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The End Of Heel Pain! Our 1-2…..-3 Punch Treatment!

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(Be sure to watch until the end of the video for an Ultrasound visual of before and after Ray’s fascia!)

Ray’s bump in the trail.

The plantar fascia has a BIG job. It stabilizes the arch of the foot and allows flexion of the first metatarsal, enabling the first metatarsal to carry the majority of the body weight. In other words, when the plantar fascia gets tired and aggravated, you’ll know very quickly! Your heel will hurt like crazy, especially if you’re an active person like our patient, Ray. “Before I came to see Dr. Anderson for treatment, I had heel pain for about a year. I would get this pain when I would run, or hike or snowshoe… so a lot of things that I enjoy doing!”

Running out of options…

“After about 9 months of this, I couldn’t run… I couldn’t do any of these things that I enjoyed.” Ray attempted physical therapy for relief, but with no avail. While we were impressed with Ray’s perseverance, we were very eager to ease him of his heel pain. After meeting with Ray, we found that he actually had Plantar Fasciosis, which means that his fascia was deteriorating rather than getting inflamed!  Knowing this offered Ray the ability to  get treatment specifically tailored to the ACTUAL cause.

Our 3 Step Approach!

“So I went to Dr. Anderson, who gave me custom orthotics, laser therapy, and regenerative medicine.” We ended up taking Ray through our 3 step approach for heel pain from start to finish! At Anderson Podiatry Center, our ultimate goal is to ensure we can get our patients back to the activities they enjoy as fast as possible. Ray was in a hurry to get back into action, and as exercise enthusiasts ourselves, we understood his urgency! We took him through these 3 steps so that he could get back out on the trail as quickly as possible.

It’s a RUNderful life!

“3 months after having the injection, orthotics and the laser therapy, I feel 100% better! I can run, I can hike, I can do anything that I want. Now I’m back to running 10-15 miles a week!”

Our doctors deeply care about our patients and their recovery, even well after we treat them. We always follow up with our patients, and after a recent follow up with Ray we were ecstatic to hear that he recently ran 9 miles without any heel pain! He was excited to announce that he is currently training for a half marathon. 

If you or a loved one have been putting the activities that make you happy on the backburner! We would love to get to know you, hear about what’s been holding you back, and work with you to plan an approach to rid you of heel pain!

Sports and Exercise Training – Ouch! What do I do if I’m Injured?

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Sports and Exercise Training – Ouch! What do I do if I’m Injured?

By Anderson Podiatry Center, in consult with Dr. Stephen Wilkinson, DPM, Sports Medicine Specialist

Congratulations! You’re training for an event, have begun or are maintaining an exercise routine and are motivated to compete or sustain your regime habit. You are to be applauded for taking your fitness and health seriously and incorporating it into your lifestyle. Your happy body, mind, work and social life will reward you for your efforts in a big way!

At some point in your fitness life, however, you will very likely experience pain or an injury that will frustrate or sideline you. Do you keep going? Do you take time off? As a sports medicine doctor, Dr. Wilkinson hears this a lot and has experienced it himself. How you manage these injuries, minor or not, is critical in determining if you can make your event goal or keep your downtime to a minimum and maintain your active life.

In his practice, at Anderson Podiatry Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Wilkinson counsels many people to recover from injuries as quickly as possible and approaches his patient’s care and training plan with these steps and processes in mind, which helps assure they will be up and at it without skipping much of a beat. In this first of a series, we’ll present the initial steps that need to be taken to obtain a complete analysis that forms the basis of a sound and effective treatment and training plan. Then, later on, we’ll go into some of the customized specific treatment options and interventions – physical, mental and nutritional – that are utilized to get you to the finish line fast!

Step One:

A Complete evaluation begins with understanding the injury. An in-depth history is used to isolate the problem by asking questions about

  • The nature, location, and duration of the injury
  • The onset, course, and aggravating factors
  • Any treatments tried thus far

Patients often receive advice via their peer’s experiences or from the internet without a complete understanding of how that advice affects them specifically. Such treatment or training advice can unwittingly lead to injury. Patients often continue these improper training methods beyond the point of injury and then require professional help before they can continue towards their goals. We’ll alleviate this problem with a careful and complete history of the injury.

