Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist

Ten months into our new office location and things could not be better. We continue to thrive as the top foot and ankle medical facility in the Triangle. With the larger more convenient location we offer patients more space to park, relax and be seen in an exam room. We continue to offer the most state of the art office experience with EMR, Digital X-ray,Wireless and much more. I continue to be proud of my staff and their ability to get both existing and new patients appointments as quickly as possible. We welcome patients of all ages and conditions. We hope that you will decide to call us and be a part of our office. Please visit our website at www.trianglefoot.com or call us at 919-851-3435. Thanks to everyone who follows our blog.

Travel

I get a lot of questions from patients about proper travel foot wear. If air travel is part of the journey then consider closed toed shoes. The shoes should be lite weight and comfortable. I prefer shoes to be worn with socks and consider dry fit socks as well. I also recommended proper fit shoes with mesh or a soft material. Try to avoid all leather shoe gear. Tennis shoes, walking shoes or running shoes helps cushion your feet and keep them protected from the outside environment. It can make a long travel day with proper shoe gear a much more enjoyable experience.

Snow

Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist is and will be open during the snow and inclement weather. We are seeing patients during this time. We are also seeing any emergency that may arise from the weather. This is a busy time for ankle and foot sprains and fractures from falls due to the ice and snow. Of course be careful and wear shoes/boots with good tread. If you require a walker or cane on a regular basis be sure to use your cane/walker to help stabilize if you must go out in this weather. We hope everyone is careful but feel free to call our office 919-851-3435 if you need care. If you already have a scheduled appointment with us we look forward to seeing you in the office. Thanks, Dr. Jeremy Thomas

New Office Location

Our office has officially moved to our new exciting location. The office can easily be located at the intersection of James Jackson Ave and NW Maynard Road in Cary. It is a free standing building with signage at both the road and on the building. Please feel free to go to our website for more info.  www.trianglefoot.com

Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist
1720 NW Maynard Road
Cary, NC 27513

919-851-3435 (o)
919-851-3436 (f)
trianglefoot@hotmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving

Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist would like to wish all of our patients a happy holiday season.

Shoe Size

I got a question this morning from a patient's mom who was concerned about back to school shoe sizing. The best way to fit your son or daughter for back to school shoes is feel for the longest toe. A lot of patients have their second toe being the longest toe. If this is the case then this should be the toe to feel for. The shoe should be about a half a thumb length longer than this toe. Also make sure the shoe is comfortable and that they can walk around in it without pain or problems. All shoes are made and fit a little differently so it is always best to try them on in the store. Lastly have fun with it!!

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can be one of the most common foot ailments. The condition comes into the office on a daily basis. One of the things that I have noticed since being in practice is that 80% of patients go online and attempt to diagnosis themselves and treat the condition without a proper diagnosis by a podiatrist. One of the main things that has to be done in our office is an exam encompassing x-rays, palpation, conversation about the symptoms, ultrasound, gait exam. There are numerous conditions that can cause your heel to bother you besides plantar fasciitis. If with a proper exam the diagnosis is Plantar Fasciitis then we often can treat the condition with resolution of the pain and possible prevention of it returning in the future. Anyone suffering with heel pain should have it checked sooner than later to avoid worsening of the condition and length of time to recovery.

Summer Sandals

With the weather warming up outside I am getting a lot of questions on proper sandals for the summer? This is a tough question to answer for may reasons: Everyone has a different foot type or biomechanics. Everyone has a different gait and lastly everyone coming into the office may have a different ailment. What this means to the patient? Do I buy sandals that are soft/hard/stiff soled/high arched/heeled etc... My general rule is comfort and cushion. Also update them every summer season. If the sandal is bothering your feet then it is not worth wearing them. Also be careful if you tend to have swelling in your feet that straps are not binding into your skin. My last pearl for this blog will be that if you plan to do a lot of long distance walking in a day then skip the sandal and wear a tennis shoe with a custom orthotic insert.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all the patients and families of Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist.

Stocking Stuffer

I recently had a patient suggest our in office products for stocking stuffers. I thought it was a great idea. As she stated the products work amazing and work as great stocking stuffers. She purchased a foot file/foot cream/foot scrub for her daughter. I asked if she was ok with me posting this idea on our blog and she was. So I am passing along this idea to all of our patients. As always your more than welcome to stop by our office Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist in Cary on Ashville Ave Ste 40 and grab some stocking stuffers. www.trianglefoot.com Or maybe treat yourself this Christmas. A special thanks to the patient that brought up this idea, Dr. Jeremy Thomas.

Recent Lecture in Raleigh

Dr. Jeremy Thomas and Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist wants to thank West Raleigh Church for having me in for a lecture. It was a pleasure meeting everyone and hope that you gained a great deal of knowledge from the lecture. For those that could not attend the lecture we were able to cover many different foot and ankle topics. We also reviewed proper shoe gear. These lectures are always so much fun for me to give. I hope that you will have me back next year to do it again. Thanks again.

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to all the patients and families of Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist.

Foot Pain With Children

I got the question today whether or not it was normal for a child to have pain with walking? The question was posed to me in the fashion that it was more than likely a growing pain that would get better but wanted to ask anyways. However, the child we were speaking of was seven. The child will not be finished growing for 7-8 years. Does this mean the child will have to deal with the pain for this long? The answer is simply no. Growing pains are not normal and very treatable. If your child is having pain with walking/sports/exercise or recess this is not normal. Have the issue evaluated and treated. It is amazing how some of theses pains have such simple conservative treatments. Make sure when you present to the doctor you come prepared. Bring all of the shoes they are wearing on a regular basis. And be ready to re-create the situation that is causing the pain. Always helps to see things in person.

