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Warning: Don’t Overdo Exercise During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Exercise is a good thing. Can you have too much of a good thing?

Yes. You can.

Your doctor loves to hear that you’re making exercise a priority. But at the same time, they don’t want you to overdo it.

However, that’s precisely what many well-meaning people are doing. Maybe you’re the type who just can’t stay in the house all that much, and you’ve decided to start running or hiking.

Perhaps you simply need to do something to get away from your family for a little bit to preserve everyone’s sanity, and so you’ve decided to take up biking.

Or maybe you recognize that because you’re home more, you sneak in more snacks during the day. And so you’ve decided to compensate for that with exercise.

The coronavirus pandemic certainly changes the way you think and live your life, doesn’t it?

How Exercise Injuries Happen

Let’s be frank: these are prime conditions for hurting yourself. Exercise is not a bad thing. But the way in which you do it can be.

Suddenly starting an intense exercise regiment after a long period of inactivity is a great way to cause an injury. That could be painful muscle cramps, shin splints, knee pain, back pain, or heel pain.

More acute injuries can happen too. For example, you might roll or sprain your ankle. That could mean torn ligaments which may require surgery to repair.

Your heart and mind may be able to handle the intensity. But the problem is that your muscles, joints, and bones may not be.

Please Focus on a Gradual Return!

We love helping you recover from your injuries. But we don’t love seeing you injured.

And being injured is so inconvenient. You have to sit around when you’d rather be up-and-at-’em. You have pain. You may lose sleep. You need help from others doing basic things you’d rather do yourself.

It’s not fun.

So, whatever you do, we just ask that you create a simple planned routine for working your way back to full intensity.

Maybe have a chat with your doctor first. Join your favorite Facebook group or online forum to get advice from other exercise enthusiasts on how to approach your return to activity.

But whatever you do, please don’t go full-throttle from the outset! You have a high chance of winding up with a highly unfavorable outcome.

CuraMedix EPAT, the Non-Surgical Pain-Free Solution for Healing Joint and Muscle Problems

What an amazing world of technology we live in. What used to require painful surgery or a doctor simply telling you to live with it can now be addressed with a non-surgical and pain-free solution.

CuraMedix’ EPAT (extracorporeal pulse activation technology) is just such a technology. It uses sound waves to stimulate your metabolism and improve blood circulation, which accelerates the healing process.

It can be used to help heal your bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and much more.

You’ll love EPAT because you:

  • Don’t need anesthesia
  • Have no risk of infection
  • Don’t scar
  • Have no recovery period or downtime

Basically, you just go in-and-out of your doctor’s office, and then go on with your day.

Does EPAT Work?

Yes. There’s no doubt about it. Some medical technologies have just sketchy evidence proving their effectiveness. But CuraMedix EPAT has plenty of evidence supporting both its effectiveness and safety.

One study published in 2015 at the National Institute of Mental Health reviewed 209 other studies of EPAT’s effectiveness. You can read the evidence yourself at the link, but the authors found,”ESWT is effective and safe. An optimum treatment protocol for ESWT appears to be three treatment sessions at 1-week intervals, with 2000 impulses per session and the highest energy flux density the patient can tolerate.”

Please note that ESWT (extracorporeal shock wave therapy) is simply a different acronym referring to the same procedure.

So, though it’s a newer technology, you should have absolutely no fear of EPAT.

How Does EPAT Work?

EPAT’s simple to understand. It uses pressured soundwaves through an applicator to accelerate your body’s healing process.

The FDA has approved EPAT for use in the general public.

What Injuries and Conditions Does EPAT Help With?

Many more than you can list here.

For now, simply understand that EPAT helps with soft muscle tissue injuries like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, and acute or chronic muscle pain.

Does EPAT Cause Side-Effects?

Well, truthfully EPAT has almost none. You may experience minor physical discomfort that lasts a few days or a little bruising and redness of your skin.

But that’s it!

Does Insurance Cover EPAT?

No. However, it is an affordable procedure. And many patients who suffer from issues EPAT relieves happily pay out of pocket for it because it makes such a big difference in their lives.

It’s so effective that many patients who have been to other healthcare providers seek out EPAT and swear by its effectiveness.

CuraMedix’ EPAT really is a great thing. You’ll love it. And you should feel excited when we recommend it to help you recover from your injuries.

How to Stay Safe When Running During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Is there any aspect of life coronavirus doesn’t touch? It seems to be hard to find one.

Since it looks like coronavirus will be substantially disrupting society for at least the rest of this year, and possibly much of the next, take a minute to learn how you can keep your running regimen in place during that time:

1. Where Should You Run?

Running outside is just fine, and even much better during the pandemic. That’s because diseases transmit with far greater ease indoors.

