11-year-old Garret Bonneville has been contending with unbearable pain and difficulty as a result of having flat feet. In fact, Bonneville’s condition was so bad that not even orthotics in his shoes, braces, or even bone surgery could alleviate his condition.

Finally, Garrett’s great-grandmother got in contact with the LaGrange Shrine club. The Shrine club is an organization that works with non-profit hospitals in providing healthcare for children from disadvantaged families. Thanks to the efforts of the LaGrange branch of the Shriners, Garrett was able to receive the corrective surgery he needed on his right foot, and will be scheduled to have the procedure done on his left foot soon.

Pronounced cases of flat feet can be hard to live with. If you have flat feet and are in constant discomfort, seek the care of a podiatrist like Dr. Michael Stein of Foot Doctor of the East Bay. Dr. Stein can assess your condition and work with you to determine the best steps to take.

What are Flat Feet?

Flat feet are a condition in which the arch of the foot is depressed and the sole of the foot is almost completely in contact with the ground. Standing about 20-30% of the population generally has flat feet because their arch never formed during growth.

Conditions & Problems:

Having flat feet makes it difficult to run or walk because of the stress placed on the ankles.
Alignment – The general alignment of your legs can be disrupted, because the ankles move inward which can cause major discomfort.
Knees – if you have complications with your knees, flat feet can be a contributor to arthritis in that area.  

Symptoms:

- Pain around the heel or arch area
- Trouble standing on the tip toe.
- Swelling around the inside of the ankle.
- Flat look to one or both feet.
- Having your shoes feel uneven when worn

Treatment:

If you are experiencing pain and stress on the foot you may weaken the posterior tibial tendon, which runs around the inside of the ankle. There are several ways to help treat this pain and help flat feet.

Barefoot- studies show that those who grew up going barefoot, wearing less closed-toe shoes have more of an arch.

To learn more about Flat Feet, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, please contact one of our offices which are located in San Leandro, Pleasanton and Los Gatos, CA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

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James Mason University professor Reid Harris believes that probiotics are the future of athlete’s foot care. He and a colleague are applying the research they’ve been doing for years about the treatment of fungal infections in amphibians using probiotics to a new type of medicine they are developing to combat athlete’s foot in people.

Harris and his team claim their solution could be more effective at taking care of human fungus conditions than other drugs currently being sold. “The ideas of probiotics are augmenting good antifungal bacteria that we already have on our skin,” Harris said. “This produces a very effective molecule that could fight off fungus.”

If you are experiencing itchiness or discomfort and suspect it might be athlete’s foot, seek the care of a podiatrist like Dr. Michael Stein of Foot Doctor of the East Bay. Dr. Stein can help determine what condition you have and will provide recommendations on what your next step should be.

Athlete’s Foot: The Sole Story

If you suffer from itching, burning, dry, and flaking feet, this may be a sign of athlete's foot. Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, can be extremely contagious, and it often infects shower floors, gyms, socks and shoes, and anywhere else feet may come in contact with. It is commonly found in public changing areas and bathrooms, dormitory style living quarters, around locker rooms and public swimming pools. This condition can also be prevalent in "commons" areas in prisons and residential care facilities.

Solutions to Combat Athlete’s Foot

- Hydrate your feet by using lotion
- Exfoliate
- Buff off nails
- Use of anti-fungal product
- Examine feet and visit your doctor if any suspicious blisters or cuts are present.

What is Tinea?

- Athlete’s foot is often caused by the same fungus that causes ringworm (tinea).
- Tinea can invade other parts of the body as well, if the proper thriving conditions for it are met.
- Tinea thrives in mostly dark, warm and moist environments.
- Although many people never experience athlete’s foot, around 70% of the population may suffer from tinea at some point.

To learn more about Athlete’s Foot, follow this link.

If you have any questions, please contact one of our offices which are located in San Leandro, Pleasanton and Los Gatos, CA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.

Jake Locker of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans underwent foot surgery, which means he is out for the rest of the season. Although he’s off the field, Locker’s recovery process is far from simply resting. For the first time, Locker hosted his first event known as the Titans and T-Bone fundraiser for his new charity The Pass it On foundation.

Because he’s very busy and has something to focus towards, Locker remains optimistic about his recovery process. “I’m looking forward to getting it fixed and starting the healing process,” Locker said. “I feel confident I’ll come back stronger than I was and I’ll have no side effects from this injury.”

Foot surgery is a serious proposition that should only be done after a medical consultation. If you are thinking about surgery to fix your foot injury, visit a podiatrist like Dr. Michael Stein of Foot Doctor of the East Bay. Dr. Stein canassess your condition and walk you through all the corrective options available to you.

When Is Surgery Necessary?

Foot and ankle surgery is generally reserved for cases in which less invasive, conservative procedures have failed to help with the problem. Some of the cases in which surgery may be necessary are:

- Removing foot deformities like bone spurs and bunions
- Severe arthritis that has caused bone issues
- Reconstruction to attend injuries caused by accidents or malformations

What Types of Surgery Are There?

The type of surgery you receive will be dependent on the nature of the problem you have. Some of the possible surgeries include:

- Bunionectomy for painful bunions
- Surgical fusion for realignment of bones
- Nerve removal for painful nerve endings

Benefits of Surgery

Although surgery is usually a last resort, when it is undertaken, if can provide more complete pain relief than before, and may allow you to finally resume full activity.

Surgical techniques have also become increasingly sophisticated. Such techniques like endoscopic surgery allow for smaller incisions and faster recovery times.

If you have any questions, feel free to call one of our offices in San Leandro, CA, Pleasonton, CA, or Los Gatos, CA. We offer the best in diagnostic and treatment technology for any complication you might have.

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Mike Wisham of Birmingham, Alabama, lived a pretty normal life, until he lost both of his legs to ulcers at age 32. He attempted to try prosthetics, but they didn’t offer suitable flexibility in the ankle region.

This problem was fixed when Wisham was outfitted with a new type of prosthetic that contains a microchip in the foot, called the Elan. With the Elan he is able to walk more fluidly, without the fear of stepping wrong or falling.“I want folks to know the technology is out there,” said Wisham of his new feet. “That will allow them to carry on with life."

Knowing how your feet and ankles are meant to work can be a big asset to maintaining your health. If you have any questions about biomechanics, a podiatrist like Dr. Michael Stein of the East Bay can assess your feet and advise you on the best way to care for them.

Biomechanics in Podiatry

Podiatric biomechanics is a particular sector of specialty podiatry with licensed practitioners who are trained to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and lower leg. Biomechanics deals with the forces that act against the body causing an interference with the biological structure and focuses on the movement of the ankle, the foot and the forces that interact with them.

A History of Biomechanics

- Biomechanics dates back to the BC era in Egypt where evidence of professional foot care has been recorded.
- In 1974 biomechanics gained a higher profile from the studies of Merton Root, who claimed that by changing or controlling the forces between the ankle and the foot, corrections or conditions could be implemented to gain strength and coordination to the area.

Technological improvements are based on past theories and therapeutic processes providing a better understanding of podiatry concepts for biomechanics. Computers provide accurate determinations about the moments and patterns of the foot and lower legs with the most important information captured.

Advances in materials and more awareness of biomechanics have developed enhanced corrective methods, offering further options for foot-related injuries. Understanding foot biomechanics helps improve and eliminate pain.

To learn more about Biomechanics in Podiatry, follow the link below.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our offices in San Leandro, CA, Pleasanton, CA, and Los Gatos, CA. We offer all the latest in diagnostic and treatment technologies to meet your needs.

Read more about Biomechanics in Podiatry.