Often times when people visit the beach their primary health concern (assuming they have any cares besides enjoying themselves) is applying sunblock over the major surfaces of their body-while it certainly seems logical to cover the larger surfaces first, many forget their feet altogether. In fact, we’d go as far to estimate that one would be hard-pressed to find a person who has never had a bad sunburn on the top of their feet given they’ve spent time in the sun at some point.
What’s worse is the mortality rate seen with melanomas of the foot. According to a Medical News Today article, “half of the people who learn they have melanoma of the foot die within five years because the cancer had already spread throughout their body by the time it was diagnosed”. The same reason that people seem to forget to apply sunblock to their feet, may also be the reason why people neglect to perform routine self-examinations on their feet. What podiatrists recommend is that every time you clip your toenails, examine your entire foot, including the web spaces for anything that appears irregular or new. Visit this resource for the criteria on which characteristics prove to be synonymous with cancer.
*Above is an example of a melanoma type on the plantar foot
**The information in this blog is made possible by Dr. Michael Garvin of Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Dr. Garvin has been practicing board certified podiatry for over 20 years, and accepts new patients to his state of the art private practice. For directions and contact information click here.
25.8 million, or 8.3% of the American population (Children & Adults) are currently suffering from Diabetes Mellitus. Awareness and prevention of diabetes mellitus
is finally starting to rise in America, however, the incidence of the
disease is still increasing. With that said, the role of a podiatrist
in a diabetic’s overall health care cannot be understated. To quantify
that; more diabetics die every year due to complications that arise from
diabetically induced ulcers than prostate and breast cancer each.
In 2010, at the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) annual scientific meeting Vicky Driver, MS, DPM introduced a study conducted by Thomson Reuters, showing that care by a podiatric
physician (defined as at least one preventative, pre-ulcer visit) was
associated with a nearly 29 percent lower risk of amputation and 24
percent lower risk of hospitalization.
If you’re a diabetic, and annually visiting a podiatric physician isn't part of your overall health care plan please reconsider this practice. Dr. Michael Garvin
of Port Saint Lucie, Florida has been treating diabetic patients for
over 20 years. He is a board certified podiatric physician and is
accepting new patients. His goal is always to provide the most
comprehensive care possible for diabetic patients as he understands the
pitfalls of miscare for these patients. For information and directions
to his office please click here.
Sources cited: 1.http://www.apma.org/MainMenu/News/New-Study-Proves-Care-by-Podiatrists-Dramatically-Decreases-Lower-Limb-Amputation.aspx2. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/
As
most savvy golfers know, the proper form needed for a smooth, accurate
swing starts from the ground up. Both feet are the contact points
between a golfer’s swing and the ground. Both golfers and podiatrists
agree that a stable base is needed to contact the ball well. What
golfers sometimes don’t recognize is that even minor foot pain can
affect a golfer's entire form, and therefore swing and follow through.
The body's first instinct when pain is encountered is to adapt to the
pain if it’s not immediately alleviated. Golfers will unknowingly try to
adapt to the pain by altering their golf swing to help compensate. In
the short term this can help ease the pain, however this will
drastically reduce the quality of performance. Additionally, it’s a sign
that some kind of foot pathology exists that needs medical attention.
Injuries of the foot that golfers commonly encounter are, but not
limited too; neuromas, arthritis, and fallen arches.
If
you have experienced even minor foot pain, and have noticed a drop off
in your golf game, consider making an appointment to see a podiatrist. Dr. Michael Garvin of Port Saint Lucie, Florida has been practicing board certified podiatry
for over 20 years. He has treated a variety of athletes, including
golfers. For office directions and contact information regarding
appointment scheduling click here.
Sources Cited:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/1005-painfree_golf_swing.htm
The warm weather seems to be here early this year which means that the sandals and flip flops are out and about. Do your feet a favor and don’t skimp on your choice of footwear. Often times people are apt to purchase sandals
based off of looks or costs but fail to remember what is good for their
feet biomechanically, or are simply unaware. If you’re an individual
that has low arches or flat feet,
flip flops put an extra load of stress on the plantar fascia of the
plantar foot. This can cause aching pain in the heels and plantar foot.