Inside, someone sneezes. Or they wipe their nose. Then they touch something. And then you touch it. That’s how diseases spread so easily there.

Since you’re quite a ways away from anyone when you run outside, you don’t have to worry nearly as much about disease transmission.

If you enjoy the great outdoors, feel awesome about going for a run outside during the pandemic, as long as you’re operating within any local quarantine guidelines.

30-60 minutes of activity also improves your immune system’s ability to fight off viruses.

If you’re sick with coronavirus, or if you’re one of the at-risk groups, then by all means do stay inside.

2. What Can You Do If You Are Under Self-Quarantine Rules?

As long as you don’t show any symptoms of coronavirus, you do want to keep exercising. Use your treadmill or lift some weights.

Research is somewhat mixed on how much you should exericse. But it appears as though moderate exercise is the goal. So, aim to exercise around 30-60 minutes at moderate intensity about 3 times per week.

Avoid extremes of exercising way too much or too little. It appears that both actually inhibit your immune system.

Also, understand that you cannot exercise coronavirus out of your body. When you try to do that, you actually cause the exact opposite to happen.

3. Can You Run in Groups?

No. The authorities have this one correct. Keep your six feet of distance away from everyone else, just like it’s recommended.

If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot avoid others, find a different route to run or turn around and go the other way. Do whatever you have to so you don’t get closer than six feet to others.

And when you get home, make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Either count to 20, or sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice.

This ensures you disinfect your hands entirely. And it gives the soap enough time to do its job. In reality, you should wash your hands this way even when a pandemic’s not going on. But, most people don’t follow this procedure unless they perceive a serious risk to themselves.

Those tips all come courtesy of Dr. David Nieman and Dr. Brian Labus via an interview in Runner’s World Magazine.

So, keep them in mind so you stay safe while we ride out these turbulent times coronavirus brings.

When Should You See a Doctor for an Ankle Sprain?

Undeterred from running by the coronavirus pandemic? As long as you pay attention to social distancing rules, knock yourself out!

But what if you sprain your ankle? You may have even less enthusiasm than normal to go see your doctor.

Some foot and ankle injuries don’t require a doctor. But others do. And when you truly need a doctor’s help, but don’t go and get it, that makes your injury worse and keeps you off your feet longer.

You might also be concerned about going to your doctor’s office where many other people go. You could have a slightly higher risk of getting coronavirus, despite your doctor’s best disinfecting efforts.

So, how do you make the judgement to go and seek medical treatment for your ankle injury versus simply staying home and using rest and ice?

Here’s points to consider:

1. If You Repeatedly Sprain Your Ankle

You may have experienced an ankle injury some time during your past. That injury might have weakened your ankle.

And since that time, you may have sprained your ankle many more times because of its loss in stability.

Even if you do just minor sprains which take a day or two to heal, you may want to visit a foot and ankle doctor.

Why?

Repeatedly spraining the same ankle can degrade the cartilage to the point where you eventually get arthritis.

Improving the stability of your ankle now so you keep your cartilage intact and don’t have painful and incurable arthritis later is worth it.

2. When to Stay Home

If you sprain your ankle and you know the pain will pass in a day or two, you probably don’t need to see a foot and ankle doctor.

The injury simply isn’t severe enough. You can get by just fine with the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) formula for recovery.

Avoid putting any weight on your ankle for 48 hours (rest). Apply an ice pack every 2-3 hours in the 48 hours following your injury (ice).

Wrap your injured ankle snugly (but not too tight) medical bandaging to keep swelling down (compression). Finally, simply elevate your injured ankle above your heart, which reduces pain, throbbing, and swelling (elevation).

3. When to Definitely See Your Doctor

If you’ve injured your ankle before, or if you’re familiar enough with pain to know that your ankle won’t feel almost completely better within 2-3 days, then you should see a doctor.

Ankle injuries with pain lasting longer than just a few days are severe. You could also have torn ligaments, or even broken your ankle.

It’ll likely take at least a few weeks for you to get somewhat back to normal, and possibly longer.

So, now you know how to make the call. But hopefully, you don’t find yourself in a situation where you have to.

What is the Arterial Brachial Index (ABI) Test?

Also called the “ankle brachial index,” what is ABI and why should you care about it?

Put simply, it’s a quick test doctors do to check your blood flow and see if you have peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD can cause pain in your legs or feet and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

According to the CDC, PAD affects about 8.5 million people over the age of 40. However, most PAD cases can be found in people over 55-60.

But according to the American Heart Association, up to 4 in 10 people show no symptoms of leg pain at all. Since PAD increases your risk of heart attack and stroke, but doesn’t necessarily show certain symptoms, it makes the arterial brachial index a fairly important test to do.

Are You at Risk for ABI?

