Harvey R. Danciger, DPM
74-000 Country Club Drive, Suite A-2
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 568-0108

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Posts for tag: Prevention

By Dr. Danciger
May 19, 2012
Category: Injuries
Tags: Prevention   Stretching  

Working toward preventing foot injuries or leg pain from occurring is as simple as incorporating simple stretches into your daily routine. Of course, stretching is no new suggestion to keep your muscles limber, but it’s important to know how stretching is beneficial to your overall health and how you can go about stretching in a safe and effective way.

The main benefit of stretching is gaining flexibility. Better flexibility means your joints will move through their full range of motion, which can lead to benefit both your physical performance and decrease your risk for injury. For example, by stretching your Achilles tendon, you are preventing the occurrence of tendinitis that is often caused by a decreased range of motion that results in overload and then injury. Stretching also reaps the benefits of increased circulation to your muscles and cartilage, which reduces muscle soreness and pain.

Although stretching can be performed anywhere and anytime, make sure you are doing it safely and effectively!  Incorrect stretching can do more harm than good. Before you take on stretching, Podiatrist Harvey Danciger recommends following these tips to make sure your stretching technique is the right one.  They include:

  • Don’t consider stretching a warm-up. Stretching cold muscles can cause you to hurt yourself. Instead, warm up by walking or jogging at a low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes before you stretch. Or better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warmed up.
  • Focus on major muscle groups. Focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, your neck and shoulders while stretching and make sure to evenly stretch both sides.
  • Don’t bounce. Bouncing while you stretch can create small tears in your muscle, which can leave scar tissue that causes your muscles to tighten, resulting in less flexibility and being more prone to pain. Be sure to hold a stretch for 30 seconds and to repeat three of four times.
  • Don’t aim for pain. If you’re feeling pain instead of tension while you stretch, you’re pushing yourself too far. Back off to the point where you feel no pain and hold the stretch.
  • Keep up with your stretching. You can achieve the best benefits by stretching regularly, at least two to three times per week.

Don’t let tight muscles cause you pain or injury. To find simple stretches you can use, visit our website or contact our office today.

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By Dr. Danciger
January 13, 2012
Tags: Prevention   Causes   Women's Shoes  

Bunions are one of the most common foot deformities. Genetics play a big role in bunion development, but shoes play an even bigger role. Women are much more commonly affected by bunions  than men because of their shoes. Even though men are just as likely to be genetically prone to bunions, they develop them much less because men's shoes are not as bad for feet as women's shoes.

Ladies: stop picking shoes based on style alone. There are plenty of shoes out there that are both stylish and healthy for your feet. High heeled shoes mold your foot into a position that encourages bunion growth, pointing the big toe toward the second toe. All shoes that have pointy, tight toes are less healthy for feet.

Surgery may fix bunions at first, but if your lifestyle does not change, the bunion will return. Before considering bunion surgery, the best thing to do is to make changes to your daily life and see if the symptoms from the bunion subside. It doesn't mean that you have to wear the big orthopedic shoes, it just means that you should find shoes that are more supportive of your feet, like tennis shoes or supportive sandals (not the plastic flip flops).

Dr. Danciger can answer any questions relating to bunions and analyze your bunion to determine whether or not surgery is the best treatment option.

For more information on bunion prevention or living with a bunion, visit our website here.

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By Dr. Danciger
December 29, 2011
Category: Bunions, Foot Care
Tags: treatment   Prevention   Bunions  

According to government statistics, 4.4 million peoplereport having bunions every year, a number that does not include all the Americans who neglect to report having bunions. These uncomfortable bumps can lead to more serious problems in the future. A bunionis a misalignment of one of the joints in the foot. The joint become angled and the big toe may start to overlap the second toe, causing even more discomfort.

Often times, bunions are an inheritedtrait; some foot types are more prone to develop bunions. Even though they are often inherited, there are still things that many people do every day to worsen the condition of their bunions. If you don't care about your feet at all, you wear whatever shoe you want--regardless of the effects they have on your feet. Women are at higher risk for developing bunions because of the types of shoes they often wear. High heels, for example, are some of the worst shoesyou can wear if you have a foot type that's at risk for developing bunions.

High heels create an unnatural angle for feet to rest at. They put all of the weight and pressure on the front of the foot so that the foot is shoved into the toes of the shoe. The toes of high heels are often pointed and narrow, which puts extra pressure on all areas--especially the bunion. High heels aggravate the bunion and wearing them repeatedly will result in  pain and swelling in the bunion.

If you think you need a bunion checked out by a professional, do not hesitate to call Dr. Danciger's office to schedule an appointment!

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Podiatrist - Palm Desert, Harvey R. Danciger DPM, 74-000 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert CA, 92260 760-568-0108