Recycling shoes is no joke- just ask Joanne Ziolkowski, owner of the Foot Solutions in Westchester, New Jersey.  In one day, Joanne collected nearly 1,300 pairs of shoes donated by the local community!  Every pair makes a difference- there are over 300,000 million people around the world who can’t afford shoes.  After Joanne’s incredibly successful event, I had to know what prompted her to host a shoe drive!

Why a shoe drive?
“I realize how important having shoes can be to quality of life.  I experienced several broken ankles growing up and found that proper shoes made the difference in being able to walk comfortably.

I believe the spirit of love and giving is the real voice of America, so I wanted to spread that message out into the global community.

Also, my store is located at the Voice of America Centre – the former location of the broadcasting towers for the global-reaching Voice of America radio station (used by the U.S. for decades to broadcast the American view into overseas countries behind the Iron Curtain, etc.). ”

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Recycling shoes is easy to do- follow this link to find a donation location nearest you, or- follow the Soles4Souls RV Tour. Soles4Souls accepts all types of gently worn shoes; dress, casual, athletic and especially childrens shoes.

Learn More About Soles4Souls.

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You’ve finally gotten into a groove with your exercise program, and you are feeling great! But you wake up one morning and feel an unusual pain in your lower calf muscle just above your achilles…. what is your achilles, anyway?  The achilles tendon located in the back of the leg that inserts into the heel.  Achilles heel pain, or Achilles Tendonitis symptoms may include a burning or extremely piercing pain in  your achilles when you first wake up, and it may subside as you become more active during the day.

So, what causes Achilles Tendonitis?
Constant hill running, or over-pronation are common causes. Over-pronation occurs in the walking process, when the arch collapses upon weight bearing.  Stress is added on the achilles tendon with each step.

• Other factors may lead to achilles tendonitis:
• Improper shoe selection
• Inadequate stretching prior to engaging in athletics
• A short achilles tendon
• Direct trauma (injury) to the tendon
• Heel bone deformity

How do I treat Achilles Tendonitis?

Athletes should use an orthotic device, heel cup, or heel cradle for extra support. A heel cup or heel cradle elevates the heel to reduce stress and pressure on the achilles tendon. The device should be made with light-weight, shock absorbing materials. An orthotic device can be used to control over-pronation, support the longitudinal arch, and reduce stress on the achilles tendon.

At the first sign of achilles heel pain,  follow these simple tips to help alleviate the pain:

1. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Athletes (particularly runners) should incorporate a thorough stretching program to properly warm-up the muscles.

2. Decrease the distance of your walk or run, apply ice after the activity and avoid any up hill climbs.

3. Update your athletic shoes often and check your current shoes for trouble signs.

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Bonnie Hunt Features the new Pink Balance Walking Poles on her show of over 1 million daily viewers….now’s time to get in shape with Balance Walking!

From now – September 31, 2010, Foot Solutions will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for each set of Pink Poles sold!

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What’s the most cost effective way to treat diabetic foot complications?
Prevent them altogether with proper diabetic foot care!

Diabetic foot care is critical for prevention of ulcers and diabetic amputations.  In fact, severe forms of diabetic nerve disease are a major contributing cause of lower-extremity amputations.  National Diabetes Awareness Month is just a few weeks away, but we’re celebrating early by educating you with MUST-KNOW tips on diabetic foot care.

Today’s diabetic foot expert,  Podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider (@houstonfootdoc), explains just how costly it can be to ignore diabetic foot pain.

Once a complication occurs, such as a foot ulcer, the costs of treatment can increase exponentially. Ulcers can cost $8,000 to treat, or possibly $17,000 if it becomes infected. Taking proper steps to prevent an ulcer or diabetic amputation is most certainly ideal!

How can you prevent diabetic foot complications from forming?

First, every person with diabetes should form an association with a podiatrist for routine foot checkups. These checks will help monitor circulation down the legs and into the foot, nerve sensation, and assess risk factors for formation of ulcers and wounds. Because wounds primarily form in areas of pressure, managing that pressure is critical. Even Medicare  recognizes the value in shoes with insoles that will help prevent those pressures from causing problems.  (Medicare may also cover a pair of shoes and several pair of insoles each year). The insoles are made of a soft material that redistributes the weight and alleviates areas of pressure.  Many Podiatrists carry lines of diabetic footwear. Those who do not can refer you to someone who does carry diabetic footwear.

I always recommend that my patients with diabetes perform a quick foot check each evening before bedtime. What they look for is anything that wasn’t there the day before: redness, bleeding, etc. If you can’t pick their feet up to see the bottom, try a mirrored scale – Its mirrored surface allows you to easily view the bottom of the foot for daily inspection. This way if you notice a problem, you will know it is no more than 24 hours old.

