If you are trying enjoying the nice spring weather coming up in Metzger Park, Sharon Woods Park or Highbanks Park, you might notice the skin on your feet is a little itchier than usual this time of year if you suffer from eczema.  This disease can be extremely irritating on the feet and elsewhere on the body.  Even Kate Middleton has told stories of being bullied for the rashes of eczema on her skin. 

Atopic dermatitis becomes worse in the spring because spring is also the season when allergies are at their peak.  This skin condition is seen most commonly in children.  Children affected will frequently have other signs of inherited allergies including runny nose and itchy eyes.  Allergens cause a sensation of intense itching but do not cause the actual skin appearance seen in eczema.  The visible rash, small blisters or skin thickening that occurs in eczema is actually caused by the intense itching and scratching as the individual tries to achieve relief.  On the affected child’s foot, it is commonly seen as redness and scales and possibly even fissures, or cracks in the skin from the extended itching.  Darkening of the skin or hyperpigmentation can also be seen after extended periods of itching in the affected area.  The area around the ankle where the top of sneakers may rub and cause friction is a frequent area of involvement.  When cuts or fissures do develop from itching, parents should watch carefully  for any signs of infection of the foot.  If pain, swelling, or pus appear at the affected area, contact your podiatrist as soon as possible so that antibiotics may be prescribed. 

Eczema is treated by both lessening the allergic sensation of the foot being “itchy”and by decreasing the habitual itching that develops as a result of the condition.  Moisturizing creams, topical corticosteroids and medications commonly used for allergies, such as anti-histamines, are used to suppress the sensation of itchiness.  Removing external irritants, such as a high top sneaker that rubs against the irritated ankle would also be utilized to decrease the appearance of rashes.  

Many different skin conditions can affect the foot and ankle.  For this reason it is critical to obtain a correct diagnosis from your podiatrist before beginning treatment of a skin condition.  Dry scaly skin may just be a sign of eczema, or it could be athlete’s foot, in which case applying a moisturizing cream could do more harm than good.  Many skin cancers of the foot can also mimic less sinister skin lesions including athlete’s foot or an eczematous rash.   

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

With the record setting high temperatures the past few weeks in Columbus, kids have been soaking up the sun and playing outside as much as possible.  While the exercise is excellent for foot health, some new pains may develop from the sudden increase in activity level.  Parents need to pay careful attention to new pains as they can sometimes indicate issues more serious than just normal muscle soreness.  One of these conditions often identified during childhood years is called a pedal coalition. 

Pedal congenital coalitions are caused when the tissues destined to become two separate bones in the foot during development fail to separate and remain united as one bone.  These two bones may be united together by bone, fibrous or cartilage tissue.  The type and amount of tissue connecting what should be two separate bones will determine how much motion will be allowed where the joint would normally be.

While some coalitions may never cause any problems and go unnoticed, others can cause severe foot pain, stiffness, muscle spasm and foot deformity.  Some of the symptoms of a foot bone coalition can resemble the normal pains of post-playtime soreness with aching, and fatigue.  These symptoms are brought about by activity, and thus kids with lower activity levels may remain asymptomatic and undiagnosed.   The bones involved in a coalition can be identified by matching up the normal time the bones are ossifying with the onset of symptoms.  For example, a child who develops the foot pain and joint stiffness around three to five years of age would have a coalition between the talus and navicular bones as a possible diagnosis. 

Luckily, the most common congenital coalition in a child’s foot is typically not painful and is a fusion of the two bones that make up the fifth or “pinky” toe.  However, common coalitions that occur in the tarsal bones will cause symptoms in an active child.  Fusion of the talus and calcaneus, or heel bone, is the most common of the tarsal coalitions.  The subtalar joint, which is located between these two bones, requires mobility in each phase of walking or running and a coalition of the talus and calcaneus will limit that mobility.  When movement necessary for normal ambulation becomes limited, the body will try to force through the motion, causing pain, or will make changes to work around the need for that movement, causing deformity.  Commonly, with the talus-calcaneus coalition, overpronation will be part of the deformity and the child may appear flat footed. 

