Tag: foot health

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Winter Foot Pain

Foot Pain

As we get into the thick of the winter, many are experiencing some frustrating foot pain that seemingly has no root cause. You may be wondering why this is occurring. Foot pain is unfortunately common during the winter and there are a range of reasons why! Here’s a breakdown of where cold weather foot pain comes from and what you can do about it!

Where It’s Coming From

If you’re not actively healing an injury and practicing daily foot care habits, you may be confused as to why you have mild to moderate pain. But it’s not that strange! Here are some of the top reasons why this could be happening to you:

  • Cold weather: Bitter winds are known to lead to sore, achy limbs. Cold weather causes your body to slow blood circulation to your arms and legs in an attempt to preserve your body’s core temperature. This can result in cold feet and joint pain!
  • Gaining weight: It’s important to eat well and enjoy yourself during the holidays. But did you know that weight gain can lead to poor foot health? Extra weight can put more pressure on your feet, leading to more wear and tear.
  • Wearing the wrong shoes: One of the biggest causes of foot problems is wearing ill-fitting shoes. If you don’t take good care of your feet by wearing comfy, supportive footwear, you can end up with blisters, bunions, and hammertoes. Winter is a time when a lot of people go skiing or ice skating, which can be fun, but if you don’t wear the right kind of boots, you can easily injure yourself.

Lessening The Pain

So, what can you do to help ease the stress? Here are some of our best tips for treating cold-weather foot pain:

  • Call your podiatrist if you’re experiencing ongoing or severe pain
  • If you run into a minor injury, follow R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation)
  • Stretch your feet daily
  • Wear comfortable shoes
  • Bundle up with thick socks and insulated boots
  • Maintain a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet

Step By Step Family Foot Care is here to assist you with any of your podiatry needs! To make an appointment with Dr. Debra Manheim, call us at (973) 917-3785 or visit our site to schedule an appointment. The staff at our Parsippany office is ready and eager to help.

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Five Ways to Say Thank You to Your Feet

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope your start to the holiday season is enjoyable. Thanksgiving is naturally a time when people like to reflect on their everyday life and consider what they’re most grateful for. Our feet do so much for us, but they’re often neglected when it comes to self-care. This Thanksgiving, we’re encouraging everyone to spend some time giving their feet extra TLC. What better way to show gratitude and appreciation for your feet than with an at-home foot care routine? We’re sharing five of the best ways you can give your feet some love this November!

Trim

First things first. Are your toenails trimmed properly? For the best results, cut straight across the nail and file down any rough spots with a file. Rounding the edges or cutting too short can cause ingrown nails! If trimming your nails is difficult, see if your podiatrist offers this service or go to your local nail salon. Another thing to keep in mind – never share nail tools with others!

Soak

What’s better than a nice foot soak? Foot soaks have so many benefits. Not only are they great for moisturization, decreasing inflammation, and getting rid of odor, but they’re the perfect way to relax after a long day. Fill your tub or a big bucket with lukewarm water up to your ankle. Next, add Epsom salts, black or green tea bags, vinegar, or essential oils to amp up the experience and benefits. Allow your feet to soak for up to 30 minutes before drying.

Exfoliate

With the weather cooling down, dry skin may seem to be inevitable. But exfoliation is one of the ways you can keep your feet itch and flake-free! Use a gentle washcloth or sponge and some mild soap during your shower. Alternatively, you can get a pumice stone if you suffer from calluses.

Massage

The best treat for your feet? Daily foot massages! This is especially helpful for those who deal with foot conditions that cause soreness, pain, or inflammation. For even more benefits, consider reflexology.

Moisturize

Incorporate some lotion into your foot massage or apply it after your shower! Moisturizer can not only help with dry feet but calluses and corns as well. Just be sure to avoid applying in between your toes!

Step By Step Family Foot Care is here to assist you with any of your podiatry needs! To make an appointment with Dr. Debra Manheim, call us at (973) 917-3785 or visit our site to schedule an appointment. The staff at our Parsippany office is ready and eager to help.

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Keep Your Feet Beautiful with These Simple Tips

If you missed out on August 17th’ National I Love My Feet Day, this is the perfect time to remind you to show some gratitude to your feet.  Our feet do so much for us, from carrying our entire body weight to carrying groceries. One way to show your feet some love is to keep them beautiful. The first step is to rid yourself of dry skin and keep your feet moisturized. Here are some easy tips to do that.

