Category Archives: NC

Cold Weather Foot Care

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we’re already feeling the chill in the air. You probably noticed the recent cold snap we just had. It’s always important to take good care of your feet, but it’s especially important in the winter. We put our feet at risk in the rain, snow, and ice; we wear the wrong kinds of shoes when we exercise or go outside to play with our kids.

People suffering from diabetes need to be especially careful with their feet in the cold weather. Don’t ever go outside barefoot! Doing so puts you at risk for cuts and bruises and even frostbite if exposure is prolonged. Always wear shoes that are supportive and fit properly. In bad weather, wear boots or shoes that won’t allow water in, and limit the amount of time you spend outdoors. And wear shoes that are close-toed whenever possible. Late fall and winter is no time for sandals.

Don’t forget your socks! Socks should be snug – not loose and not too tight, either. They should never bunch up around the toes. And if your shoes and socks get wet, take them off and dry your feet and toes thoroughly before putting on a dry pair.

When you do remove your socks and shoes, take some time to inspect your feet for any cuts or bruises. You can even use a small mirror to check the bottoms of your feet. This is important for diabetics because you may have injuries that you don’t feel because of damaged nerves in your feet, or neuropathy. Neuropathy is a complication of diabetes that is dangerous because it can lead to a wound that becomes infected, and if left untreated, could even result in amputation.

If you have diabetes and are concerned about the health of your feet, make an appointment with one of the podiatrists at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center. You can call  us at (919) 850-9111 or request an appointment online. Our doctors have decades of experience caring for people with diabetes, and they’ve seen everything from neuropathy to painful diabetic foot ulcers. Make an appointment with us today. We’ll get you back on your feet.

Foot Care Tips for Diabetic Feet

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November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

We always encourage our patients to do their part for happy, healthy feet. This is even further stressed for our diabetic patients! Diabetes can significantly affect lower extremity health. Sometimes impacts can be devastating and irreversible, like amputation.

We ask that all diabetic patients and their family and friends be involved in ensuring they have proper foot hygiene. Diabetic feet can have nerve damage, skin changes, ulceration, poor circulation, and other problems. Here are some important tips to remember:

  • Good glycemic control is key! Without this, you will constantly be fighting an uphill battle from a healing perspective as well as advancement of the many negative side effects that can happen to feet. Work with your primary care physician to determine a diet and exercise plan that works for you.
  • Check your feet daily! Always look for any cuts, scrapes, lesions, blisters, swelling, etc. If you can’t easily see the bottom of your feet, use a mirror to evaluate or ask a family member to help.
  • Wash your feet daily and make sure you dry well between your toes. Keep your feet well moisturized, except between the toes, and make sure that your feet are always covered.
  • It is very important to never go barefoot. Also, don’t expose your feet to any hot or cold environments! If you lost some sensation to your feet, you won’t be able to tell if the environment is beyond what your skin can handle. With winter approaching this means there is a risk of developing frostbite.

Don’t forget, diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations! For more information about diabetes and how it affects your feet, please visit our website.

At Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center we leave some flexibility and availability for our diabetic patients to schedule same day appointments. Call us at (919) 850-9111 or request an appointment online.

For more information about diabetes and how it affects your feet, please check out the following resources:

The American Diabetes Association

American Podiatric Medical Association

We Will Walk You!

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This past weekend I joined our doctors and staff at the annual Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. The walk is an annual event hosted by the American Diabetes Association each November, which is Diabetes Awareness Month. This year’s walk was a doozy! Total downpour. Rain runoff ran over the tops of my shoes during the entire walk, literally. But! It was still fun to be part of the group committed to a goal: stopping diabetes!

So, my message today is simple: make your little goal part of a bigger goal, and reap the benefits! For me, last weekend, my goal was to get a little exercise, help some nice people with diabetes, and see the natural beauty of the Dorothea Dix Campus. But I got more! I got to help motivate others to get out and walk, rain or shine! I also got to bond with people that all said, “It’s raining a lot but I want to do this.” We all bonded over a common goal: making this lemon into lemonade. And it made it better!

I guess this means that in our daily lives we can all get more out of every plan if we make that plan to bring people together. Make it more than just a plan, make it an event! Do your morning walk with a couple friends, or walk with man’s best friend, or walk with music – or do all three! It’s no secret: committed goals shared with others are better. Go big! And don’t be afraid to get soaking wet.

And remember: the doctors and staff at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center are here to help with your goals! Whether you have diabetes and are worried about your feet, or if you’re an athlete with heel pain, or you have a pesky ingrown toenail, remember: we can help you with that. Call our office at (919) 850-9111 to make an appointment with one of our podiatrists, or click to request an appointment online. We’ll work together with you and come up with the best plan for the health of your feet.

Dr. Boehm, Dr. Woelffer, Russ, Colleen, and Kinsey at the 2015 Step Out Walk to Stop DIabetes.

Dr. Boehm, Dr. Woelffer, Russ, Colleen, and Kinsey at the 2015 Step Out Walk to Stop DIabetes.

