Was just flicking through some info on footwear and stumbled this for women who wear high heels. It kind of has a 'if you can't beat 'em, join'em' feel about it. ;-)
"The ‘G’ Factor: Glamour, Glide, Guide and Give
Ask any woman…high heels are an essential part of the wardrobe – they make your legs look longer, bottom smaller and can convert you from a drab ‘shopper’ to a diva ‘spectacular’ and no podiatrist would dare to tell you otherwise!
However, ‘high’ heels can become ‘killer’ heels causing problems ranging from blisters, corns and calluses to serious foot, knee and back pain. But as it’s a party essential, rather than wagging the finger in caution, we are offering words of wisdom to help you and your feet.
Lucky for all divas, Podiatrists have discovered the ‘G’ Factor of High Heels, offering four easy tips to help women enjoy wearing high heels without damaging their feet:
Glamour – Let high heels give you that extra ‘sparkle’ and save wearing them only for glamorous, special occasions. Try limit wearing them to around three to eight hours, and the height of heels, even for the most ‘A-list’ of events, shouldn’t be so high you have trouble walking! For everyday wear, heel height shouldn’t be more than 4–5 cm’s.
Glide – Don’t look like you’re rushing to catch a bus…. slow down, take smaller steps and shorten your stride when wearing high heels. Put the heel down first and glide! Not only will this minimize damage to your feet, but will give you that sexy high-heel wiggle! In fact, Lady Di wore low heels as her long legs and slender frame didn’t allow her to wear high-heels and glide elegantly.
Guide – Let the experts guide you into buying the right size shoe. 90 % of patients wear shoes that are too small. Sizes vary according to the brand and style, so, be sure to have shoes correctly fitted and check that there is up to ½ inch of space in the shoe beyond the longest toe and that the shoes are not too narrow. Also, nip any foot related problems in the bud to avoid them getting worse and before they impact on your lifestyle - use the guidance of experts such as your local podiatrist for advice.
Give – Give your feet some extra special attention during, and after wearing high heels. Exercise the calf, heel and foot muscles by stretching them out to increase circulation and help them relax – you can even do it whilst standing at the bar waiting for a drink! Give your feet a moisturizing massage when you get home (after bathing!) to again help your foot muscles relax and put back some of the essential moisture you lose wearing backless, or open-toe heels.
“Forget the X factor, look out here comes the G factor!” says TV fashion expert and stylist to the stars, John Scott.
“All women love their heels, they look better, they walk better and most importantly they feel better.... so why do we abuse our feet so much? After all, we have facials and manicures and massages to look after the rest of our body so now lets all do the G's to look after our feet. Glamour...glide...guide and give will be the new mantra for the new year...so come on ladies put the spring back into your step and follow these simple but oh so effective tips”.
Women’s love affair with high heels means they are never going to go out of fashion. However, following Podiatrists’ four simple ‘G’ Factor tips means all women can experience and enjoy high heels!"
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Spring and Running
First time runners, more likely to ignore foot and ankle pain, are at higher risk of injury, For the past 28 years, we have cared for runners' feet at the finish line of some of the most difficult races in the country, including the Las Vegas. We see injuries from sprains to blisters to shin splints, always more common in beginner or average runners.
Beginning or average runners take nearly twice as long to finish the same course and also tend to weigh more than experienced runners, leading to more stress on feet and ankles.
"Because the legs, feet and ankles bear up to one million pounds of pressure during one hour of strenuous activity, they are most vulnerable to injury. We can not over emphasize the need for strength training to prevent injury.
However, if an injury should occur, we advise our patients to "PRICE" the injury; that is, treat the affected area with protection, rest, ice, compressive wraps and elevation. Any ankle or foot injury with pain and swelling beyond 24 hours should be checked out by a podiatric physician.
Beginner runners should listen to the signals their bodies give them and adjust their routines accordingly. "If the 'weekend warrior' gets hurt, he might have to give up running altogether," he said. "Err on the side of caution."
Beginning or average runners take nearly twice as long to finish the same course and also tend to weigh more than experienced runners, leading to more stress on feet and ankles.
