Achilles Tendonitis Hits Memphis Grizzlies Mike Conley - Long Island Foot and Ankle Group

One of the most promising players of the Memphis Grizzlies has been battling the pain in his left foot. Mike Conley, a point guard of the Memphis Grizzlies missed a couple of games due to an Achilles Tendonitis. After evaluating his injury, the team doctors made a decision not to allow Conley to return to the game and just wait for him to recover.

The inflammation of Achilles’ tendon is referred to Achilles Tendonitis. It causes pain at the back of your leg near the area of the heel. Once the tendon of your heel become swollen and painful, there is a big risk that you have Achilles Tendonitis. Consult a podiatrist for any type of foot injury. The doctors of Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specialize in helping people with chronic foot pain and other types of foot conditions.

The following are the signs and symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis

• Difficulty of flexing your foot or pointing your toes
• There is pain above your heel and the back of your foot while stretching
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• A snapping or popping noise during the injury and
• Tenderness

Here are the possible treatments for Achilles Tendonitis

• The use of anti-inflammatory drugs for a limited period of time
• Reducing the physical activity
• Visiting a physical therapist
• Switching to a less strenuous sport
• Applying ice in the area where there is pain
• Elevate the injured foot to reduce the swelling
• The calf muscles should be stretched and strengthen
• Wear a brace or elastic bandage to prevent the movement of your injured foot
• Getting a steroid injection

If ever the conservative treatments are not effective, surgery or an operation is needed to repair the Achilles' tendon.

These activities will strain the Achilles tendon that will result to Achilles Tendonitis

• Wearing high heels shoes daily
• Exercising without having a warm up
• Your foot suddenly turns in or out
• You have a very tight calf muscles
• Wearing shoes that do not have proper support
• Running on concrete or hard surfaces
• Jumping
• Running too often

You can lower the risk of Achilles Tendonitis with the help of these strategies

• Reduce the heel size of your shoes to let your tendons stretch slowly and to increase
• the range of its motion
• Stretching your calf muscles every morning will help to improve your agility
• Choose and wear a shoe that provides arch support and proper cushioning
• Performing a new exercise routine will help intensify your physical activity
• Combining a low and high impact exercises will reduce stress on your tendons

Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success,
 we specialize in helping people with foot disorders.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.

Keeping your Feet and Joints Healthy - Long Island Foot and Ankle Group

The bones and joints in our feet are responsible for supporting our weight and keeping the feet flexible. Walking and running with a foot injury is almost impossible making foot and joint care essential.  This is not just something we do not only to keep foot injuries at bay but more importantly keep them healthy in the future.

Avoiding physical activities could actually increase your risk for foot or joint injury. Building up strength in the feet and joints by exercising decreases your chances for foot injury. Living an active lifestyle has other health benefits. It keeps you within your ideal weight range further reducing stress in your feet.

If you feel foot pain while walking or exercising, consult a podiatrist to determine if this can be an indication of a foot injury. The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists  who specialize in helping people suffering from foot conditions.

Increasing your calcium intake could go a long way in strengthening your bones and joints. This is certainly important during our growing up years but is also equally important in adult life. Women are at high risk for osteoarthritis.  Low estrogen levels decrease their protection against inflammation in the joints. Hormone therapy can help women reduce risk for osteoarthritis. 

 If you’re searching for another good reason to minimize your sweet cravings it’s keeping your feet and joints healthy. Sweets reduce bone density. Making your susceptible to foot and joint injuries. And it can also place you on the heavy side. Bad news for your feet and joints who end up supporting this extra weight. 

If you’ve decided on taking your calcium intake to another level but is still having problems with bone strength then Vitamin D can be the culprit. Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption so be sure you get the recommended doses to improve calcium intake. 

Pain and swelling are just some of the signs of foot or joint injury.  At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success, we specialize in helping people suffering from foot injuries.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.

Heel Pain and Foot Injuries - Long Island Foot and Ankle Group

Are you currently experiencing heel pain? It wouldn’t come as a surprise as a study conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), found that this was one of the most common foot ailments affecting 16% of the American population. 

Heel pain can be caused by your feet coming into contact against hard surfaces when playing sports or simply wearing poor fitting shoes. While most of us might shrug off heel pain as something trivial, this could also be a symptom of a serious foot injury. And if left untreated, we could quickly aggravate the injury. 

Heel pain can be caused by many factors or foot injuries. When pain becomes chronic or intensifies, consult a podiatrist. The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specializes in helping people with bunions and other foot conditions. 

Plantar fasciitis – this foot condition occurs when the ligament (plantar fascia) that supports the arch of your foot becomes strained. The pain is usually located under your heel. Pain starts as something mild but eventually worsens especially when you take your first steps in the morning or after a long period of rest.

 If left untreated, plantar fasciitis can become difficult to treat. Treatment options include pain medications, orthotics, injections, immobilization and physical therapy.

Achilles Tendinitis – this can be the result of excessive use of your Achilles tendon. This tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Other causes include tightening of the calf muscles, age, injury, bone spurs and basic tendonitis. Achilles Tendinitis should be treated as quickly as possible. This can result to a ruptured tendon or tendonosis which is a chronic condition and produce scar tissue formation.

Fat Pad Thinning – your fat pad thins through walking or running on hard surfaces, age and obesity. This condition occurs on the fleshy ball of the heel of your feet. This can be caused by aging and when this happens it is best to consult your podiatrist. Treatment and management of fat pad thinning includes the use of special foot wear or wearing supportive insoles.

At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success,, we specialize in helping people suffering from foot injuries.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.

Fast Facts on Fallen Arch or Flat Feet

Standing up causes the middle of our feet to arch. A flat foot or fallen arch happens when the feet fails to arch and remains flat with the floor. This condition is commonly seen in children but should disappear when we become adults.