Step Two:

Step two involves taking time to understand what the patient is trying to accomplish in detail
(weight loss, cardiovascular fitness, a race completion, a time improvement etc.).  

  • Intervention is different depending upon whether the desired result is subjective or objective.

This breaks down to two basic groups of people:

  1. This group is seeking overall fitness and use a specific goal to provide motivation for training. They want to reach the finish line regardless of how long it takes. This requires significant core and mental fitness.
  2. This group has established overall fitness and is pushing to improve their fitness level via improvement in time or distance; more ‘fine tuning’ and achievement of maximum capacity
    while avoiding injury.

Step Three:

Step three involves understanding the patients starting point and whether or not his or her goal is reasonable to obtain by the time the patient needs to be ready to complete.

  • A 10% improvement per week is our target.

In this step, distance, intensity or speed of training are advanced 10% per week. Patients can often become impatient without clear guidelines and try and accelerate their training
faster than this tried and true path resulting in injury and training setbacks. “Slow and steady wins the race” as they say. Good advice to heed! The steps above give us a great foundation from which to build a plan of action to get you recovered and on your way. In the next blog we’ll discuss the nutritional, physical and mental approaches that provide the answers you need to get past your injury and help prevent future occurrences. See you then!

If you have an important goal to accomplish and are hindered by running or exercise pain, foot problems or injury, ankle injuries, plantar fasciitis or other problems, give me a call at
Anderson Center for Regenerative Medicine. I am not only ready to listen and understand, I am also ready to help.

To make an appointment with Dr. Wilkinson, Click HERE

Dr. Wilkinson is an ultra-runner, having completed many 50 and 100-mile races. As a Podiatrist who has successfully weathered his own sports injuries in the past, Dr. Wilkinson enjoys working with patients who are also athletes pursuing their own fitness goals. He believes in injury prevention through gait analysis, biomechanics, and sound, reasonable training techniques but is also an astute provider of clinical and surgical methodology to help return injured athletes to their playing field. Learn more about sports medicine injury treatment

Sports and Exercise Training – Ouch! What do I do if I’m Injured? Part 2

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Sports and Exercise Training – Ouch! What do I do if I’m Injured? Part Two of Two

By Anderson Podiatry Center, in consult with Dr. Stephen Wilkinson, DPM, Sports Medicine Specialist at Anderson Podiatry Center

Injury Treatment Plan
In our last blog we covered the steps Dr Wilkinson takes to obtain a complete analysis that forms the basis of a sound and effective treatment plan for foot and ankle and lower extremity injuries. Those who become injured during training can benefit from an efficient, effective treatment plan to keep downtime to a minimum and still be able to reach their fitness or event goals.

This time we’ll explore some of the nutritional, physical and mental approaches Dr Wilkinson uses to help you get past your injury, get to your event or goal and help prevent future occurrences.

At Anderson Podiatry Center and our Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dr Wilkinson uses a mind and body restorative process and training redirection to help you meet your goals. This includes addressing nutrition, sleep, mental attitude, injury mechanism, training or exercise schedule as well as equipment and the potential of your current injury. He thereby devises a rehabilitation program specific to your needs. Advanced modalities are used when needed to accelerate healing. The following explains his approach to these individual parts of the rehabilitation process:

Moving Past your Injury – Focus On:

1. Nutrition

  • Although a basic nutrient allocation of 20-30% fat, 10-30% protein, and 45-65% carbs is optimal for those with an active lifestyle, requirements of activity, work and family make this easier said than done. Dietary balance should also be adjusted based upon the unique situation of each athlete. I.e. heavier athletes may include weight loss as a goal, and injured athletes may benefit from an adjustment in the recommended nutritional ratios and/or additional supplements.
  • It is not uncommon to see deficits in calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and iron. Test values are used to indicate replacement or supplements in the correct combination.

2. Sleep

  • The demands of modern life have contributed to a Healthy People.gov report that approximately 25% of average Americans have insufficient sleep half of the time. This, unfortunately, includes athletes, who have increased sleep demands during training, injury or illness. Sleep evaluation and intervention often involves a sincere allotment of time per daily and required activities, in addition to assessment with regards to activity required for sports goal success. Lower priority activities may need to be curtailed: a potentially tough decision but something’s gotta give to provide the long-term sleep requirements for progress in training and/or injury healing.
  • When sleep requirements for training exceeds the amount of daily sleep time available, additional time may be needed to safely reach goals despite many athletes’ desires to charge forward. Here, the vision and experience of a sports medicine consultant can be essential.

