Running into heel pain

Heel pain is one of the most common complaints of runners and non runners alike. It can start as a sudden discomfirt but many times it is a progressive aching that gets worse over time. Pain in the heel can arise from a number of factors. Most often it does not result from a single injury, but usually occurs as a result of excessive or continuous stress or repetitive pounding on the heel.
Plantar fasciitis is the most common of heel pain. This condition develops when the plantar fascia ligament becomes inflamed as a result of strain that pulls the ligament from where it attaches to the heel bone. Heel spurs can also contribute to heel pain. When stress is put on the plantar fascia ligament it can cause a heel spur to form where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone.
Usually heelp pain does not require surgery to treat the condition. Treatment may be aa simple as ice and rest, stretching exercises, night splints or custom shoe orthotics. Cryotherapy in the office, has been able to achieve results equal or better than that of other surgical procedures and at a much lower cost to the patient. Cryotherapy is a non invasive procedure where an application of cold to the tissues creates a conduction block. It is done in the office and takes approximately 15 minutes. Postoperative discomfort is minimal and you can resume normal activity within 48 hours.

Can cold winters turn your feet blue?

Did you ever notice that a few hours after shoveling the driveway that your toes are red, swollen and itchy? Did they ever turn blue and tingle? Did you just limp away thinking that you must have frostbite? Well you are not alone. Most people would think that it was frostbite, but there is a chance that it is something more. The condition that I described above is more likely to be Chilblains.
Chilblains are thought to be an abnormal skin reaction resulting from exposure to damp cold. They tend to occur on the extremities, that is the toes, fingers, nose and earlobes. They are small, itchy and painful red swellings on the skin. Chilblains become increasingly painful as they get congested and take on a dark blue appearance. In severe cases blistering, pustules, scabs and ulcerations can occur. Sometimes Chilblains cause the skin to crack and dry out, so that the risk of getting an infection increases. Factors that contribute to a tendency to Chilblains include family tendency, poor circulation and exposure to cold damp weather conditions.
To prevent Chilblains, keep your hands and feet warm especially if your circulation is poor and your mobility is limited. You can use thermal insoles to keep your feet warm and insulated gloves to keep your hands warm. If you think you may already have Chilblains, do not rub or scratch it but seek professional help from a podiatrist.

Does Cryosurgery Make you Cry?

Cryosurgery is a minimally invasive FDA approved procedure for pain relief and nerve problems of the foot. There are few options for successful relief from painful foot conditions. Cryosurgery provides long term pain relief for various podiatric problems. With an application of cold to the tissues to create a conduction block, cryosurgery is similar to the effect of local anesthetics. However, the effect is long lasting. Long term relief from nerve freezing occurs because the formation of an ice crystal disrupts the sensory component of the nerve structure. Cryosurgery is able to achieve results that are equal or better than other surgical procedures and at a much lower cost to you the patient. The advantages of Cryosurgery are numerous: painless, minimally invasive, in office physician performed procedure, ability to walk the day of the procedure, minimal to no down time for work or activity, decreased use of pain medications that can cause complications etc. So Cryosurgery can keep you from crying out in pain.