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!

I am VERY excited for tomorrow - Thursday nights are one of my favorite’s nights of the week! No- not just because it’s right before Friday, but because Project Runway is on!  Each week the designers are faced with a new challenge and must create stunning clothing to meet the needs of that particular challenge.  Regardless of the week’s challenge, one thing always remains the same: high heeled shoes! Stilettos are the shoe of choice for the designers finishing off their winning looks.

This rule almost always applies except for last week’s challenge.  Producer and hostess, Heidi Klum has a New Balance line which includes tennis shoes- YES, one of the healthiest shoes on Earth!  For last week’s challenge, the designers had to create 3 fabulous looks to go with Heidi’s tennis shoes.  As an office manager of a podiatry practice, you can imagine how glad I was to see top-of-the line fashion models modeling sensible shoes for Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. 

Heels are not good for your feet or body!!  1 inch heels can increase the pressure on your feet by 22%, 2 inches can add up to 57%, and 3 inches can add a whopping 76% of pressure. That pressure means toes are crammed into a tight area, and long term results can lead to very painful bunionsor hammertoes.

The price of fashion!
Most women believe a stylish pair of heels can make you look taller, flatter your appearance, and create a stunning silhouette.  But heels may create more harm for a woman’s feet than they’re worth. 

• Achilles tendinitis can be caused by heels.  Heels shorten and tighten calf muscles which lead to painful inflammation of the Achilles tendon at the back of your heel.
• Ankle sprains are common because the narrow heel width can make ankles unstable (many celebs have illustrated this point stunningly such as Lady Gaga falling in 10 inch heels).
• Neuromas, or benigntumors of nerves, can grow between cramped toes. Symptoms may include sharp pain and tingling or numbness of the toes.
• Blisters, corns or calluses can develop because heels disperse your pressure unevenly and your ball of foot is bearing more than its share of weight.
• Lower back pain is another side effect of wearing heels.  Heels force your body to bend forward and your spine bends backwards to compensate. 
•  “Pump bump,” or Hagland’s deformity, is caused by wearing high heels often.

No pain no gain…I don’t think so!
Fashion does not have to be painful.  Ladies- if you just can’t bear to give up your favorite accessory, make a few simple adjustments. Fashion and comfort CAN blend well together if you take the appropriate steps.

• Avoid backless heels because they create muscle strain.
• Save your high heels for special occasions.  Your high heels will make even more of a fashion statement if you save them for special occasions versus wearing them daily. 
• Wear tennis shoes when walking distances.  Bring your heels to change into once you get to where you’re going. 
• Take smaller steps in high heels. Try to avoid platform shoes that have eliminated the heel completely.
• Sport shorter wider heelsto give you more stability, better shock absorption and greater comfort.
• Ice your feet for 10 minutesafter you get home from wearing your heels.

Lastly, if you suffer foot or ankle pain, make an appointment to see Dr. Melissa Lockwood.  With Saturday and evening appointments, you have time for the doctor without missing any fabulous fashion sales!  Try to eliminate high heels in your shoe wardrobe, or make some changes to make your heels more comfy and safe.  In the words of the admirable Tim Gunn- MAKE IT WORK!

With the NFL preseason in full swing, I can’t help but notice as I watch SportsCenter that more and more players are being pulled for injuries.  One interesting statistic is the in the first 10 days of training camp in 2011, TEN PLAYERS ruptured their Achilles tendons!  Is this a result of poor conditioning in the offseason?  It may also be from a tendon that had previous injuries (i.e. playing professional football!) that was weakened for some reason.  Either way, it is a serious injury that MUST be treated immediately.

Typically, the athlete will feel a “popping” sensation when moving either forward or backward from a standing or crouching position.  The sudden force of speed can cause the Achilles to rupture.  The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in our body – but it has some weaknesses!  Most importantly, the Achilles does not have a typical ‘tendon sheath’ that protects it as it glides in the back of the leg and ankle.  The area approximately 2-6cm proximal (toward the knee) to the insertion at the back of the heel bone is especially weak because there is a limited blood supply to that area.  90% of ruptures occur here.

Treatment is surgery – in an athlete, this needs to be performed immediately to minimize swelling and further tissue damage.  After surgery, patient’s must remain non-weightbearing for a minimum of 8 weeks (sometimes sooner IF they are in protective walking casts or in early physical therapy) to allow the tendon to fully heal.  Physical therapy to regain strength and flexibility is also required and should be personalized to each patient and their needs.  In the professional athlete, this will mean significant amounts of therapy for weeks and even months after surgery.

The good news is – this is an injury that can be treated quickly and effectively.  Once rehabilitation is performed, most professional athletes are back on the field within 12 weeks.   So here is hoping that Illinois Alum Mikel LeShoure is back playing for the Detroit Lions as soon as possible (but only after the Lions have lost to the Chicago Bears – my favorite team and NFC North rival! – twice!)

If you have questions about your Achilles tendon, or any sports injury you can call 309-661-9975 or schedule an appointment. If you want to chat sports with Dr. Lockwood you can email her at DrLockwood@heartlandfootandankle.com.