applied. 

The length of the nail after it has been trimmed can be another area of podiatric problems for those trimming their own nails or having them trimmed at a nail salon.  In some individuals, toenails are extremely curved along the sides.  When these curved nails are cut too short, the individual’s likelihood of developing an ingrown toenail is greatly increased as the nail regrows.  Ingrown toenails can become infected and extremely painful.  Contact your podiatrist at the first signs of an ingrown nail.  Attempting to remove the ingrown portion of the nail on your own can lead to dangerous infection that is capable of spreading beyond the affected toe. 

Whether you are prepping your nails for the big game or a big date before Valentine’s Day be sure to keep your feet healthy and call your podiatrist if you notice any unusual changes!

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

While the Cleveland Browns play the Texans this weekend in Houston, another Texas team will be hoping that their punter Mat McBriar has made a sufficient recovery to help them score some points.  Unlike the more commonly heard of sports injuries,  including ankle sprains, pulled muscles or broken bones, McBriar has injured the nerve in his left foot and leg.  Although he kicks the ball with his right foot, the planting foot also plays a critical role in a player’s ability to punt the ball. 

Mat has not only been experiencing pain severe enough to disrupt normal walking, but he has also lost the ability to “lift his foot up”.  This lack of “dorsiflexion” or lifting the top of the foot up towards the shin is of critical importance not only for playing football, but also is necessary in walking!  The nerve that controls this is called the deep fibular or deep peroneal nerve.  When the deep peroneal nerve is not functioning properly, the foot will not be able to clear the ground while walking, and the foot will slap to the ground instead of being slowly lowered as it normally would.  This can make walking a very difficult and tedious process.  Mat may have caused this injury by a sudden stretch of the nerve when planting his foot to punt the ball.  Other causes of this nerve injury can include frequently crossing the legs, which is the most common cause, knee dislocation, or knee surgery. 

Mat may also want to talk to his podiatrist about the possibility that he could have a mass in his foot that could be pressing on the nerve and causing his symptoms.  A neuroma or a ganglionic cyst are both small masses in the foot that can cause problems on their own even without impinging on a nerve in the foot as could be a possibility in Mat’s case.  A Morton’s neuroma is an abnormal nerve growth found between the third and fourth toes.  A ganglionic cyst is an out-pouching of fluid from a joint that can require surgery to treat. 

Symptoms of nerve damage can include, but are not limited to, pain that shoots up or down the foot or leg, loss of sensation and loss of function.  If you have signs of a nerve injury it is important to contact your podiatrist as soon as possible because damage can become more severe over time including permanent loss of nerve function. 

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

Congrats Columbus Marathoners! Now, what were those crazy compression socks you saw people wearing & should you get some for your next race?

Fall brings marathon season with Chicago last weekend, New York coming up the first weekend of November and most importantly, the Columbus Marathon this Sunday, October 16^th!  Runners are known to do whatever it takes to reach their goals including forcing down that last Gu, waking up at the crack of dawn to get those miles in, or unfortunately, attempting to continue training through foot pain and injury.  One item that many marathoners and distance runners have been seen wearing as a part of their race day uniform are tall compression socks in black and a rainbow of other colors.  But the real question is: are these socks just successful at intimidating competitors on the line with their cool looks, or do they actually serve a purpose?

Interestingly, while it may seem like compression socks are the ultimate new running necessity aside from proper fitting running shoes, it is not the runner population that tends to know a bit more about the benefits and uses of compression socks.  It is diabetic patients with swelling, or edema that podiatrists regularly prescribe compression stockings, or socks to.  Patients with venous stasis from causes such as improperly functioning, or insufficient valves and varicose veins also can have their condition improved with the use of compression socks.  With normal valves and vessel structure, the calf muscles function to pump blood upwards against gravity to prevent this pooling.  In patients with the conditions mentioned, there is a slowed return of blood via the veins to the heart, resulting in some venous blood pooling.  This pooling can not only result in dermatitis, or a rash, but it can also lead to the formation of dangerous deep vein thrombosis and venous ulcers.  In order to help restore normal venous blood flow, compression stockings are used to gradually increase pressure up the leg, assisting the “calf pump”.  While this has been shown to have positive effects in groups of people with the disease states discussed, the effects of compression sock induced decreased venous pooling, assistance of the skeletal muscle pump and increased deep vein blood speed still require more research before they can be conclusively linked to their claims of performance gains in running.  Many athletes also utilize compression stockings post-exercise in order to decrease lactic acid build-up, but this use also requires more research. 

So while they may look cool, and can be extremely beneficial if you have venous insufficiency in your legs and feet, compression stockings have a ways to go before they can definitely prove themselves as doing more for your race time than just making you LOOK fast.  At this point, if athletic compression socks make you feel better when running, then do what is best for you – just make sure you test them out before your big race and always call your podiatrist if you develop any foot or ankle 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 Worthington. 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