Benefits of Cycling & How to Protect Your Feet!

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What are the benefits of cycling?

From the start, when cycling was first invented in the early 1900s, it has been a sport embraced by all ages. More than 100 million Americans enjoy cycling and are reaping the benefits. It doesn’t matter if you are biking to work, running errands or joining a road race, hopping on a bike is good for your body!

As far as burned calories go, cycling at a moderate to fast pace for 30 minutes can help you burn up to 300 calories. Biking is a great cardiovascular exercise that also helps strengthen your muscles. It is also a lower-impact form of exercise, which spares joints some of the stress that other types of exercise can put on your body. 

Dr. Tina Boucher, foot specialist in Meriden, CT is all about helping her active patients protect their feet. Some of the common cycling injuries she treats are: shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, sesamoiditis and foot numbness and pain. Over activity, lack of proper body alignment and poor footwear can each cause injury.

Your feet are transferring energy to the pedals in every push making proper shoes essential, even for a casual stroll through your neighborhood. If you are going to do more serious cycling, your shoes should have a stiff sole and fit snugly around your heel and the bridge of your foot. Look for ventilated uppers and avoid any shoes with loose straps or laces that could be hazardous. Also, bring your socks with you when you go to try on shoes to ensure you get the right fit.

If your feet are in pain at every turn of the pedal, take a break and come in and see Dr. Boucher. She can evaluate the cause of your foot pain and provide the right course of treatment. You can make an appointment at our podiatric office by calling (203) 238-3668 or visit us at www.centralctfootcare.com.

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• Feet on Fire

Feet on Fire

Are you being bothered by painful, burning feet?

Whether it is mild or severe, dealing with hot, painful feet can be frustrating. Burning feet can interrupt your daily activities, the ability to participate in sports or exercise, make wearing certain shoes difficult and hinder a good night of sleep.

Dr. Tina Boucher, foot specialist in Meriden, CT sees this condition regularly at her podiatric office. Patients often come in complaining of a burning sensation, numbness or a pins and needles feeling in their feet. If you have burning feet, it is really important to come in and have it checked out due to the fact that there are several reasons for why it is happening. It could be as simple as your feet are just tired but there may be an underlying cause that is serious and needs prompt intervention.

Some of the common causes for burning feet include:

• Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage in the feet)

• Athlete’s foot

• Alcoholism

• Hypothyroidism

• Vitamin deficiency anemia

• Chronic kidney failure

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

• HIV/AIDS

• Tarsal tunnel syndrome

If you are dealing with burning feet today, you can try and elevate your feet or bathe your feet in cool water to see if symptoms are alleviated. Changing to a more comfortable pair of shoes may also help. If the burning came on suddenly, it developed and has continued despite home care measures or is becoming more intense and painful, it is time to seek help.

Contact Dr. Boucher for a full evaluation. She can pinpoint the cause of your burning feet and find a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Call our podiatric office at (203) 238-3668 or visit www.centralctfootcare.com.

Don’t leave your toes out in the cold!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Colder temperatures can be cruel to your feet. We don’t often think about the risks associated with exposing our feet to the cold winter elements. Exposed feet means going barefoot, wearing heels or wearing any open toe shoe where skin is exposed. What’s considered winter weather? When most people hear the term they think snow, ice, sleet and wind. That’s not always the case! Even if none of these conditions exist, make sure to check the temperature outside so you can select the proper footwear to keep your toes warm and toasty!

One of the most well-known cold weather culprits is frostbite. If you expose your feet to cold weather for a prolonged period of time, you may be at risk for this serious condition. Frostbite’s first symptom is a painful, burning sensation in the exposed areas. Numbness in the toes or feet and changes in your skin color occur next. Your skin can change from a pale, red color to a bluish-gray or black. If you’ve had frostbite before, watch out! People with a history of this condition are more susceptible to suffer with it again in the same location on the body!