Experts say that people with diabetes need the right care to avoid diabetic amputation and keep their limbs. There will always be factors that put diabetics at greater risk of developing foot problems, but controlling your blood sugar while watching for the smallest sign of a problem will tip the scale in your favor.

How are you spreading diabetes awareness this year? Find out what’s happening in a city near you!

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Now that football season is in full swing, players on the professional, college and high school level are at risk for a number of foot injuries that can not only end their season, but leave them with lasting injuries. One of those injuries is plantar fasciitis, which recently forced New York Giants Star Quarterback Eli Manning out of the October 4 NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation caused by excessive stretching of the plantar fascia, the broad band of connective tissue which runs along the bottom of the foot, attaching at the bottom of the heel bone and extending to the forefoot. When an injury occurs, Plantar Fasciitis often leads to heel pain, heel spurs, and/or arch pain. If you’re feeling pain in your heal, especially first thing in the morning, contact your foot professional- immediate treatment for plantar fasciitis is critical.

Improper shoe selection and foot mechanics may be risk factors for injuries like plantar fasciitis. In addition to improperly fitting footwear, doctors have found that over-pronation, or flat feet, is the leading cause of plantar fasciitis. This can happen when a person’s arch collapses upon weight bearing, causing the plantar fascia to be stretched away from the heel bone. Other causes include a foot with an unusually high arch, or a sudden increase in physical activity (which I for some reason don’t think is the case for Eli). According to Podiatrists, plantar fasciitis is one of the most common conditions they see in their offices and is most often associated with heel pain. Initial treatment for plantar fasciitis includes stretching, and a prescription for proper footwear.

“We send many people to Foot Solutions specifically for this problem. What we write in our prescriptions are foot orthotics, because we want to raise the arch and improve shock absorption of the heel, as well as running shoes, cross trainers, or shoes in general with more shock absorbing heels,” said Dr. Jay Levine, DPM, Chief of Podiatric Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York and Director of the Wound Center.

Moral of the story? Your feet are the foundation of your body- if you don’t take care of your feet, they will let you know (in Eli’s case, in the form of plantar fasciitis).  You don’t have to be a professional athlete to be treated like one- everyone should have a foot care specialist. (especially since 9 out of 10 Americans wear wrong size shoes)! Below are some qualifications you should look for in a foot professional:

• Completed courses in foot pathology and physiology
• Can help provide solutions to your foot pain (i.e. treatment for plantar fasciitis)
• Can modify shoes and know how to proplerly fit your feet.

We’re pulling for you Eli!

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If you’re one of the thousands of people walking for a charity or cause this year, you’ll be putting several hundred miles on your walking shoes between training walks and events. Buying a new pair of shoes doesn’t prevent you from blisters or excruciating pain. Follow this simple 5-step method to check shoes for trouble signs so you can learn when to replace running shoes (or any athletic shoe for that matter!).

Heel Counter: If you squeeze the heel of the shoe, it should be solid. This helps control the heel correctly during your stride.  If the heel counter is soft, your heel is not being controlled properly.

Age of Your Shoes: Your kicks may still look new, but over time the supportive material breaks down and provides less support for your feet. Depending on your level of activity, you should replace running shoes about every 350 miles. But honestly… is it realistic to keep track of every mile? Try a shoe odometer- a small device that you attach to your shoelaces that tracks each stride.

Sole Check: Look at the bottom of your shoe- is the tread excessively worn off in a specific area, like the outside of the heel? Excessive wearing on the sole could be a trouble sign of improper foot function in the shoe. Try arch supports to keep your foot neutral in your shoe.

Inlay: Most athletic shoes have removable inlays- pull yours out and inspect it. Do your toe prints come to the edge of the inlay? If so, your shoes may be too small- there should be a small margin at the end of your toe impressions rather than your toe impressions going all the way to the edge of your inlay.

Toe Box: Can you wiggle your toes in your shoes? If your toes are at all restricted, the toe box of the shoe may be too small- 9 out of 10 people wear the wrong size shoe, but don’t know it because they haven’t been properly educated on the varying sizes of athletic shoes. Many good athletic shoes come in different widths, so have your foot professional measure your feet for length and width.

The toe box should be wide enough to allow room for your toes to wiggle.

One more hint… check your feet for calluses (before your pedicure). Callusing on your feet could mean excessive pressure on those areas, meaning your feet may not be functioning properly in the shoe.

Now you know how to check your shoes for trouble signs, and keep your feet healthy for that big charity walk. Pass these helpful tips along to others who may need help learning when to replace their running shoes. Happy walking!

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