SPEED + AGILITY+ BALANCE = SUCCESS

It is a Matter of Seconds

Too get your feet on and off the ground when running for a fly ball, fielding a grounder, picking off a runner at first, hitting or running to any base takes a matter of seconds. The quicker your feet move the greater chance you have for achieving success. Agility, movement, speed is all about your feet being biomechanically balanced. While quick and stable feet create positive outcomes, a foot that is unstable wobbles from side to side.

A major reason why player’s feet are not stable is because they are not properly balanced. This is because of abnormal pronation and can be defined as instability of the joints in the middle of the foot (the mid-tarsal and subtaylor joints). Although pronation is normal and every foot pronates, excess or abnormal pronation is not. Abnormal pronation causes a player’s medial longitudinal arch or inner arch to stay collapsed throughout their entire movement cycle whether they are standing in the batter’s box or standing on the mound getting ready to pitch. It also affects the foot when running to field a ball or stealing a base. The plantar muscles in the foot fatigue because of continual repetitive activity of the arch collapsing during movement and become vulnerable to injury

Players can control abnormal foot pronation and improve their foot biomechanics by placing an arch support or a custom made orthotic in their baseball shoes. Orthotic foot supports should be placed in the shoes to provide the proper balance the foot needs to achieve better biomechanical balance and stability. Baseball shoes are designed to protect the foot and give the player better shock absorption, traction and stability when pitching, running / stealing, fielding or hitting. The shoe consists of many different parts with specific functions. They are not designed to biomechanically support the foot or prevent abnormal foot pronation.

Custom made orthotics made by a podiatrist or over the counter arch supports are the best ways to control abnormal foot pronation and improve foot biomechanics. Depending on how rigid the material the orthotic device is made of, it will determine how much support the foot will receive. The more rigid the materials used to make the orthotic device the more stable the foot will be in the baseball shoe.

Custom made orthotics are usually fabricated from a molded plaster cast of the foot that a podiatrist takes in his office and then sends to a specialized orthotic laboratory to design the product. They are made out of hard plastic or graphite materials. Orthotics stabilizes and aligns the joints in the foot below the ankle and middle of the foot. They create better muscle balance in the lower leg and foot and allow the ball of the foot to be firmly placed on the ground. These types of devices can reduce the risk of injuries to the foot.

Over the counter arch supports are usually made out of high density foam materials and are not as rigid as custom orthotics. Instant Arches® for baseball is an over the counter foam arch support that is specifically designed for baseball shoes. It supports the joints in the middle of the foot and below the ankle. It allows the ball of the foot to be placed firmly on the ground for stability.

The time it takes, for a player to get their feet on and off the ground can be the difference between a win and a loss. It’s a matter of seconds.

Summer Means Sandal Season

Summer Mean’s Its Sandal and Flip Flop Season

Its summer time ladies, so take out your summer sandals / flip flops and let your toes enjoy the freedom they have been waiting for all winter. For nine long dreary months your feet were held hostage in closed shoes or boots in order to survive the cold and wet weather. This probably caused the formation of painful corns, blisters, red irritated skin lesions on your feet and arch cramps. The reason those foot problems occurred is because of abnormal pronation and friction the foot experiences when sliding or moving around in a closed shoe.

Many people have either hammer toes, bunions or both which are genetically predisposed. So yes, you can blame these annoying, often chronic foot problems on mom or dad.

Corns do not grow; they form because of a very common bone problem called a hammer toe. They develop over a period of time due to constant rubbing of the skin over a prominent boney surface on the toe in a closed shoe. This results from the toe box of the shoe being too shallow and there not being adequate room for the toes to wiggle around comfortably.

Hammer toes develop because of abnormal foot pronation. As the arch of the foot begins to collapse during normal walking, the tendons in the top and bottom of the foot become unstable and imbalanced resulting in the toes attempting to grab the ground during walking. The toes begin to curl downward buckling at the middle toe joint causing a bone to pop up, hence the name hammer toe. Blisters, red irritated skin lesions or a hard thick painful corn can form on the top surface of the toe because of friction and can make shoe choices a nightmare.

Bunions can also be a challenge when wearing closed shoes. They too are caused by abnormal pronation. The muscles in the bottom of the foot become weakened due to the arch collapsing when standing, walking or running. This causes a muscle imbalance in the foot. The muscles attached to the big toe fatigue allowing the toe to drift and rotate laterally forming a bunion or boney prominence at the head of the first metatarsal bone. They can get red, swollen and painful limiting shoe wear.

Arch cramps are another byproduct of abnormal foot pronation. The muscles in the arch of the foot suffer from overuse, fatigue, and eventually go into spasm. This painful cramp can occur when the foot is at rest while in bed or when you’re performing normal daily activities.

