Friday, June 29, 2012

Bunion Surgery Helped Nigella Lawson Lose Weight

Nigella Lawson, looking slimmer in recent months, has revealed the secret to how she lost weight: bunion surgery!
Tabloids reported that Lawson had been doing drastic diets, but the television cook said that being unable to wander into the kitchen for snacks and seconds following the painful surgery helped her lose the pounds. She recently said at the Vogue Festival, the 52 year old said, "I have indeed lost weight. Almost a year ago, I had a very glamorous operation... a double bunionisation."
"I couldn't walk to the fridge afterwards. Actually it's quite a good diet; not because I stopped eating, but because you can say to someone, 'Can you get me a slice of cake?' but it's kind of embarrassing to say, 'Now can you get me a second slice?'"
Lawson added, "Then when I did start hobbling around, I had to feel I was hungry to go to the fridge. And that was quite good, because I suppose it trains you a bit."
Lawson says the stress of filming her new show Nigella Kitchen, caused her to gain the weight last year.
If you are suffering from bunions and do not see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter
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Friday, June 22, 2012

8 Stretches For Bunions

This article originally appeared in on Everyday Health and was written by Krisha McCoy, MS.
Bunions occur when the tissue at the base of your big toe becomes swollen, forming a large bump on the side of your foot. Bunions can cause intense pain and may eventually lead to arthritis in the area. The good news is that most bunions can be managed without surgery.
Special exercises "will not get rid of the bunion because the bunion is a biomechanical deformity, but they can relieve symptoms and increase flexibility," says Khurram Khan, DPM, assistant professor of podiatric medicine, New York College of Podiatric Medicine in New York.
Non-surgical approaches, such as physical therapy exercises, can help to slow the progression of your bunion. Starting out with conservative therapy is always the first line of attack, unless the bunion is severe. Foot exercises and toe stretches for bunions can help keep the joint between your big toe and the rest of your foot mobile, maintaining flexibility and strengthening the muscles that control your big toe.
Here are some stretches you may find helpful if you have a bunion:
*Toe Stretches. Stretching out your toes can help keep them limber and offset foot pain. To stretch your toes, point your toes straight ahead for 5 seconds and then curl them under for 5 seconds. Repeat these stretches 10 times. This stretch is also beneficial if you have hammertoes.
*Toe Flexing and Contracting. Dr. Latif also recommends pressing your toes against a hard surface such as a wall, to flex and stretch them; hold the position for 10 seconds and repeat 3 to 4 times. Then flex your toes in the opposite direction; hold the position for 10 seconds and repeat 3 to 4 times.
*Stretching Your Big Toe. Using your fingers to gently pull your big toe into proper alignment can be helpful as well. Hold your toe in position for 10 seconds and repeat 3 to 4 times.
*Resistance Exercises. Wrap either a towel or belt around your big toe and use it to pull your big toe towards you while simultaneously pushing forward, against the towel, with your big toe.
*Ball Roll. To massage the bottom of your foot, sit down, place a golf ball on the floor under your foot, and roll it around under your foot for 2 minutes. This can help relieve foot strain and cramping.
*Towel Curls. You can strengthen your toes by spreading out a small towel on the floor, curling your toes around it, and pulling it toward you. Repeat 5 times. Gripping objects with your toes like this can help keep your foot flexible.
*Picking Up Marbles. Another gripping exercise you can perform to keep your foot flexible is picking up marbles with your toes. Do this by placing 20 marbles on the floor in front of you and use your foot to pick up the marbles one by one and place them in a bowl.
*Walking On the Beach. Whenever possible, spend time walking on sand. This can give you a gentle massage and also help strengthen your toes. This is especially important for people with arthritis with the bunion.
Performing these exercises in both the morning and night will help patients with bunions the most. Do them at a time that is convenient for you, like when you are watching tv or sitting at your desk.
If you have suffering from bunion pain and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter
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Friday, June 15, 2012

Don't Like Your Toes? Get A Toe Job!

It sounds ridiculous, but people are actually going out and getting toe jobs. We've all heard of nose jobs and facelifts, but toe jobs???
It's true women love their stilettos and the pain they cause can be debilitating. Bunions, ingrown toenails, and severely disfigured feet are the risks women take when wearing these shoes and they've had enough. But instead of doing the more logical thing of swapping out the pain-inducing shoes for pain-free shoes, they're changing their feet. Literally.
Beverly Hills Aesthetic Foot Surgery in Studio Hills, CA offers procedures like "Cinderella Procedure", a preventative bunion correction that makes feet narrower. Also on the "menu" is the "Perfect 10! Toe Shortening" that trims toes that hang over the end of sandals or are being crushed by too tight shoes. There's also the "Foot-Tuck Fat Pad Augmentation,"  where fat from the patient's abdomen is injected into the balls of her feet for extra cushioning. Yuck!
Blame it on Sex in the City- cosmetic foot surgery started around the same time the show began in 1998.
Podiatrists across the country (including our doctors) believe that any procedure that changes the foot for cosmetic reasons alone should not be a standard of care in any office. Their function is to corrective deformities, not help women fit in shoes they cannot fit in. Many podiatrists already turn away patients who want surgery just for appearance's sake. Some patients are even asking for extreme measures like amputating toes. The risk-versus-benefit calculus has created a rift between podiatrists who say that surgery should be done only to alleviate pain and discomfort and those who say that making women comfortable in their shoes prevents pain and deformity from happened. It's the old who came first question, except now it's with our feet.
And it's not just women who are getting this procedures done, it's men as well. Offices across the country, not just in New York City and Los Angeles, are being asked if they perform cosmetic surgery.
These procedures are not inexpensive either. Toe shortening can cost from $500 to $1500 per toe, slimming swollen pinky toes costs $1800. Fat from the pinky toes is then injected into the padding of the foot for $500. None of these procedures are covered by insurance.
What do you think? Would you ever get a cosmetic foot procedure done?
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrists in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter
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Friday, June 8, 2012

My Toes Are Turning Outward. What's Wrong?

