If your baby was born with clubfoot, they may also have a rare genetic disorder called Gordon's Syndrome. The condition is characterized by stiffness and impaired mobility in the ankles because the tendons in the foot are too short, causing the joints to become fixed in a permanent flexed position. Both feet are usually affected with this disorder.
The exact cause of Gordon's Syndrome is unknown, but some reports suggest it may be inherited through an X-linked dominant manner. Most experts agree it is inherited through an autosomal dominant manner. Having just one mutated copy of the gene in each cell is enough to create the signs and symptoms of the disease. When a person with the autosomal dominant condition has children, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutated copy of the gene.
Gordon's Syndrome may also present as a permanent fixation of several fingers in a bent position and cleft palate. In males scoliosis or undescended testicles may be present. The child's intelligence is not affected by the disease. The wrists, elbows, and knees can also be affected and the severity of the condition can range from individual.
Your child may have an abnormal splitting of the soft hanging tissue at the back of the throat, short stature, dislocation of the hip, abnormal backward curvature of the upper spine, drooping of the eyelids, webbing of the fingers and toes, abnormal skin patterns on the feet and hands, and a short webbed neck.
Prompt treatment after birth is crucial in treating this disorder as your child will have difficulties walking and developing. Typically podiatrists will prescribe casting, bracing, or physical therapy to realign the bones before recommending surgery.
Reference: Rare Diseases
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Are Bunions Hereditary?
According to a new study published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research, many common foot deformities, like bunions, hammertoes, and claw toes are inherited, especially in those who are of European descent.
"These new findings highlight the importance of furthering our understanding of what causes greater susceptibility to these foot conditions, as knowing more about the pathway may ultimately lead to early prevention or early treatment," said study researcher Dr. Marian Hannan, of Harvard Medical School and Hebrew SeniorLife, who is the editor in chief of the journal in a statement.
Recent studies show that more than one third of older adults have bunions. In this study, researchers looked at bunions, lesser toe deformities, and plantar soft tissue atrophy in 1,370 study participants, with an average age of 66, who were part of the Framingham Foot Study. Researchers found that 31 percent of the participants had bunions, 30 percent had lesser toe deformities, and 28 percent had plantar soft tissue atrophy.
They found that bunions and toe deformities were heritable, but plantar soft tissue atrophy was not.
A previous study by the Arthritis Care and Research showed that bunions were more common as people aged and that women were more likely than men to have bunions.
Australian researcher Neil J. Cronin recently published a study on how high heels alter the biomechanics of the foot, says that high-heel wears should avoid towering heels when selecting shoes.
Wear heels "once or twice a week," Cronin told the New York Times, "or try to remove the heels whenever possible, such as when you're sitting at your desk."
Reference: Huffington Post and New York Daily News
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
"These new findings highlight the importance of furthering our understanding of what causes greater susceptibility to these foot conditions, as knowing more about the pathway may ultimately lead to early prevention or early treatment," said study researcher Dr. Marian Hannan, of Harvard Medical School and Hebrew SeniorLife, who is the editor in chief of the journal in a statement.
Recent studies show that more than one third of older adults have bunions. In this study, researchers looked at bunions, lesser toe deformities, and plantar soft tissue atrophy in 1,370 study participants, with an average age of 66, who were part of the Framingham Foot Study. Researchers found that 31 percent of the participants had bunions, 30 percent had lesser toe deformities, and 28 percent had plantar soft tissue atrophy.
They found that bunions and toe deformities were heritable, but plantar soft tissue atrophy was not.
A previous study by the Arthritis Care and Research showed that bunions were more common as people aged and that women were more likely than men to have bunions.
Australian researcher Neil J. Cronin recently published a study on how high heels alter the biomechanics of the foot, says that high-heel wears should avoid towering heels when selecting shoes.
Wear heels "once or twice a week," Cronin told the New York Times, "or try to remove the heels whenever possible, such as when you're sitting at your desk."
Reference: Huffington Post and New York Daily News
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
What Is Ollier's Disease?
Ollier's disease is a rare nonhereditary sporadic disorder that occurs in 1 in 100,000 people. It presents as
intraosseous benign cartilaginous tumors that develop close to growth plate cartilage. It is not clear if the disease is caused by a single gene defect or a combination of mutations, but the irregular distribution of tumors suggests that the disease is a result of mosaicism, or error in cell division that occurs before birth.