The solution to eliminating shoe irritation and friction caused by wearing closed shoes is to break out your flat, casual and dress sandals or flip flops.

However, there are few things women must remember about wearing sandals and flip flops. One must be careful about the straps in some sandal styles and make sure they do not irritate the lumps and bumps on the toes. Also, many sandals and flip flops are not designed to support the arch or ball of the foot properly. So adding an arch or metatarsal support to your sandals is also a good idea. They will help reduce abnormal foot pronation as well as prevent foot slippage, arch cramping, ball of the foot pain and take pressure off the great toe joint or bunion.

There are now products available either through the internet or at shoe stores and drug stores. These products can be placed in your sandals and make them more supportive and comfortable. The products are usually made out of soft gels or foam materials. Instant Arches® for sandals and metatarsal pads are just a few of the products that can help make keep your feet happy.

So if you’re kind too your feet this summer, they will forgive for the torture they endured all winter.

Walking Happily Ever After in Spring Shoes!

It is now day light savings time and it is time to “Spring” forward.

Ladies, get your feet back in shape so they will look good and feel great when wearing the latest designs in open toed shoes, sandals and flip flops.

The most common types of foot problems that women complain about when they are walking in open toed shoes, sandals, or flip flops are toenail problems, arch cramps and pain in the ball of their feet.

Toenail problems known as “the ugly toenail syndrome” or nail fungus is mostly environmental. Nail fungus (onychomycosis) can start to develop in your toenails as just a tiny little yellow spec in the corner of the nail plate. It becomes hidden with the use of nail polish and before you know it the tiny spec has spread to a larger section of the toe nail. The reasons for acquiring fungus nail problems are walking barefoot in warm moist environments when showering at the gym or around a public pool. Chronic athlete’s foot which is found in between the toes can also be a reason why toenail fungus can occur. It somehow finds its way to the toenail and starts to affect the nail. Also, it can occur when soaking your feet in foot basins at nail salons before a pedicure.

To minimize exposure to the ugly toenail syndrome, always make sure the basins at foot salons are washed out with sterile solutions before your feet take the plunge. Wearing shower sandals at the gym when walking through the dressing room, shower or sauna areas will also protect your feet from many types of skin and nail problems. Drying in between your toes is equally important but often forgotten.

If fungus has found its way to your toenails, there are topical anti-fungal nail preparations that can be applied to the affected area which may help as well as prescription medications that can be prescribed by your Podiatrist or Dermatologist.

Style and fashion dictate shoe wear while comfort and support is mostly an afterthought. Walking comfortably in open toed shoes, sandals, and flip flops that do not provide adequate support can be a challenge. If your feet hurt when wearing the latest in fashion, everything can begin to bother you.

There are two areas of the foot that tends to cause foot pain when wearing shoes. The muscles in the arch and the ball of the foot. Arch pain can occur whether you have high arches or flat feet. Sandals, open toed shoes and flip flops are not usually designed to support high or low arches. Abnormal pronation causes the arch to collapse when walking. The lack of arch support in those types of shoes can cause the muscles in the plantar aspect of foot that support the arch to fatigue, collapse, get tired, cramp, spasm or become inflamed.

Pain that is found on the balls of the feet is a byproduct of friction shearing forces and the heads of the metatarsal bones grinding into the floor of the shoe. This sliding process can form thickened tissue underneath the head of the metatarsal bone that sometimes may have a core inside of it called a callus or a nucleated callus. Professionally having the callus tissue removed can be performed by a Podiatrist.

There is also another type of pain that can be found underneath the metatarsal heads of the foot. The pain is localized to the metatarsal heads and can be described as sharp or burning. It is triggered when the ball of the foot grinds into the floor of the shoe or when walking barefoot on hard floor surfaces. It is called metatarsalgia or metatarsal head bursitis. The bone tissue called the periostuim which covers the bone or the bursa, which is present underneath the heads of the metatarsal bones becomes inflamed. It is most commonly found underneath the heads of the second through fourth metatarsal bones.

Foot solutions to these problems are simply to use an orthotic device to support the arch which will redistribute the weight more evenly across the medial longitudinal and transverse arch. In sandals, open toed shoes and flip flops supporting the arch can be challenging. In closed shoes making a custom made orthotic or purchasing an over the counter arch support is fairly easy to do.

For open shoes there is now a product that will help solve that problem. Instant Arches® for Sandals and Flip Flops manufactured by Foot Products Enterprises Inc. www.instantarches.com is a new product that has been developed to provide arch support for those types of shoes. Its unique patented design will fit all sandal and flip flop styles. One size fits all, just remove the adhesive backing and place it into the arch area of the sandal or flip flops.

