When gift giving, I pride myself on finding the most perfect gift- you know, something that the receiver didn’t even know they wanted (or needed) until they open it. This can be quite a chore at times and I can spend hours on end searching for these items. With only a few weeks left before Christmas I find myself frantically trying to finish up my holiday shopping. One gift I still need is a grab bag gift.

Every year my extended family does a grab bag where every person brings a gift and then we draw numbers to see who gets to choose a gift first. The next person in line can then steal any gifts that have already been opened or choose an unopened item from the grab bag items. If they decide to steal an open gift the person they steal it from gets to take another turn and either steals a gift or chooses from the unopened pile. As you can imagine, this family tradition can get pretty intense as each person is vying for the best prize. Each gift can only be “stolen” up to 3 times. This swapping frenzy continues until everyone has a gift, so as you can imagine some years this has taken hours…

Each year my goal is to bring a gift that anyone would like (easier said than done, right?!). I prefer that my gift is one of the most popular gifts, or one that is stolen the most throughout the grab bag process. This year I decided to put together a basket of Heartland Foot and Ankle products to pamper my gift recipient’s feet. My favorite item will be included: a foot roller that massages tired feet, loosens up tight muscles, helps with inflammation, and relives pain! Anyone can use it- its small enough to fit in a purse, bring on trips in the car, plane, or train, or even use while seated at your desk.  Also included will be a BioFreeze roll on to relieve all their aches and pains, hands-free.  This will be great for many of my Aunts and Uncles who suffer from arthritis and joint pain.  There will be a pair of aertex copper sole socks because many of my family members have sweaty smelly feet.  These socks naturally wick away sweat and they’re anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.   Aloe Grand Crème will hydrate their skin and lock in moisture, with vitamins A and E as well as aloe vera. My other favorite, Dr. Remedy’s nail polish, will be included in Focus Fuchsia, a very popular color that looks great on fingers or toes.  Among all of the candles, martini glasses, and cocoa mixes, there will be on very unique basket of fabulous foot fixers that anyone is sure to enjoy!

Last year citizens around the world watched as Chilean miners were trapped underground for days.  The mine that imprisoned the workers is located deep in a desert in Chile, South America, one of the driest and harshest regions on earth.  The buried men, who became known as "Los 33" ("The 33"), were trapped 2,300 ft underground.  In addition to the obvious threats- dehydration and starvation- these miners were victim to another hazard that many would not automatically think of...

These miners were victim to a very warm and humid setting, which is an ideal environment for fungi and bacteria to flourish in.  Thirty six days after being trapped, all the miners received socks with copper in them to protect and eliminate fungi, bacteria, and odor.  If the miners had no protection, they would have likely ended up with severe infections causing pain, itchiness, discoloration, perspiration, and irritation.  Both their skin and nails were at risk for infection.       

All miners emerged from the tragedy with clean feet, free of bacterial and fungal infections despite the damp humid environment.  Dr. Juan Carlos Mellibovsky, head of the dermatology department at the Copiapo Regional Hospital, had the following to say:

“I was the physician responsible for performing an initial examination and following treatment for each of the 33 miners rescued from the San Jose mine in Chile. I am convinced that these socks containing Cupron technology played a major role in protecting the miner’s feet from developing fungal and bacterial infections.”

Here at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates, we are proud to carry the product that protected the Chilean 33 from dangerous infections.  Our Aetrex copper sole socks are unsurpassed in comfort, performance, and protection, as proven by this valiant story.  Copper sole technology has been lab tested and clinically proven to help prevent bacteria, fungi, and odor as well as improve skin texture and appearance.  The copper ions, which are imbedded in the yarn, are guaranteed to last for the life of the sock regardless of repetitive washes and wear and tear.

To see and purchase the sock that shielded the Chilean 33, stop by Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates.  We carry the copper technology in 5 styles:

1. Athletic, crew or low cut, black or white
2. Non-binding, crew or low cut, black or white
3. Compression, available in 5 different colors
4. Dress, crew or ankle, black, brown, khaki or navy

Click here to see pictures of the miners feet after recovery.

I’ll admit it- I enjoy fashion and keeping up with the latest trends (what girl doesn’t?!). My newest “obsession” is painting my fingernails. I have always polished my toenails in the spring and summer, but recently I have taken to keeping my fingernails pretty also. I like that polished fingernails can be seen year round, unlike your tootsies which are packed away in closed toed shoes in the winter. This past summer my “go to” nail color was electric pink, but in the fall I like to do more neutral and darker shades. Last winter my favorite color was a charcoal gray.

A few weeks ago I was watching a fashion segment on the Today show and was informed by Ann Curry that the hot polish color for this fall was navy blue.  Besides being pleased that I was aware of a hip new trend before all my friends knew about it, I was SUPER excited because Dr.’s Remedy enriched nail polish just came out with Noble Navy- a sea-at-dusk shade that reflects light and brings dimension to tips and toes alike- a.k.a. NAVY BLUE, this fall’s hot color!

