"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!

By far one of the most amazing testaments to the care and attention that Dr. Hendizadeh pays to his patients came from a patient and his wife today.

Back in February Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien came in to see Dr. Hendizadeh for a dermagraft for a badly infected toe. Dr. Hendizadeh noticed that the graft was not taking because of poor circulation in Mr. O'Brien's leg. He suggested to them that he see a vascular doctor. As it turned out the circulation was so bad that they had to do a leg bypass or amputate the leg below the knee. The bypass was successful and the leg was saved. Considering Mr. O'Brien's other conditions and way of life they are certain that the amputation would have killed him.

“So, Dr. Hendizadeh truly saved my husband's life. I was a miracle and we are forever thankful to him.” said an emotional Mrs. O'Brien, “truly amazing, thank you.”

Today, I went to a local athletic club in Huntington, NY to register for tennis lessons. As soon as I walked in, I was approached by a thirty-something Long Island man, who limped over to me with his feet all bandaged up. He saw me looking down with a bewildered look on my face, and immediately explained he had just returned for a weekend long tournament in upstate New York. I quickly interjected that I am a Podiatric Surgeon here in Huntington, NY and that there was no reason for him to suffer like this.

Your foot is actually a very complex, biomechanical structure composed of twenty-six small and quite unique bones. They provide a very dynamic and effective pedestal upon which you can perform all levels of activity. When there is even a minor deviation in the alignment or location of these bones, it will cause dysfunction, and then pain. In most cases, we are able to treat these minor misalignments with custom fabricated orthotic devices that can restore structure and function.

The key to these treatments is proper biomechanical and clinical examination, in conjunction with an adequate patient history. Also, you should communicate with your doctor effectively to explain your activity level and expectations, as these can play a vital role in the specifications of your device.

Nobody should have to suffer with foot and ankle pain, and if you are, please call me, Dr. Vieira in our Huntington Office 631-427-3678 or ourRoslyn Office 516-484-1420 and make an appointment right away, because foot pain is not okay!

Associate Podiatrists of Roslyn and Huntington are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Evan A. Vieira. Born and raised in Long Island, Dr. Vieira knows the community and its people well and is excited to bring his expertise to our practice!

New to the world of private practice Dr. Vieira comes to us via Chaminade High School in Mineola, NY. He received his Bachelor of Science, Molecular Biology and Genetics degree from Syracuse University and his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from The New York College of Podiatric Medicine. And did his residency at NSUH-LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park & Manhasset, NY.

His decision to become podiatrist stems from an interest in small bone surgery and biomechanics as well as an influence from a family friend who found success in the field. Quality of life and happiness is very important to him and he saw that in this field he could have both.

His favorite part of his job is that his day is not spent in front of a computer and changes daily. His least favorite thing is not surprisingly, the paperwork. When he's not at the office, you'll likely find him on the golf course, watching the Jets or just hanging out with his favorite person, Dr. Beth.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Vieira much luck and success with Associated Podiatrists.

I was out running yesterday, enjoying the warmer weather and trying to rack up my training miles for the Fairfield Half Marathon.  I ran past another runner and my eyes were drawn to her fluorescent pink sneakers which, upon closer examination, I noticed were no ordinary sneakers but those with 5 toes!  Really just a thin covering of her feet.  I noticed how she gingerly ran over a gravel driveway and it got me wondering about the benefits of these skin-like running shoes and why they have become so popular.  After much research online, I discovered that, not surprisingly, there are opposing opinions on the merits of barefoot running and minimalist shoes.  Those in favor of barefoot running say that it is a much more natural way to run, the way our bodies were designed to run.  The barefoot runner tends to land more on the mid-foot than with a heel strike, resulting in less impact on the heel and potentially fewer heel injuries than with running shoes.  Podiatrists and the American Podiatric Medical Association on the other hand feel that barefoot running can cause injuries ranging from Achilles tendonitis to severe bruising of the soft tissue of the foot from landing on a rock.  The argument from both sides is that there are not enough studies to support the merits of barefoot running or the merits of running in sneakers.  Those against barefoot running argue that the few studies that have been conducted were sponsored by Vibram and Nike and are therefore skewed.  One thing that both sides agree on is that whether you run barefoot or in sneakers, you should adjust your form accordingly to prevent injuries.

Barefoot running has enjoyed a lot of media coverage in recent years, especially since the launch of the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall which chronicals the author’s quest to answer the question “Why does my foot hurt?” In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.  McDougall points out that 50-80% of runners in running shoes are injured every year. 

Dr. Doug Richie, a Sports Podiatrist warns that running barefoot significantly changes your running style and unless you are conditioned and trained to run differently, you are likely to experience injuries. 

The debate is likely to continue and heat up again now that running season is in full swing again with the warmer weather.  Whatever your choice, it’s always a good idea to consult with a physician before embarking on something new and different!