In This Issue…

• Heel pain. What could it be??
• 8 Tips To Avoid Overuse Injuries
• Put Your Best Foot Forward at Holiday Parties
• Eat for Your Feet Good Nutrition for Foot Health
• Recipe of the Month: Holiday Ham with Riesling and Mustard

Heel pain. What could it be??

–Sean Dunleavy DPM

Do you have heel pain??

It’s several times a week that I see patients complaining of heel pain. Some of these individuals are young, active, healthy runners.

Others are laborers who are standing for very long periods of time, in shoe-gear that is ill fitting. The one thing that they all have in common is they try to ignore the discomfort, carry on with their activities as though nothing is wrong, and do not seek treatment.

DON’T DO THIS.
PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A PODIATRIST.

I have had runners come in thinking they simply have a case of severe plantar fasciitis, and then a x-ray reveals a stress fracture in their heel bone.

If one were to continue being active on a fractured heel bone, they could very well cause a fracture pattern that previously did not need surgery, to end up being one that DOES need surgery. This is why it is so important to be seen.

If you are having discomfort in your heel and it has not improved in a few days, you should be seen by a Podiatrist!

Some things seen in our office as a chief complaint of “heel pain”:

• heel bone stress fracture
• plantar fasciitis
• tubercle fracture of the heel bone
• achilles tendonitits/tendinosis
• subtalar joint arthritis
• painful spurring on the back of the heel
• achilles tendon partial rupture
• prominent peroneal trochlea
• retained foreign body

Some of these will respond very well to conservative measures, if you are seen in time!

Please don’t wait, and PLEASE DON’T “push thru the pain”.

Talk soon, same time, same channel
Dr. Dunleavy – signing off.

8 Tips To Avoid Overuse Injuries

We all know that we should be physically active as a key ingredient for good health. But when we do too much too soon, we run the risk of sustaining painful overuse injuries.

Overuse injuries occur when we begin an exercise program that is too aggressive or when we step up the speed or duration of our current routine. The extra stress is placed on muscles, tendons and bones that are not ready for that level of activity.

Overuse injuries occur in many sports and even walking:

• Tendonitis, or inflamed tendon, is commonly associated with jumping or side-to-side motions such as those required for soccer, dance and tennis. In particular, Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon that attaches your calf muscle to the heel bone and is often
  experienced by runners.
• Plantar fasciitis, or inflammation of the plantar fascia which runs along the sole of the foot, is caused by overuse of this tissue. The heel pain from plantar fasciitis is usually worst in the morning when you first get out of bed.
• Stress fractures are tiny breaks in the bone that plague athletes such as distance runners and basketball players. They are very common in the foot and shin because of the weight-bearing responsibilities of those areas.

The Good News? Overuse Injuries of the Foot Can Be Avoided

Here are our top 8 tips to avoid an overuse injury:

1. Do some gentle stretches before beginning your activity – but always warm up before stretching with some easy jogging in place.
2. Don’t work through any pain, as discomfort is your body’s signal that something is wrong or that you are overdoing it.
3. Follow the 10% rule. Increase your activity level, such as running distance or duration, gradually by only 10% per week as you work toward your goals.
4. Whenever possible, run on soft, flat surfaces.
5. Mix up your routine. Alternate hard training days with easier ones. Put your running shoes aside for a day to do weight training.
6. Choose the right footwear for each activity. Shoes for tennis accommodate a lot of both forward and lateral motion. Basketball shoes support the ankle and have flat bottoms for stable landings. Running shoes have ample cushioning to absorb stress and are lightweight and flexible.
7. Replace your running shoes every 500 miles.
8. Women and teen girls should get enough calcium to reduce their risk of stress fractures.

By slowly increasing your activity level, your body will have time to adapt and strengthen to keep you in the game!

Put Your Best Foot Forward at Holiday Parties

The holidays are in full swing with all types of festive gatherings. Whether a family party, work bash or an intimate gathering with a few friends, we all want to look merry and chic.