3. Mental Attitude

  • Possibly the most beneficial development that occurs when we strive to achieve more involved fitness or event goals is the process through which athletes improve their mental attitude. Improvement in self-confidence and improved self-image can often elevate an athlete’s success capacity beyond what was formerly believed. Important in this process is the conscious control of physical and emotional stress which must include appropriate and attainable goals and small interval reward breaks to allow for physical healing and mental reward for a job well done.
  • Visualization and self-talk, either alone or with a motivation/visualization coach is important preparation for success. Mental preparation and mental toughness require the acceptance of a fluid process with ups and downs in reaching a goal. The ultimate success of this process involves arriving at the final event both physically and mentally prepared.

4. Injury Mechanism

In foot, ankle and lower extremity sports injuries, understanding the injury mechanism is critical to successful intervention. In sports injuries, even in the most complex cases, there is typically a single event or pattern of recurring events that is at fault.

  • Single act injuries are often improved and resolved by isolation, rest, and regeneration.
  • Injuries from chronic repetitive mechanisms can often be overcome through improved balance and redirection of forces to other targeted areas.

The sports medicine consultant can be essential in determining the offending mechanism and developing a recovery program for effective intervention.

5. Training or exercise guidance: schedule and equipment

Once the site and mechanism of injury are identified, a training schedule and specific rehabilitative equipment can be utilized to isolate injury areas, protect healing tissue, and strengthen supportive structures to allow for recovery. Often previously ignored core strengthening exercises, including those for posture and balance, can be performed on readily available equipment such as treadmills and ellipticals. We target larger protective muscle groups and pay specific attention to joint alignment and position, which can have a significant impact on energy utilization and other muscle function. Core strengthening and joint mechanics are often ignored by athletes due to time constraints or lack of specific training with regards to their importance. Attention to these areas in training not only promotes injury healing but also may elevate the athletes post-injury performance above pre-injury levels.

6. The potential of your current injury

The importance of understanding the athletes’ degree of injury and potential recovery cannot be overstated. Most injuries can be overcome with simple interventions. Occasionally, the extent of injury and the recovery potential requires an adjustment in goals and/or time to reach those goals. Additionally, some injuries may require advanced modalities such as prescription orthotics, regenerative medicine modalities, or corrective surgical interventions. As stated previously, appropriate evaluation and management with a clear understanding of time table and athlete goals is essential to success. Sports medicine consultants with proven event success can be essential to this process.

7. Advanced Modalities

These can include custom orthotics and regenerative medicine products:

  • Orthotics: custom-made shoe inserts that are designed to correct abnormal or irregular foot or leg biomechanics. While over-the-counter foot orthotics are available and may help people with mild symptoms, they normally cannot correct the wide range of symptoms that prescription foot orthotics can. Prescription orthotics are custom made to fit an individual’s unique foot structure. If you exercise and train often, you most likely can benefit from an orthotic that best addresses your particular activity, shoe gear, and foot type.
  • Regenerative medicine: an exciting new option for fast healing with little downtime, these products stimulate your body at the cellular level, giving it the power to regenerate injured joints and tissues. At Anderson Center for Regenerative Medicine, we use three types of regenerative medicine products.

If you have an important goal to accomplish and are hindered by running or exercise pain, foot problems or injury, ankle injuries, plantar fasciitis or other problems, give Dr Wilkinson a call at Anderson Podiatry Center and Anderson Center for Regenerative Medicine. He is ready to listen and understand, and to help.