As the self-acclaimed fashionista that I am, I didn’t want to sport just 1 polish shade all winter.  I love my old faithful charcoal grey, but it was NOT a Dr.’s Remedy polish, so it contained a bunch of  nasty chemicals that could harm my skin, nails, and even my health.  Lucky for me, Dr.’s Remedy had my NEW favorite shade- Healing Heather Grey. This seductive pewter shade has even more dimension and shine than my old charcoal grey, so I was more than happy with the change. 

I have begun transitioning ALL of my favorite colors to Dr.’s Remedy polish.  I’m excited to announce that along with my old favorites like Purity Pink, Blissful Bronze, and Peaceful Pink Coral, Dr.’s Remedy has a new holiday line filled with seasonal shades to enchant, inspire, and ignite.  They have managed to bottle up holiday cheer with 5 shades that are rich, riveting, and radiant.   

The JOLLY & JOY collection of Enriched Nail Polish includes:
REVIVE Ruby Red: A shimmer-infused, Wizard of Oz-inspired shade of crimson.
SERENE Silver Glitter: A seasonal sizzler like no other; shine, chic, totally unique in
the metallic scene.
RESOLUTION Red Glitter: A red-meets-copper spin that's sequin-look-alike laden
with high-shine and sparkle.
ESSENTIAL Emerald: A take on the classic tree-and-plant-inspired gem of a shade,
with delicate glimmer and unparalleled amounts of glamour.
PASSION Purple: A bombshell-boysenberry with subtle silver meshed throughout.

So Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail polish now has me covered for every season throughout the year!  Stop by Heartland Foot and Ankle today to pick up some holiday cheer that is GOOD for you!

A little over a year ago I became a new mom. When you’re a new parent, everyone always wants to tell you about their parenting techniques, horror stories, and tricks of the trade.  One concern I would continuously hear from these stories is how no one ever liked trimming the newborns fingers or toenails. I was told “Be sure you do it while their sleeping or else you’ll never get it done.” As well as “I was SO nervous to trim their nails I had to have someone else do it!” I had never realized what a fuss toenail trimming could cause.

Sure enough my time came when I had to trim my son’s nails. I was a little anxious at first just due to all the negative comments I had received over the past few months.  But I did indeed trim all of Mason’s nails without any major problems. 

When my son was about 2.5 months old I was hired on as a Medical Assistant at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates. After just one day of assisting Dr. Lockwood with patients, I learned the importance of trimming toenails straight across.  I kept hearing Dr. Lockwood emphasize to her patients that when you trim toenails straight across you are training the nail to grow straight and not curve in, hence lessening the probability of getting ingrown toenails.

Besides improper trimming of toenails, ingrown toenails can also be inherited.  I personally have a history of ingrown toenails and have experienced their pain.  I knew that I wanted to do everything I could to keep from son from dealing with that same pain. 

Just a day or two after learning about ingrown toenails from Dr. Lockwood it was time for my son to have his nails trimmed. As I sat there going slower and meticulously trimming my son’s nails I kept thinking about what Dr. Lockwood had said the few days before:
Okay Natalie- trim straight across to keep your little boy from potential ingrown nails that hurt. 

Mason is a little over a year now and I informed/trained everyone that would potentially be trimming his nails on how to properly do it.  It might take just a little more time, but it is definitely worth decreasing the risk of ingrown toenails.

If you or your child has an ingrown toenail make sure you schedule an appointment immediaty to prevent more pain and possible infection. 

With our students heading back to school, I wanted to highlight a popular sport here in Central Illinois – Soccer!  Many times even our youngest athletes can be susceptible to injury while playing soccer and other high impact sports – especially in their feet!  Below are some common foot injuries and some tips that can help those injuries be easily avoided by our soccer superstars!

Ankle Sprain/Strain – any type of running sport leaves us vulnerable for an ankle sprain.  With soccer, it’s important that an athlete’s cleats are measured frequently for size (see more below!) and are laced properly and tightly to give further support to those growing ankle ligaments!  Sometimes even a soft brace can be worn with the cleats for further support.  If an injury does occur, immediately perform RICE therapy (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) and see a medical professional right away.

Turf Toe/Hematoma – Anytime the cleat meets a soccer ball, you can risk an injury to your toes and toenails.  Most of the time, this manifests as either turf toe – a hyperextension of the toe from the blunt trauma to it, or a hematoma – a collection of blood and fluid under the toenail.  Both of these problems require icing and attention from a podiatrist to prevent further issues.

Fractures – Broken bones are a part of sports.  But do they have to?  If cleats are well fitted and athletes are diligent about proper techniques, this common problem with soccer injuries can be avoided.  Swelling, pain on the top of the foot, bruising, and an inability to bear weight on the foot are all common symptoms of a break.  This does require quick attention to immobilize the area and possible procedures to prevent further injuries may be needed.

With care and consideration, soccer players can easily have a great season!  Just be sure to get fitted for new cleats either every school year OR every six months, depending on how frequently your student is playing their favorite sport!  Hope to see them in the World Cup!

If you or your child has an injury due to soccer or another fall sport, please feel free to contact Dr. Lockwood at 309-661-9975 or DrLockwood@heartlandfootandankle.com.