The posterior tibial tendon serves as one of the major supporting structures of the foot, helping it to function while walking. Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is a condition caused by changes in the tendon, impairing its ability to support the arch. This results in flattening of the foot.
PTTD is often called "adult acquired flatfoot" because it is the most common type of flatfoot developed during adulthood. Although this condition typically occurs in only one foot, some people may develop it in both feet. PTTD is usually progressive, which means it will keep getting worse, especially if it isn't treated early.
Overuse of the posterior tibial tendon is often the cause of PTTD. In fact, the symptoms usually occur after activities that involve the tendon, such as running, walking, hiking, or climbing stairs.
The symptoms of PTTD may include pain, swelling, a flattening of the arch, and an inward rolling of the ankle. As the condition progresses, the symptoms will change.
For example, when PTTD initially develops, there is pain on the inside of the foot and ankle (along the course of the tendon). In addition, the area may be red, warm, and swollen.
Later, as the arch begins to flatten, there may still be pain on the inside of the foot and ankle. But at this point, the foot and toes begin to turn outward and the ankle rolls inward.
As PTTD becomes more advanced, the arch flattens even more and the pain often shifts to the outside of the foot, below the ankle. The tendon has deteriorated considerably and arthritis often develops in the foot. In more severe cases, arthritis may also develop in the ankle.
Because of the progressive nature of PTTD, early treatment is advised. If treated early enough, your symptoms may resolve without the need for surgery and progression of your condition can be arrested.
In contrast, untreated PTTD could leave you with an extremely flat foot, painful arthritis in the foot and ankle, and increasing limitations on walking, running, or other activities.
In many cases of PTTD, treatment can begin with non-surgical approaches that may include:

  • Orthotic devices or bracing. To give your arch the support it needs, your foot and ankle surgeon may provide you with an ankle brace or a custom orthotic device that fits into the shoe. 
  • Immobilization. Sometimes a short-leg cast or boot is worn to immobilize the foot and allow the tendon to heal, or you may need to completely avoid all weight-bearing for a while. 
  • Physical therapy. Ultrasound therapy and exercises may help rehabilitate the tendon and muscle following immobilization.
  • Medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help reduce the pain and inflammation.
  • Shoe modifications. Your foot and ankle surgeon may advise changes to make with your shoes and may provide special inserts designed to improve arch support.
In cases of PTTD that have progressed substantially or have failed to improve with non-surgical treatment, surgery may be required. For some advanced cases, surgery may be the only option. Your foot and ankle surgeon will determine the best approach for you.
If you think you have PTTD and do not currently see a podiatrist, call either our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter
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Friday, June 1, 2012

My Foot Is Flat. Is That Normal?

Flatfoot is often a complex disorder, with diverse symptoms and varying degrees of deformity and disability. flatfoot, all of which have one characteristic in common: partial or total collapse (loss) of the arch.
There are several types of
Other characteristics shared by most types of flatfoot include:
"Toe drift", in which the toes and front part of the foot point outward.
  • The heel tilts toward the outside and the ankle appears to turn in.
  • A tight Achilles tendon, which causes the heel to lift off the ground earlier when walking and may make the problem worse.
  • Bunions and hammertoes may develop as a result of a flatfoot. 
Flexible flatfoot is one of the most common types of flatfoot. It typically begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood. It usually occurs in both feet and progresses in severity through the adult years. As the deformity worsens, the soft tissues (tendon and ligaments) of the arch may stretch or tear and can become inflamed.
The term "flexible" means that while the foot is flat when standing (weight-bearing), the arch returns when not standing.
Symptoms, which may occur in some persons with flexible flatfoot include:
  • Pain in the heel, arch, ankle, or along the outside of the foot.
  • "Rolled-in" ankle (over-pronation).
  • Pain along the shin bone (shin splint).
  • General aching or fatigue in the foot or leg.
  • Low back, hip, or knee pain.
In diagnosing flatfoot, the foot and ankle surgeon examines the foot and observes how it looks when you stand and sit. X-rays are usually taken to determine the severity of the disorder. If you are diagnosed with flexible flatfoot but you don't have any symptoms, your surgeon will explain what you might expect in the future.
If you experience symptoms with flexible flatfoot, the surgeon may recommend non-surgical treatment options, including:
  • Activity modification. Cut down on activities that bring you pain and avoid prolonged walking or
    standing to give your arches a rest.
  • Weight loss. If you are overweight, try to lose weight. Putting too much weight on your arches may aggravate your symptoms. 
  • Orthotic devices. Your foot and ankle surgeon can provide you with custom orthotic devices for your shoes to give more support to the arches. 
  • Immobilization. In some cases, it may be necessary to use a walking cast or to completely avoid weight-bearing.
  • Medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, help reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Physical therapy. Ultrasound therapy or other physical therapy modalities may be used to provide temporary relief. 
  • Shoe modification. Wearing shoes that support the arches is important for anyone who has flatfoot.
In some patients whose pain is not adequately relieved by other treatments, surgery may be considered. A variety of surgical techniques is available to correct flexible flatfoot, and one or a combination of procedures may be required to relieve the symptoms and improve foot function.
In selecting the procedure or combination of procedures for your particular case, the foot and ankle surgeon will take into consideration the extent of your deformity based on the x-ray findings, your age, your activity level, and other factors. The length of recovery period will vary, depending on the procedure or procedures performed.
If you think you have flatfoot and are experiencing pain, call either our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter
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