If the arch problems continue to persist seek medical attention. Podiatrists and Orthopedists are the medical professionals that treat those types of foot problems. Injection therapy, ice message, anti-inflammatory medication and electrical current therapy are the other medical treatment options available.

HOLIDAY TOE TIPS FOR HOLIDAY PARTIES

HOLIDAY TIPS FOR YOUR TOES

Get ready for your holiday parties and “may you stand, walk and dance happily ever after “. In order for you to dance your way through the holidays more comfortably, check out these helpful toe tips to keep your feet in good spirits. For those of you who are wearing killer heels, muscle spasms and cramping in your arches can be an unwelcomed visitor. These problems are the result of abnormal pronation which is the excessive collapsing of the arch during walking or standing. Experiencing pain in the ball of your feet is another problem that can occur when standing or dancing for long periods of time while partying. This is caused by wearing high heels that are usually 2 or 3 inches high. Wearing high heels will naturally throw your foot forward and the balls of your feet get jammed into the floor of the shoe. The fat pad in the balls of your feet can shift and expose the heads of the metatarsal bones to increased pressure. Another common foot problem that can occur when wearing high heels that have pointed toes is pain on the sides and tips of the great toe nails. This can be the beginning of an ingrown toe nail. Ouch! So make sure you are careful when selecting your party shoes.
Party Solutions
There are simple solutions available to solve your feet or toes ills and woes. Wearing over the counter arch supports like Instant Aches ®, soft cushioned insoles or custom made orthotics in your high heels should help remedy the arch cramps, muscle spasms and ball of the foot pain. Custom made orthotics are usually made by Podiatrists or other medical doctors who are foot specialists. Cutting your nails carefully and using an emery board to file the rough edges is a great way to eliminate potential toe nail pain.
‘Tis the season to be comfortable when dancing and partying during the holidays!

Shoes, Your Best Friend or the Enemy?

Ladies, now that it is Fall and the weather is beginning to change, so is your shoe wardrobe. A new season has arrived. Closed shoes and boots, here I come! So how long can your feet survive in closed shoes before they are kicked off under a dinner table? That is the million dollar question? Sometimes, shoes can be categorized by the length of time one can wear them, five, fifteen, thirty or sixty minutes. Women spend thousands of dollars each year on the latest or hottest designer shoes at their favorite shoe stores whether they are comfortable or not. Buying shoes is not always about comfort, it is more about what shoes go with what outfit. However, once in the closet these shoes become the enemy. They can cause blisters, unknown bumps on toes or the back of the heel bone (pump bumps), arch cramps, skin irritations (corns and calluses) and pain, “Ouch”! Fortunately, not all shoes cause these types of foot problems, just the ones that usually go with most outfits!

Gone are the days in most areas of the country where women can get away with wearing open sandals, slides, flip flops or backless heels every day and dine in comfort unless you live in warm weather climates. The reason why it should be an endless summer for your feet is because sandals, slides, flip flops and backless heels are more comfortable to wear. They accommodate many of the different lumps and bumps that feet have. Strappy sandals are great for women who have foot problems such as bunions or hammertoes (crooked toes). Bunions and hammertoes develop because of unstable foot biomechanics (abnormal pronation) which weakens the muscular structure around first metatarsal and lesser metatarsal joints.

Bunions are a bony prominence on the side of the great toe (head of the first metatarsal bone) that can be very painful in closed shoes. They develop because of a muscle imbalance around the great toe joint. The soft tissue surrounding the great toe joint weakens and the arch collapses causing bunions to form. Hammertoes are bumps on the top of the 2nd through 5th toes and rub the top or side of the shoe. They are also caused by a muscle imbalance in the feet. The long plantar flexor tendons on the bottom of the foot that attach to the ends of the toes are stronger than the long extensor tendons which run along the top of the foot and attach to the ends of the toes. This imbalance causes the toes to bend downward causing hammertoes to form. Pump bumps (retrocalcaneal exostosis) are bone spurs that forms on the back of the heel bone due to excess motion of the rear foot in the shoe. Women with narrow heels are predisposed to this condition. During the gait cycle shearing forces or friction can occur along the back of the heel bone when you are walking in closed shoes. This can ultimately lead to developing bone deposits in the back of the heel.

Foot problems can be genetically predetermined. Looking at your grandparents and parents feet can give you a tremendous amount of insight in why those lumps and bumps have appeared. When your foot hits the ground all the joints and muscles in your feet have to adjust to the forces created by your walking. Therefore, your feet can slide in shoes causing friction, developing corns and blisters on the tops or ends of your toes or thick calluses on the balls of your feet. It is the movement of bones rubbing against each other or against one of the shoe surfaces like, in closed shoes. Strappy sandals can fit around the bunion and hammertoe deformities and not irritate it. Closed shoes are less accommodating and potentially cause more problems.

