Oh, The Places You Can Go (When You Have Healthy Feet)
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2, we went through the library of his titles and found several that can relate to foot health – even if we have to stretch a bit like one of his imaginative creations!
The Cat in the Hat. Starting with the most popular of the Dr. Seuss collection, this story tells the tale of a couple of kids, their sensible fish, and the eponymous hat-wearing feline. You might think it’s hard to draw a connection between this tale and anything in the podiatry world, but consider this – when left unchecked, foot and ankle problems can escalate until they become quite the mess that needs to be cleaned up.
In the story, the cat ultimately uses a fantastic device to handle the job.
In the real world, Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates can resolve your podiatric woes!
Horton Hears a Who! Some lifeforms, like elephants for example, are large and easy to spot. As is the case with the Whos Horton hears, others are quite small. In fact, some are outright microscopic – like bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores.
All of those microorganisms can pose a threat to the health of your feet, toenails, and even your whole body. That threat is further ramped up if you have an existing medical condition, like diabetes. This highlights the importance of strategic diabetic foot care!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This holiday classic obviously tells the tale of redemption as the Grinch learns the true meaning of Christmas isn’t a matter of savory feasts, festive decorations, and the coolest presents. His heart becomes enlarged as the Who’s celebrate together, even without having anything.
Now, a foot-related concern we have is with the Grinch’s choice in footwear. His shoes clearly do not offer enough room in the toe box or ample arch support. Remember, your footwear choices play a role in the health and safety of your feet. If you’re ever uncertain about which kinds are best for you, contact us and ask our foot experts!
Fox in Socks. This particular Dr. Seuss book might be all about tongue twisters, but socks are underrated when we think about their importance for foot health. Three quick considerations about socks:
- If you have diabetes, you must be careful and wear proper diabetic socks.
- As with shoes, fit matters (since socks that are too loose can contribute to blisters).
- Choose moisture-wicking socks to reduce your risk of fungal and bacterial infections, and funky odor.
The Foot Book. There’s simply no way around it, if you have foot issues, you need to see a real doctor. Specifically, a podiatrist. Not sure how to tell a podiatrist from any other kind of doctor? Just look for the DPM! This stands for Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.
Fun fact: Dr. Seuss was not an actual doctor – he was attending Oxford University to pursue a PhD when the woman who would become his first wife encouraged him to give up becoming an English teacher and instead pursue drawing as a career. The rest, as they say, is history.
I Am Not Going to Get Up Today! Rest can certainly have its role in foot health, and especially when it comes to injury recovery. Now, with that being said, it is so important to your wellbeing—for your feet and otherwise—that you lead an active lifestyle.
Regular exercise improves your cardiovascular system, contributes to stronger bones and muscles, and can help manage your weight (which reduces the amount of force your feet endure throughout the day).
If you have not been active for some time and are thinking about starting this healthy habit, make sure you consult with our office and your primary care physician first!
Green Eggs and Ham. Before we jump into how this story relates to foot health, here’s a quick fun fact: Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham to win a bet. The Cat in the Hat used only 225 different words and he was bet that he couldn’t write a book with less than that. He won the bet by writing this one with only 50 different words!
Now, whereas there are definitely healthy “greens” you should include in your diet, we’re not sure eggs and ham ought to be that color. It is incredibly important to make sure you consume a proper diet for the health and wellbeing of your lower limbs – and especially if you have a condition like diabetes or gout.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Plain and simple, if you want to go places in life, you need healthy feet and ankles to take you there. Our team can resolve problems if they arise, but it’s even better to use preventive care and avoid issues from developing in the first place. Stretching, daily hygiene, proper nail trimming, and wearing activity appropriate shoes that fit well are all good starting points. If you need additional suggestions, ask our team.
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? We want to finish with this one because, at the end of the day, we know that we are the lucky ones. Why is that? Well, it’s because we have amazing patients and it feels good to know the treatment we provide help you and your loved ones stay active and have options in life.
Dr. Seuss and Heel Pain
Heel pain is a common problem, but that doesn’t mean it is something to be ignored – and we think Dr. Seuss would agree!
Taking some liberty with Green Eggs and Ham, keep the following in mind:
You don’t want heel pain on a boat.
You don’t want heel pain with a goat.
You don’t want heel pain in the rain.
You don’t want heel pain on a train.
Now, at the end of Dr. Seuss’ poem, the narrator gives in and tries the green eggs and ham, only to find out that he actually likes them. We’ve treated many patients at HFAA and can assure you this – no one likes heel pain (not even in a box or with a fox!).
So, the moral of the story is this:
If you have a hurting heel,
And you do not wish to feel
Any pain when you run or walk,
Come to see us and let’s talk!
It would have totally messed up our awesome rhyme, but the truth is that you should come see us for a professional diagnosis and effective treatment plan no matter which foot or ankle condition is plaguing you.
Whereas heel pain is especially common, there are a slew of conditions and injuries that can affect your lower limbs.
Even issues that aren’t necessarily painful—like a case of fungal toenails—should still be treated. And with regards to toenail fungus, we provide advanced laser therapy that is safe and highly effective. If you’re tired of looking down and seeing embarrassing, unsightly discoloration from a fungal infection, give us a call!