To make an appointment with Dr. Wilkinson, Click HERE

Dr. Wilkinson is an ultra-runner, having completed many 50 and 100-mile races. As a Podiatrist who has successfully weathered his own sports injuries in the past, Dr. Wilkinson enjoys working with patients who are also athletes pursuing their own fitness goals. He believes in injury prevention through gait analysis, biomechanics, and sound, reasonable training techniques but is also an astute provider of clinical and surgical methodology to help return injured athletes to their playing field. Learn more about sports medicine injury treatment

Sports and Exercise Training and Injury: The Good, The Bad, and The Answer

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sports exercise and injury

The Goal (aka: The Good):

Just imagine that you have trained for a running event, such as a full marathon or half marathon, for anywhere from three to six months and have spent thousands of direct and indirect dollars in preparation. Or you have spent time and money revitalizing your exercise routine in a determined effort to meet your fitness goals. You are organized and motivated and, if you are training for an event, have chosen a specific race date. Perhaps you have scheduled vacation time off, and prepaid all expenses. You also try to balance the rest of your life as well: eating, sleeping, working, and being an engaged and active member in your important relationships.

The Injury and aftermath (aka: The Bad):

Then the unthinkable happens. You start to feel foot or leg pain and become injured during your training or workout routine, placing your preparation and any event goals in jeopardy. To make matters worse, you take more time to visit a well-intended sports medicine specialist, local podiatrist or other care provider who does not understand who you really are or your motivation. You receive his or her best recommendations that include generic and un-customized directions that often include abandoning your running or activity goals, not taking into account that you are physically and mentally invested. You may even decide to continue with your current training or exercise routine and soon find that you are getting worse instead of better.

The Answer:

What do you do? At Anderson Center for Regenerative Medicine I recommend that you consider our total athlete evaluation and rehabilitation program before you are forced to submit to regret and disappointment.

Here is where I come in:

  • I examine all aspects of who you are in total.
  • I begin by understanding your goals as completely and specifically as possible.
  • I learn the past and recent history of your fitness and its evolution.
  • I trace your health and training or exercise progression in all aspects from the origin of your idea to your current status.
  • I use over thirty years of office experience and road and ultra-running experience to understand what you are going to need to reach your goal and maintain optimal foot, ankle, and lower extremity health.
  • I access the physical and mental assets you possess to reach the finish line.
  • This includes nutrition, sleep, mental attitude, injury mechanism, training or exercise schedule and equipment, and potential of your current injury.
  • As a Podiatrist specially trained in sports medicine, I am able to present and use advanced modalities to stop your foot or ankle pain or injury progression and move you back to the starting line. These can include nutrition and training guidance as well as custom orthotics and regenerative medicine products. Surgery is a last resort.

In essence, I use a success centered mind and body restorative process and training redirection to help you meet your goals to include healing your current injury, preventing future injury, and completing your event or attaining your fitness goals.

If you have an important goal to accomplish and are hindered by running or exercise pain, foot problems or injury, ankle injuries, plantar fasciitis or other problems, give me a call at Anderson Center for Regenerative Medicine. I am not only ready to listen and understand, I am also ready to help.

To make an appointment with Dr. Wilkinson, Click HERE

Dr. Wilkinson is an ultra-runner, having completed many 50 and 100-mile races. As a Podiatrist who has successfully weathered his own sports injuries in the past, Dr. Wilkinson enjoys working with patients who are also athletes pursuing their own fitness goals. He believes in injury prevention through gait analysis, biomechanics and sound, reasonable training techniques but is also an astute provider of clinical and surgical methodology to help return injured athletes to their playing field. Learn more about sports medicine injury treatment. By Stephen Wilkinson, DPM

Elsie’s Story: Heel Pain & Knee Pain

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Walking On My Toes

Elsie didn’t have time for heel pain. She loved being active and going for runs, and suddenly heel pain had stopped her in her tracks.

“I was walking on my toes,” Elsie said. “The pain was so bad, I couldn’t put any pressure on my heels. So I had to stop running and I was looking for a solution.”

Heel Pain, Gone

Elsie came to see Dr. James Anderson, DPM, and tried conservative treatment first.

Dr. Anderson said, “Elsie had plantar fasciitis (heel pain). We tried orthotics first, but nothing was really helping her. Instead of doing surgery, we recommended stem cell treatment. Often, patients can avoid surgery, and experience pain relief with only one stem cell treatment.”

“I had the stem cell treatment,” Elsie said. “After only one week, the pain was totally gone!”

Two years later, she came to see Dr. Anderson for a follow up appointment, and she was back to running and her heel pain had not returned.

Then, Knee Pain

Elsie had started to have knee pain, and mentioned it to Dr. Anderson. “I wore my cartilage down on the top and bottom of my knee, and it was hurting when I ran.” she said.