If you are experiencing foot pain and frequently wear sandals consider visiting one of Dr. Michael Garvin’s offices of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Dr. Garvin has been analyzing patient’s gaits, and their footwear choices for over 20 years. He can offer you a healthy alternative to keep your feet cool, stylish, and healthy during the warmer months!
According to a recent survey by the American Podiatry Medical Association,
42% of women admitted that they would wear heels they loved in spite of
them being painful to their feet. It’s no secret that many people are
willing to sacrifice comfort for looks. The phrase “beauty is pain” has
been around for decades and hasn’t seemed to wane. High heels are
currently as popular as ever in American fashion, and their average
height has only increased. If women are willing to admit high heels are
often painful, the real issue isn’t a question of if they’re detrimental, but a matter of how detrimental they are. Based off of research by the Journal of Applied Physiology that was featured on the Today Show,
women who routinely wear high heels will actually start to mimic their
high heeled stance while barefoot. This same research has demonstrated
that excessive heel wearing can lead to shortened calf muscle fibers,
exceptionally tight Achilles tendons, and other foot and ankle related
conditions. This opens the door to tendon rupture, muscular pathologies,
and gait abnormalities that can become serious lower extremity health
conditions.
If
you are currently experiencing pain in the calf and or foot and are a
consistent heel wearer, consider visiting a Podiatrist to assess your
lower extremity health. Dr. Michael Garvin of Port Saint Lucie, Florida has been treating patients suffering from lower extremity pain for years. Dr. Garvin
is a board certified Podiatrist that focuses on healing patients, and
preventing future complications. For further information regarding your
feet visit his website here.
Often
times golf isn’t thought of as a sport that puts a substantial amount
of stress on the feet. Golf experts and medical clinicians alike
generally will agree that back and elbow injuries are much more common
in golfers. However, according to a Podiatry Today article
foot injuries may be more common than we realize. Often times golfers
will discredit golf as being the source of their heel or forefoot pain,
however, Dr. Phillip Ward breaks down the phases of the golf swing in
his article on Podiatry Today, and illustrates how substantial the feet
are in a proper golf swing. Upon his review of the proper swing it’s
evident how stress is evenly distributed throughout the body, and how
important the feet are in serving as a functioning platform providing
balance and power throughout the swing. In one study performed,
researchers found that orthotics have the potential to improve a golfers
balance, and actually allow them to drive the ball further.
If you are an avid golfer experiencing foot pain of any kind consider contacting one of Dr. Michael Garvin’s offices in the Port Saint Lucie, Florida area. Dr. Garvin
is a golfer and understands the desire of his patients to get back to
feeling healthy so they can participate in the sport they love. Even if
pain isn’t overwhelming your golf game, Dr. Garvin may be able to add an advantage to your game by prescribing a pair of custom orthotics to balance out your swing and provide a more comfortable stance, and therefore swing.
Physical
Therapy (PT) may be one of the most underrated modalities in all of
medicine depending on the perspective taken. It focuses primarily on
quality of life and movement. This is an aspect of medicine that has
been addressed by many different professions, but never been made the
mainstay of their practice like it is for a physical therapist (PT).
Patients suffering from almost every disease can greatly benefit from
the treatment of a PT. Unlike doctors of other sorts (Physical
therapists now receive a doctoral degree), a physical therapist’s goal
is more than treating a disease when it manifests. Their goal is to
restore a patient's quality of life after and during their sickness. They
work with their patients on a daily basis to restore function and life
back to the areas that have been damaged or compromised due to disease
and injury. There is a role for a PT in almost every disease prevention
and management case that exists. Dr. Michael Garvin understands and utilizes this ideal in his daily practice. Dr. Garvin
as a practitioner not only wants to treat patients suffering from foot
and ankle conditions, but he wants to restore quality of life and
prevent further complications.
