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.

Feet, Feet, Feet

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Dr. Woelffer and family

As everyone knows, feet are everywhere—especially at the neighborhood pool! As I was “swimming” with my kids, (“swimming” means getting squirted on by squirt guns, throwing them around until my rotator cuffs are on fire, and playing “Ariel” on my stomach on the pool steps), one of the neighborhood moms said to me, “Do you do kids?”

“Do you do kids?”

Why, yes, we do; big kids, little kids, tiny baby kids, and teenage/college kids. We do kids all day long. Turns out, kids have feet, too! We love treating kids at our medical practice. All of our doctors have kids, so we are used to the quiet ones, the loud ones, the hungry ones, and even the scared ones. For me, there is nothing better than working to get a high-five from a little kid who is not excited to be at the doctor. That’s my goal every time I meet one!!

Happy to Help

At Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center, we see kids from newborns with congenital deformities to college athletes with major injuries. We see warts, ingrown toenails, flatfeet, and injuries suffered in the home. All of our doctors are board certified foot surgeons happy to help—usually without surgery. So, the next time you or a friend is wondering about a foot or ankle problem, remember this blog—yep, we do kids. And we love it!

Plantar Fasciitis!

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It’s happened to everybody. You wake up in the morning feeling great. You think, “Today’s going to be a great day.” That is, until you put your feet on the floor. You get out of bed, and OUCH! Your heel is killing you. Your heel may feel like it’s throbbing, or like it’s bruised. You probably have plantar fasciitis, the leading cause of heel pain. To learn more about what plantar fasciitis is and how you can treat it, watch the video below.

Relieve Your Heel Pain!

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Heel pain – ouch! We’ve all experienced it at some point in our lives. Heel pain conditions vary from plantar fasciitis to heel spurs to Achilles tendinitis. Treatments also vary from taking some time off your feet to rest, trying out some stretching and icing techniques, physical therapy, and taking anti-inflammatory medications.

Another way to relieve heel pain is to wear orthotic shoe inserts. Usually these inserts are cushioned in specific areas to relieve pain and pressure from a particular part of the foot. They could be as small as a foam heel pad or as large as a full-length insole.

If you need to purchase over the counter items for your heels, you should check out Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center’s online store! It is a great way to get all of the over the counter items we provide in our office, without the hassle of stopping in. If you need to order more BioFreeze for your joint pain, or a new set of leather full-length shoe inserts for your heel pain, you can do it all from the comfort of your home! Just visit our online store and browse by the type of product or the condition you suffer from.

For example, if you’re currently suffering from plantar fasciitis, you may want to look at foam heel pads or silicone heel cups to reduce stress and strain on your heels.Or maybe you want to look at our over the counter shoe inserts, which can be three-quarter length or full-length, and range from leather inserts for dress shoes to synthetic inserts for athletic shoes. There are lots of options for whatever your needs are. Visit our online store today!

The doctors at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center have decades of experience diagnosing and treating plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and other conditions that cause heel pain. Call our office at (919) 850-9111 or visit our website today to schedule your appointment and get your feet back to being pain free!

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.

I Need Bunion Surgery – Or Do I?

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Do I need bunion surgery?

Bunions are bony bumps at the big toe and little joint areas of the foot. Usually, they are an inherited condition that worsens with age. They can be big bunions that do not hurt much, or they can be small bunions that hurt like crazy!

The key to “bunion happiness” is pain control. A goal should not be glamorous beauty, but comfortable walking. Our feet should feel good!

Podiatrists have many treatments to help bunions of all sizes. Of course, low-risk, high-reward treatments are the best starting point: proper footwear, toe splints, custom orthotics, oral and injectable medications, and physical therapy techniques.

Surgical treatment is sometimes necessary for bunions. Surgery is usually performed in a hospital or surgery center by a board-certified podiatrist, under sedation monitored by an anesthesiologist. Patients usually go home the same day, resting and taking pain medication as needed. Time off work and time off your feet will vary for different patients, but most patients can expect to return to normal activities in a few weeks.

Bunions aren’t fun to deal with, and bunion treatment never fits into our busy lives, but getting a plan from your podiatrist is a good starting point. Visit your podiatrist, and you might be pleasantly surprised about what you learn.

To schedule your appointment today, call our office 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.