Dr. Anderson had good news. “We have recently integrated our practice, and are now offering stem cell treatment for knee pain as well as shoulder and hip pain.”

Elsie was thrilled, “I’m a firm believer in stem cell,” she says. “Because I have not had any trouble with my foot since my injection.”

Dr. Anderson treated her with the newest regenerative product that contains umbilical cord stem cells. “Umbilical cord stem cell treatment has the highest concentration of stem cells, growth factors, and proteins, so it’s a highly-effective product and can help patients avoid surgery,” Dr. Anderson says.

The Power of Stem Cell Treatment

“Stem cell treatment is a really powerful tool,” Dr. Anderson explains. “Because it works by stimulating your body’s natural ability to heal.”

“As we age, our bodies begin to degenerate, and we start to have pain. But, stem cells have the ability to become any kind of cell. They can become bone, tissue, tendon, or cartilage. So, it’s an amazing treatment option for a variety of conditions.”

“We’ve treated plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and arthritis in the joints with stem cell therapies for years, and now we can treat knee pain, shoulder pain and hip bursitis as well.”

Back On Track

Elsie had the stem cell injection in her knee two weeks ago. “This week I was hurrying to do something, and I didn’t even mean to, but I started to run, and it didn’t hurt at all!”

“My knee just keeps feeling better and better every day,” Elsie says. “In another week or so, I’ll be back out there, running again.”

————————————————

Summer Special!

Now offering a FREE new patient exam and consultation! Expires 6/30/18. *X-Rays, testing and treatment not included.  

Call us today! Just mention this blog to receive the offer.

Learn more about regenerative medicine here.

CJ’s Story: Chronic Tendon Pain (The Power of Regenerative Medicine)

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CJs testimonials chronic tendon pain

The new year is here, and for many of us that means it’s time to focus on our health, and address some of those lingering issues we’ve been putting off.

Today, I will share a success story of a patient who was dealing with chronic joint and tendon pain for several years. My goal is to help instill hope in many of you who have been experiencing similar pain, and have perhaps given up on finding a solution. So, here we go.

52, Healthy and Active

This patient is a 52 year-old female, who was healthy and active. We will call her CJ. She came into my office with a variety of foot complaints. The primary issue was chronic joint and tendon pain in her right foot and ankle, and this had been going on for several years.

Seven years prior, a horse stepped on her foot and she was diagnosed with a “hairline fracture” and wore a cast for three months. Once she was out of the cast, she could get back to activity with little pain. However, over the next five to six years, she started having more and more pain in the area that began to significantly limit her activity. This gradually led to weight gain, which only made the problem worse.

Plantar Fasciitis, Arthritis and Tendon Pain

When I first saw CJ, she was planning on having gastric bypass surgery, but was concerned that she would not be able to exercise properly after the surgery because of her foot and ankle pain. She had previously been treated for plantar fasciitis by another doctor.  She had steroid injections and wore a night splint, but neither treatment seemed to give her any relief.

During her initial exam, her X-rays showed that the old injury had been more than just a hairline fracture. She had evidence of post-fracture arthritis in two joints in the middle of her foot. The fracture had healed, but left joint damage behind. Her other main issue of ankle pain was diagnosed as a partial tendon tear. This had likely been aggravated by compensating for the joint pain.

Regenerative Medicine + Surgery

Many times, when patients present with arthritis, tendon pain, or plantar fasciitis, we use regenerative medicine therapy to help stimulate healing and avoid surgery altogether. But, in CJ’s case, we needed to use several different treatments to help address all the issues that had been accumulating for all these years.

We performed surgery to repair the tendon tear and used regenerative injections to help heal the joint damage. To better support the damaged joints, we fitted her for custom orthotics. She then began physical therapy to improve her strength, balance, and flexibility.

Ten Weeks Later

CJ was on crutches for four weeks after the tendon repair. But, once we cleared her to start walking, she progressed quickly. She was highly motivated and committed to her therapy and post-operative rehab. Ten weeks after surgery and regenerative therapy, she was already back to walking and elliptical workouts daily. She still has the occasional sore muscles, but no longer has anywhere near the pain she did before. CJ is still considering gastric bypass surgery. But, she now feels she will be able to lose the weight without it since she can exercise without pain.