Signs and Symptoms of a Fallen Arch or Flat Feet

Flat foot usually does not show any signs and symptoms. However, when it causes discomfort it can become a concern for those with flat feet. Dr. Name is a podiatrist who specializes in foot care and treating foot disorders. Consult a podiatrist if you notice any of these symptoms:

• Arch and heel pain when standing
• Leg pain that shoots up from the bottom of the feet
• Swelling and tenderness at the bottom of the feet

The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who is a podiatrists who specialize in helping people suffering from fallen arches and flat feet.

What Causes Flat Foot or Fallen Arches

Flat foot can be seen in children but this is normal and disappears as the feet develop. Cases of flat foot in adults can be due to others factors that interfere with the feet’s development. Those with overweight problems have a greater tendency for flat feet because the feet are unable to cope with the greater load. It can also be caused by foot injuries such as a torn tendon. Pregnant women who carry the added weight of their growing baby can also develop flat foot.

Diagnosis of flat feet can be done by inspecting show wear pattern. Flat foot can also be due to foot injury or arthritis. A podiatrist may recommend the use of X-ray, MRI or CT scan to positively identify the cause.

Flat Foot, Treatment Options

Flat foot or fallen arches generally do not exhibit any symptoms. For those who experience discomfort when standing for long periods of time or walking, below are some tips on how to treat flat feet.

• Wear shoes that provide additional support or spread weight more evenly
• Avoid wearing flip flops
• A podiatrist may recommend the use of foot braces of special shoes
• Reduce stress on your feet by keeping within your ideal weight range or avoiding weight bearing activities

At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in located in Valley Stream and Lake Success, we specialize in helping people suffering from fallen arches and flatfeet.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.

Foot Care Tips to Avoid High Heel Injuries

Wearing high heels can be considered both as a sport and an art. Imagine wearing high heels all day and without breaking a sweat. The problem with high heels is that this was not designed for supporting the feet. In fact, it goes against the normal contour of the feet.

Women who wear high heels are at high risk for developing foot injuries. The toes are especially at risk because high heels shift the stress of carrying weight to the toes. But this should not discourage women from wearing high heels. With proper foot care avoiding foot injuries is possible. Even simply taking your high heels for a few minutes can give your feet that much needed break.

When pain and discomfort persists even after removing your high heels then this can already be a sign of foot injury. Consult a podiatrist for chronic foot pain. The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specializes in helping people with foot injuries.

Regular Foot Massages

A gentle foot massage at the end of the day can help release built-up stress on the feet. It helps soothe tired and aching foot muscles. It improves blood circulation to the area. This ensures that your feet get much needed nutrients to repair damaged cells. Pay special attention to your toes and ankles. An injury can be suspected when this become sensitive or painful to touch.

Shifting Your Center of Gravity

Wearing high heels makes you lean forward. This is evident in the added pressure to the toes as load bearing is transferred to the area. Try to correct this by shifting your center of gravity backwards and away from the toes.

Maintain Toe and Ankle Mobility

Toes and ankles may become rigid through constant wearing of high heels. Foot exercises should be done to strengthen the toes and ankles. Promote toe and ankle flexibility by performing toe bends and curls. Better foot strength helps your toes and ankles compensate for additional stress that wearing heels bring.

The best solution for preventing high heels is giving your feet a break once in a while. Whether it’s removing high heels for a few minutes at the office or shifting to foot friendly shoes once in a while.

At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success, we specialize in helping people with foot disorders.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.

Joint Pain in the Toes and Feet

There are several types of arthritis affecting the feet and toes. The feet have over 30 joints making it a prime location for arthritis. Normal wear and tear is just one of the reasons why the feet are the most common place for arthritis to develop. After all, the feet are responsible for supporting our weight and cushions the force of high-impact activities such as running and jumping.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that affects the joints in our feet. It causes inflammation and destroys the cartilage. Swelling makes simple movements such as walking or standing painful. Inflammation irritates surrounding nerves giving the sensation of pain.

Gout is more commonly found in men than women. This is largely due to lifestyle habits rather than physical differences. Leading causes of gout includes heavy drinking, eating too much meat and overweight problems.

Rheumatoid arthritis can cause foot deformities. It can lead to crippling foot problems making it difficult if not unbearable to move the feet. Foot and toe deformities include the formation of hammertoes, claw toes and bunions.

Treatment options and management of foot arthritis is easier when diagnosed early. This is why visiting a podiatrist is recommended when the first signs of arthritis are observed. The doctors at Long Island Foot and Ankle Group are podiatrists who specializes in helping people with foot disorders.

Do you have arthritis?

Morning stiffness – foot joints that are hard to move in the morning. It can be a sign of degenerative arthritis that starts from a few minutes and goes on for a few hours as the disease progresses.

Numbness and tingling – inflammation affect surrounding nerves that can cause a burning or tingling sensation.

Pain – stiffness is usually accompanied by pain. Inflammation in the joints can irritate surrounding nerves. It can also damage tissues and cartilage.

Joint stiffness – this usually begins with the small joints. As the condition progresses it moves to other joints.

Swelling- this is a clear indication of inflammation in the joints.

Limited range of movement – arthritis affects our foot joints which is responsible for normal foot movement.

Arthritis is a debilitating disease that can have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life. A quick visit to a podiatrist could give you more information about the effects of arthritis and its treatments.

At Long Island Foot and Ankle Group with offices located in Valley Stream and Lake Success,  we specialize in helping people with foot disorders.  To schedule an appointment phone Valley Stream (516) 825-4070 or Lake Success (516) 327-0074.