Tag Archives: Raleigh NC

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.

In the News: Achilles Tendon Rupture

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If you watch football, you might have seen that former Carolina Panthers wide receiver (and current Baltimore Raven) Steve Smith tore his Achilles tendon in a football game against the San Diego Chargers. After catching a pass, Smith went to the ground and clutched his lower leg. He had to be helped off the field by Ravens athletic trainers. It was later announced that the torn Achilles tendon has brought Smith’s season to an end.

The podiatrists at Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center frequently treat sports-related injuries like these. Here are some common questions we answer about this injury:

What is the Achilles tendon?

The Achilles is the major tendon located at the back of the ankle. It connects the ankle to the muscles in your lower leg.

What causes the Achilles tendon to tear?

Excessive strain. It’s usually seen in athletes (like Steve Smith) who are very active and put a lot of strain on their lower leg and ankle.

How do you treat a torn Achilles tendon?

Usually surgery, sometimes putting a cast on the leg can help, too.

How is this different from Achilles tendinitis? Are they related?

Tendinitis is an irritation of tendon fibers but the tendon is still intact, not torn or ruptured. A rupture is when the tendon completely tears and is usually a lot more painful. Click here for more information on Achilles tendinitis and possible treatments.

How can I prevent my Achilles tendon from tearing?

It can be difficult to predict. In general, remember to warm-up and stretch before exercise.

How do I know if I need to see a podiatrist for my Achilles tendon?

One word: pain! If you ever experience pain in your Achilles tendon, or any other part of your feet and ankles, call Raleigh Foot & Ankle Center at (919) 850-9111 or request an appointment online and make an appointment today. We frequently have same-day appointments available, and we now have a second location on Blue Ridge Road which may be more convenient for you.