Sheffield Foot and Ankle

  From the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Patient Safety Committee  The AAOS Patient Safety Committee recommends avoiding musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections for two weeks before and one week after COVID vaccine administration. Musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections are common procedures which are most often performed in an elective, outpatient setting. These can include intra-articular, bursal, tendon, and neuraxial injections. Currently there is no direct evidence of the impact of corticosteroid injections on vaccine efficacy. Corticosteroid injections have been shown to cause hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal suppression. Increased risk of influenza infection has been associated with corticosteroids. It is unknown if corticosteroid injections could result in decreased immunogenicity which could reduce vaccine efficacy. The majority of musculoskeletal cortisone injections are elective procedures that can be safely postponed or rescheduled. Given the potential ...

  The tarsal tunnel is a compartment found on the medial (inner) side of the ankle, through which tendons and nerves and vascular structures traverse to enter the foot. Similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand, the nerve that runs through here (posterior tibial nerve) can become compressed, causing debilitating symptoms.    Symptoms include inner ankle and heel pain, burning, tingling and numbness.    Conditions that can initiate or exacerbate tarsal tunnel include over pronation, prolonged weight bearing activity, pressure from shoe gear, lower extremity swelling, varicose veins, hypothyroidism, diabetes and arthritis.    Advanced imaging studies may be ordered if a mass is suspected or if initial treatment does not reduce the symptoms. Studies used to evaluate nerve problems—electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG/NCV)—may be ordered if the condition shows no improvement with nonsurgical treatment.   Treatment options may includ...

  Get Your Feet in Shape for Spring! After hibernating all winter, nothing beats getting outside and getting active at the first sign of spring weather. The sudden jump in activity after months of laying low with little to no activity increases the risk for developing foot pain. Most commonly, we see stress fractures in the foot and the development of heel pain known as plantar fasciitis. Stress fractures are often brought on by a sudden increase in activity or poor choices in footwear and can present as deep aching foot pain with warmth and swelling. Plantar fasciitis results from inflammation of the band extending from the heel to the toes known as the plantar fascia and causes aching stabbing pain in the heel on first rising which worsens with standing and walking. Luckily, both conditions generally heal easily, but must be caught and treated early. Summertime brings on warmer temps and the switch from heavier footwear to sandals and flip flops. While flip flops are a nice way t...

03-16-2021  Diabetes is a common condition that affects 34.2 million American adults. Today there are many more options and advancements in the way diabetes is managed, and many diabetics are able to live normal lifestyles. That being said, having diabetes does predispose someone to specific complications and concerns that should be kept in mind. These include foot ulcers, impaired wound healing, neuropathy, dry skin, as well as increased incidence of retinopathy, kidney and vascular disease. It is always easier to prevent complications, than it is to treat them. In order to help prevent complications from diabetes, it is important to carefully manage diabetes, which may mean having a close relationship with your primary care physician and or endocrinologist. Consistently high blood sugars can lead to damage in multiple organ systems. Hemoglobin A1c is the lab used to determine how blood sugar is on average over a several months period. It is also extremely important to perform dai...

  03/12/2021  Thank you for visiting our blog and we look forward to interacting with you. The doctors at Sheffield Foot and Ankle are excited to bring you useful information about podiatric conditions and the latest advancements in foot and ankle care. This blog will also be used to post updates about our practice and keep in touch with our patients. We invite you to share this information with your friends and family. If you have a question about our practice or something you’ve seen in the news, please call the office at 440-934-8444.