The average person might be wondering, “What does proper foot care have to do with diabetes?” Well, it has been estimated that of the twenty six million Americans living with diabetes, 25% will develop foot problems relating to their disease. Typically, these foot problems develop for various reasons, including poor blood circulation and neuropathy.

Neuropathy is a serious condition that causes pain and numbness in the feet. We pay close attention to diabetic patients with signs of neuropathy because left untreated, serious complications can occur. For instance, a patient with neuropathy is at risk for various cuts, scrapes, and sores since they could hurt themselves and not even know it. We once had a patient present with a nail in his foot and didn’t even know it was there!

Left untreated, diabetics run the risk of ulceration or possibly amputation due to poor circulation and neuropathy. Without proper blood circulation, patients usually see their feet swell and it can take them longer to heal from injuries. Therefore, it is very important for diabetic patients to check their feet daily and take all the necessary preventative foot care measures possible.

A great way to start your proper foot care maintenance is to schedule and appointment with Dr. Lockwood at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates. We have the latest technology to perform your Comprehensive Diabetic Foot Exam and get you in the proper extra-depth shoes to comfortably suit your needs!

The weather is beautiful outside and I am just one of many who love to wear sandals in the spring and summer.  Unfortunately, most conventional sandals offer no support and can actually cause foot problems! Luckily, one of our preferred shoe companies just launched their brand new line of sandals!

Dr. Comfort Shoes now offer 4 beautiful supportive sandals for women.  Each sandal offers a different stylish look.  Exotic textures and classically appointed jewel accessories highlight the women’s styles in Dr. Comfort’s Open Comfort Collection. Each sandal comes with a removable medical grade inserts that can be replaced with a custom orthotic.

Each different style comes in 2 or more different colors.  Color selections include black, brown, red, blue, and even green!  Two Open Comfort Sandals come with a back strap, while the other two styles are open back.  Adjustable foot, ankle, and toe straps assure the perfect fit and accommodate for swelling throughout the day.

Dr. Comfort did not exclude men in this classic collection.  The masculine Greg sandal is a gladiator style sandal with 3 adjustable Velcro straps.  Greg also includes a medical grade insert that can be removed and replaced with custom orthotics.  This stylish masculine sandal is available in 2 colors, black and brown.   

Women sandals are available in sizes 5-11, and men styles are available in sizes 7-14.  All sandals come in a medium/wide width, which is slightly wider than a medium width and slightly narrower than a wide width, providing comfortable all-day wear.

My summer footwear options will certainly be expanded this summer with the Dr. Comfort Open Comfort Collection.  How will you let these stylish new sandals improve your summer wear? Come in to Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates and let us get you in the right pair of shoes!

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!