Early identification of these symptoms can result in earlier treatment and improved quality of life for the affected child.  Whether the coalition is congenital or has been acquired later in life as a result of osteoarthritis wear and tear or a fracture within the joint, a visit to your podiatrist can help relieve pain and work towards allowing your feet to function in the best way 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 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

Halloween can be a rough time of year for children with diabetes as well as for parents trying to keep their kids healthy.  Several Columbus area dentists and doctors have made efforts to give more options to keep Halloween healthy and fun for diabetic kids.  A local dentist’s office has offered to buy candy from kids after Halloween for $1 per pound to then be donated to Operation Gratitude which then gives the candy to troops overseas.  

Type 2 diabetes typically develops later in life than type I diabetes, but is becoming more common in children.  This increase in diabetes in kids has been linked to the increase in childhood obesity.  While type 2 diabetes has a genetic component, individuals who are overweight or do not exercise are at a greatly increased risk of developing the disease.  In this sense, while walking house to house may provide good exercise for kids, the excessive consumption of candy should be avoided. 

People with both types of diabetes often develop nervous system disease with loss of sensation in their foot.   When sensation is lost in the foot, people may develop injuries without being able to feel any pain and continue to cause further damage to their tissues.  This is why it is critical for diabetic patients perform regular self-foot exams and have complete checkups with their podiatrist.  These areas where sensation is lost are typically where ulcers develop and can lead to amputation. 

While diabetic ulcers are not often seen in children’s feet, it is important to take preventative measures to avoid serious diabetic disease changes that increase the risk of ulcers later in life.   One good preventative measure to start with during the Halloween season is to avoid excessive sugar consumption.  The more extremely elevated, or uncontrolled a diabetic individual’s blood sugar is, the higher their “HbA1C” values are.  The HbA1C indicates an excess amount of sugar that gets “stuck” to hemoglobin, the molecule that transports oxygen to tissues.  When the HbA1C is elevated, there is a much higher risk of developing problems with blood vessels, leading to diseases including high blood pressure and problems with the retina of the eye.   By not eating too much sugar and getting a lot of exerciseat Halloween and all year, kids with and without diabetes will be sure to have a scary good time keeping their feet healthy!

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

While parents of kids in the Olentangy and Dublin City school districts around our offices at Columbus Podiatry & Surgery prepare for back to school, there is one item that is sure to make every child’s wish list for starting the fall looking their best: new shoes. While getting the best price and shoes that look “cool” for your kids are certainly factors when making a purchase, the health of your child’s feet need to be priority number one. 

One of the most important parts for a child’s shoe is to make sure that the shoe fits correctly.  Because feet grow so quickly, it is very important to have both feet measured every time new shoes are purchased as a child is still developing.  Most stores selling children’s shoes have what is called a Brannock device that not only measures the length of the foot from heel to toe, but also the width of the foot and the length of the foot from the heel to the ball, which is actually the most important determinant in foot size.  Once the foot size is measured, this provides a general guide to what shoe size to try. Foot size and shoe size may not always be the same because different shoe companies’ sizes may vary.  Check to make sure the toes are not hitting the front of the toe box and that the ball, or widest part of the foot, lines up with the widest part of the shoe.  These simple measures can prevent painful foot problems for your child such as black toenails and calluses.  A properly fitting shoe also allows bones that are still growing and ossifying to develop in the correct position and prevent foot and ankle deformities.  More problematic feet may require orthotics or braces and a shoe with laces versus a slip-on should then be selected to accommodate these devices. 

Hand me downs and online purchasing for back to school shoes may seem like an enticing idea to any bargain hunter; however these practices should also be generally avoided.  Hand me downs can be problematic not only because of the possibility of foot fungus spreading, but also because the cushioned insole portion of the shoe tends to mold to the shape of the foot of the initial wearer.  When a younger sibling or other hand me down shoe “receiver” then wears the shoes, they will not mold to their foot shape and may lack support and cushioning in areas where it is needed.  Online shoe shopping does not provide the opportunity to make sure that shoes fit appropriately on a foot that may have grown a size or two since the last shoe purchase; so make sure the retailer has a good return policy just in case!

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 near Powell. Looking for a podiatrist in Dublin, OH? Columbus Podiatry & Surgery's foot doctors are now in Dublin!

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia