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What You Can Do to Prevent Falling If You’re 65+

36 million Americans over 65 fall each year, resulting in 32,000 deaths, reports the CDC.

That makes falls the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among that age group.

But most falls are preventable!

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you learned about our “Safe Balance Program,” which assesses your major fall risks and gives you solutions for minimizing those risks.

That helps.

But what if you want to lead a general lifestyle that minimizes your risk of falling? Just like any other health risk, you have many lifestyle changes you can make to nearly eliminate your risk of falling.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Maintain Your Physical Fitness

It’s easy to get comfortable in your routine and become less active as you age. No matter how tempting that might be, however, you need to somehow do what you can to stay physically fit.

You should aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity. And you should do exercises to increase your strength (note that this doesn’t mean weightlifting necessarily).

Of course, you should only do so with the blessing of your doctor. You don’t want to do something your body isn’t ready for and cause yourself a serious injury!

2. Keep Your Vision in Check

Even if you’re in good physical condition for your age, it doesn’t do you any good if you have difficulty seeing where you’re going.

If you’re between 55-64, you should get an eye exam every 1-3 years. If you’re 65+, make it happen every 1-2 years.

And if your eye doctor tells you to wear glasses, follow their recommendation!

3. Talk About Your Medications

The Merck Manual, the go-to for medical information, says the average senior takes five medications.

Those medications can have powerful side-effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and low blood pressure, all of which increase your risk of falling.

Add to that any over-the-counter medications or natural supplements, and you can have a real recipe for disaster!

Make sure you have a single go-to physician who knows all the prescriptions, natural supplements, and over-the-counter medications you take. That way, they can warn you about the possible risk any could contribute to falling.

4. Chronic Health Conditions

Peripheral neuropathy, often a result of diabetes, can make your feet numb, making it difficult to get around safely.

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and arthritis can make it more challenging to grip railings or even just keep your balance.

Make sure you stay aware of how any of these affect you at any given moment. And talk to your doctor if you notice any serious changes.

It’s a challenge to minimize your risk of falling. But you can do it with a regular self-inventory and discussion with your doctor so that your golden years truly are just that.

How to Lose Weight in 2021 (And Have Fun Doing It)

Losing weight is one of the biggest New Year’s resolutions. You see lots of people at the gym. Sales of health and fitness gear and equipment go through the roof.

But by the end of January or so, many and maybe even most, of those committed to losing weight have fallen back into their old habits again.

Being overweight contributes to so many health problems, some of which can be deadly. You’re at higher risk for heart attack, sleep apnea, diabetes, and foot problems like heel pain and arthritis.

The problem does not lie in knowing what to do. The real challenge, like most problems in life, lies in your mind. Some of the most common reasons for failing to lose weight include emotional eating, setting unrealistic goals, following fad diets for quick fixes, and hating your body.

Solve those core psychological issues, and weight loss will follow. Here’s some tips for making weight loss happen – and stick:

1. Create an Eating Plan You Love

You’ll have a much easier time following a new eating plan if you enjoy doing it. Do not turn eating into self-torture!

You should look forward to eating. One of the healthiest ways to eat (and it’s proven) is essentially following something similar to the Mediterranean diet. It’s a way of eating, but it is not a fad diet.

People actually have constructed many of their own unique ways to follow the Mediterranean diet. It does not need to be followed in only just one way.

Basically, with the Mediterranean diet, you eat:

  • As many plant-based foods as possible. Mom was right about eating your veggies!
  • Seafood as much as you want.
  • In moderation only: poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt.
  • Red meat only on rare occasions.

And you make sure to avoid sugar, salt, refined and white grains, and highly processed foods.

You can find more recipes that follow these general principles online than you could ever plan out in your lifetime. So have fun, and figure out what you like best!

2. Exercise in Ways You Enjoy

Mayo Clinic recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

How do you know if you’re exercising vigorously?

You simply do the talk test. If you feel like you can’t talk without gasping for breath in between what you say, then you’re not exercising vigorously.

Just like eating, you have practically an infinite number of exercise types to choose from. As long as it gets you huffing and puffing, you’re doing just fine!

3. What If You’ve Tried Everything and Can’t Stick to Your Plan?

If you’re an emotional eater, have body image issues, or have tried everything you can on your own, but haven’t been able to sustain the success, you might have a food or body image addiction.

Don’t feel ashamed. Millions of people struggle with this, and many of them have similar issues to you. You’re not alone.

And don’t let the name “Overeaters Anonymous” fool you. It’s not just for overeaters. It’s for everyone who struggles with food and body image.

OA has a quick 20-question quiz that takes just a couple minutes which can help you identify if you suffer from a food or body image addiction.

Yes. You can do it! Anyone who wants to lose weight and is serious about doing it can. And hopefully these tips get you on your path to a new, healthier, and happier you!

Siren Socks: The New System for Preventing Diabetic Foot Ulcers

We are excited to now carry Siren Socks for our at risk diabetic patients. Siren socks are a new innovation that can assist in Diabetic wound prevention. They work by monitoring the temperature of your feet, which allows our physicians to remotely monitor for ‘hot spots’ before they become a bigger problem.

These socks, worn daily, will take the temperature of your feet and notify your physician about problem areas early on. This technology allows your foot to be monitored in between exams and can help prevent wounds that lead to infection, hospitalization, and even amputation. When it comes to diabetic wounds, timing is very important and catching a problem area on your foot early can make a huge difference.

The data that wearing these socks daily will provide your physician will be another tool to monitor your feet and care for them between visits. They don’t require anything more than to wear the socks, so there’s no added effort.

How do Siren Diabetic Socks Work?

Siren’s created something they call “Neurofabric.” It’s really just a fancy term for fabric with too-tiny-to-be-seen sensors woven directly inside.

These sensors collect information about the temperature of your feet in six different places. The data collected is sent to a small tag, also found in your sock. The tag then sends the data it receives to the Siren App and Siren Hub via Bluetooth.

That’s where your doctor can monitor the information and catch signs of inflammation, a precursor to an ulcer. You can view the data yourself and monitor for any temperature changes too. You can also set up Siren so that it sends you a text message when your feet experience a temperature change. The data that wearing these socks daily will provide your physician will be another tool to monitor your feet and care for them between visits. They don’t require anything more than to wear the socks, so there’s no added effort.

Siren’s Socks Are Affordable and Cause You Absolutely No Discomfort

The socks themselves seem just like any other pair of socks you own. You can wash them without any worry that you’ll damage the technology. You also don’t have to take them off and have them recharged.

So, you don’t have to worry about making a mistake in taking care of these socks. And you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing they’re practically eliminating your chance of a diabetic foot ulcer.

The socks themselves currently cost just $19.99 monthly, and you get five pairs of socks. The Siren company mails you replacement socks at no additional charge (the cost is included in the monthly fee) every 6 months.

We are excited to offer this service to our patients and would be happy to discuss the program with you at your next appointment!

Should You Be Worried About a Black Toenail?

Is a black toenail something I should be concerned about? I heard it could be melanoma. I think my grandmother may have had it but I can’t remember?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that accounts for approximately1% of skin cancers. It affects the cells (melanocytes) that give our skin its color. It’s the most dangerous and aggressive form of skin cancer. It spreads quickly and can be life-threatening but potentially treatable form of cancer if diagnosed and managed at an early stage.

This form of cancer has a unique characteristic of spearing (metastasized) widely to other body parts from the area of its occurrence and can be the only sign prior to developing symptoms. This finding can be important for a healthy, asymptomatic person.

Are there different types of Melanoma?

The most common type of melanoma is superficial spreading melanoma. It tends to spread across the surface of the skin, has uneven borders, and varies in color from brown to black, pink, or red. However, the most common form that appears on the lower extremity (foot) is acral lentiginous melanoma and most commonly affected part in the foot is the big toe. Around 3-15% of melanomas occur on the foot.

The concern about melanoma compared to other skin cancer is that it invades deep and may look unchanged on the skin resulting in a delay in treatment and ultimately a poor prognosis.  With early diagnosis, the 5-year survival rate approaches 95%.

What are some common warning signs?

The cancerous cells underneath the nails can look like purple, red, brown, or black bruise typically referred to as patriotic colors. These also tend to look like dark streaks that grow vertically in the nail and can leach into the surrounding skin.  To help identify common signs an acronym was created called CUBED.

  • Colored: A lesion has a color different to the rest of the skin.
  • Uncertain: A lesion does not have a definite diagnosis.
  • Bleeding: A lesion on the foot or under the nail bleeds or leaks fluid.
  • Enlargement: A lesion or ulcer grows or gets worse despite treatment.
  • Delay: A lesion takes longer than 2 months to heal.

Other warning signs for foot melanoma include:

  • A sore that does not heal.
  • Pigment spreading from the border of a lesion to surrounding skin.
  • Redness or new swelling beyond the border of a lesion.
  • Changes in sensation, such as itchiness or pain.
  • Changes in the surface of a mole, including scaling, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a bump.

How do I know if my birth mark, sun spot or freckle isn’t melanoma?

Traditionally ordinary Moles are evenly colored, have sharply defined edges and are round or oval in shape. They can be flat or raised and are less than 6 millimeters (1/4″) in diameter (about the size of a pencil eraser). Melanomas have an irregular appearance and are usually larger than an ordinary mole.

Could my black toenail be something else?

  • Infection: bacterial and fungus (onychomycosis). Microorganisms especially fungus secrete waste that can appear dark.
  • Elective procedure: ingrowing toenail.
  • Runners or Marathon toe: the tiny vessels in the nail bed become damaged due to high, prolonged impact which compromises the integrity of the nail apparatus resulting in a bruise appearance.
  • Trauma or injury: stubbing toe or dropping an object on foot or toe.
  • Poor hygiene
  • Poor shoe fitting
  • Melanonychia: common in light and dark skin individuals where the cells that contribute to skin color cluster in the (proximal) nail fold resulting in well-defined vertical bands or striations in the toenail. (see picture)
  • System disease: diabetes, thyroid, other autoimmune, liver, anemia, vascular disease.

What are some of the risk factors?

  • UV light both artificial and natural (most common)
  • Existing moles
  • Pale skin, freckles, and light hair
  • Family or personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers.

Who should I see to get evaluated?

A foot doctor is recommended, but due to the aggressive nature of melanoma, being seen by the first available healthcare provider is highly recommended. Earlier detection of suspicious lesion(s) may facilitate earlier referral for expert assessment and definitive diagnosis by a dermatologist or oncologist.

Where can I find more information?

The American Melanoma Foundation (AMF) was founded in Southern California in1990 by a group of melanoma patients and their relatives who believed in the importance and ever-growing need for support of specific research for new treatment approaches in melanoma, one of the most serious of all cancers.

melanomafoundation.org

How Our Safe Balance Program Prevents Serious Injuries Caused by Falling

Safe Balance

Young doctor giving helping hands for elderly woman

Falling is one of the last things you want to happen when you get older. If you fall, you can experience a serious injury such as a broken wrist, arm, or ankle.

You might suffer a hip fracture. You could even end up with a brain injury, leading to permanent and irreparable damage.

And, you could even lose your life. About 32,000 Americans each year die from complications originally caused by a fall, according to the CDC.

Even if you don’t suffer any serious injury, you may simply live in fear of falling again. And like many who fall, you may limit your normal activity. You’ll feel isolated. But that will actually make you physically weaker, which increases your risk of falling even more.

Our Safe Balance Program Evaluates Your Risk of Falling and Helps You Lead an Active, Enjoyable Life

While falls do happen more as people age, they’re actually not a normal part of aging. Don’t trick yourself into thinking that simply because you’re older, falling is a risk you have to live with.

The truth is that nearly all falls can be prevented.

Our “Safe Balance Program” involves you taking a short and simple series of tests when you visit. These tests identify your own unique risks that could cause you to fall. Then, together with our staff, you develop a plan that greatly reduces your risk of falling and the potentially life-threatening damage that results.

The tests take just a few quick minutes. They’re also based on the latest research from the CDC, so you know you can trust their effectiveness. You simply fill out a questionnaire or go through a quick physical assessment. And these tests can be done at your regular appointment.

What Kinds of Solutions May Be Recommended?

After you go through your assessment, you’ll end up with a plan designed specifically for you to minimize your chances of falling.

Possible solutions that may make sense for you include:

  • An exercise program to keep you in good physical shape so you stay balanced
  • Changes in medications, which could be affecting your balance
  • Getting your vision checked
  • Using a walker or cane
  • Checking for ear disorders which could affect your balance
  • Changing your footwear
  • Keeping your home well-lit
  • Adding grab bars at your home, or organizing clutter

That’s not a complete list. There’s many other solutions too.

Most of the changes that help you avoid falls are fairly simple to implement. You don’t have to live in fear of a future time when you might fall and experience a serious injury.

And North Texas Foot & Ankle is here to help you every step of the way!

Coronavirus Is Causing a Pandemic of Foot And Ankle Injuries

What? Coronavirus causes foot, ankle, and lower leg injuries too?

It does. But it’s not a direct result of the virus itself. Rather, people feel trapped at home and need some way to get back to their active lifestyles. Others just can’t stand being at home all the time and simply need some relief, and so they find themselves walking the dog and running more.

So indirectly, coronavirus has led to a rash of more foot, ankle, and lower leg injuries.

The Best Treatment Approach: Prevention

You’re always better off taking a sound approach to new activity, consciously strategizing how you’re going to go about it, rather than jumping right in. It’s much harder, and more painful, to deal with a foot, ankle, or lower leg injury after it’s happened than it is to prevent one from happening in the first place.

It’s difficult to keep this in your mind if you’re going nuts staying inside your home all the time. You want to get out and do whatever you can now.

That’s perfectly okay. But you have to take a measured approach so you don’t overdo it, cause yourself an injury, and then spend several weeks or a couple months recovering.

So, for starters, if you haven’t been too active for quite some time, the first thing to do would be to talk with your doctor and create a plan for a return to activity. They can help you understand what to do each day and week so you work yourself up to full speed and nearly eliminate your chance of injury along the way.

Key Parts of Every Exercise Plan

Every return to activity, or plan to engage in more strenuous activity than before, should contain a few simple elements:

  1. Warm-up – Your muscles perform better during regular exercise if you’ve stretched and warmed them up a little. This can even lead to quicker recovery after your workout.
  2. Start slow – Whatever you think you can do, or whatever you want to do, do a little less than that to start. Work your way up to your goal over a period of weeks, rather than days.
  3. Eat right – Keep fresh fruit, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains at the forefront of your diet. This gives you lasting, sustainable energy, rather than spikes and crashes.
  4. Drink water – Around 60% of your body is water. Your body wants it. And it needs water for its best performance. Avoid sports drinks, which are loaded with empty carbs.
  5. Take it easy – If your body feels tired and like it can’t handle what you want it to do, give it the rest it needs. Not giving your body rest only causes more harm, reduces your focus, and increases your chance of injury.

You can return to activity. But take it easy and follow these guidelines so you don’t find yourself with an injury that sidelines you for several weeks or months!

A Quick Guide to Managing Osteoarthritis

The CDC estimates 54.4 million US adults have been told by a doctor they have at least some form of arthritis.

More than 100 kinds of arthritis exist. And osteoarthritis is the most common.

It occurs when the cartilage that cushions your joints degrades, leaving bone to rub on bone. And that causes the pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, and loss of flexibility you experience.

If you have osteoarthritis, you know it’s not fun and can be quite debilitating.

How Do You Treat Osteoarthritis?

So let’s get to what you really want to know: how do you treat this painful condition?

It does not necessarily get worse over time. And you have a lot of power to reduce your symptoms.

Here’s what to do:

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Keeping a healthy weight is beneficial for your body in almost a countless number of ways. It’s one of the fundamentals you should always focus on at any age to keep yourself healthy.

If you’re obese and lose many pounds (in a slow, planned, and healthy way), you’ll likely experience noticeable relief from osteoarthritis.

But you can also experience relief even if you only have a few pounds to lose.