When it comes to footwear, however, we also want to be comfortable – especially when it’s standing room only! No one wants to sing “Auld Lang Syne” in stocking feet because of pinched toes. Here are some tips on holiday party shoes that are stylin’ and comfortable too:

• Opt for flats. You can go glamorous with metallic flats that also have flexible outsoles and cushioned footbeds. Look for those with eye-catching gemstone accents.
• Slides aren’t just for wearing around the house. Select dressy versions that are poised right between form and function. Dress slides with special touches like beading and flowers are perfect for dancing the night away.
• What footwear can you wear with comfy socks? Booties! These can be metallic and even patent leather and those with shorter block heels instead of spikes are extra cozy.
• Sandals aren’t only for warm weather. Dress sandals in patent, suede and even velvet let your feet enjoy the party too, especially with a flat heel and open toes.

If you must wear high heels, be sure to limit their use. Slip them on when you arrive at your destination and only wear them for a couple of hours.

Eat for Your Feet Good Nutrition for Foot Health

Our diet is important for our overall health. But did you know that what you eat affects your foot health too?

Making healthy choices in your diet can lower your risk of certain diseases including heart disease and stroke, diabetes and cancer. But eating a poor diet can lead to inflammation. When the body receives an inflammation signal, it tries to cope with an internal injury threat. This can lead to chronic inflammation such as with osteoarthritis and autoimmune diseases.

Inflammation Can Cause Foot Pain

Some foot pain such as plantar fasciitis, or inflammation of the plantar fascia, is caused by inflammation. Plantar fasciitis can actually get worse when certain foods are consumed in excess, including:

• Animal protein sources with too much saturated fat, such as red meat
• Prepared foods with refined grains, sugar and trans-fats
• White flour that you find in pasta, snacks and desserts
• Vegetable oils with a lot of omega-6 fats such as corn, soybean and sunflower oils

These foods can aggravate other inflammation conditions like arthritis, heel spurs and painful arches.

Eat a Balanced Diet for Foot Health

A balanced eating plan with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits can reduce chronic inflammation. Other healthy foods to add are:

• Protein sources like beans and legumes
• Omega-3 rich fish including tuna and salmon
• Whole grains
• Lean meats
• Nuts and seeds

Your feet – and your whole body – will thank you for these nutritional powerhouses!

Recipe of the Month

Holiday Ham with Riesling and Mustard

Slice it and serve with soft dinner rolls so guests can make mini sandwiches, then use the bone to make soup. Ask your butcher for a whole cured, smoked bone-in ham from the back leg of a pig.

Ingredients

• 1 14-16 pound whole cured, smoked bone-in ham
• 2 cups sweet (Auslese) Riesling, divided
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 3 sprigs thyme plus 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Small pinch of kosher salt

Preparation

Arrange a rack in lowest level of oven; preheat to 300°F. Leaving the fat intact, remove the outer rind from most of the ham, leaving a band around the end of the shank bone. Score fat crosswise (do not cut into meat) on top of ham with parallel cuts spaced 1/2″ apart. Place ham in a large roasting pan. Boil 1 cup Riesling and 7 cups water in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Pour into bottom of roasting pan. Bake ham, basting with pan juices occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of ham registers 110°F, 2 1/2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme sprigs; cook, stirring often, until shallots are very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in the remaining 1 cup Riesling. Return to stove. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 8 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer mixture to a food processor. Add thyme leaves, mustard, honey, pepper, and salt. Process until well blended.

Remove pan from oven and increase heat to 350°F. Using a pastry brush, spread Riesling mixture over ham. Return pan to oven and bake ham, tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until internal temperature registers 135°F and crust is golden brown, 15-30 minutes.

Transfer ham to a large platter. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving. Skim fat from pan juices, reheat, and pour juices into a medium pitcher; serve alongside.

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com