This lovely gentleman visits our office on a regular basis for a chat and regular maintenance.

This time he mentioned that he had been experiencing a considerable amount of pain on the plantar aspect (bottom) of his right foot for the last three weeks. At quick glance it was obvious that there was considerable soft tissue swelling and at the epicentre was a small black dot.

With a little debridement we were able to grasp the end of a 1cm piece of stiff wire perpendicularly projecting into the tissue. So this gentleman is a keen hobbiest, DIY-er and barefoot fanatic, nuff said! Moral of the story; keep your shoes on.  We remove interesting items all the time, sewing needles, pet and human hair, particle board slivers, metal shavings fibreglass and even the odd grape seed lol.  Can’t wait to bring you the next episode, stay tuned.

This year if you really want to show Grandma or Grandpa you really care and want them to be a vital active part of your life for years to come, don’t, I repeat DO NOT buy them slippers, no matter how cute they (the slippers) might look.

If you have already given in to temptation and wrapped up a pair of these cuties, no worries just switch out the gift tag for someone you don’t like.

    A lovely pair of light weight, stable, sexy running shoes will keep them upright, comfortable, happy and independent. It's the sort of footwear they will never choose on their own, but once they’ve tried them and feel the difference they will be converted.

     Don't go for the ugly outdoor heavy leather upper walking shoes. Yes, they are stable but the weight is off putting, the sole is hard, the mid sole is far too dense and more than likely won’t get used indoors. Obviously it would be better to try the shoes on before purchasing, so get a gift receipt and explain they can change the size they just can’t take them back (absolution given at your next visit). If you need some ideas on brands and models here is the link to the review we did earlier in the year.

http://podiatryassociates.ca.edit.officite.com/blog/post/running-shoe-review.html

A night time movie in your favourite fluffy slippers is one thing but daytime use takes an irreversible toll on foot structure and stability.

Schedule an appointment at an office location near you with one of our dedicated specialists. We do not require a referral however pertinent information from your primary care specialist may help in our diagnosis. Bring any pertinent images (X-rays) or test results with you and if appropriate samples of your footwear. Given the nature of our specialty it is likely we will want to observe you standing or walking during the initial exam. Call The Podiatry Associates in Mississauga, at (905)568-3800. We are also located in Brantford, ON, at (519) 751-2900 and Whitby, Ontario, at (905) 433-0200

Are you looking for help managing heel pain in Mississauga, Brantford, and Whitby, ON? If so, you understand that chronic heel discomfort can have a significant impact on your overall quality of life. That is why you need to work with a doctor who can help you manage this condition. If you need a professional who can help you, then The Podiatry Associates can help you manage chronic heel concerns. Learn more about why this condition develops and how you might be able to manage it.

Why Does Chronic Heel Discomfort Develop?

If you are sensing chronic heel pain in Mississauga, Brantford, and Whitby, ON, you might be wondering why this condition develops in the first place. Sometimes, people suffer from a chronic medical condition that could lead to deformities in the feet. This could lead to chronic discomfort in the heel.

There are other situations where an acute condition could lead to chronic heel discomfort also. For example, you may be diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. This is a condition that impacts people who run regularly, particularly those who run long distances. They can lead to inflammation on the bottom of your foot, leading to discomfort that is worse in the morning. Dealing with chronic heel discomfort can make it difficult for you to complete your daily routine, so you should learn more about how to manage and prevent this condition.

How Is This Condition Prevented and Managed?

If you are suffering from pain in your heel, there are treatment options available. For example, a lot of people use physical therapy to help them recover. Other people might require prescription medications to manage the pain.

It is always better to prevent this condition from developing in the first place. You need to manage the stress you put on your foot, trying to avoid running long distances when you can. It is also a good idea to stretch before physical activity to reduce your chances of getting hurt. Finally, you should also eat a healthy diet that minimizes inflammation throughout your body. If you are interested in ways to prevent heel discomfort from developing, you should work with a foot specialist in the local area.

Work with a Local Foot Doctor

It can be difficult if you are dealing with chronic heel pain in Mississauga, Brantford, and Whitby, ON. If you need help with heel discomfort, then rely on The Podiatry Associates to help you manage this condition and minimize its impact on your overall quality of life. Call (905) 433-0200 to make an appointment in Whitby, call  (905) 568-3800 to make an appointment in Mississauga, and call (519) 751-2900 to make an appointment in Brantford with a member of the team.

Its amazing how something as simple as a small ulcer under the big toe joint can limit your mobility and quality of life. Quality of life is a term we chuck out there easily but when talking to this patient it really was far reaching. On a daily basis wound care was taking at least 20 minutes to perform, moving within her home was painful thus kept to a minimum and planned to avoid further trauma. Trips outside the house only as necessary and again consolidating appointments to one day to avoid subsequent outings. Social interactions were avoided.  Going out meant more pain and little pleasure, and she didn’t want visitors entering a home that was no longer being maintained to its previous standards. Sadly, that left phone and internet communications…..so enough on that subject.

Usually shoe modifications, specialized wound care, orthotic intervention, and management of systemic illness are the mainstay we employ to address these kind of situations. All were in place and functioning, but still very little progress was made on the lesions under both 1st metatarsal phalangeal joints.

Back in late September we suggested it was time to be a little more proactive to reduce the mechanical force perpetuating these problems. To achieve that we suggested a tenotomy to the long extensor tendon of the great toe. The beauty of this procedure is that the small incision is not  weight bearing, heals very quickly and beyond the day of the procedure does not require immobilization nor do we need to modify the existing orthotics and or footwear.

So 5 weeks later we are now addressing the left hallux at the patients urgent request. The right lesion has remained healed since the first post operative visit and the tissue is returning to a more normal appearance with little evidence of scar tissue. Best part of this is that the patient is now back playing darts twice a week and can’t wait for the left toe to follow suit and heal as well.

So nice to see and hear her positivity and joy at everyday life events and even if hitting the triple 20 still remains illusive (darts joke).

As with so many of the procedures we perform the surgery is simple, its the patient selection that requires careful evaluation.

Schedule an appointment at an office location near you with one of our dedicated specialists. We do not require a referral however pertinent information from your primary care specialist may help in our diagnosis. Bring any pertinent images (X-rays) or test results with you and if appropriate samples of your footwear. Given the nature of our specialty it is likely we will want to observe you standing or walking during the initial exam.

Call The Podiatry Associates in Mississauga, at (905)568-3800. We are also located in Brantford, ON, at (519) 751-2900 and Whitby, Ontario, at (905) 433-0200

 October 18th  2021 Update on COVID-19 

Despite changes in Ontario`s provincial vaccination rates we still require our office visitors to observer requirements for mask wearing , personal hygene, and social distancing while in our offices and buildings. Proof of vaccination is not required at this point to avail of our services. Many of our patients have compromised immune systems, are younger than minimum vaccination age or are unable to be vaccinate so please help us to protect them. Please be tollerent with our staff as they conduct covid screening and ensure safe movement of patients within our offices. These tedious precautions, they perform on a daily basis under stress and personal discomfort time and  again.

Should you feel that your upcoming visit is unnecessary or you have questions call your local clinic site.

Walk in visits are not permitted at this time, should need our service please call the local office so that we can make arrangements and perform manditory pre-visit screening.