Use gentle soap in the shower. Harsh soaps can make dry skin worse. When buying soap try to look for words like “For Sensitive Skin” and “Moisturizing.”

Keep it warm. When you shower or bathe, it’s best to stick with lukewarm water. Hot water can dry out skin even more.

Scrub off dead skin with an exfoliant. Using a pumice stone works great. You can also use a simple foot file. Another option is to use a liquid foot scrub that is designed to exfoliate. Rub it on in the shower and wash it off.

Soak your feet. Try a mixture of 1 part Listerine, 1 part vinegar, and 2 parts warm water and soak your feet for 20 minutes.

Seal in moisture. Apply a lotion after you bathe or shower. Showering and bathing can dry out your skin. Try applying lotion to lock in the moisture that showers can take out.

Put on cream at night. Applying cream to your feet when you go to bed can also help.  To keep it sealed in, try pulling socks on over the cream.

Avoid open-backed shoes.  They can cause increased weight and increased friction from the back of shoes resulting in cracked heels. Dry cracking skin can also be a subtle sign of more significant problems, such as diabetes or loss of nerve function (autonomic neuropathy).  Heels should be kept well moisturized with a cream to help reduce the cracking. If an open sore is noted, make an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon for evaluation and treatment.

If you have any issues with foot health, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For more information and answers to your questions and to schedule an appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785. 

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3 Hiking Tips to Avoid Injuries

The great summer weather is here, and it’s the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy nature. There’s plenty to explore with nature’s endless beauty, but you also have to be careful.

Slippery stones, uneven paths, and roots that grab at your feet can send you sprawling, and you don’t want to end up on crutches this summer! Let’s go over some tips to avoid foot injuries when hiking.

Hiking too much or carrying too much weight can lead to foot fractures, broken or sprained ankles, or generalized pain. With some thoughtful preparation, however, you can enjoy the outdoors while staying safe from foot and ankle injury. Here are three tips:

  1. Wear hiking boots. Sneakers don’t do the best job when hiking. Running shoes don’t provide enough support. Luckily, there are well-made boots explicitly designed for hiking. These provide proper foot and ankle support and protection. Just make sure they fit correctly.
  2. Keep your feet dry. Try to wear clean socks and change them when they get wet with sweat. Socks damp with perspiration set you up for annoying blisters and fungal infections. You can also apply foot powder before you set out to help keep your feet dry.
  3. Don’t overdo it. For people that are fit and used to exercise, a long hike is probably safe. However, many of us were quarantined due to COVID and have-not had much exercise for the past several months. Too much activity too soon, too long a hike, or carrying a heavy backpack can stress your lower limbs and cause an overuse injury. Try to go easy until your muscles can adjust to the new activity.

If you sustain an injury or have foot or ankle pain while hiking, make an appointment with one of our expert podiatrists.

If you have any issues with foot health, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For more information and answers to your questions and schedule an appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785. 

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Has Covid Ruined Your Feet?

foot health

Covid has certainly turned our lives upside-down. Everyone has had to make radical changes in their lives. Unfortunately, many of these changes have negatively affected our health, including the health of our feet! Let’s look at how the changes in our habits have impacted our feet.

Why Has Covid Ruined Our Feet?

First, foot pain has been on the rise during the pandemic. The main reason is that people are working from home. While staying home, many have kicked off their supportive shoes and instead decided to wear slippers or flip-flops. The problem is that these provide little support or cushioning for your feet and increase the likelihood of injuries.

Another reason foot pain is more prevalent is that Covid has put many out of work, allowing people to use this extra free time to be more active. Attempting new sports and utilizing new exercise equipment have become more common, but it has led to more stress on the feet, injuries, and worsening chronic conditions. Podiatrists have reported they are specifically seeing more cases of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

This is commonly known as heel pain. The pain is caused by an inflammation of the band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or a cyst. It’s important to see an experienced specialist who can diagnose the exact problem.

What is Achilles Tendonitis?

Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Usually, this inflammation is short-lived. Over time the condition often progresses to a degeneration of the tendon, which is a case of Achilles tendinosis, in which the tendon loses its organized structure and is likely to develop small tears.

If you have any issues with foot health and mobility, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For more information and answers to your questions, and to schedule an appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785.