School Shoes

Summer is coming to an end for many students and school will soon begin. A question I am getting a lot in the office right now is what shoe should I buy for my child for school. Of course the shoe needs to be comfortable. I know this can be hard because most of the kids are looking for style over comfort. The length should be half a thumb length longer than the longest toe. The shoe should breathe and mesh is always better than leather for this. It is always better to wear the show a few weeks prior to school to break it in. This also gives you as a parent a chance to check your son's/daughter's feet before school begins to make sure no issues are being caused by the shoe (i.e. Blister). Lastly don't worry so much about price. A higher priced shoe does not always mean a better shoe or fit. If your unsure bring them into our office (Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist) and Dr. Jeremy Thomas can help assure a proper fit of the shoe.

Toe Fractures

I get questioned all the time about toe fractures and the best way to treat them. Most people assume that nothing can be done to a toe fracture. Another misconception is that you just tape the fractured toe to the adjacent toe. Most people don't take into account that if the toe fracture is displaced or rotated and you tape it incorrectly you could worsen the condition. This could lead to slow healing, improper function of the toe, toe deformity, or pain. In practice I have noticed that the majority of patients never come right in when they think they have broken the toe and instead wait to see if it get's better. It would be much more beneficial to have this checked early in the process. I will assess the foot/toe and x-ray the condition and based on the fracture treat it accordingly. Early detection is the answer for proper healing and treatment of toe fractures.

The Summer 2013 Newsletter is Here!

Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist

204 Ashville Ave, Ste. 40

Cary, NC  27518

(919) 851-3435 Ph

(919) 851-3436 Fax

SUMMER 2013 NEWSLETTER

Feet facts on the 10’s

1.            A human foot & ankle is a strong, mechanical structure that contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons & ligaments.

2.          The 52 bones in your feet make up one quarter of all the bones in your body. When they are out of alignment, so is the rest of your body.

3.           There are approximately 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet, and they can excrete as much as half a pint of moisture each day.

4.         The soles of your feet contain more sensory nerve endings per square centimeter than any other part of the body.

5.          The APMA relates that buying shoes is best done during the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell a little during the day, and it’s best to buy shoes that fit then.

6.         Women are 4 times more likely to have foot problems than men.

7.          A 2½-inch high heel can increase the load on the forefoot by 75%.

8.         Many people have one foot larger than the other.

9.         The APMA states the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which can add up to 115,000 miles in a lifetime – more than 4 times the circumference of the globe.

10.      During an average day of walking, the total forces on your feet can total hundreds of tons, equivalent to an average of a fully loaded cement truck.

A Summer Recipe that’s good for your feet.

Waldorf Salad

Use low-fat mayo mixed with apples, grapes, dried cranberries, celery, and walnuts for this chunky salad that renews a classic and curbs mid-afternoon hunger.
This dish delivers a serving of low-purine nuts and fruits. Plus, apples, grapes, and cranberries all contain malic acid, which may counter gout-promoting uric acid in your body.

Calories: 153

Fitness and Your Feet

Your feet are one of the most overlooked body parts when it comes to exercise. As you exercise, pay attention to what your feet are telling you.

Consult your physician before beginning any fitness program. This includes a complete physical and foot exam. This is especially important for those who are overweight, smoke, or haven't had a physical exam in a long time.

Proper fitness requires wearing the right clothes and shoes. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored and loosely woven clothing in hot weather and several layers of warm clothing in cold weather.

The American Podiatric Medical Association stresses the importance of foot care in exercising. People don't realize the tremendous pressure that is put on their feet while exercising. For example, a 150-pound jogger puts more than 150 tons of impact on his feet when running three miles.

Improper foot care during exercise is a contributing factor to some of the more than 300 foot ailments, according to the APMA.

The following are common ailments caused by improper foot care during exercise:

·                                Athlete's foot

·                                Blisters

·                                Corns and calluses

·                                Heel pain

·                                Nail Injuries

Don’t forget to visit us on the web at www.trianglefoot.com or like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter.  You can also visit us at www.trianglefoot.blogspot.com also accessible through our website!

Summer Newsletter

I want to thank everyone that has sent in ideas for our summer newsletter. We are putting our final touches on it now and hope to get it out to all our patients this week. Look for it soon in your email but we will also post it to our blog. Thanks again. Sincerely Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist Dr. Jeremy Thomas

Newsletter

Dr. Jeremy Thomas with Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist are currently writing a summer newsletter. We will be uploading this letter to our blog which will instantly upload to our twitter and facebook account. If a patient has any interest in a topic to include within the newsletter please contact our office. www.trianglefoot.com

Sandals

I am getting a lot of in office questions about Sandals. It is the time of year that everyone begins bringing out there Sandal wear. There are certain Sandals that are better than others for certain foot ailments. If you suffer with big toe OA (arthritis) then you may want to consider a stiff soled sandal. If you suffer with plantar fasciitis then you may want to consider soft sandals. If you suffer with a flat foot that is painful you may want to consider a deep healed seat sandal. Lastly, consider updating your old sandal. A new sandal could be the best thing you could do for your feet all summer.

Atlanta Course

Last week I made a trip down to Atlanta to teach a surgical course. It was a pleasure to meet with 12 other doctors from throughout the country. We covered everything we could in the short time span related to foot and ankle surgery. The main focus of these seminars is surgical technique and planning. The course is taught via lectures, demos and cadaver dissection. It is one of the top hands on surgical courses in the world and I was honored to be the lead instructor. I look forward to future seminars.