So, if you or someone you love is struggling with daily foot or ankle pain, please don’t wait any longer to address it. Call today to make an appointment, and we can discuss treatment options with you.

2018 can be your last year to deal with chronic pain. It’s time to get on the path to healing, together.

Chronic Foot Pain: Why Am I Still in Pain?

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It’s never fun to suffer an injury of any kind. There is always the initial pain and limitations. But, what happens when the pain doesn’t go away even when the injury is “healed?”

Does it just need more time? Are you doing something wrong? In many cases, the injuries look completely healed on X-rays or MRI, but the pain continues. So what do you do next?

I’d like to tell you a story about a patient who had just this problem. We will call her Alice.

The Ankle Fracture that “Healed”

Alice is a 32 year-old female patient. She came to see me for severe daily pain in her foot and ankle, which initially started after she fractured her ankle. Alice fell on her ankle and heard/felt a pop. She was evaluated in the ER and properly diagnosed, and subsequently had surgery to repair the fracture. The repair went as planned and after six weeks her X-rays showed a completely healed fracture.

She was then allowed to start walking on it again. That was when her pain really started. After surgery, she had experienced the normal post-op pain, but it wasn’t until she was out of a cast that she began having constant ankle and foot pain that was not relieved by much of anything. It hurt when she walked and it hurt when she didn’t walk. The pain woke her up and kept her awake.

Time to Put on My Detective Hat

Alice was at the end of her rope, and was even considering possible amputation if the pain could not be relieved. With any patient in this much pain, my first impulse was to throw the kitchen sink at her problem to try to find some way of getting her relief. However, in order to help these patients, I know I have to put on my detective hat, do a thorough review of their injury, treatment, and health history, and then put together a step-by-step plan to hone in on the primary cause of the pain.

A Painful Scar

Alice had pain throughout her foot and ankle, but the majority of the constant pain was along the inside of the ankle and down into the foot. This area was so sensitive that any light touch would send pain up and down her leg. She was especially sensitive along a surgical scar from her ankle fracture repair.

She had mentioned this to the surgeon who fixed her ankle and he assumed it was simply a painful scar and would improve with time but instead the pain grew steadily worse. An X-ray showed the screws and plates in the bones did not appear to be causing any problem and the scar itself did not appear thickened or contracted. However, the location of the incision was right over one of the main nerves in the leg, and I considered the possibility that the nerve had been damaged or cut during the fracture repair.

Testing the Theory

A simple way to test this theory was to perform a diagnostic nerve block of the nerve higher up the leg with a long-acting local anesthetic and a small amount of steroid. This will decrease inflammation and reduce sensitivity of the nerve for 2-3 days after the injection.

If the patient’s symptoms significantly improve for a few days after the injection, then it is a good bet that the nerve itself is the source of the pain and not just the messenger. If it only feels better while it is numb, then it’s time to head back to the drawing board. Alice had significant improvement for 3-4 days after the block before the pain returned. This is normal and expected because you can only use this injection for diagnosis, not treatment.

The Source of the Pain

Once we knew the nerve was the source of her pain, it was time for treatment. In this case, I recommended a procedure called a neurectomy of the nerve. This involves making a small incision over the nerve, farther up the leg than the damaged portion. I then locate the nerve, and cut it to shut off the pain signals. It’s kind of like throwing a breaker on an electrical outlet.

Although this might sound drastic, it is a much safer and effective option than other chronic pain management options (opiates or a spinal stimulator for example). For Alice, it worked very well. Once the nerve pain was eliminated, she was finally able to participate in physical therapy to address the other tendon pain and weakness that had developed from how she was compensating for the pain.

Finally, Pain Free

At Alice’s last follow up, she was pain free. She still had a bit of residual limp that will continue to improve with therapy. I present Alice’s story as an example of the complex diagnostic work-up often involved with post-traumatic chronic pain.

No two patients are the same and no two injuries are the same. What worked on one may not work on the other. As a doctor, when I see patients with chronic pain, I have two goals in mind.

1. Identify the primary problem.

2. Do not aggravate the pain any further with unnecessary treatments.

Once we identify the root of the issue, we can then proceed with the appropriate treatment to relieve the patient’s pain.

If you are experiencing chronic injuries or unresolved pain, please come see us! We can help. Come visit your podiatrist in Fort Collins or Broomfield for further consultation.