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Holiday Foot Care Tips

foot care

The holidays are here again. That means plenty of hustle and bustle. People will be doing a lot of shopping, going to malls, waiting in long lines, and traveling to see friends and family. It can be stressful. It’s easy to forget to take good care of your feet in all this activity. Here are five tips to make sure your feet stay safe and healthy this holiday season.

  • Keep your feet dry. Many people this winter are wearing heavy wool socks or fur-lined boots. While these can keep your feet warm they can also make your feet sweaty! A moist environment is perfect to develop a rash or athlete’s foot. The best way to prevent this is to have an extra pair of socks on hand to change into whenever your feet feel damp.
  • Minimize time in heels. Although they can be stylish, long hours spent in high heels can increase the risk for several foot problems. If you do wear heels make sure to do so only for short periods.
  • Treat your feet. One way to give your feet a nice relaxing treat is to go for a professional pedicure. Make sure the salon you use sanitizes all their instruments. When in doubt, it can be a good idea to bring your own clippers and other nail tools to reduce the risk of infection.
  • Choose the right footwear. Winter weather means snow and ice. Slippery conditions make it essential to have shoes or boots with a sturdy, gripping tread, and a wide, stable heel.
  • Take breaks! Instead of trying to get all your shopping and errands done at once try spacing out your shopping. Rest your feet whenever possible. If you do start to experience foot pain, take a break immediately, and if the pain persists contact your podiatrist.

If you have any issues with foot health and mobility, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For more information and answers to your questions, and to schedule an appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785.

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What Causes Raynaud’s Disease?

Raynaud's Disease

Raynaud’s disease is a condition that doctors are still struggling to understand. With this condition, your body will overreact to stress or cold temperatures. This causes a change in your fingers and toes. The changes include your skin becoming a lighter color to the point where it becomes white, numbness, and a prickly feeling going into the affected area.

You may be wondering, however, what causes this illness to emerge?

Causes of Raynaud’s Disease

  • When your blood vessels spasm: With this affliction, the arteries to your toes and fingers narrow and limit blood supply. This is especially true if you are stressed or have been exposed to cold.
  • Artery diseases: These include plaque in the vessels, disorders, and high blood pressure.
  • Repetitive motions: Motions like playing piano, operating construction equipment, and other repetitive motions can lead to overuse.
  • Tissue diseases: Lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis are all connective tissue diseases that can increase the risk of Raynaud’s disease.
  • Smoking: This includes both smoking and second-hand smoke. Both are damaging and cause blood vessels to constrict.
  • Taking medications: If you take blood pressure medicine, headache and migraine medicine, or over-the-counter cold medicines you can be at increased risk.
  • Injuries: If you have had injuries to the feet or your hands like fractures, frostbite, or had surgery in these areas, you will be at further risk.

Raynaud’s is a condition that can cause other issues later. Knowing the causes can help you avoid this condition and keep your health at its peak. If you have these systems, you will need to get help from your podiatrist and doctor immediately. If you’re curious about the health of your feet, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For answers to your foot questions and to schedule your appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785.

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Preventing Falls at Any Age

fall prevention

Falling is a painful thing, and it can cause damage later. There are things that make us more susceptible to this issue, such as age, health, or underlying medical conditions. You can also be at risk because of the shoes you wear and your lifestyle choices. However, there are things that you can do to ensure that you stand a more substantial chance of avoiding a dangerous fall, no matter your age.

  • Ensure you are at your best: if you have trouble seeing or hearing, this is a problematic issue that needs to be rectified. If you need glasses, let yourself get used to them. If you need a hearing aid, you must remember to wear it properly and don’t skip it. Neglecting to use these items can cause disorientation and can lead to a fall.
  • Avoid alcohol: alcohol in any form or dosage can impair you and cause you to sway or experience dizziness. This can lead to having trouble staying upright and walking correctly. Cutting alcohol completely from your diet will ensure better health which is also vital to avoid a fall.
  • Be careful in different weather: in the winter, you can experience snow and ice, which causes slippery areas, and water on the ground can cause slick regions. Be careful in these areas and ensure that you are walking around the mess to avoid getting hurt.
  • Don’t jump up: standing quickly or jumping up after sitting can cause a drop in your blood pressure. This is what causes the ‘head rush.’ You can also experience dizziness or a near-immediate fall as your legs buckle.
  • Avoid improper shoes: high heels make ankles wobble, toes cramp, and feet sweat. All these issues can cause an imbalance and unsteadiness on your feet. Choose non-skid shoes with a low heel and rubber soles.  These will help you walk on various surfaces with confidence.

