It’s getting that time of the year where the weather turns cold permanently. The days seem longer, the day gets windier, and the air is chillier. Despite the weather change and the challenges the wintry environment presents there is a minority of people that love this weather and love to be outdoors every minute of it! At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists we are glad you enjoy your favorite time of the year, but we are here to tell you to take precautions so you may keep joying what you love for many years to come.

Dangerous exposure of your feet to cold over for a long period can lead to a serious condition called frostbite. Frostbite starts by producing pain and a burning sensation in the exposed areas. If the frostbite goes unnoticed or untreated numbness will present in the toes or feet and can change in skin color, from pale or red to black.

Frostbite can be classified under two categories: Superficial frostbite injuries refer to those that involve the skin and subcutaneous tissue. When the damage goes deeper, beyond the subcutaneous tissue and into muscles, nerves, tendons, or bones, they are classified as deep frostbite injuries. At Frederick and Urbana, MD we will tailor a treatment plan to the frostbite based on the extent of the injury.

 You might be asking how do celebrity athletes such as, Shaun White, spend so much time in those snowy conditions practicing his insane snowboarding tricks. He simply takes the necessary precautions to prevent frostbite. He checks his feet and he sees a medical professional on a consistent basis. It should be noted that children, the elderly, and diabetics are more prone to frostbite because of the size of their extremities and/or poor circulation.

If you suspect any sign of frostbite, please come see Dr. Yanes, Dr. Steinberg, and Dr. Ho immediately. We’ will need to rewarm the area, apply bandages and prescribe possible antibiotics and monitor damage tissue.

As always check your feet daily and stop by! It can help avoid future health problems!

Do you have pain in your big toe? If your toe hurts by simply trying to point it up towards the sky (dorsiflexion) then you may have something called, Hallux Rigidus. This ‘unmoveable’ big toe is one of the most common forms of arthritis of the foot. Hallux Rigidus occurs as a result of wear-and-tear injuries, which wears down the articular cartilage. This can cause the bone to start rubbing on bone. If this condition is not caught quick enough a bone spur, or overgrowth of bone, may develop on the top of the bone. This overgrowth can prevent the toe from bending as much as it needs to when you walk. As you can imagine this results in very difficult and painful walking.  If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, come see us at Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists!

So who is more prone to getting Hallux Rigidus? Really, anyone with bad biomechanics or abnormalities of the foot can get it. But one of the main causes is osteoarthritis. The joint space is narrowing during this condition exacerbates hallux rigidus.  People with flat feet or excessive rolling in of the foot/ankle are also highly susceptible to developing hallux rigidus. But what we really have to look out for is the second most common cause of this condition, which is overuse. Workers that have to stoop or squat naturally add more stress to their big toe joint. Hallux Rigidus can be formed from such activity or as simple as stubbing your toe. 

An example of overuse of that big toe joint is basketball players. College super-athletes, such as, University of Washington Isaiah Thomas even experiences hallux rigidus. He elected to undergo surgery after his basketball season in order to alleviate and cure his chronic joint pain.

Our offices at Frederick and Urbana, MD will assist you in treating your hallux rigidus condition. If caught at a less severe stage we can provide accommodations such as shoe modifications, orthotic prescriptions, medication, corticosteroid injections or physical therapy.  Dr. Yanes, Dr. Steinberg, and Dr. Ho will exhaust nearly all of the conservative treatments available before suggesting any surgery.  Surgery may be needed to clean up the joint, to restore normal alignment and function of the joint or to fuse the joint to eliminate any further pain.

We want you at your best and want you to walk pain-free so stop by if you are feeling any of the symptoms! As always check your feet daily and stop by! It can help avoid future health problems!  

The Baltimore Marathon is happening this weekend, October 15, 2011! Up to 5000 course participants of all ages will be running in this event. With so much variety in age and skill level foot and ankle injuries do occur. At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists with typically see marathon injuries before, during and after the marathon. 26.2 miles can take a real toll on the body. It is ultimately up to you to listen to your body and know your limitations.

The foot injuries that are commonly seen throughout the course of marathon training and the event itself are: plantar fasciitis, sesamoiditis (inflammation under big toe), shin splints, Achilles Tendonitis, stress fractures. At our offices located in Frederick and Urbana, MD we can help treat these common injuries before they get to severe. We wouldn’t want you to not be able to run the event that you have been training for so long for!

You hear more and more celebrities completing marathons such as: Will Ferrell, Katie Holmes, and Shia LaBeouf. They make it seem easy to training for it and complete it. First things first, the ultimate goal of competing in a marathon is admirable, but also takes dedication. You simply cannot grab a pair of only running shoes, get your running attire on, and simply brisk your way through the marathon. That’s how we are seeing more patients with marathon-related injuries than ever before. Everyone’s feet are different so when following a group or common marathon training keep in mind your feet and listen to your body. You can always come talk to Dr. Steinberg, Dr. Yanes, and Dr. Ho before any training occurs! Remember, it’s easier to prevent treatment than treat them.

Let us advise you when you are picking out new shoes to start training, we can even provide foot orthotics to help with the sudden increase of physical activity. Some times having the proper fitting shoe and right pair of socks can prevent blisters, sprain ankles and even stress fractures.  If you happen to get hurt while training, don’t run through the pain. Stop by our offices and we’ll provide the necessary services to examine the problem and treat it.

As always check your feet daily and stop by! It can help avoid future health problems!

To those running the marathon this weekend, GOOD LUCK!  

Always greeted with a box full of fresh vegetables and today a special birthday surprise for Dr. Steinberg!!

Being pregnant is a joyous and miraculous experience. Women can go through a lot of changes during their pregnancy course. There are ups and downs along the ride, but in the end it’s always worth it to see your baby’s first smile. Unfortunately, an overlooked pregnancy complaint is foot pain.

The natural weight gain that comes with pregnancy can severely shift a woman’s center of gravity. By simply changing your center of gravity you change your stance, the amount of pressure on your knees and feet, and your overall gait. At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialists we can help alleviate some pains brought by pregnancy. Two common foot problems experienced by pregnant women are over-pronation (moving the foot/ankle inward) and edema (swelling).

Flat feet can occur from the sudden increase in weight and gait changes. The arch may flatten and cause the feet to roll inward while walking. This of course can create further problems, such as, agitating your plantar fascia. By bottoming-out your arches you can cause extreme stretching on your plantar fascia, which can create plantar fasciitis (a condition that is painful and lengthy on the bottom of your feet). Another common problem in pregnant women is the development of ligamentous laxity (loosening of ligaments). The body tries to compensate for the sudden changes by allowing the ligaments to stretch and accommodate more. However, this can lead to permanent flat feet, along with many other local and systemic conditions. So before all these conditions occurs to you, come see Dr. Yanes, Dr. Steinberg, or Dr. Ho in our offices located at Frederick or Urbana, MD.

Any woman is susceptible to having foot pains while being pregnant! When Angelina Jolie was pregnant with twins she used Nike insoles in her shoes to avoid her arches from bottoming-out from the extra weight. Just like Angelina Jolie did, you should seek out professional medical advice and see what can prevent/alleviate your foot pain! At Frederick Foot and Ankle Specialist we will try all the conservative methods to help ease the pain. We can recommend stable shoes, proper-fitting over-the-counter arch supports and if needed some prescribed orthotics.

As always check your feet daily and stop by! It can help avoid future health problems!