Did you know that your bones are actually made of living, growing tissue? There are several components that make bones strong and flexible. Until about the age of 25, your bones continue to become more dense until they reach their peak bone mass. At this point, you have the most bone that you will ever have and more bone mass reduces your chances of breaks and osteoporosis as you get older.
Do you have an unexplained foot fracture?
As we age, we can lose bone and when you lose too much bone or don’t make enough, the condition is called osteoporosis. There are many risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Some you can’t control such as age, menopause and family history. Others factors such as poor diet, inactivity, smoking and weight loss are within your boundaries to control.
Foot specialist, Dr. Tina Boucher continually reminds her patients that foot pain is not normal. This bone condition is one reason you should always get symptoms looked at. Foot pain can be due to a stress fracture and the fracture could be indicative of osteoporosis. Unexplained stress fractures are often the first sign of the condition. Catching the condition early will provide time to respond with appropriate diet or lifestyle changes to slow down its progression.
Since your feet can provide valuable clues to your health such as whether you may have osteoporosis, please contact us with any unusual pain or symptoms. Call Central Connecticut Footcare Center at (203) 238-3668 and make an appointment with Dr. Boucher today.
Showing posts with label Bone Problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bone Problems. Show all posts
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Ollier’s Disease
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| (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Ollier’s disease has to do with enchondromas in the body. An enchondroma is basically a benign tumor of cartilage. These types of tumors commonly develop in the small bones of your hands and toes and the long bones in your feet called the metatarsals. It is often an injury or type of trauma to the toe that causes the formation of the irregularity of the bone. Appearing as a small bony mass, the irregularities can cause disfigurement and limit mobility depending on the size, number and location of the enchondromas.
When multiple enchondromas are present, a person is considered to have Ollier’s disease. It is a fairly rare condition, estimated to affect 1/100,000 people. It typically manifests in the first 10 years of a patient’s life and is not thought to be hereditary.
When there are several tumors, it is very important to be watching them closely as around 30% of people with this condition will develop malignancies of the tumors that are present. There are situations where the tumors can be aggressive and destroy surrounding bone tissue. This would require surgical intervention to remove the tumors.
For most people with Ollier’s disease, the enchondromas do not need any particular treatment. The condition often does not cause any painful symptoms or inhibit regular activity. With the possibility of the situations mentioned above though, regular monitoring and treatment is important as any noticed change will need to have the appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
If you are noticing any abnormal bone development or abnormalities with your foot, make an appointment to see Dr. Tina Boucher. As a foot and ankle specialist, she can provide a thorough evaluation and identify the cause and possible treatment options. Call our podiatric office in Meriden, CT today at (203) 238-3668 or visit www.centralctfootcare.com.
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