 Newsletter
– Summer 2005
When
Summer Fun Turns to Summer Pain…
Did You Know That Skin Cancer Can Occur
On Feet?
Keep
Your Kids’ Feet Safe This Summer
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When
Summer Fun Turns to Summer Pain…
Summer finds most of us spending more time in outdoor pursuits.
We engage in recreational sports such as tennis and golf. Homeowners
can be seen sprucing up their yards and gardens. We’re on
vacation, exploring national parks or historic sites.The whole
family enjoys the beach, with some playing volleyball and others
just jogging along the shoreline.
It
takes just one wrong step, however, for summer fun to turn into
summer pain in the form of an ankle sprain or fracture. Walking,
running and playing on uneven surfaces such as hiking trails,
beaches and even grassy lawns leaves us susceptible to ankle trauma.
Lightweight, unsupportive summer footwear such as sandals or slides
compounds the problem, making it difficult for us to regain our
balance when the going gets bumpy. Sprains are one of the most
common ankle injuries. But how do we know whether that pain is
a fracture or a sprain? And what should we do when we or a family
member injures an ankle?
An
ankle sprain is an injury to one or more of the ligaments in the
ankle. These ligaments are like rubber bands that stabilize the
ankle and limit its side-to-side motion. When these ligaments
are stretched or torn, which can occur when the ankle is suddenly
twisted for example, a sprain results. A fracture can also occur
when the foot is rolled under and the ankle is twisted. But in
this case, one or more bones may break, or the ligament actually
pulls a piece of bone off when it tears.
What
should you do if you or a family member has sprained or fractured
an ankle?
- Stay
off of it! Walking with a sprain or fracture could cause further
damage.
- Ice
it. A bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a light towel makes
a good ice pack, which should be applied not more than 20 minutes
each hour.
- Wrap
it. A loosely-applied elastic bandage can help stabilize the
ankle and reduce swelling.
- Elevate
it. Lie with the leg on a pillow so that the ankle is above
the level of the heart. This will help with pain and swelling.
- Call
our office. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important to
a successful recovery.
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Did
You Know That Skin Cancer Can Occur on Feet?
In fact, melanoma of the foot is particularly fatal because people
rarely think to look for it there. So, check your feet regularly
for suspicious spots on the soles, between the toes, or under
the toenails. Call our office for an appointment if you see anything
questionable.
And,
prevent skin cancer by always using sun block… even on the
soles of your feet!
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Keep
Your Kids’ Feet Safe This Summer
School's out, and kids are primed for summer fun. A few precautions
can keep their feet healthy throughout the warm months of bare
feet and sandals.
Practice
lawnmower safety. A lawnmower’s blades produce three times
the kinetic energy of a .357 handgun. Yet parents will mow a lawn
with little ones nearby, and older children are often recruited
for mowing duty. Follow these tips to keep your children's feet
(and yours) safe this summer:
- Don’t
mow a lawn that's wet.
- Wear
heavy shoes or work boots.
- Mow
across slopes, not up and down.
- Never
pull a running mower backward.
- Keep
the clip bag attached to prevent projectile injuries.
- Keep
children away from the mower.
Get
puncture wounds professionally treated. Any time a foot is punctured
by a foreign object such as a piece of glass or a nail, it must
be treated by a doctor. Not only can some of the foreign body,
or dirt that was on it, stay in the wound, but pieces of skin
or sock can be embedded and cause a serious infection. Call our
office for an appointment to have the wound thoroughly cleaned
within 24 hours of the injury.
Limit
wearing of flip-flop sandals. Flip-flops are no longer just a
sandal for wearing on the beach or at the pool. Children and teens
have taken to wearing them all day… every day… and
their feet are shouting "help!" Although flip-flops
come in every color and design imaginable, they have no arch support
and offer no stability for the foot. This causes abnormal strain
on the band of tissue that extends from the heel to the base of
the toes and results in a condition known as "plantar fasciitis"
or heel pain.
Flip-flops
don't have to be banned entirely, but should be worn only some
of the time. Supportive athletic shoes or sport sandals as the
mainstay of the summer footwear menu will go a long way toward
keeping your kids' feet healthy and pain free all season long.
This information was developed by the American College of
Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
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