The disorder, named after French surgeon surgeon Louis Leopold Ollier, consists of numerous endochondromas which develop during childhood. The growth of these endochondromas usually stops after you have reached your full height, but the affected extremity is often shortened and bowed due to epiphyseal fusions. Those with Ollier's disease are prone to breaking bones, have enlarged toes, a bony mass on the toe, and complain of swollen, aching limbs. Ollier's disease typically affects just one side of the body and can transform into a malignant sarcoma. The hands and feet are most affected by Ollier's disease. Sometimes injury or trauma to the toe will result in the formation of the bony irregularity or prominence.
On an X-ray, streaks of low density will be seen on the long bones due to ectopic cartilage deposits. Over your lifetime, this cartilage will calcify in a snowflake pattern. Ollier's disease is often not diagnosed until the patient fractures a bone in their foot and the endochondromas appear on the X-rays.
Only when the tumors are aggressive and destroy bone tissue will they require further treatment. Pain when at rest is also a clue treatment is needed, as it is a sign of malignancy. Surgery can be done to remove the painful and problematic endocondromas. During surgery bone grafts are used to fill the cavity caused from removing the endochondroma.
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
The disorder, named after French surgeon surgeon Louis Leopold Ollier, consists of numerous endochondromas which develop during childhood. The growth of these endochondromas usually stops after you have reached your full height, but the affected extremity is often shortened and bowed due to epiphyseal fusions. Those with Ollier's disease are prone to breaking bones, have enlarged toes, a bony mass on the toe, and complain of swollen, aching limbs. Ollier's disease typically affects just one side of the body and can transform into a malignant sarcoma. The hands and feet are most affected by Ollier's disease. Sometimes injury or trauma to the toe will result in the formation of the bony irregularity or prominence.
On an X-ray, streaks of low density will be seen on the long bones due to ectopic cartilage deposits. Over your lifetime, this cartilage will calcify in a snowflake pattern. Ollier's disease is often not diagnosed until the patient fractures a bone in their foot and the endochondromas appear on the X-rays.
Only when the tumors are aggressive and destroy bone tissue will they require further treatment. Pain when at rest is also a clue treatment is needed, as it is a sign of malignancy. Surgery can be done to remove the painful and problematic endocondromas. During surgery bone grafts are used to fill the cavity caused from removing the endochondroma.
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Sole of My Foot Is Abnormally Thick!
There are three types of patterns of palmoplantar keratodermas, which include:
*Diffuse
- Diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma is characterized by thick, even, and symmetric hyperkeratosis over the whole of the sole. They are present at birth or during the first few months of life.
- Diffuse epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma is one of the most common patterns of this condition. This too is evident at birth and is characterized by demarcated symmetric thickening of the soles, with a "dirty" snakeskin appearance.
- Diffuse nonepidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma is an inherited autosomal dominant condition, present at birth, and is characterized by well-demarcated, symmetric keratoses, and a "waxy" appearance.
- Focal palmoplantar keratoderma is characterized by large, compact masses of keratin which develop at sites with recurrent friction. The pattern of calluses may be discoid or linear.
- Focal palmoplantar keratoderma with oral mucosal hyperkeratosis is an autosomal dominant keratoderma that represents an overlap with pachyonychia congenita type 1 without the typical nail involvement.
- Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma is characterized by tiny "raindrop" keratoses which involve the palmoplantar surface, but may be restricted in their distribution.
- Palmoplantar keratoderma and spastic paraplegia is an autosomal dominant or x-linked dominant condition that begins in early childhood with thick keratoderma over the soles.
- Palmoplantar keratoderma of Sybert is characterized by a glove-and-stocking distribution with severe symmetric involvement of the whole surface and is extremely rare.
- Striate palmoplantar keratoderma involves the soles at birth or during the first few years of life.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
My Fifth Toe Is Constricted!
In the African Yorub language, ainhum means "to saw or file" and in Brazilian dialects it means "fissure". The exact cause of ainhum is unknown and it not caused by infection, parasites, fungi, bacteria, virus, and is not related to an injury. Doctors speculate that walking barefoot as a child may bring on this deformity, but ainhum also occurs in patients who have never walked barefoot. Since ainhum has been reported to occur within families, race and genetics may be one component. It has been linked to inadequate posterior tibial artery circulation and the absence of a plantar arch.
What is known as a groove will form on the lower and internal side of the base of the fifth toe, usually along the plantar digital fold. Over time, the groove will become deeper and more circular. The rate at which this condition spread varies, and may progress to a full circle within a few months or take many years. In roughly 75 percent of patients both feet are affected, though not necessarily to the same degree. There has been no case where it begins on another toe, but occasionally the third or fourth toes are affected. The distal part of the toe will begin to swell due to lymphatic edema distal and look like a small potato. When the groove deepens, compression of nerves, tendons, and vessels occurs and the bone will be absorbed by pressure. The toe's connection to the foot will become increasingly slender and will spontaneously fall off without bleeding. It usually takes about five years for autoamputation to occur.