Solutions: To extend the length of time you can wear your shoes because of a lump here and a bump there look for closed shoes made of soft leather. The leather would mold around bony prominences in the foot and not irritate the skin. Another way to create more room in a shoe is taking it to a shoe repair shop to have them stretch that part of the shoe that causes the irritation. Doctoring up shoes has been going on for years and years. Putting insoles in a shoe, moleskin around toes, heel protectors along the lining of the back of the shoe or a metatarsal pad in the front of the shoe to take up room is helpful especially if you have narrow bony feet. Custom made orthotics or over the counter foot products like Instant Arches® are very helpful in providing support, comfort and often times prevent foot slippage. Preventing sliding in shoes will reduce friction minimizing corn and callus development. The internet is now a great source to find new products on the market to help solve these problems as well. If you need professional help consult a podiatrist in your area.
So, for those women who live in cold weather climates, summer is only 10 months away.

OMG...Has my shoe size changed or did my feet grow...?

Ladies, can pregnancy change your shoe size? Can pregnancy cause your feet to grow?

These are two common questions that patients always ask me during their pregnancy. The answers are, pregnancy can change your shoe size and your feet can change, becoming longer.

The reason is, a hormone called Relaxin, which is released into your blood stream during your pregnancy. The ovaries produce the hormone Relaxin during pregnancy. Its function is to cause pelvic and cervical expansion by loosening the ligament attachments in the joint between the pubic bones in the front of the pelvis and the joints between the sacrum and the pelvis in the back, allowing the fetus to travel through the birth canal. It also inhibits muscular contractions of the uterus and prevents the otherwise natural abortion of the fetus, stimulates the growth of the glands in the breasts which are responsible for milk production and increases the amount of water in the uterus. The hormone Relaxin is only found in pregnant women and remains in their body for only 24 hours after the child is born.

So the big question is what does the hormone Relaxin has to do with feet and will it affect every pregnant woman? The bones and joints in the feet are connected together by ligaments. Therefore, when Relaxin is released during pregnancy it can also target the ligaments in the feet causing them to relax and elongate. Relaxin affects the weight-bearing joints in the feet (joints in the mid-foot or arch area) and some women’s feet will change in width as well as length. When these joints are affected the ligament attachments weaken and the arch can flatten causing the foot to get longer. Not all women’s feet change size during their pregnancy but for the ones whose feet do it can become pretty frustrating. The change is permanent and your feet will not revert back to its original size, therefore, causing havoc in pregnant women’s shoe wardrobes.

During your pregnancy if you feel that additional arch support is needed because your feet get tired from standing and carrying a little extra weight, look into over the counter arch supports such as Instant Archesâ or custom made orthotics. These types of foot products can help support your feet and make you more comfortable when walking and standing. The arch supports will not prevent any of the changes in your feet due to the hormone Relaxin. For those women who have experienced a change in their shoe size after their pregnancy try taking your shoes to a shoe repair shop to have them stretched.

If all else falls, then it’s off to the shoe store!

WOW...Roll away your foot pain and body fatigue!

Many people suffer from heel, ball of the foot, ankle and other lower extremity muscle aches and pains. These problems over time can add up to a decrease in physical activity and excessive weight gain because it hurts too much to exercise or you’re a little stiff to put your best foot forward. Luckily for the exerciser, science has created a new type of shoe technology which is now available to help eliminate those annoying and nagging roadblocks that cause us to postpone exercise.

Shoes not only cover and protect your feet from the outside environment they also reduce the impact shock your entire body encounters with each step. We cannot always predict the type of surfaces we walk, stand or exercise on such as concrete, grass, dirt or asphalt. However, controlling your shoe wear is a very easy thing to do. New shoe technology has made exercising more fun. There are now shoes designed for both men and women with a rocker bottom outersole. The benefits of these types of shoes are many; they reduce the impact shock in the joints of your feet, ankles and knees as well as improving posture when walking. For those of you who have pain in the balls of your feet when you stand or walk this type of shoe should help relieve your symptoms. The rocker bottom outersole also reduces heel pain because it transfers your weight away from your heel. They also strengthen the muscles in your legs and buttocks, decreases body fatigue when standing for long periods of time and improves blood flow in your legs because your lower leg muscles are constantly firing causing increased circulation.

The two shoes that currently have this special rocker bottom technology are Shape-ups who are manufactured by Skechers and MBT shoes. These types of shoes are compatible with custom made orthotics or any over the counter arch support such as Instant Archesâ. So when you roll away during day, your foot pain and body fatigue may go away!