"Because the legs, feet and ankles bear up to one million pounds of pressure during one hour of strenuous activity, they are most vulnerable to injury. We can not over emphasize the need for strength training to prevent injury.
However, if an injury should occur, we advise our patients to "PRICE" the injury; that is, treat the affected area with protection, rest, ice, compressive wraps and elevation. Any ankle or foot injury with pain and swelling beyond 24 hours should be checked out by a podiatric physician.
Beginner runners should listen to the signals their bodies give them and adjust their routines accordingly. "If the 'weekend warrior' gets hurt, he might have to give up running altogether," he said. "Err on the side of caution."
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Fashion conscious must weigh high-heeled hazards
Does looking chic leave your feet screaming for help? Listen to them -- not fashion pundits – for a change, says a foot and ankle expert.
wearing a two-inch heel subjects the ball of your foot to 50 percent more pressure than flat shoes. High-heeled shoes do not usually have a foot-friendly design.
High heels can cause bunions, hammer toes and neuromas — problems accounting for more than a billion dollars a year in healthcare costs.
When considering high-heeled shoes:
Don't choose a shoe based on its marked size; sizes vary among types of shoes and brands.
Select a shoe similar to the shape of your foot.
Try on high heels at the end of the day when your feet are at their biggest.
The shorter the heel, the better.
Limit wearing high heels to special occasions.
Make sure your heel fits comfortably within the shoe with minimal slippage.
In other words, put your best foot forward by lending an ear to those podiatric pleas. Your feet will thank you for listening.
wearing a two-inch heel subjects the ball of your foot to 50 percent more pressure than flat shoes. High-heeled shoes do not usually have a foot-friendly design.
High heels can cause bunions, hammer toes and neuromas — problems accounting for more than a billion dollars a year in healthcare costs.
When considering high-heeled shoes:
Don't choose a shoe based on its marked size; sizes vary among types of shoes and brands.
Select a shoe similar to the shape of your foot.
Try on high heels at the end of the day when your feet are at their biggest.
The shorter the heel, the better.
Limit wearing high heels to special occasions.
Make sure your heel fits comfortably within the shoe with minimal slippage.
In other words, put your best foot forward by lending an ear to those podiatric pleas. Your feet will thank you for listening.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
MARCH MADNESS
Going to take some time off to watch some great Basketball games. Will continue with more great foot information later this month... Have a great Week
Dr. Ted
Dr. Ted
Monday, March 10, 2008
Podiatrists can plump you up for stilettos
If you've ever wondered, enviously, how celebrity and fashion-tribe women manage to strut red carpets for hours in sky-high stilettos, here's one possible secret: collagen injections in the balls or heels of their feet.
Yes, the shoe-obsessed are padding their padding to continue their footwear obsession. Collagen or hyaluronic acid (brand name Restylane) can plump up feet the way it plumps up faces.
"It's the procedure of choice right now," says Dr. Cohen, He says he has discussed plumping up scores of famous feet (no names, please, we're doctors), as well as ordinary mortals, with Restylane. "It's temporary — six to nine months — but it helps with high-heel mules when you're putting a lot of weight on the ball of the foot."
Alas, yet another sore sign of aging: After 40, foot padding starts to go. Still, even young and skinny women want extra upholstery down there: Heels magnify weight load on the tootsies.
. No surprise: It isn't covered by insurance.
Yes, the shoe-obsessed are padding their padding to continue their footwear obsession. Collagen or hyaluronic acid (brand name Restylane) can plump up feet the way it plumps up faces.
"It's the procedure of choice right now," says Dr. Cohen, He says he has discussed plumping up scores of famous feet (no names, please, we're doctors), as well as ordinary mortals, with Restylane. "It's temporary — six to nine months — but it helps with high-heel mules when you're putting a lot of weight on the ball of the foot."
Alas, yet another sore sign of aging: After 40, foot padding starts to go. Still, even young and skinny women want extra upholstery down there: Heels magnify weight load on the tootsies.
. No surprise: It isn't covered by insurance.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Gecko Feet!
The gecko is one of nature's most agile acrobats, able to scoot up a wall or cling upside-down by a single toe. Now scientists are mimicking the gravity-defying pattern on the bottom of the lizard's feet to create a new kind of surgical bandage.
