Tag: bunions

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Step Into Better Health: 4 Ways Footwear Can Be Your Podiatric Powerhouse

For the expert team at Step by Step Family Foot Care, it’s no secret that proper footwear plays a crucial role in maintaining foot health. However, we often notice patients themselves are unaware of the benefits that the right pair of shoes or the perfect insole can confer!

With that in mind, we’ve crafted this blog post to address four unsung benefits that proper footwear can provide to your hardworking feet. Check out the info below.

1. Biomechanical Analysis: Decoding Your Foot’s Secret Language

  • Podiatrists use advanced technology to assess your gait, posture, and pressure distribution, uncovering hidden clues about how your feet function.
  • This detailed information becomes the blueprint for personalized footwear solutions, like…

2. Functional Orthotics: Architects of Foot Comfort

  • Custom-made orthotics aren’t comparable to over-the-counter, standardized shoe inserts.
  • They’re carefully crafted, based on your unique biomechanical analysis, to subtly correct misalignments and support your feet’s natural movement.
  • This can both alleviate pain and prevent future problems like bunions, hammertoes, and more.

3. Diabetic Shoes and Insoles: Protecting Precious Feet

4. Beyond the Prescription: Everyday Footwear Choices Matter

  • While specialized footwear plays a vital role, everyday shoe choices matter, too!
  • Choose shoes with wide-toe boxes, breathable materials, and good arch support.
  • Ditch the sky-high heels and narrow sandals for supportive flats or low-heeled options. Remember, your feet deserve comfort, even when you’re strutting your stuff.

Dr. Debra D. Manheim founded Step by Step Family Foot Care to provide “patient first” foot care to individuals of all ages. Our office is conveniently located on Route 46 East in Parsippany, next door to the Waterview Park and Ride. We offer office hours most weekdays and are available on Saturday mornings as well. Contact us for your appointment today!

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Don’t Ignore Your Bunion

Are you dismissing the new — or old — bump on the side of your big toe joint? What you see is most likely a bunion, a type of progressive toe deformity. To your surprise, it may not be causing pain. We encourage you, however, to visit a podiatrist regardless of how your toe feels at the time. A bunion is a toe deformity because the bones in the big toe joint are out of alignment. The misalignment will only continue to worsen. If you consider ignoring this condition, listed below are three reasons to reconsider.

Pain May Be Persistent

While some patients aren’t bothered by this condition, others may have a different story. Bunions can become very painful, especially if they are rigid. In the early stages of progression, this type of deformity can be flexible. During this phase, the greatest opportunity is to make improvements without considering surgery.

Other Toes May Be Impacted

The growing size of a bunion can impact the surrounding toes. They, too, can become misaligned. We want to help you prevent the impact on other toes. It is best to monitor the alignment and take steps to prevent it from worsening.

Calluses Can Grow

As your bunion grows, you can guarantee it is rubbing against the inside of your shoe. This friction is the top cause of a callus, a spot of thickened skin. It is your body’s defense against exposure to too much friction. If you aren’t paying attention, your bunion can bring on many other problems.

Step By Step Family Foot Care is here to assist you with 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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Your Guide to Healthy Feet

At Step By Step Family Foot Care, we enthusiastically encourage our patients to be proactive about the health of their feet. Your feet are the foundation of your body. We take them for granted most days, but healthy feet enable you to stand, walk, run, work, shop, and do almost every other activity you love. There is much you can do to keep your feet fully functioning and prevent podiatric disorders. Let’s take a closer look.

Choose Your Shoes Wisely

Shoes that are well-made and fit properly are essential to maintaining your feet’ health. Get your feet professionally measured. Don’t be surprised if one foot is larger than the other – this can happen! Always buy shoes to accommodate the larger foot. Choose footwear styles with these features:

  • Roomy toe box (you should be able to wiggle all your toes freely)
  • Heel heights of two inches or less, but not completely flat
  • Good arch support
  • Cushioned insole and heel cup

Your shoe choice can minimize your risk of bunions, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, and other foot problems, so choose carefully!

Don’t Neglect Daily Foot Care

Washing your feet daily with warm, soapy water and drying feet completely can go a long way toward preventing bacterial and viral infections like athlete’s foot. Apply talcum or anti-fungal powder in the morning and a thick moisturizer at night. Keep nails trimmed, and be sure that the nails are not growing into the skin of the nail bed and becoming ingrown.

Never Ignore Your Pain

Pain, numbness, burning, swelling, bruising, and tenderness in your feet are all your body’s way of telling you there’s a problem. Putting off seeking treatment can often lead to worsening the condition and even developing secondary disorders. Contact us if you are concerned about an issue with your toes, feet, or ankles.

Step By Step Family Foot Care is here to assist you with 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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Don’t Skip Podiatry Appointments

Our feet have a large job. They keep us upright and mobile, absorb shock when we play sports, and wear down as we get older. A podiatrist can help you retain your mobility and keep your feet in the best shape possible for much longer. Be sure that you see a podiatrist if you have any of these issues.

  • Bunions: Bunions are not overly painful unless left untreated. As you get older, they get more bothersome, and you will notice that they can cause friction and mobility issues.
  • Joint pain: Joint pain in your foot could be because of an underlying issue. A podiatrist will run tests and determine if any problems exist. In many cases, you will have a long-term health plan and medication to heal your issues.
  • Calluses: Calluses are thick and painful. If you see a podiatrist immediately, they can remove it before it gets too thick and offers medication to soothe the pain and help you avoid infection and future issues.
  • Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you will find that you are at high risk for infection, poor circulation, and mobility issues. A podiatrist can help monitor your feet and the problems you face, including help with ingrown toenails. As a person suffering from diabetes, you should never deal with ingrown toenails yourself, potentially creating cuts and infections.
  • Increased activity: Changing your activity level, such as working out more, running, or adopting sports, can all cause damage to the feet. A podiatrist will be able to help you in determining whether you need orthotics and custom options for letting your feet work at their best.

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.