About 78 percent of those affected have pain, which increases with gradual pressure
Little can be done for those with ainhum. Incisions across the groove have proven ineffective. Excision of the groove followed by a z-plasty can relieve pain and prevent amputation in Grade 1 and Grade 2 lesions. For Grade 3 lesions disarticulating the metatarsophalangeal joint has helped. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes helpful.
To prevent ainhum, avoid walking barefoot.
Reference: Wikipedia
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
NFL Dreams Put On Hold Because Of A Bunion
Monday night Virginia Union athlete Kentrell Harris said that a bunion has put his NFL dreams on hold.
That's right. A bunion.
Harris is a 6-foot-4, 263 pound defensive end who had 6.5 sacks as a senior last year at Union. He was not selected during the NFL draft last month, but agreed to terms on a contract offer with the Oakland Raiders following the draft. When he arrived at rookie camp last week, his plans hit a snag.
The Raiders noticed Harris's bunion. "They already knew about it," said Harris. "But they looked at it, and they said to go ahead and get the surgery to fix it and they'd bring me back."
Harris played last year with the bunion and thought he would be fine playing in the NFL. "I only missed one game. It didn't get too bad, but sometimes, it gets to a point where I can't put a shoe on," Harris said.
Harris will have surgery on the bunion tomorrow, and was told rehab can take from four to six months. This is not Harris's first time dealing with a bunion- he had surgery to correct a bunion on his right foot during his freshman year, and the recovery time was much quicker than the anticipated time.
"I'm hoping this one won't take as long as they say, so I can get back out there. It is real frustrating. You get a chance to do something you have wanted to do your whole life, and then you have a setback like this," Harris commented.
Harris was just one of two Division II players asked to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January in Los Angeles.
Reference: Daytona Beach News-Journal
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Harris is a 6-foot-4, 263 pound defensive end who had 6.5 sacks as a senior last year at Union. He was not selected during the NFL draft last month, but agreed to terms on a contract offer with the Oakland Raiders following the draft. When he arrived at rookie camp last week, his plans hit a snag.
The Raiders noticed Harris's bunion. "They already knew about it," said Harris. "But they looked at it, and they said to go ahead and get the surgery to fix it and they'd bring me back."
Harris played last year with the bunion and thought he would be fine playing in the NFL. "I only missed one game. It didn't get too bad, but sometimes, it gets to a point where I can't put a shoe on," Harris said.
Harris will have surgery on the bunion tomorrow, and was told rehab can take from four to six months. This is not Harris's first time dealing with a bunion- he had surgery to correct a bunion on his right foot during his freshman year, and the recovery time was much quicker than the anticipated time.
"I'm hoping this one won't take as long as they say, so I can get back out there. It is real frustrating. You get a chance to do something you have wanted to do your whole life, and then you have a setback like this," Harris commented.
Harris was just one of two Division II players asked to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January in Los Angeles.
Reference: Daytona Beach News-Journal
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
What Can I Expect With Hammertoe Surgery?
Before your surgery, make sure you have scheduled time off. While you will likely not require the full six weeks off, take as much time as you need until you feel comfortable. Your normal routine will be interrupted and things will take longer to accomplish, or may not get done at all, so expect more time to do tasks.
Hammertoe surgery can be done on an outpatient basis in our office or a surgery center using a local anesthetic, sometimes combined with sedation. The surgery takes about 15 minutes to perform. Up to four small incisions are made and the tendons are rebalanced around the toe so that it no longer curls. Patients can usually walk immediately after the surgery wearing a special surgical shoe. Minimal or no pain medication is needed following the surgery.
Icing and elevation of the foot is recommended during the first week following the procedure to prevent excessive swelling and to promote healing. It is also important that the dressing be kept clean and dry to prevent infection. Two weeks after the surgery, the sutures are removed and a wide athletic shoe can replace the post-operative surgical shoes. Patients can then gradually increase their walking and other physical activities.
Keep your bandages on as long as your podiatrist recommends and try not to get them wet. We sell in our offices a bag that goes over your foot and makes showering and bathing more convenient. Your podiatrist will tell you to lay off the high heels and other shoes for a bit, or even completely, until you are recovered. Hammertoes may come back on their own, based on your foot mechanics and structure, so there's no need in speeding up the process with impractical shoes. And no one wants to have surgery again!
If you're an athlete, take your time getting back into your routine. When you feel pain in the surgical area, stop your activity immediately. You wouldn't want to undo all the good work you've done!
If you have a foot deformity, 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, like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)