Salon Now Open at our Blue Ridge Office

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Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center is growing again! Earlier this month we opened our satellite office on Blue Ridge Road, near Rex Hospital and next to Blue Ridge Pharmacy. We’re pleased to announce that we have also opened a salon at our new location! You can now see your foot doctor and get a pedicure at our second location at 2605 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 320, in Raleigh.

Why go to the doctor to have your nails done? For starters, we offer a lot more than a standard nail trim in our onsite nail care salons. A medical pedicure includes a therapeutic foot soak to cleanse and soften your feet while you sit in one of our comfortable salon chairs. Your cuticles will be cleaned and smoothed, your corns and calluses will be trimmed, and your feet will be exfoliated in addition to the nail trim. You can also choose a natural, buffed, or polished nail finish. A full medical pedicure takes about fifty minutes. For more information about our medical pedicures, please visit our website.

Another reason to visit one of our onsite nail care salons is cleanliness. Our equipment and supplies are sterilized using an autoclave, and our program is supervised by our doctors. Other salons might not practice good infection control techniques. That can put you at risk for injury and infections. You can be sure that you’re getting the best care and even some pampering when you visit our onsite nail care salons..

To make an appointment at either of our salons, please call (919) 850-9111 or fill out an online appointment request form and let us know if you would like to be seen at our Millbrook location or our Blue Ridge location.

One of the comfortable pedicure chairs in our nail salon at our Millbrook office.

One of the comfortable pedicure chairs in our nail salon at our Millbrook office.

Where did that heel pain come from?!

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Heel pain

You wake up in the morning, swing your feet around the side of your bed, set them on the floor, and – OUCH! Where did that pain in your heel come from? Maybe it’s the shoes you wear to work each day; it could be the extra weight you put on over the holidays; or perhaps it’s all that training for your next big sporting event. There are any number of reasons a person can develop plantar fasciitis. The bottom line is this: your heels hurt, and you want it to stop.

So what can you do about it?

There are about as many treatments for plantar fasciitis as there are causes. You could be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections by your doctor; you could get fitted for a pair of custom orthotic shoe inserts; you could go home from the podiatrist with a list of stretching and icing techniques; or you could be prescribed any number of night splint devices, walking casts, or tape strappings.

Shockwave Treatment

One option that the doctors at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center love to recommend is Shockwave therapy. Shockwave therapy is an FDA-approved in-office procedure that treats heel pain. The procedure is non-invasive, which means there is no cutting of the skin. It is a quick procedure that is performed in our office, so that you can get back to work and business as usual without any down time.

Best of all, Shockwave therapy works. The doctors at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center have seen a lot of success with this treatment. To find out more about Shockwave therapy, visit our website.

 

Photo credit: http://tinyurl.com/p8o3sho

Summer Feet!

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Care for your feet in the summer sun!

Sunny days are here, and you know what that means – time to break out your favorite summer clothes and accessories. From sunglasses and flip flops to t shirts and shorts, the possibilities are endless. But remember when you’re heading out to the pool or the beach, or even just for a walk in the sunlight or a round of golf, to put on your sunscreen, even on your feet!

Think about it: for the majority of the year, your feet are covered in shoes and don’t get much exposure to the sun and UV rays. Because your feet are used to being protected, it’s possible they will be more sensitive to the sunlight and more likely to get sunburned. It’s even possible to get burned on the soles of your feet. Ouch!

If you have plans to be outside, remember to put on a sunscreen that offers protection from broad spectrum UVA and UVB rays, and remember to reapply often. There’s nothing worse than discovering you got sunburned feet because you forgot to put on more sunscreen after swimming and toweling off! Also remember to apply sunscreen to your entire foot, even if you are wearing sandals, so you don’t end up with splotchy or striped skin.

Summer shoes come with their own set of problems for your feet. Flip flops, sandals, and other open toed styles expose the feet not just to the sun, but also to dirt, germs, and higher risk for injury. Limit flip flops to the beach, the pool, and public showers only whenever possible. After your outing, be sure to wash your feet in warm and soapy water and dry thoroughly to prevent bacterial or fungal infections. You also want to make sure your shoes fit properly and aren’t causing discomfort.

If you do experience any issues with your feet this summer, please contact Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center at (919) 850-9111 and make an appointment. Our doctors have experience treating a wide variety of foot problems and will do their best to get you back on your feet!

Bunions: Not a Runner’s Problem Anymore

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Running with bunions is possible if you properly care for your feet!

What a Pain

Painful bunions can be a problem for anyone, but runners can really struggle with discomfort due to bunions while trying to get in their miles. The good news is that there are things that can help alleviate the discomfort and keep you running. If discomfort cannot be alleviated, it may be time to see a foot doctor, and we are here to help.

If the Shoe Fits…It Makes All the Difference

Probably the most important aspect of minimizing bunion pain is proper shoe fit. A bunion is a prominence at the big toe joint of the foot. As a bunion develops, shoes may start to rub the side of the foot, causing pain and redness. It is important to head to a running store for your next pair of shoes if this is the case. Having a professional fit you for a properly fitting running shoe can make a huge impact on running pain free.