If there’s one thing you can do, make sure you do everything in your power to keep in a healthy weight range.

To judge your weight, use the body mass index (BMI). A BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 is the goal.

2. Physical Activity

Yes, your joints ache because of osteoarthritis. But, even though they do, physical activity is still a huge benefit for you if you have the condition.

Aerobic exercise like walking, running, biking, and swimming help. You may also lift weights to increase your muscular strength. And finally, stretching and increasing flexibility with yoga, pilates, or tai chi can help too.

However, make sure you do the right physical activity for the specific pain you’re experiencing.

So, it makes sense to talk to your doctor, ask what to do, and how much of it you should do.

Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy.

3. Over-the-Counter Medicine

NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin can help. However, you should talk to your doctor before committing to their use regularly.

You can have too much of a good thing and cause yourself harm.

Prescription medication like oxycodone and hydrocodone may be suggested. And injections may be part of your treatment too, but only if your pain is severe.

4. Other Treatments

Ice packs, heating pads, and regular massage can all be helpful too. MLS shockwave therapy, which uses laser light and causes next to no discomfort, may also be suggested.

You’re unique. And that means you need a unique treatment regimen for your osteoarthritis.

You can find relief. Don’t give up. Make sure you consider all the options and work with a doctor you trust to help you get better and get active again.

3 Common Foot And Ankle Problems to Watch for As You Age

Ahh, aging. It has its pluses and minuses. On the plus side, you get to retire and relax.

On the minus side, you have to watch your physical health a little closer.

But if you monitor it and make your health a priority, you can avoid many problems others have to deal with.

Here’s three foot and ankle conditions to watch for as you enjoy your golden years:

1. Fat Pad Atrophy

While most aging Americans struggle with fat gain as they age, some lose padding in their feet.

Fat pad atrophy results from a number of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma (an autoimmune disease), lupus, type 2 diabetes, and cavus foot.

If this happens to you, you’ll certainly know it. The ball and heel of your feet will feel noticeable pain.

Fortunately, treatment isn’t all that rough. You simply do what you can to deal with the underlying condition, if that’s the cause.

Then you add orthotics to your shoes or even physical injections to replace the padding in your feet.

2. Gout

Gout, a form of arthritis with severe pain, redness, and tenderness, has a number of causes, including obesity, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and others.

It most often affects the metatarsal-phalangeal joint just below your big toe. It’s the joint that sticks out a little, the one that you’d call a “bunion” if it became too distorted.

While gout affects that joint the most often, it can also affect your heels, knees, wrists, and fingers.

Gout can be quite painful if left untreated. However, with a combination of pain reduction during attacks (ice packs and NSAIDs) and prevention of future attacks (losing weight, eating healthier, and reducing uric acid levels), it can be successfully managed.

3. Bursitis

Small, fluid-filled sacs surround your bones, tendons, and muscles to cushion and protect them.

These sacs are called “bursae.”

Repetitive motions, spending time in positions that put pressure on the right parts of your body, and a sudden injury or infection can all cause bursitis.

For example, if you exercise too much, or if you have a hobby that requires kneeling or bending, you can be at risk for bursitis.

It’s quite a painful condition to live with. However, the good news is that you can get nearly full relief with rest and activity changes.

Flare-ups do happen. But at least you can successfully live with the condition.

As you enjoy your golden years, don’t let these conditions sneak up on you and steal your joy away.

Fortunately, you can successfully manage them to the point where it’s possible to live a high-quality life that isn’t overrun by these conditions.

What to do About Night Foot Cramps

It’s 2:30 AM and you don’t even know it because you’re sleeping so soundly. But then, you wake up and feel pain and spasming in your foot.

You angrily get up and walk around, annoying everyone else in the family because they know you’re up at an ungodly hour once again.

Foot cramps have struck!

And you’re not alone because up to 60% of adults get them, according to a 2012 study.

Why do you get them? And what can you do to keep them from coming back again?

Why Foot Cramps Happen

Foot cramps don’t come about for just a single, simple reason. They actually have many causes.

