Category: foot doctor

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The Most Important Do’s and Don’ts for Fall Sports Prep

Is your child ready for the fall sports season? While activities such as soccer, swimming and hiking are all good ways to keep children fit and active, it is important that we don’t take any shortcuts in ensuring their health and safety. At Step by Step Family Foot Care, we see many injuries in young athletes that could have been avoided if the preseason conditioning was exercised.

Below are some of the do’s and don’ts to be kept in mind so that your children have a safe and injury-free season.

Do: Always encourage your children to take part in all kinds of sports activities and make them aware of the importance of pre and post warm-up routines.

Do: Make sure you set up an appointment at our office in Parsippany NJ (973) 917-3785 to consult our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim. The foot doctor can help address all podiatric health concerns of your child and formulate a suitable course of action to avoid any unforeseen problems.

Do: Stay in touch with your child’s physical training instructor so that you can share your feedback on any issues that need to be considered before your child takes up a certain activity. This will also help the instructor to determine which exercises may be assigned for their strength and a healthy start to the season.

Don’t: Wearing last year’s shoes may be tempting yet damaging for your children. Over time shoes tend to wear out and lose their support structure especially in areas like the padding at the heels and the arch. Make sure to check their shoes to avoid any issues like heel pain, sprains, blisters, etc.

Don’t: You will be able to find shoes now that are designed for specific sports. Don’t opt for shoes that were handed down or passed on because new shoes will help your child’s feet by adjusting according to their shape and size.

For any questions or concerns regarding your child’s foot and ankle health, feel free to get in touch with our experts.

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Celebrate Your Feet This National Foot Health Awareness Month

As April marks the National Foot Health Awareness month, we at Step By Step Family Foot Care urge everyone to prioritize their feet and work to ensure their health and safety at all times.

Helping patients understand their feet and ankle health is our primary goal. Doing so, allows you to take necessary precautions to avoid foot problems in the long term.

We recommend the following:

  • Be Watchful: Patients come to our Parsippany office with foot and ankle issues that have progressed to an extreme stage and have started to obstruct there day to day functions. It is vital to start assessing your feet day by day so that you can spot changes as soon as they occur. In the event of any abnormality in your feet or any strange sensations, it is imperative to get an appointment and see our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Debra B. Manheim as early as possible.
  • Protect your feet and ankles from infections: Most frequent and easily treatable foot issues we see are bacterial and fungal infections. These infections include athlete’s foot and fungal toenails, which spread quickly and are extremely contagious. Avoid roaming barefoot and keeping your feet uncovered in public places like swimming pools and parks.
  • Shoe Savvy: The size of your feet can change with time; that why it is important to get your size checked every time you go shoe shopping. Also, wear a similar pair of socks when trying on new shoes. Make sure to try on both shoes and walk around to make sure your feet feel comfortable and are not under any excessive pressure. In case a foot doctor has recommended a custom orthotic device, make it a point to put it on before trying new shoes.

Keeping these points in mind can help ensure happy and healthy feet. Promise your feet the care and the treatment they deserve by calling us today at (973) 917-3785.

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How to Know If Your Child Is Suffering From a Foot Disorder?

Children may expressive any pain or discomfort that they may be experiencing; however, they may not be able to identify the exact problem. While they may be feeling uneasiness in running or walking, they may not be able to tell you whether it is their toenail causing the problem or a blister or pain in their ankle or foot.

Parents need to keep examining their children’s feet so that any issues can be addressed in a timely manner. Keeping a lookout for some of the following warning signals can give a heads up and save your child from prolonged suffering:

  • Avoidance: Children are energetic and playful almost all the time. If you notice your child avoiding games or opting to sit out more frequently than usual, there is a possibility that something might be wrong. Check their feet and inquire about any trouble that they may be facing.
  • Fatigue: While feeling exhausted after a day filled with play is normal, excess fatigue or complaints about feeling too tired too soon from children should be taken seriously. They may be feeling pain in their feet and hence may be making excuses about feeling tired.
  • Being too slow: Each child has their own pace and ability. However, persistently falling behind in comparison to children of the same age group could be a sign that there is a problem with their feet.
  • Awkward walk: At times, children alter the way they walk or run in order to avoid the pain in their feet. If you notice your child walking in an unusual manner, you should consult a podiatrist immediately.
  • Tiptoeing: Children often start walking on tiptoes or limp when they feel pain in their feet. They could avoid pain temporarily; however, tiptoeing hurts more as the balls of their feet come under stress.

If you notice any of the above signs in your children, immediately inspect their feet for any issues. For professional help and guidance, come visit Step by Step Family Foot Care. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim can help diagnose your child’s foot condition and devise a treatment plan that best suit his/or her feet. Call us today at our office in Parsippany (973) 917-3785, New Jersey.

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Laser Therapy for Your Foot and Ankle Pain

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Technology has revolutionized our world manifold. These revolutions/advances in the field of medicine have helped people cope with their health problems in a befitting manner. The podiatry field is no exception. In the past, one could not think of coming out of an ankle sprain so severe, as the star wide receiver for the New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr. had faced some two seasons ago and recovered miraculously within 3 weeks. An injury that would have kept one of the faces of the National Football League (NFL) out of the game for many months as predicted by many, laser treatment is all it took for the renowned athlete to get back in the game.

At Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany (973) 917-3785, New Jersey, our board-certified podiatrist Dr. Debra B. Manheim uses high-tech laser therapy treatment to a quicker, more effective and complete healing at a cellular level, treating a variety of foot and ankle issues.

Laser Therapy Treatment

This non-invasive, drug-free laser therapy treatment is relatively a new technology. More specifically, it includes a device that releases a concentrated beam of laser light energy that penetrates the soft skin tissue on a cellular level. This treatment repairs any injured or damaged tissue, reduces pain and inflammation and accelerates the healing process. The treatment is virtually painless and has no known side effects. The laser therapy is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – a federal agency that ensures the safety of all medical equipment.

Treatable ailments include:

Is the laser therapy right for you?

If you have painful feet, damaged tissue, mobility issues or other foot and ankle problems, it is essential to talk to a podiatrist and discuss laser therapy treatment.

The laser treatments from our foot expert, Dr. Debra B. Manheim can help you reach optimal foot health. We use advanced treatments and technologies, including laser technology as a key component in the quest to help our patients overcome their acute and chronic foot pain. If you have any questions you can call our office on the number listed above or set up a consultation with our foot experts. For more information about podiatric related problems and treatment, you can browse through our patient education library online.