It’s Grass-Mowing Season: Use These Top Tips for Preventing Heel Pain

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Springtime rolls around every year, and if you’re using a push mower to cut your grass, it may feel like most of the rolling happens over your feet. Heel pain can be just as much a harbinger of spring as the sighting of the first tulip in bloom. So take the advice of your podiatrist in Austin, TX, and use these timeless tips to make that springtime yard work a little less painful.

Wear the Right Shoes

Yardwork like mowing and trimming can put real stress on your feet. You may end up with heel pain, blisters, and more. For these reasons, it’s important to find shoes that are compatible with outdoor work. Choose ones with good tread to prevent slipping, a water-resistant coating to keep feet dry and comfortable, and plenty of padding. Make sure they fit well and don’t crowd your toes, either.

Wear the Right Socks, Too

You probably never think about your socks, but they’re just as important as shoes when it comes to preventing heel pain. Compression socks are a good choice for preventing problems such as heel pain, swelling, and inflammation because they apply pressure, which supports the arches of your feet. They also help to increase blood flow to the area.

Do Some Warm-Ups Before Working Out on your Grass

Mowing grass is a pretty physical activity, especially when you’re using a mower that’s not self-propelled. This means you need to stretch and warm up beforehand, just as you would before hitting the gym or the jogging trail. Just a few minutes spent stretching your calf muscles and Achilles tendon may be enough to save you from the discomfort of heel pain.

Find Help for Heel Pain in Austin, TX

If you need help with heel pain in Austin or Pflugerville, TX, Dr. Jeffery W. LaMour is just a phone call away. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

Am I at High Risk of Neuroma?

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You may be at a higher risk for developing a neuroma if you frequently wear high heels, have an unusually low or high arch in your foot, or have recently suffered trauma to the nerves in your feet. A neuroma, while painful, is a benign nerve tumor that typically forms between the third and fourth toes. If you’ve been experiencing unusual pain in this area of your foot, a trip to your podiatrist in Austin or Pflugerville, TX, is recommended.

Is a Neuroma Dangerous?

A neuroma is not a form of cancer. However, it does usually require treatment because the pain may make walking feel difficult or impossible. Neuromas develop when abnormal tissue growth causes a “lump” to form near the toes. Normal activities such as walking, jogging, or climbing stairs may become painful because the neuroma puts pressure on nerves where pressure normally wouldn’t be. This results in pain between the toes, on the ball of the foot, or both. Signs you may have a neuroma include:

  • Stinging
  • Burning
  • Itching
  • Pain
  • Numbness

These symptoms will occur in the area between the smaller toes, or it may radiate across the underside of the top of your foot.

What Causes Neuroma?

Several conditions may contribute to neuroma, including wearing shoes that crowd your toes or spending an unusual amount of time on your feet each day. Women develop neuromas more often than men, possibly because they tend to wear higher-heeled shoes.

Injury to your foot may also cause a neuroma to form, and if you were born with high or low arches, these conditions may contribute as well.

Help for Neuroma in Austin, TX

If you need treatment for neuroma in Austin or Pflugerville, TX, call Dr. Jeffery W. LaMour, DPM. PA. today. For more than 20 years, Dr. Jeff LaMour has served the Austin and Pflugerville areas, providing a top-quality of care for patients experiencing foot pain. Call today to schedule an appointment.

3 Chronic Diseases That Can Affect Your Feet

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Many medical conditions can impact the health and function of your feet. Three of the most common include arthritis, diabetes, and peripheral artery disease. Your podiatrist in Austin, TX, can tell you more about how to protect your feet if you’ve recently received a diagnosis.

Arthritis

There are roughly 100 different types of arthritis that affect the foot and ankle. All make it difficult to perform simple, everyday tasks such as walking to the mailbox or standing in line to see your favorite movie.

There’s no cure for arthritis, but symptoms can be managed to improve your quality of life. The first step in managing arthritis of the foot and ankle is to see your podiatrist for an exam and a diagnosis. Treatment options include:

  • Physical therapy
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Assistive devices
  • Medication
  • Surgery

Diabetes

Patients who struggle with diabetes need specialized foot care because high levels of sugar in the blood can cause painful nerve damage. Decreased blood flow to extremities can also cause numbness, making it impossible to tell when you’ve cut or punctured your foot. Wounds like these heal much more slowly in patients who have diabetes, and it’s much easier for infection to set in.

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s vital to seek routine care from a podiatrist. It’s also important to learn how to manage your condition so that your blood sugar levels remain at healthy levels most of the time.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease is caused by too much plaque on the walls of your arteries. Eating a diet high in fat and living a sedentary lifestyle may both contribute to peripheral artery disease, and sores may form on the toes and feet that refuse to heal. Your podiatrist can help you manage peripheral artery disease through lifestyle changes and medication.

If you recently received a diagnosis of arthritis, artery disease, or diabetes in Austin, TX, Dr. Jeffery W. LaMour, DPM, PA, can help you manage it. Call today to schedule an appointment.

Common Myths About Neuroma of the Foot

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You may feel as if you have a rock or marble tucked into your shoe, which is incredibly uncomfortable. What is causing this? You could be dealing with a neuroma of the foot. Custom orthotics in Austin, TX may help, but it is also important to better understand this painful foot condition. Take a look at a few common myths associated with foot neuromas.

Myth: The neuroma is cancerous.

Foot neuromas are not cancerous, even though the name itself seems to apply the growth is cancerous. And, a neuroma is commonly associated with what is often referred to in medicine as a tumorous growth. However, the neuroma is actually not even a tumor; instead, the condition is characterized by thickened tissue that sits around the nerves of the digits.

Myth: Neuromas only affect the two toes next to your pinky toe.

While neuromas are most commonly found developing in between your third and fourth toe, a neuroma can develop in other areas as well. For example, a neuroma can develop between your second and third toes just the same.

Myth: Shoes have nothing to do with neuromas.

While what causes neuroma development in the foot is not entirely known, the shoes you wear on your feet can have some bearing. Your shoes or most commonly worn footwear can have a great deal with the development of a foot neuroma because they affect the toes and the nerves between the toes. Women are actually more likely to develop a neuroma than men because women are more likely to wear shoes that squeeze the nerves between the toes.

Find Out More About Foot Neuromas from an Austin Podiatrist

Are you dealing with a great deal of foot pain, and you’re not sure of the cause? It may be time to speak to an Austin podiatrist for advice. Reach out to the office of Dr. Jeffery Lamour DPM, PA to schedule a visit today.