Elliptical Woes

You’ve Got That Tingling Feeling....

The elliptical has become an extremely popular piece of exercise equipment today. I mean there aren’t very many cardio machines that allow us to read a book or catch up on the latest episode of Survivor. The elliptical is a great low impact exercise for those of us with chronic back, hip, knee and ankle problems.

While the elliptical is a great way to get our cardio in, it can lead to discomfort for some users. Many people report feelings of burning, numbness or their feet falling asleep with prolonged use. This is due to the constant position on the balls of the feet throughout the exercise. This constant pressure on the nerves with no relief can cause that “strange” feeling. In addition the constant pressure can reduce the blood flow to the pads of our feet and exacerbate the condition. If you continue use of the elliptical in the presence of pain, inflammation of nerve can occur called a Morton's neuroma and pain can persist even after exercise is completed.

In order to prevent this from happening try to apply more body weight on your heels, and even mix up your workout by reversing the motion of your legs like you are back pedaling. This will place more pressure on your heels and should reduce symptoms. Adding a metatarsal pad to your shoe can reduce pressure and reduce or eliminate symptoms.

If problems persist try another form of low impact exercise like swimming or biking. If pain continues even with a change your regimen or continues after your exercise is complete, you may have a more serious condition like Morton's Neuroma that requires treatment.

Contact us and come see us at FAANT so we can get you on the road to recovery.

Halle Berry injures her foot by just being Halle Berry

It was reported that Halle Berry broke her foot today while walking down the streets of Mallorca, Spain.  She is there shooting a new movie that I am sure we won't want to miss, but her foot injury is now going to make her miss several weeks of filming.  She was taken to the hospital in Spain where she was placed in a cast.  Other details are unknown at this time.

So how can a person break their foot just by walking down the street.  Well, given the streets in Mallorca are cobblestone, she likely twisted her foot on the uneven surface.  A quick twist or turn of the foot when a person is walking is all that is needed to put enough force on any foot bone to make it break.  But other factors can help. Those with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis are at greater risk due to poor bone density which is the "hardness" of the bone.

If a foot fracture ( or break, same thing) occurs, best thing to do is get off the foot immediately and see help right away.  Ice and an ace wrap will help with swelling initially.  Xrays will confirm your fracture.  If the break in your bone is stable meaning it is not way out of place, then a cast or boot is all you need for 4-6 weeks.  If the break is much worse, surgery may be necessary.

Want to know more about feet?  Visit us at FAANT.