Geckos have millions of hair-like structures on each foot pad, which allow them to "stick" on smooth surfaces, even glass.
Inspired by the feet of the agile little reptile, researchers at Harvard-MIT used nanotechnology to mould a similar pattern for a bandage, covered with tiny pillars each 100 times finer than a human hair.
It's not the first time that a gecko-like tape has been made. What's different about this one is that it's got a sugar-based adhesive to keep it firmly in place -- and its inventors think that could usher in a new means of repairing tears in organs and other tissues from surgery or injury. While surgeons have sutures and staples to make repairs, they are not always the best option for certain operations. There is a great need for an easy-to-use adhesive tape that could either replace sutures and staples in some cases, or augment them in others.
Geckos have millions of hair-like structures on each foot pad, which allow them to "stick" on smooth surfaces, even glass.
Inspired by the feet of the agile little reptile, researchers at Harvard-MIT used nanotechnology to mould a similar pattern for a bandage, covered with tiny pillars each 100 times finer than a human hair.
It's not the first time that a gecko-like tape has been made. What's different about this one is that it's got a sugar-based adhesive to keep it firmly in place -- and its inventors think that could usher in a new means of repairing tears in organs and other tissues from surgery or injury. While surgeons have sutures and staples to make repairs, they are not always the best option for certain operations. There is a great need for an easy-to-use adhesive tape that could either replace sutures and staples in some cases, or augment them in others.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Pedometers help people lose weight
Walking can help people lose weight, especially if they use a pedometer to make sure they are going far enough, U.S. researchers reported people who added 20 to 40 minutes of walking a day lost a small but steady amount of weight, the team at the University of Michigan found.
"The increase in physical activity can be expected to result in health benefits that are independent of weight loss," said Dr. Caroline Richardson, who led the study.
"Increasing physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems, lowers blood pressure and helps dieters maintain lean muscle tissue when they are dieting."
Writing in the Annals of Family Medicine, Richardson and colleagues said they reviewed nine studies involving 307 men and women. They took part in studies of pedometer use that ranged from four weeks to a year.
The volunteers in all the studies but one lost some weight -- about 0.1 pound (0.05 kg) a week on average, Richardson's team found. She found that the weight loss was "remarkably consistent" across all of the studies.
Over a year this added up to five pounds (2.25 kg). Changing eating habits could help even more, Richardson said.
People were able to add between 2,000 steps per day to more than 4,000 steps per day. For the average person, 2,000 steps equals about a mile.
"The increase in physical activity can be expected to result in health benefits that are independent of weight loss," said Dr. Caroline Richardson, who led the study.
"Increasing physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems, lowers blood pressure and helps dieters maintain lean muscle tissue when they are dieting."
Writing in the Annals of Family Medicine, Richardson and colleagues said they reviewed nine studies involving 307 men and women. They took part in studies of pedometer use that ranged from four weeks to a year.
The volunteers in all the studies but one lost some weight -- about 0.1 pound (0.05 kg) a week on average, Richardson's team found. She found that the weight loss was "remarkably consistent" across all of the studies.
Over a year this added up to five pounds (2.25 kg). Changing eating habits could help even more, Richardson said.
People were able to add between 2,000 steps per day to more than 4,000 steps per day. For the average person, 2,000 steps equals about a mile.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Using Flower Power To Fight Foot Woes
A common flower that helps wipe out garden insects has also shown promise in eradicating stubborn warts, according to preliminary research.
Marigold Therapy, a line of creams, ointments, tinctures and oils developed and patented by a London Podiatrist, contain extracts of several types of the marigold plant. Marigold has been used for nearly 30 years in the United Kingdom to treat a variety of foot issues, including bunions, tendonitis, plantar faciitis, fungal infections and verrucae, commonly known as plantar warts.
The use of plants for medicinal purposes — offers patients who had HIV, as an alternative treatment for the small skin lesions called verrucae. The treatments AHAVE either cleared or greatly reduced the number and size of the warts in four to six sessions, after other treatments had failed to do so.
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