If you have concerns about your foot health, contact Step by Step Family Foot Care, in Parsippany, New Jersey. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, offers treatment for foot and ankle disorders, biomechanical analysis, and functional orthotic fabrication. For more information, answers to your questions, and to schedule an appointment, contact us at (973) 917-3785.

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What Are Custom Orthotics?

custom orthotics

Custom orthotics are devices provided by a specialist or a podiatrist according to the anatomy of your foot. Custom orthotics can benefit anyone as they support the natural shape of the feet, alleviate pain in the foot, redistribute weight evenly on the feet, maintain equilibrium and greatly reduce the risk of forming foot sores in people with diabetes. They are frequently prescribed to people with bunions, hammertoes, high-arched feet, flat or webbed feet, plantar fasciitis, overpronation, diabetic foot, and supination.

How Can They Benefit You?

  1. Custom orthotics manufacturers use intelligent, innovative sensory technology to gauge the anatomy of their client’s feet and analyze pressure points for any dysfunctional gait issues while bearing weight. This way, the custom insoles are made to address an individual’s podiatric requirements.
  • A podiatrist would prefer prescribing custom orthotics to people seeking orthotic support for their feet, but insurance companies usually do not cover the expense of custom orthotics. The other suitable option could be supportive insoles formed by a rigid material that would lend stability to the feet instead of the widely available soft-bendable drug-store insoles. Foot structure misalignment, supination, overpronation, and plantar fasciitis can be corrected with custom orthotics or supportive insoles.
  • When choosing supportive insoles, bear in mind the right volume of insoles for the kind of shoes they would be inserted in and the type of place you would be wearing them. For example, insoles with low volume are better suited for people with low arches or cycling shoes. Medium volume insoles work well with a range of arch types, casual footwear, and some athletic shoes. Insoles with high volume are best for runners or trekking boots, hiking footwear, ski boots, and feet with high arches.

At Step by Step Family Foot Care, in Parsippany, New Jersey, we offer custom orthotics and supportive insoles for your podiatric needs after a thorough consultation with our board-certified podiatrist Dr. Debra B. Manheim. For more information and to schedule your appointments, contact us at (973) 917-3785.

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A Traveler’s Guide to Ensuring Foot Health

Maintaining a proper foot care routine is not high on every traveler’s list while getting underway for a long-awaited vacation. With that in mind, we bring you a short guide to convince you to treat your feet with care even when you are in transit to ensure your foot health and safety.

Traveling for pleasure or work can lead to a lot of sitting in one place, narrow leg space, walking through community spaces, and standing in long lines. All these activities can take a toll on a traveler’s feet and cause pain in the feet and arches, injuries to the ankle, foot infections, and various podiatric issues. Here’s a list of few essentials to keep in mind before you pack your bags:

  • Pack the right footwear

Pick footwear according to the kind of place you will be visiting. It can save you from plantar fasciitis flare-ups, bruises, ankle sprains, and fractures. Flip-flops will be of no use on a trek to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Instead, pack a pair of sturdy shoes with good ankle and arch support.

  • Keep foot-care essentials with you

A travel case filled with your foot-care essentials like nail clippers, bandages, antibiotic creams, emery board, and moleskin can come in handy if you face cuts, scrapes, torn nails, blisters, or dry skin.

  • Bring along compression socks

If you anticipate long periods of sitting in a plane, bus, at a conference; then wear your compression socks to alleviate swelling in the feet. These socks also promote blood flow to the limbs. Ensure periodic breaks for stretches and walk to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and blood clots.

  • Keep ample sunscreen

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends the use of a sunscreen of SPF 30 with a water-based formula on the sun-burn-prone areas of the feet. A painful sunburn can worsen by the constant rubbing of shoes along the burnt skin.

  • Stretch your feet and keep hydrated

Stretching the ball and arch of your feet on a bottle of water or a tennis ball can relieve sore feet. Elevate your feet to bring down the swelling. Good hydration encourages blood flow and keeps in check the muscles cramping from exertion.

If you incur a severe foot injury, sprained ankle, or fracture while traveling, seek immediate medical attention. If you are in Parsippany, New Jersey area, we at Step by Step Family Foot Care are at your service to address all your podiatric issues. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Debra B. Manheim, can evaluate your symptoms and treat you promptly. To schedule an appointment at your ease, contact us at (973) 917-3785.