New Information for Painful FlatFeet

(Ivanhoe Newswire)-- Have you ever experienced the pain of flat feet? New insight may help millions of Americans who suffer from the painful condition.

Thanks to a team at the University of East Anglia a recent discovery was made that may help doctors understand what may be the cause of adult-acquired flat feet.

Flat feet are most common in women over 40 and are often left undiagnosed and untreated. Adult-acquired flat feet are caused from 'stretching out' a tendon that stabilizes the foot arch near the ankle bone called the tibialis posterior tendon.

Risks of flat feet include obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Although the main cause of the actual stretching of the tendon is unknown, speculation that standing while wearing heels, or walking for long periods of time may be the cause.

Working with surgeons and scientists at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, and the University of Bristol, the team showed that the structure and composition of tendon specimens had changed and found evidence of increased activity of some proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes can break down the constituents of the tibialis posterior tendon and weaken it – causing the foot arch to fall.

"Our study may have important therapeutic implications since the altered enzyme activity could be a target for new drug therapies in the future," Dr. Graham Riley, author of the Arthritis Research UK at UEA's School of Biological Sciences, was quoted as saying.

Further research is needed to find which specific proteolytic enzymes should be targeted and whether people could be genetically predisposed to tendon injuries of this type. New treatments could be 10-15 years away and the findings could lead to new drug therapy for flat feet and other common tendon conditions.

SOURCE: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, January 11, 2012

At InMotion Foot and Ankle, we have found a great solution for flatfeet caused by Posterior Tibial Tendon disfunction, we use a combination of ankle bracing, Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) with injection of moralized amniotic membrane and fluid, followed by aggressive home therapy.

Give us a call or go to ZocDoc.com and make an appointment with Dr. Bruce Werber

InMotion Foot & Ankle Specialists Dr. Bruce Werber 10900 N. Scottsdale Road Suite 604 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 480-948-2111 www.InMotionFootandAnkle.com inmotionfootandankle@gmail.com

Not the Deadliest Catch

Not the Deadliest Catch

Today we’ll stray from the normal, fairly familiar foot issues to take a look at a relatively
rare cause of complications in podiatric medicine, that is, unless you’re a fisherman.

Catfish are the fifth most popular fish in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, there are over
3,000 different species of catfish worldwide, many of which are venomous to humans.
The feline-like fish possess venom glands in their “armpits” (the area just behind their
front gills), as well as glands in their dorsal fin (the one on top) and the pectoral fin
barbels (the fins on the sides). The fins are made of sharp teeth that can cut deep into
your skin, allowing for extensive tissue exposure and better absorption of the venom.
Again, soft-tissue infections caused by catfish envenomation are very uncommon to the
everyday podiatric medical office, but they do occur.

In the medical literature, most reported cases involve people stepping on, dropping or
kicking catfish and having a portion of the spine or fins embedded into their foot. Should
this ever happen to you, symptoms will include pain, redness, swelling, muscle twitches,
electric shocks and possible tissue death.

Due to the large diversity of the species, there is no definitive treatment regimen for
catfish stings. The most common treatments would include local wound care, removal of
any foreign bodies and antibiotic therapy.

The most important lesson to take away from this strange scenario is should you ever
find yourself stung or pierced by a catfish, whether at a farmers market or on the open
sea, don’t delay medical treatment. You should see your doctor immediately! Happy
Sailing!

InMotion Foot & Ankle Specialists
Dr. Bruce Werber
10900 N. Scottsdale Road
Suite 604
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
480-948-2111
www.InMotionFootandAnkle.com
inmotionfootandankle@gmail.com

silicon implant for painful foot lesions

Injectable silicone (Corns, calluses, metatarsalgia)

Since we spend a large portion of our day upright, the bottom (plantar aspect) of our feet can experience a great deal of pressure. When you walk briskly, jog or run, your feet may experience greater than two times your total body weight. Many people often suffer from pain on the bottoms of their feet after prolonged periods of standing or walking. They may also experience painful corns or calluses of the feet which prevent them from wearing certain shoes or even walking barefoot.

Corns and calluses are formed by the body in response to areas of increased pressure. Increased areas of pressure develop as a result of losing the natural cushioning in your feet and exposing the underlying bone to repetitive stress from the ground called ground reactive forces. Cushioning in the feet is provided by subcutaneous fatty tissue. Subcutaneous fat diminishes as we age and over prolonged periods of continued pressure, similar to the wear on the soles of your tennis shoes. It can also be diminished in patients with diabetes or collagen vascular disease.

To date, there has been no way to replenish this loss of subcutaneous fat in the feet with the exception of injectable medical grade silicone. Inert medical grade silicone in very small amounts can be injected into areas of underlying corns and calluses to help restore a stable subdermal cushion between the skin and the bone. This often helps relieve pain and eliminate the corn or callus.

All drugs and medical devices have some degree of risk and these should be discussed with your physician prior to initiating any treatment regimen. The current level of scientific evidence supporting weight bearing pain relief far outweighs the associated risks.

Check back for a discussion on injectable silicone for use in preventing diabetic foot ulcers.


Bruce Werber DPM, FACFAS
www.arizonafeet.com

InMotion Foot & Ankle Specialists
Dr. Bruce Werber
10900 N. Scottsdale Road
Suite 604
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
480-948-2111
www.InMotionFootandAnkle.com
inmotionfootandankle@gmail.com