When someone decides to have bunion surgery, a lot of fears can run through their head.  Bunion surgery comes with a lot of myths: it’s painful, the bunions return, you will need casts or crutches, you need to take off work, and finally it can leave awful scars.  I am going to address some of these common concerns for you below.

Bunion surgery is just as painful as any other surgery.  The only real reason one might feel it is more painful would be the location of the foot to the heart.  Your feet are below heart level. Therefore, blood flow can increase in this area, which can cause the foot to continuously throb.  One way to alleviate this pain would be to keep your foot elevated.

While bunion surgery is highly effective and most patients are happy with the outcome, nothing in life is guaranteed.  Bunions may return over time and has nothing to do with the surgery not being completed properly. Also, since technology has greatly improved over the last decade, surgery no longer requires casts or crutches. Patients can simply walk in a surgical boot after surgery.   

Another myth we commonly hear is that you will have to take off work.  Unless your job requires heavy lifting, walking or standing for long periods of time; taking off extensive work time isn’t necessary.  Like any other surgery, you will be able to return to a desk job within two weeks, depending on the doctor’s approval.

Finally, bunion surgery will not give you any more of an ugly scar than any other surgery.  This is all part of the healing process and certain creams can help reduce the appearance of these marks.  With technology today, scars are becoming much smaller due to the size of the incisions.   

Bunion surgery, just like any surgery, has its share of myths. Take the time to sort out what is truth vs. myth for your particular problem. One excellent way to get your facts straight is to visit Dr. Lockwood. Please come see us here at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates to discuss your bunion further. 

Biotin is a B-complex vitamin, also known as vitamin B-7, H, or B. Biotin is very important to your overall health and especially important when it comes to your nails!

I recently read in Allure magazine that all the top models take Biotin to nourish their hair, skin, and nails for overall health and beauty. This is why so many beauty products include Biotin. It is quite useful while trying to stay young and gorgeous!

Biotin is great for energy and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that the body does not store it. In order to really see the beneficial qualities of Biotin, you have to take it every day for about 3 months.

In my line of work, Biotin is very important. I can see some very brittle and damaged nails. I always recommend to my clients that they get the proper dose of Biotin to strengthen their nails.

If they are not getting enough Biotin at home, at least they can get some help from their pedicure. Dr.’s Remedy already has vitamins built in to fortify and strengthen your nails. Stop by to Healing Steps Spa and we can look over your nail care needs together!

Most of us have a friend, sibling or perhaps even a child who can clear out a room the moment they take their shoes off. I know I've thrown out countless pairs of ballerina shoes because after a certain amount of time, they acquired a strong odor. It happens to the best of us, but why?

The main thing that feeds foot smell is sweat. Did you know that each one of our feet has over 250,000 sweat glands? In a single day, each foot can produce more than a pint of sweat! That's a lot!

Sweat is basically just salt and water, so it's important to take note that (contrary to popular belief) sweat has NO distinct smell! The smell is actually caused by bacteria on our skin that eats the sweat and excretes waste that has a strong odor. It's perfectly normal to have bacteria on your skin and it does not ordinarily produce a noticeable smell. However, sweat attracts bacteria and gives them a whole lot to feed on.

Of course we sweat all over -- our hands have a comparable number of sweat glands, and most of the rest of our body doesn't particularly stink (the armpits being a pretty obvious exception). So what's different about our feet?

The answer is our socks and shoes. The sweat our feet excrete can't easily escape into the air like the sweat our hands excretes -- it all collects on our skin and in our socks. The bacteria love this dark, damp feast and have a sort of "buffet." When you take off your shoes, the smell that hits you is all the bacteria excretion that's collected on your feet and in your socks and shoes.

The main reason some people's feet (or more precisely, some people's socks and shoes) smell worse than others is the fact that they simply sweat more. This is just one of the many variable physiological qualities of human beings. This is also why sometimes your feet smell much worse than at other times, it just depends on how much you sweat.

