According to nbcsports.com, on March 10, 2013, San Diego Padres second baseman, Logan Forsythe, has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.  He was given a second injection and hopes that the injection, combined with three to four days of rest, will allow the heel or arch pain to be manageable during the 2013 regular season.

Heel Spur Pain, Arch Pain, Plantar Fasciitis occurs when the broad ligament that connects the heel to the toes at the bottom, or plantar surface, of the arch becomes irritated or strained due to excessive use.  It can also be related to a mechanical imbalance. 

Classically, the heel or the arch hurts with the first few steps in the morning.  It gets somewhat better with a limited amount of walking.  If you are on your feet for a considerable length of time or run, and then you sit for a while, it is often painful with the first few steps after rest.

It is important to correct the mechanical imbalance that caused the problem.  This can be done by making made to measure orthotics to wear in your shoes.  They will help to support the foot and relieve the pull of the plantar fascia.

The other thing that is necessary is to relieve the inflammation or irritation, which is often near the heel where the plantar fascia inserts onto the calcaneus or heel bone. This can be done with a cortisone injection but injections can be painful and repeated cortisone injections can cause thinning of the connective tissues.  Another alternative is to take oral anti-inflammatory medications such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen or Naprosyn. However, this type of medication is not good for someone with stomach problems, high blood pressure or heart disease.

In my opinion, a  safer alternative is to use soundwaves to relieve the problem. If the condition has been present for a relatively short period of time such as days, weeks, or a few months, a lower energy form of soundwave called radial wave or pressure wave can be used.  Anaesthetic is not required. Most people need from three to five treatments.  They are performed on a weekly basis.  In my office I also combine the soundwave or radial wave with a low energy Laser Pain Treatment.  I find that this can be quite effective for acute plantar heel pain or arch pain due to acute plantar fasciitis (plantar fasciitis that has been present for a short period of time).

If you have chronic plantar fasciitis, that is, plantar fasciitis that has been present for several months or even years, I use a stronger modality called extracorporeal shockwave.  This is performed with local anesthetic.  I have found that approximately 75% of people with chronic plantar fasciitis will experience anywhere from 50-100% improvement following one treatment.

If you or someone you care about suffer from heel or arch pain due to plantar fasciitis, please contact me in at my Toronto podiatry office at 416-486-9917.  I will be happy to examine your foot and tell you the best course of treatment to get you walking more comfortably.

And if Logan Forsythe doesn’t get better with his cortisone injection, please tell him to give me a call. 

On Thursday June 14 2012 I had the pleasure of meeting well known American broadcaster and T.V. personality, Glenn Beck.

Mr. Beck was sponsored by Uptown Chabad to speak at the Wintergarden Theatre in downtown Toronto, a 20 minute drive from my Toronto podiatry office at 586 Eglinton Ave East Suite 501.

Glenn Beck spoke very passionately and emotionally. The gist of his speach was that we should always strive to do the right thing when we deal with other people because one day we will be held accountable by a higher power.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to ask him if he suufered from foot pain due to Bunions, or hammer toes, which I treat with Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery,  Heel Spur Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, which I treat with Custom foot orthotics, as well as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Heel Spur Pain, Arch Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis or painful  Ingrown Toenails which can be treated painlessly under local anesthetic.

If he does, perhaps he will call my Toronto foot clinic at 416-486-9917 for a private consultation.

Next week I will be travelling to Cleveland, Ohio where I will be lecturing on minimally invasive foot surgery for bunions and tailors' bunions, also known as bunionettes (bony enlagement near the baby toe).This is an international meeting that will be attended by podiatrists from all over the United States, Canada and from as far away as Australia.It will take place at the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine (of which I am a proud graduate) at the new modern facility in the suburb of Severance Ohio.

In case you were wondering, I am the guy on the right side of the photo.

According to reports, Seattle Mariners centre fielder Franklin Gutierrez is suffering with heel pain due to  plantar fasciitis. If not treated appropriately, plantar fasciitis can be devestating to a professional athlete since they need their feet to be free of pain in order to run quickly and efficiently. If not treated properly, palntar fasciitis can become a nagging problem.

The plantar fascia is a broad, dense ligament that begins at the plantar (bottom) surface of the calcaneus (heel bone), runs along the arch, giving it support, and ends at the toe bones.

Classically, someone with planatar fasciitis will experience sharp or dull pain in their heel or arch with the first few steps in the morning and following a period of rest. This is called post kinetic dyskinesia. The foot tends to feel betterwith stretching and a little bit of walking. It the person with plantar fasciitis spends a lot of time on his/her feet during the day and sits for a while (watching T.V. or eating dinner), it tends to be very painful when he or she gets up to walk again. It may not be terribly painful during exercise but usually will hurt later or the next morning.

In my Toronto podiatry office, I encourage patients with plantar fasciitis to replace their shoes if they are showing signs of wear, in order to support and protect the foot. I may recommend off the shelf arch supports to give cushioning or made to measure orthotics fabricated from plaster casts of their feet in order to improve the biomechanics and relieve excessive stretching of the plantar fascia.

In my Toronto foot clinic, I may recommend a non-steroidal anti-inlammatory medication (or N.S.A.I.D.) to releve the associated pain and inflammation, such as Aspirin (A.S.A.), Motrin (Ibuprofen), or Naprosyn (Naproxen). Another good medication is Celebrex (Celecoxib). I will also consider a cortisone injection.

However, many people do not wish to take anti-inlanmmatory pills because they are not good for their blood pressure, heart, stomach and bowels. Many also do not want cortisone injections because they can cause discomfort and also weaken the connective tissue. For those people, I offer sound wave and laser treatments.

If you or a loved one is suffering from heel pain or arch pain due to plantar fasciitis, or other foot problems, please call my Toronto podiatry office today at 416-486-9917 for a private consultation. My staff and I will do everything we can to get you back on your feet.

It is winter in Canada and while  many of us are outside enjoying our favourite winter sports, it is alwys important to use the right equiptment.

According to the website of the U.S. Figure Skating Association, improper or poorly fitting skating equiptment may lead to injuries to the low back, patella (kneecap), hip, groin, ankle and foot.

The most common foot problems, according to the artticle, include Bunion deformities, found in 57 percent of skaters. The navicular bone in the arch was found to be enlarged 31 percent of the time. These problems may be due to improper fit or uncorrected pronation problems.

Pump bumps at the back of the heel may be due to the heel slipping in the boot, and are found in 49 percent of skaters. Hammer toes are found in 18 percent of skaters and may also be aggravated by heel slippage. Other problems include ankle bursitis as well as skin irritation and lace bite.

if you suffer from these or other foot problems and they are not solved with improved or adjusted equiptment, please call our Toronto foot clinic at 416-486-9917 for a private consultation to find out how you may benefit from consevative treatments such as Laser Pain Treatment, or, if surgery is necessary, from Minimally Invasive Surgery