Pad Your Feet for Extra Pain Relief

There are also a number of pads that can be used to protect the foot from rubbing in shoe gear, as well as toe spacers to help realign the big toe. These devices can help, but only if used consistently. Existing shoes can also be taken to a shoe repair store or pedorthic facility for modification to stretch or split the shoe, to provide more room in the toe box. Anti-inflammatory medicines and pain creams can be helpful in reducing pain. (Before you start taking medicines, however, consult a doctor to see what move is best for you.)

We’re Here for You

If, despite all best efforts you continue to have pain, it’s time to visit a podiatrist. We at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center are here to keep you active and pain free. Make an appointment today and let us develop a plan to allow you to keep logging those miles!

To schedule your appointment, call us at (919) 850-9111 or visit our website to Request an Appointment.

Dare to Bare Your Bunions!

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Dare to bare your bunions

There may be a few cold spells left this winter, but the warm weather days are within our reach. Once the sun comes out to stay and the days warm up, it will be time to break out the sandals and open-toed shoes. Are you ready for this, or are those bunions on your feet making you want to hide them away forever?

Here’s what you need to know about bunions to help ease your mind:

A bunion is what happens when your big toe begins to move towards the rest of your smaller toes, commonly accompanied by a bump on the inside edge of the big toe. A bunion can often be recognized by red and calloused skin along the bump and swelling of the big toe joint, with stiffness and decreased range of motion. Bunions often cause pain during walking or while wearing tightly fitting shoes.

Bunions can be aggravated by anything from tight-fitting or high-heeled shoes to genetics to the way your foot falls when you walk or run (pronation). So if you have bunions, what can you do about them?

At Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center, we start with a diagnosis: once we have confirmed you have bunions, there are a number of different treatment options, depending on what we (the podiatrists) feel is the best option for your bunion. Depending on the severity of the bunion and the level of pain or discomfort it causes, your options could range from changing shoes or adding orthotic shoe inserts, to using corrective braces and other comfort devices. Sometimes surgery is an option as well, if nothing else has worked and the pain is continuing to cause problems, affecting quality of life. Each method of treatment has proven successful, depending on the individual patient.

 

Here at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center, we are focused on making sure you, our patient, is the priority: we don’t want you to fear baring your feet in the summer sun simply because of a bunion problem. If you are worried about your bunion, stop worrying and come visit the foot doctors at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center. We’ll make sure your bunions are treated and taken care of!

Wisdom From a Patient

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I’ve decided over the last several years that there is a wealth of wisdom in my patients. They each have a story that is sometimes and example of how not to live. More often, however, it is one packed with examples of how to live well and live productively, even without much in the way of resources. How to live a life of value in this community while the odds are stacked against them.

 

Most of their stories are not of actions in the “cure for cancer” category, but of lives of principle lived quietly, which may have positively affected just a few – or even a single individual. If I didn’t take the time occasionally to stop and get to personally know patients, (despite the ever increasing medical documentation requirements placed on doctors), I would have missed a great deal of wisdom and inspiration. In fact, I sort of regret not starting sooner.

 

Many of these stories involve long term difficulties or illness. An almost excessively cheerful patient I saw a few years ago was a survivor of the Holocaust as a 6 year old. Her stories were horrifying, so it was hard for me to reconcile her joy with her past. She told me our attitudes are choices, while our circumstances may not be. She chose not to let her past define how she lived her life each day, other than to use the lessons learned effectively. One of my favorite preachers has said that most of us spend too much time listening to ourselves and not enough time talking to ourselves.

 

I asked her to come in at lunch to speak to our staff, to which she graciously agreed. I think that all of us benefited immensely. She gave us some history, some philosophy, some encouragement, and some advice. What I left with was that one of the most engaging people I’ve ever met came with a story that could have made her bitter, angry, and negative. She’s gone now, but I’m better for having known her.

 

Dr. Hatcher is one of the podiatrists at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center. The podiatrists at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center are able to help you with all of your foot and ankle problems and needs. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hatcher or one of the other doctors in our office, call our office at (919) 850-9111 or request an appointment on our website.

Run a Little – It Feels Good!

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Running for exercise is, mostly, very good for us. Increasing heart rate, building stronger muscles and bones, and releasing endorphins are all things that keep us fit. The best news of all? ANY kind of running is good!! You don’t need to run wind sprints or complete marathons, you just need to get your body parts moving a tick faster than usual. Fast walking, jogging, or just periodic running during a walk will all increase your fitness level. And guess what? It’ll feel good, too!

So, run a little. Your body, and mind, will thank you.

Make sure you take care of your feet when you run!

It’s important to make sure your feet are well-cared for when you run. To learn more about how to take care of your feet while you run, check out this month’s newsletter.

At the first sign of foot and ankle pain or problems, stop and visit a podiatrist. To schedule an appointment with one of the podiatrists at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center, call our office at (919) 850-9111 or use our online Request an Appointment form. We serve patients from Raleigh, Cary and Wake Forest in Wake County, NC and surrounding communities in and around the Raleigh-Durham Area and the rest of North Carolina. Hablamos Español.