Here at HFAA we have the perfect remedy for the stinky feet epidemic. For excessively sweaty feet, we recommend our patients use Gordon's No. Five Spray Foot Powder. It helps stop perspiration, odor and as a bonus -it relieves hot and tired feet!

Now, if we already have stinky feet and we want to make sure that the bacteria isn't being collected over night in our tennis shoes, we recommend our patients to use Mycomist. Mycomist is a spray that you put in your tennis shoes at night that not only works as a deodorant but also sanitizes our shoes and boots to avoid fungus growth!

Make sure you call 309-661-9975 or come into Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates to ask about these products, especially with summer just around the corner! 

I have a lot of patients who are athletes.  I love treating athletes because they are so in tune with their bodies and they are very open to keeping themselves as healthy as possible.  After watching the NCAA tournament and seeing Louisville player Kevin Ware have that horrible fracture, I investigated his injury further.  There is a LOT of speculation that he may have had a pre-existing stress fracture in his leg that contributed to his compound fracture during the Final Four. 

This week I have had the unfortunate situation where 3 athletes presented with various stress fractures in their feet.  All three are training competitively and all are working hard to heal as quickly as possible to get back in the game.  I wanted to share with you some signs and symptoms of a stress fracture and how we treat them to hopefully avoid Kevin’s unfortunate injury.

Signs and Symptoms:
 

1.     Pain with exercise or pain when you try to increase your duration/intensity/distance.

2.     Pain will usually go away with rest.

3.     Swelling will occur if you continue to exercise on the injured extremity.

4.     In the feet, they usually occur in the metatarsal bones (right behind the toes).

Stress fractures happen to 1) bone that is weak or 2) bone that is excessively overused. 

How do we treat stress fractures:
 

1.     REST.  An athlete’s worst nightmare, but resting that extremity will help in letting the bone heal and become stronger so you can get back into your activity faster. 

2.     ICE.  Icing the area at least 2-3 times/day will decrease inflammation and swelling.

3.     COMPRESSION.  We like walking boots.  They keep your foot safe and out of inappropriate shoes and remind you (and everyone else!) that you are nursing an injury.  These types of breaks heal and feel better quickly, so protecting and compressing the injured extremity will keep you from reinjuring it!

4.     EVERYTHING ELSE.  We sometimes order an MRI to determine the soft tissue damage and how affected the bone shaft is.  I will also recommend that activities (running, basketball, etc) stop for at least 2-6 weeks (depending on how well you respond to 1-3 above!!) and go back into the activity very gradually.

With patience and the appropriate game plan, you can get back at it much more quickly!  If you are concerned about pain while you are running or playing a sport (or your child is complaining of that as well), please call our office at 309-661-9975 for a consultation!  We want to keep you in the game!!  You can also visit our website at www.heartlandfootandankle.com for more information on our practice and how to protect those feet while exercising!  

I have been an athlete my whole life. I really enjoy being active; whether it is at the gym, dancing to Zumba, sand volleyball, bike riding with the husband, or playing tennis. Anything goes when it comes to my fitness. As long as I am moving and having fun, that is all that matters.

However, one thing I have noticed from all these activities is the fact that my feet really take a beating. The constant use causes my feet to build up calluses and become quite rough. I don’t have time for a pedicure every week, so the best option I have found is an at home Foot Scrubber.

The Foot Scrubber we recommend in the office is a terra-cotta pumice by Gilden Tree. This tool is easy to use and works incredibly well on dry skin and calluses. The scrubber is handcrafted, sun-dried, and kiln-fired so it never wears out. All you have to do is wet your feet, apply a cleanser, and gently scrub using the rough side to remove any imperfections. After the dry skin and calluses are removed, use the polishing side of the scrubber to buff and smooth your feet. Once you have rinsed and dried off, you can really keep those feet moisturized and soft by applying a Nourishing Foot Cream (also by Gilden Tree).

My favorite time to really focus on my foot care is during a bath. I keep the scrubber near me and after I have taken some time to relax and soak, I will start scrubbing my feet. Once you make proper foot care a priority, it can be very simple to maintain.