To learn more about our treatment options, click here.

Book your appointment here. 

Why Treadmill Running on an Incline is a Bad Idea

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I treat a wide variety of sports-related aches, pains, and injuries involving the feet and ankles. While there is no sure fire way to avoid all of these issues, there are some common workout methods that can aggravate your feet more than others. Over the years, I have learned to ask for detailed info on a patient’s exercise regimen. For example, the type of running shoes, hiking boots, etc they use is important. The type of surface they are running/walking on, warm up and cool down techniques, etc. are all very important.

This advice does not pertain to everyone or every situation. If you do any of these things and don’t have pain, then feel free to keep doing what you are doing. But, if you have been dealing with nagging foot pain that isn’t going away, then read on. A simple change in how you exercise may help.

1. Treadmill Running + Incline = Pain

This is one I have seen quite frequently. Just running on a treadmill is fine in most cases. But, once you start cranking up that incline, the chances of pain and injury also start to climb.  As the pitch increases, you start running more on just the ball of your foot. This does three things.

  1. Focuses all the impact on just the ball of the foot.
  2. Prevents normal rear-foot pronation which leads to decreased shock absorption to the whole foot.
  3. Causes increased tension/strain on the Achilles tendon and maintains this strain throughout the stride.

These things can lead to development or worsening of neuroma pain, plantar fascia pain, Achilles tendonitis, and joint pain in the ball of the foot. So if you routinely use the treadmill on an incline, and have been having any type of foot pain, keep the treadmill flat or run outside or on a track if possible.  This may not solve the problem right away, but can be a good starting point.

2. Barefoot + Running = no problem (most of the time)

BUT:  Barefoot + Dance/Aerobics/Zumba/etc = Ouch

For many years now barefoot running has been touted as good for your feet and for many people this can be true.  However, just because barefoot running may have some benefits, it doesn’t mean that being barefoot during other types of workouts is just the same. For example, dance-type aerobic workouts like Zumba are very popular, and can be a great workout, as well as a lot of fun. But these types of activities (usually done on hard surfaces) involve quite a bit of repetitive stress and impact on the feet and should rarely, if ever, be done barefoot. A decent pair of athletic shoes will provide the necessary shock absorption and support to keep your feet happy and healthy.

3. Beware of the “Minimalist” Shoes

Over the past few years, “minimalist” shoes have been popular and are marketed as having similar benefits as barefoot-type shoes. These minimalist shoes are typically very lightweight, flexible and offer little benefit for either support or shock absorption. In addition, since the foot’s motion is still confined in a shoe, they do not have the foot strengthening benefits of barefoot shoes.  In short, they provide all of the negatives of barefoot running and none of the positives. Stiffer soled shoes with adequate cushion are usually the better option if you are having any chronic foot pain.

As I mentioned before, these recommendations do not pertain to every person in every instance. However, if you regularly do any sort of these workouts and have any foot pain associated with it, then it may be a good idea to make some minor adjustments to your routine. Your feet will thank you for years to come.

If you are experiencing unresolved  foot pain, come see us! We can help.

Book your appointment here.

3 Common Injuries in Athletes: Part 1

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stress fracture from triathlon training

I am new to the triathlon arena and I have signed up for the Boulder Half Ironman this fall.  I have been training through the winter but not as much as I had hoped. Now that the weather is getting nicer,  I have really tried to ramp it up. Be careful as one may end up with a stress fracture.

I am finding training for the Half Ironman to be significantly different than the sprint triathlon training I have done previously. I am starting to experience those aches and pains of pushing my body to the limit. So here’s three of the most common injuries in athletes, how to avoid them, and what to do if you start to experience these symptoms.

1. Stress Fracture

Stress fractures are the most common and they are an overuse injury. The reality is that we often completely ignore our feet. We stuff them in shoes and forget about them, and it is not until they start hurting that we appreciate all that our feet do for us.  There are 26 bones and 33 joints in the foot and they are made to take a beating every day.  They adapt to different terrains and absorb most of the shock we place on them but if not optimally aligned, our feet can start to fail us.

Can you avoid getting a stress fracture?