Here’s some:

  • Sitting for long periods of time, or sitting with poor posture that restricts blood flow to your feet
  • Engaging in too much activity that puts excessive stress on your feet
  • Wearing poorly fitted shoes
  • Working on hard surfaces like concrete for long hours
  • Dehydration
  • Deficiency of vitamin B-12, B vitamins in general, thiamin, folate, magnesium, and potassium
  • Drinking too much alcohol
  • Simply being in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy
  • Certain medications like blood pressure medications and statins
  • Medical conditions like spinal stenosis and peripheral arterial disease

And that’s not even the complete list! So, though bothersome, your night foot cramps aren’t a simple issue.

What’s the Treatment for Night Foot Cramps?

The medical field doesn’t have a specific treatment. Instead, the approach involves analyzing your lifestyle, making changes, and seeing what works.

Common solutions include:

  • A regular, balanced exercise regimen that doesn’t overdo it or underdo it
  • Just doing a few minutes on an exercise bike or treadmill before bed
  • Daily stretching, and especially so before and after exercise
  • Wearing supportive, comfortable shoes
  • Drinking 15.5 cups of water per day if you’re a man and 11.5 cups of water per day if you’re a woman
  • Eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes calcium, potassium, and magnesium
  • Limiting alcohol
  • Keeping your legs elevated during the day if you’re pregnant
  • Stretching your foot out when you do have a cramp
  • Talking to your doctor about the medications you’re currently on
  • Possibly adding natural supplements so you get the right vitamins and minerals that stop cramping
  • Physical therapy if nerve damage is the cause

This isn’t a complete list of solutions, although these are the most common.

Basically, the bottom line is that you’ll have to talk with your doctor and be willing to possibly make some lifestyle changes to put an end to painful nightly foot cramps.

Fortunately, you at least have plenty of solutions available and can count on putting an end to painful foot cramps and getting restful sleep once again.

How to Clean Your Athletic Shoes Correctly in Almost No Time

Do you clean your athletic shoes? Regular cleaning keeps them smelling fresh and prolongs their life. That can put a little more cash in your wallet too. Even better, cleaning doesn’t take long.

Generally, you only need to clean your athletic shoes every six months. If you run daily or are frequently active, you might do every three months.

First, understand that you can put both suede and leather in your washer. Before washing:

  1. Remove your insert and the laces. Factory inserts can go through the washer, but custom ones cannot.
  2. Get rid of any loose dirt or stones as best you can.
  3. To clean your custom inserts, simply hand wash them in warm water. Put one tablespoon of baking soda in the water. If your inserts stink, sprinkle baking soda on them directly.
  4. In the future, use an antimicrobial spray to limit microbial growth.

How to Wash Your Athletic Shoes in Your Washer

  1. Ideally, put your shoes in a mesh laundry bag first. While this protects your shoes, you can still get away without a mesh bag. Optionally, add some towels to reduce noise and balance the load.
  2. Simply use warm water and detergent. Wash at a slower speed to stop your washer from becoming unbalanced.
  3. Don’t wash your shoes in your dishwasher. The detergents fade, shrink, and melt your shoes!
  4. Easily disinfect your shoes by adding Lysol Pine Action or Pine-Sol. Both require warm water.

How to Dry Your Athletic Shoes

  1. Take your shoes out of your washer and let any water drip away.
  2. Either let them dry in a well-ventilated place or dry them on an air-only cycle in your dryer with the towels you washed. Put a washcloth in each shoe so they keep their shape.
  3. Don’t dry your shoes in the sun because that can cause cracking.
  4. You can also use a fan to decrease drying time.
  5. When dry, you can use shoe polish to clean up scuffs.
  6. Consider a conditioner to prevent future cracking.
  7. Spray on a fabric protection spray to repel dirt and stains.

How to Store Your Athletic Shoes

  1. Put your shoes in a shoebox, drawstring bag, or plastic tub.
  2. Always clean your shoes before storage because residual dirt and oils can cause yellow discoloration and bacteria and fungus may infect your shoes.

That’s it! That’s how you clean your athletic shoes for a fresher scent, and so you get longer life out of them and keep more money in your pocket.