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Planning Before Surgery Decreasing Risk of Infection: Get a bottle of Hibiclenssurgical scrub (or other chlorhexidine wash) and use it as your shower gel for the week before surgery. Do not get it in your eyes, but pay close attention to your feet and scrub them well. Come to surgery with hair washed at least […]

Arthritis is the thinning of the cartilage within a joint, where two bones meet. The ends of the bone have a particular shape to allow for a specific movement of that joint, and the ends are covered in cartilage which enables smooth gliding of that joint. The cartilage can experience wear and thinning for a

Arthritis of the Hindfoot The foot is a complex structure formed by many joints, each of which have limited range of motion. It is divided into forefoot (toes and metatarsals), midfoot (the arch), and the hindfoot (the larger bones that allow for side-to-side motion). Arthritis is the wearing and degradation of the cartilage inside the

Keep your splint or cast dry. Moisture weakens the cast and damp padding next to the skin can cause irritation. Use two layers of plastic or purchase waterproof shields to keep your cast or splint dry during bathing or showering. Even if the cast is covered, do not submerge it, or hold it under running

Lumbar radiculopathy, commonly known as “sciatica”, is referred pain to the lower extremity due to injury or degeneration in the lower back. It may lead to pain, weakness, and numbness. People with pain in their feet often see an Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon at some point during the course of their treatment to rule

Bunionette The main thing to know about bunionette (also known as a Tailor’s Bunion) is that they’re not a bump or a growth. A bunionette can be caused by an angular deformity between the fifth metatarsal and the proximal phalanx, a bowed metatarsal, or an enlarged metatarsal head. Therefore, correction of a bunion is not

Anti-Inflammatory Diet It is well known that the foods we eat influence the balance of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cells in our bodies. The typical Western diet has become predominantly foods that trigger inflammation, leading to many systemic diseases, especially in the musculoskeletal system. These foods are often quick and calorie-dense, and our active lifestyles often

Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is often a very painful and persistent condition rooting from inflammation of the soft tissues around the heel. The plantar fascia is a thin ligament that spans from the heel bone, or calcaneus, and fans to the forefoot. It can become aggravated due to an increase in activity or stress on

Stress Fractures Stress fractures are common in the foot and ankle. A stress fracture represents a chronic injury where there’s an imbalance between the loads sustained by the bone and the ability for the body to heal injury. There are two main causes of stress fractures: overuse injury or metabolic bone issues. Overuse injuries in

Insertional Achilles Tendinitis Achilles tendinitis is a common cause of posterior heel pain. Patients who have this have often also experienced plantar fasciitis in the past. This is because the cause is similar. Fortunately, many cases can be treated without surgery. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. Tendinitis is inflammation of