Relieve Heel Pain with RICE

Image by bark via FlickrHeel pain a common condition that affects adults of all ages. The heel bone is the largest bone of the foot. For every step taken, the lower portion of the heel bone is the first part of the foot that hits the floor. Our foot is specially disigned for walking, but injuries can still happen if we don't practice proper foot care.

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. This is due to the irritation or inflammation of the plantar fascia.

The plantar fascia is located under the foot. It is a strong fibrous ligament that is responsible for the arch of the foot and serves a very important role for the foot's biomechanics.

Injury of the plantar fascia is due to several factors like sports (especially in athletes involved in sprinting), using improper footwear, and being overweight to name a few. These injuries can cause the fascia to become inflamed creating variable intensity of pain in the foot.

Treatment of heel pain is easily managed at home. The best modality is to follow the R.I.C.E. method which stands for rest, ice, compress, and elevation.

1. Resting the foot is the initial step. Resting the affected area helps heal any injuries of the foot. Total immobilization is recommended for one to two days. It is also advised not to take any pain killers during this period because this masks the healing process since it "temporarily" alleviates pain, tempting you to use your foot.

2. Ice packs works great in releaving severe pain, it also help reduce swelling. Apply the ice packs every hour for 20 minutes.

3. Compression helps in controlling the swelling. Lightly wrap the elastic bandage around the affected area.

4. Elevating the foot helps prevent swelling and assists in venous return to the heart.

If heel pain still persists after the R.I.C.E. method, see your foot specialist.

All About Foot and Ankle Infections

This is a relatively common medical condition seen at the Family Foot and Leg Center in Naples, Florida. Many patients will end up with this devastating diagnosis and it will lead to a number of amputations across the country, with each year steadily increasing the number of foot and leg amputations primarily from patients with diabetes and the associated complications from such especially with neuropathy and vascular disease.

We try to utilize the most innovative technology to try and prevent this devastating complication (i.e. amputations) , with the use of state of the art external fixators, MicroVas microcirculatory therapy, wound care referrals, and closely working with infectious disease doctors for management of the systemic portion of treatment especially in the case of ankle osteomyelitis. This commonly includes intravenous antibiotics and weekly monitoring of blood tests. There are cases, the foot, feet or even leg are partially amputated.

FFLC prides themselves on diabetic limb salvage, which essentially includes treatment of bone infections of the ankle and foot, as well as prevention of these problems. The medical cener also utilize specific rotation flaps for wound coverage and insertion of antibiotic bone spacers within the area of concern to aide in bone removal and replacement, to prevent major amputations and loss of legs. Most ulcerations of diabetic patients seen have been present for 3 months or more may lead to underlying bone infections in weight bearing areas of the foot if not adequately treated. A qualified wound care specialist is essential for optimal outcomes.

At Family Foot and Leg Center, East, there are prophylactic treatment and maintenance of diabetic patients with routine foot examinations and vascular studies to rule out limb threatening vascular disease, with proper referrals as needed.

This not only involves treatment, eradication of infection, and saving the legs and feet, but also excellent maintenance therapies to patients to prevent these outcomes entirely. A team of physicians, nurses, and health care practitioners are entirely dedicated to our diabetic patients to maintain daily activities, walking, and prevention of serious complications stemming from the pathology of diabetes.

The Use of Cold Laser Therapy in the Management of Foot and Heel Pain

ML830 Laser at Family Foot and Leg Center, P.A. Naples,FL

There are a number of treatments available for foot pain and heel pain. One of these is the use of cold laser, which uses low intensity or low levels of laser light.

Also known as low level laser therapy or LLLT, low power laser therapy, soft laser, and therapeutic laser, it has been used for many years in treating sports injuries, back pain, neck pain, arthritic joints, muscle stiffness, and many other acute and chronic pain conditions.

Laser is actually an acronym and it stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser have several uses, depending on the intensity and appropriate wavelength used. The use of laser therapy in managing pain, laser sends light energy which is absorbed to increase production of adenosine triphospate or ATP in the cells. Increase ATP production promotes muscle relaxation. Cold laser therapy also stimulates the the nerves and help generate new healthy cells.

Laser stimulates and improves blood circulation, sends more immune cells to damaged areas and promotes cellular oxygenation. It reduces inflammation by enhancing lymphatic drainage and speeds up healing.

Cold laser therapy improves tissue healing, reduces inflammation, and has an analgesic effect. This pain treatment is non invasive and there are no side effects. During treatment the patients will not feel any pain or discomfort. The properties of cold laser is that it penetrates the skin with no heating effect and no damage to the skin.

One of the recommendations in the clinical practice guidelines published September 2010 in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy states that clinicians should consider the use of low level laser therapy to decrease pain and stiffness in patients with Achilles tendinopathy along with other interventions such as physical therapy, stretching, use of foot orthoses, and night splints.

Different kinds of cold lasers are used to treat inflammation, reduce pain, alleviate nerve irritation and improve musculoskeletal conditions. Cold laser is different from the conventional lasers used in surgery which is widely used to cut or burn tissues, as seen in cancer treatment. Cold laser treatment or low level laser treatment do not produce head but instead converts light energy into chemical energy to increase the natural healing ability of the body.

To date, there are a number of cold laser that use different wavelengths, power and coverage area that are cleared by the FDA. One of the cold lasers used to accelerate healing and improve recovery time is the ML830. It gets its name based on a wavelength of 830nm that has a penetration capacity of around 5cm covering an area of about 3cm. It is useful in providing immediate pain relief for conditions like soft tissue injury, arthritis, muscle spasm, joint pain, stiffness, bursitis, tendonitis, knee and ankle pain, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and tendon tears. As a non invasive medical device, the ML830 provides reliable and effective treatment options to the clinician and patient.

Family Foot and Leg Center in Naples, FL offers ML830 cold laser treatment for foot pain and heel pain. Contact Dr. Kevin Lam at (239) 430 3668 for more details.