Serena Williams’ Australian Open preparations took a major hit Wednesday when she injured her left ankle at the Brisbane International, laying on the court for several minutes while she received treatment.

 

Ankle injuries can be tricky and can lead to chronic issues. Chronic lateral ankle pain is recurring orchronic pain on the outside part of the ankle that often develops after an injury such as a sprained ankle.

Williams said her first thought when she sprawled to the court near the baseline on Wednesday was“not again.”

Signs and symptoms include:

• Ankle instability
• Difficulty walking on uneven ground or in high heels
• Pain, sometimes intense, on the outer side of the ankle
• Repeated ankle sprains
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tenderness.

Although ankle sprains are the most common cause of chronic lateral ankle pain, other causes may include:

• A fracture in one of the bones that make up the ankle joint
• Arthritis of the ankle joint
• Inflammation of the joint lining
• Injury to the nerves that pass through the ankle. In this case, the nerves become stretched, torn, injured by a direct blow, or pinched under pressure
• Scar tissue in the ankle after a sprain. The scar tissue takes up space in the joint, putting pressure on the ligaments
• Torn or inflamed tendon.

Treatments for chronic lateral ankle pain include:

• Over the counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling. Note:Please consult your physician before taking any medications
• Physical therapy, including tilt-board exercises that focus on strengthening the muscles, restoring range of motion, and increasing your perception of joint position
• Ankle braces or other supports
• Steroid medication
• Immobilization to allow the bone to heal (in cases of fractures).

Remember, even the most fit athletes are prone to foot and ankle injury. Regular check up and maintenance with your doctor is always recommended. Call Associated Podiatrists in New York and Connecticut today!

Cute and Comfy!: Tips for Finding the Right Shoes for You

Shoes are designed to protect your feet and provide support during daily activities—but the wrong type of footwear can actually lead to a number of foot deformities. Many podiatrists will tell you that corns, calluses, and bunions are often the result of ill-fitting shoes. Even when these conditions are not the direct result of your footwear, the wrong type of shoe can make the problem worse. Keep your feet healthy and happy with this basic guide to finding the perfect shoes for you:

 

Identify Your Foot Type

This is important in determining what style of shoe will fit your needs. For example, individuals with wider feet will want to choose a pair of shoes that provides ample room in the toes to prevent constant rubbing and irritation, while those with flat feet will want shoes that offer optimal arch support.

Make Comfort a Priority

This means avoiding pointy, oval, and square-toed shoes that force your toes into an unnatural position. Instead, try to stick with a style that has a round toe box, as this makes it easier for your toes to breathe and gives them sufficient room to stretch. In addition, avoid heels, especially if you spend a lot of time on your feet. If you must wear heels, chose lower, chunky heels, as these are better designed to distribute your weight.

One of the last things you’ll want to consider when choosing the correct pair of shoes is their material. Synthetic materials don’t allow for proper air circulation, increasing the risk of excessive sweating and blister formation. Leather is a much better option, as it allows your toes to breathe.

Are you suffering from a foot ailment that persists even after you switch to comfortable shoes? Let the doctors at Associated Podiatrists in Connecticut and New York diagnose and treat your foot condition—schedule an appointment by calling (203) 844-0493.

Did you know that frozen, cooked turkey should be used within one month after freezing? Or that unfrozen left over turkey is only good for 3 days? If you did, then you’re ahead of me because until I looked it up, I had no idea. Here are some best practices when handling your Turkey Day leftovers.

Try and remove all the meat from the turkey’s bones in large pieces and store them in their own (separate from other food) air tight containers. Throw some broth over it to keep it moist.

Make sure to remove all the stuffing and you can use the carcass for soup stock.

Stuffing that was cooked in the bird is only good for a day or two at most.

Stuffing not cooked in the bird is good for a week kept refrigerated and a month kept frozen.

Cranberry sauce is also only good for a day or two at most and does not freeze well.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes, taste-wise, are only really good for a day but will keep for up to three days and they do not freeze well either.

This site http://www.ifood.tv/network/left_over_turkey_stuffing/recipes has great left over recipes to use up the rest of what you didn’t get to or just couldn’t enjoy on Thanksgiving.

Just remember to store your leftovers properly in airtight containers and you’ll be able to enjoy them longer.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ALL OF US AT ASSOCIATED PODIATRISTS!!!

Written By: EJ Flynn

Associated Podiatrists would like to congratulate all of our patients who ran in the ING New York City Marathon on November 6th.  We are very proud of all of you!

"Walking off" pain is not really the best solution when it comes to your kids feet!

It's October and we are well into the school year. With the early morning alarms, boring teachers and hours of homework, also comes some good stuff; the fall sports season for both middle school and high school students! Football, soccer, swimming, basketball, cross country and even dance are just some of the things that your kids will be partaking in this school year.

After a summer of taking it easy, just playing outside, hanging out on the Long Island beaches or horsing around at camp, their bodies and especially their feet, may not be ready for all of it. With the sudden increase in activity, like long after school practices or new exercises and training techniques, comes new muscle aches, pains and strains.

One of the most common things that kids will complain of is heel pain. Lately heel pain has become synonymous with "plantar fasciitis" and when it comes to adult feet that might be a safe assumption but when it affects kids ages 8-15 it is usually caused by something else. While in adults the pain is usually on the bottom of the heel, in children it is most often localized to the back of the heel. The pain associated with plantar fasciitis for adults tends to alleviate and even go away with movement, however, with heel pain in children it will worsen with movement. They can't just “walk it off” as a coach or friend or even a parent might tell them to do. It shouldn't be ignored or dismissed.

In this age group, the growth plate on the back of the heel bone remains open. The achilles tendon inserts onto this area and with the increase in activity this area can become inflamed and very painful. The condition is called apophysitis or Sever's Disease, and is very common. It can affect both boys and girls and they will tend to complain of pain in both heels that is reproducible with squeezing the area.

The condition can be caused by many things, including, tight heel cords, arch deformities, poor shoe gear and obesity.

If your child complains of these types of pains or you notice any of them on your child, you should have it evaluated by a doctor to rule out more serious conditions. Treatments range from rest, ice, compression, to physical therapy, stretching exercises and medication. Orthotics can be very helpful in taking some of the strain off the achilles tendon and providing biomechanical support to the rest of the foot. As with any biomechanical issue a proper exam is crucial to formulating an adequate and appropriate plan of care.

So as the sport season progresses, don't ignore those aches and pains, they can't just “walk it off”, it can get worse. Call the Roslyn or Huntington office today, ask for Dr. Vieira, I can help!

We also have two Connecticut locations in Fairfield and North Haven!