With constant stress, the bones in the foot can begin to break down and that’s when a stress fracture develops.  At first you might not think much about it, but soon the pain becomes overwhelming and will bring your training to a halt.  We often do too much too fast and the musculoskeletal system takes time to adapt. So, to help avoid this injury, make sure you have a steady and gradual increase in your work out. Most programs focus on the cardiovascular aspect, but I would also recommend some type of stretching and strength training at least once a week as well.

Your body needs a day of rest, so make sure you take at least one day off every week and you can focus more of stretching and joint range of motion that day. If you are concerned at all about your foot type and whether your feet and ankles can handle the increased stress placed on them, make sure you get evaluated to see if a pair of arch supports can help to put your feet in that optimal position to potentially avoid a stress fracture or other related injuries from overuse.

What are the treatment options?

If you are dealing with a stress fracture, there is good news. We have great options to help speed up the recovery process and get you back to training. We offer regenerative therapies like platelet-rich plasma injections (PRP) and AmnioFix injections. Both help to enhance your own body’s healing of the area. We will often follow up these types of injections with our MLS laser therapy which promotes healing and reduces pain and swelling in the area.

Our goal is to heal the injury quickly, control the biomechanics of the foot to prevent stress fractures from returning, and get you back to doing the things that you love as quickly as possible.

Part 2 of this blog is out now.

If you have a stress fracture, or symptoms of a stress fracture, please come see us. We can help!

Call us today at our Fort Collins location (970) 484-4620, Broomfield location (720) 259-5053 or use our online scheduling system to book your appointment.

The Patient Who Motivated Me Again

Posted on by admin

Spring is almost here, and with it comes that wonderful weather we all enjoy so much. After spending the winter months cooped up inside, I can’t wait to be outdoors and soak up the Colorado sunshine. Although Thanksgiving was many months ago now, I find myself realizing that being mindful of what I’m grateful for should be a daily occurrence instead of a yearly one.

I’m always grateful for my wife, my family, and my patients, but I also want to share the gratitude of having an active body that can still do amazing things! I celebrated my 64th birthday this year (Ouch!), so being able to enjoy skiiing, hiking, biking and having the ability to do those things has become more meaningful to me.

Of all these activities, running is the one I have become the most grateful for and I’ll tell you why. It all started back in college.

Back then it was almost un-cool to run on the street (or anywhere) in Boulder. People would occasionally make comments or even laugh at me. Hard to believe now but it was true then!

I then went to medical school in San Francisco, which, in contrast, was a great place to run. It was a way to relieve stress and give me energy after sitting in class for long hours. Then early in my practice years I ran a marathon, and since then several half marathons and many 10K’s as well. I continue to run to this day.

But I have the most gratitude for what I’m still able to do right now. I don’t need to run another marathon to feel fulfilled.

Several years ago I took some time away from running because my body didn’t feel too good the next day. When I did run, it was very short distances. Then, I met the man. He came to me as a patient.  (I’ll let you in on a little secret, when we really get to know our patients, we doctors sometimes get as much or more from them than they get from us).  All I can remember was that he was a retired surgeon, in his 70s, and was in really good shape; he looked like Adonis. I asked what he did to stay in such good shape and he said:

“I live in the mountains west of Boulder and I run on trails. If I ran on streets and sidewalks I would run less than a mile and hurt the next day” (sounded like where I was headed). “That just doesn’t happen running on trails.”
Dr. James Anderson
I believe people are sometimes put in our paths for a reason. He changed my whole attitude and gave me confidence. With ankles that sprain easily, I gradually took his advice to heart. I found trail running a great way to stay in shape. It still clears my mind from the stresses of life; running a business with 25 employees, doing research, and writing a book means I’ve got a lot going on. It’s a great way to problem solve. The sweat and oxygen rev up the creativity.

So, on most weekends, you can catch me running up around Horsetooth. I’m the middle-aged guy (don’t tell anyone I’m 64) you might pass on Tower Road, Blue Sky Trail or Horsetooth Trail (those are my favorites), and Adriann, my wife, sometimes joins me.

I’m very grateful to have this active life. And it’s even more amazing that I have such an athletic wife to share those times with. The motivation all started from one of you, a patient, and I hope this blog motivates you to keep your body moving too. Consider trail running for yourself as you get older, and let us know what your favorite trails are in the comments below. See you out there!