If you think you’re suffering from frostbite, first and foremost get yourself out of the cold as quickly as possible! However, keep in mind not to expose your feet to extremely hot temperatures. If you do this, you will just end up burning your flesh. Make sure to keep your feet dry and it’s important to gradually warm them. Most importantly, seek emergency medical care as soon as possible!

If you have any questions regarding frostbite and your feet or general foot care, contact us at Central Connecticut Footcare Center, LLC by calling (203) 238-3668 or visiting our website!

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What's That Tingling in My Feet?

If you are a patient with diabetes, you may want to talk to your podiatrist about diabetic neuropathy. Neuropathies are a family of nerve disorders that can be caused by diabetes. People with diabetes can, over time, develop nerve damage throughout the body. Some people with nerve damage have no symptoms. Others may have symptoms such as pain, tingling, or numbness- loss of feeling- in the hands, arms, feet, and legs. Diabetic neuropathies often manifest in your feet and may even be the first sign that you have developed diabetes.
The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely it is that you may develop neuropathy. Furthermore, this problem becomes magnified if you have difficulty controlling your blood sugars. However, some patients with diabetes never develop neuropathy and have no symptoms at all. Mild cases of neuropathy may go unnoticed for many years- and remain untreated. Symptoms of numbness, tingling, or burning should be brought to the attention of your podiatrist as there may be treatments available to help alleviate these sensations.
If you and your podiatrist discover that you do have neuropathy, there are a number of things you can do to keep your feet healthy:
*Check your feet every day and if necessary, use a mirror to view the bottoms and sides of your feet. Call your podiatrist at the first sign of swelling, redness, cuts, infection, or abnormalities.
*Make sure that your shoes are free of any debris before sliding them on. Even a tiny stone can cause damage.
*Have your primary care physician check your feet during each general visit. If a problem is identified, the physician will refer you to your podiatrist.
*Choose the right shoes. Shoes that are too tight or that rub can cause serious problems that can develop into serious health concerns.
*Wear white or light colored socks so that you can see if any blood or fluid from a sore may have developed during the day.
*Always wash your feet in lukewarm water. Dry them carefully, especially between your toes, and use products such as creams and powders that have been approved by your podiatrist or have the APMA Seal of Approval.
*Do not walk barefoot, even at home. You never know what may be lurking on your floors and in your carpets.
*Visit your podiatrist frequently to make sure that your diabetes is under control and that your feet stay healthy.
Dr. Tina A. Boucher, DPM
Central Connecticut Foot Care, LLC
Podiatrist Meriden CT
http://www.centralctfootcare.com/
Order your free copy of our books "Why Do My Feet Hurt?" and "Heal My Heel!" today! Copies will be sent to Connecticut residents only.

Frozen Toes

Cold feet are certainly uncomfortable- whether they're your own or your mate's bumping your leg in the night. Brr! If you've ever allowed your feet to get really cold, you know that it can feel like they'll never be warm again.

But what about feet that feel cold even when the air temperature is a comfortable 74 degrees F? Cold feet aren't necessarily a concern, but they can be a sign of an underlying systemic disease. That's why persistently cold feet should be examine by a qualified podiatrist.

Often, cold feet are a sign of poor circulation. When circulation is adequate, the arterial blood supply to the feet keeps them warm and comfortable. However, when circulation is compromised, feet may feel colder. When this is the case, the feet should be kept warm using natural fiber socks and leather footwear that holds heat in. Because poor circulation, like diabetes, can interfere with healing properties, care should be taken to protect feet from cuts or hot spots that can lead to sores or infections.

Cold feet may also be a sign of peripheral neuropathy, which is characterized by loss of sensation in the feet, and is often a sign of diabetes. Other problems for which cold feet may be a symptom include heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and Raynaud's disease.

Dr. Tina A. Boucher, DPM
Central Connecticut Foot Care, LLC
Podiatrist in Meriden CT
http://www.centralctfootcare.com/
Order your feet copy of our books "Why Do My Feet Hurt?" and "Heal My Heel!" today!