Here it is! The day has finally arrived! You've got your running shoes, your race confirmation, a reliable water bottle, and your trusty watch attached to your wrist. Are you forgetting anything? What about your custom orthotics? Acquiring orthotics for exercising could play a very crucial role in the health of your feet and ankles. If you have foot or ankle pains, don't leave home without them.

With the amount of technology that goes into the making of athletic footwear, you would think that they would provide your feet with everything they need. However, many companies line their footwear with thin insoles that break down after just a few uses. These liners are not designed to add extra cushion to the foot and they do not provide the right support. Custom orthotics can solve this problem.

From flat arches, overpronation, plantar fasciitis, bunions, blisters, and shin splints to leg-length discrepancies, custom orthotics can help to improve your foot health. Our custom inserts work by correcting the imbalances in your limbs and adjusting the angles at which your feet strike the ground. As an alternative to rehab or surgery, these personalized shoe inserts can help to prevent further problems and reduce or even eliminate the pain you're experiencing due to foot stress.

Not only do we mold the devices specifically to your foot, but we also take into consideration the type of materials that are best suited for your form of exercise. These inserts typically last about five years. Keep in mind that they are not an overnight solution. You'll need to break them in over the period of one or two weeks and they may cause slight discomfort while you're getting used to them.

We understand your passion for living a healthy lifestyle and want to keep you on your feet as long as possible. If you're experiencing any type of foot or ankle pain, call Foot Doctor of the East Bay in San Leandro, CA at (510) 483-3390, Los Gatos at (408) 356-6767, or Pleasanton at (925) 425-9684 today. Let us examine your feet and your condition to determine if custom orthotics for exercising should be a part of your next race day checklist. 

Getting around in San Francisco for the weekend can be a pain if you hit a bad traffic jam, and we haven’t even mentioned parking. The answer? A ride on the historic cable cars offers a great way to get around the city, while keeping your commute from getting any worse. In the case of your feet, if a bunion that has started and you want to keep it from getting any worse, use this helpful information on bunion treatment to slow the progression of your symptoms.

For starters, icing and elevating is a good way to relieve pain and begin your treatment plan. You can also apply patches over the area to make sure your shoes don’t rub on it. The main way to prevent the progression, though, is to invest in good footwear.

As far as shoes go, we have you covered. We can help you make good shoe choices by recommending which styles to buy. Sometimes, we’ll even recommend a shoe repair shop that can help you modify your existing shoes to accommodate that bump on the side of your foot. This usually involves stretching the shoe’s toe box to give you more room. 

If shoe style alone doesn’t fix your problem, our office specializes in making custom orthotics that will match the exact shape of your foot. The structure, which is inserted into your shoe, is meant to redistribute the extra weight you’re placing on your toe joint. This will help relieve pressure and pain, and slow the deformity’s progression.

Bunion treatment, when applied in the deformity’s early stages, will help you avoid a rush hour to the doctor when your pain is just too unbearable. You can call Foot Doctor of the East Bay in San Leandro at (510) 483-3390, Pleasanton at (925) 425-9684, and Los Gatos at (408) 356-6767.

Photo Credit: marin via reedigitalphotos.net

"Don't tell my feet, my achy breaky feet. I just don't think they'd understand." After a long day of standing on the job and pounding the pavement, you've been asked to work overtime. Whether you're a nurse, a chef, server, sales person, or construction worker, you'd like the extra hours, but you'd also like to keep off your sore feet. Dr. Michael Stein and Zeindelin Ahmad, DPM, want to help prevent foot pain in the workforce and offer tips to dealing with sore feet on the job.

If your job requires standing in one place for long periods of time, you may want to look into cushioned floor mats. An extra layer of cushion under your feet could be the difference between aching feet and a happy employee. You don't have to stop at the office. Get cushioned floor mats for your own kitchen or work station at home!

If floor mats are out of the question, we can provide you with custom orthotics. Our orthotics will support your feet and ankles where they need it most. Coupled with a pair of supportive shoes, your feet are in for a treat.

Another thing you can do to prevent foot pain: stretch properly. Prepare your feet for the day by warming up the ligaments and muscles in your feet. Try rolling your arch on a can of soup for five minutes when you wake and stretch your calves before walking out the door.

The standing workforce is plagued with foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis. Keep your feet from aching, burning, and throbbing by trying these methods.  If you've practiced good foot care and still can't find relief, make an appointment with one of our California locations by calling (510) 483-3390. We serve Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Los Gatos, CA.

Photo credit: marin via freedigitalphotos.net