Fat buildup in your arteries causes PAD. Any lifestyle habit you have that increases your potential for fat buildup is a risk factor for PAD.

It includes common things like these, which are a risk factor for many other health conditions too:

  • History of smoking
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Lack of exercise
  • High-fat diet
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Restricted blood flow in other areas of your body

Older age is also a risk factor.

How Does the Arterial Brachial Index Test Work?

The ABI test is a lot like getting your blood pressure taken by your medical doctor. In fact, a blood pressure cuff is used to do the test.

So, it’s not invasive or even the slightest bit painful in any way. You should be at rest for about 5-30 minutes prior to the test to ensure that you get an accurate reading.

During the test, you simply lie on your back and let your doctor take blood pressure measurements from your arms to your ankles. You then get one of the following results:

  • No blockage, which is indicated by a measurement of 1.0 to 1.4. You can, however, still have symptoms of PAD. If you do, your doctor may proceed with an exercise arterial-brachial test.
  • Borderline blockage, shown by a score of .91 to .99. In this range, your doctor may again order an exercise arterial-brachial test.
  • PAD, which is shown by a score of .90 or less. If you score lower than .90, you’re considered to be diagnosed with PAD. Your doctor may order an ultrasound or angiography to view the arteries in your legs.

What’s the Treatment for PAD?

It’s pretty simple and based on your own personal circumstances. Your doctor will recommend a combination of:

  • Lifestyle changes
  • Medication
  • Surgery

The arterial brachial index is an important test to have if you’re at risk. It’s simple, fast, painless, and can save you from further pain or even debilitating surgery.

COVID Toes

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness but has several signs and symptoms that have been reported, including but not limited to fever, dry cough, diarrhea, headache, loss of smell and taste, muscle ache, and fatigue. However, most recently there seems to be another finding that presents in the lower extremity, specifically the toes.

According to numerous sources out of Italy, France, Spain and China, and case reports from dermatologist and podiatrist in the United States, COVID-19 lesions are described as similar to those found in chickenpox, measles, chilblains, frostbite, and depending on the time of presentation, they could look similar to infection or dermatitis.

The lesions are purple-colored that appear on the toes but can also be found at the arch and heel region, and on the fingers. There is an array of clinical findings, most commonly a red rash or hive-like eruption. Interestingly, a frostbite-like area of typically red or purple discoloration has been reported but doesn’t appear to have a correlation to weather or injury.

The condition usually starts with red or purple discoloration (bruise-like), and the skin may become raised, and the skin may slough, blister or develop a wound. The typical presentations are on the ends of toes, or on the tops of toes. The patients have also reported feeling the skin is hot, burning, itchy, or tingling, but reports of pain with pressure and while walking are not uncommon.

Unfortunately, the cause of these atypical skin conditions is not yet known, but some experts claim it may be a robust response by the patients’ immune system to the virus that causes downstream clotting of small blood vessels. Dr. Esther Freeman, a dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA developed an international registry for clinicians to report suspected cases or those that have tested positive and have dermatological conditions. This information could then potentially be used for testing criteria when it becomes more readily available.

If you or someone you know may be suffering from ‘Covid toes’, please don’t hesitate to call the doctors at North Texas Foot and Ankle for instructions.

Outside Running Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Is it safe? Is there a protocol? There are several questions and concerns that have surfaced on how to run outside safely.

Here are a few recommendations to consider:

  • First of all, the probability of contracting the virus is significantly low, but not zero. You want to maintain a safe physical distance. This is different from social distancing. According to Lindsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech University who is an expert in airborne disease transmission, a safe distance is 10-12 feet. This is because if an individual is infected they may release more virus particles into the air than if they’re walking because they’re breathing harder.
  • There is no runners mask currently available on the market that is recommended. The good news is that several experts including CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, state a mask isn’t necessary if running alone. However, if you’re sharing a path or route with others, it’s advised to have one available or visible as a courtesy to let others know your taking this seriously and aware of current regulations and guidelines.
  • Avoid other runners and crowed places such as parks or attractive paths. Change your routine and times you run if possible.
  • Avoid community water fountains and restrooms.
  • It’s not recommended to run if you’re experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19. Stay at home and rest.

If you have any specific questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call the doctors at North Texas Foot & Ankle.

Todd G. Lewis, D.P.M., A.A.C.F.A.S.

New Study Shows Fast Walking May Predict Your Future Health

As astonishing as the title of this post sounds, it’s absolutely not a joke at all.

A new study published by Line Jee Hartmann Rasmussen et. al. found that slow walkers demonstrate accelerated brain aging at 45 when compared to faster walkers.

To get the data, Dr. Rasmussen studied 904 subjects from the time they were 3 until they turned 45.

The slower walkers had clear and obvious signs of faster brain aging: a smaller brain size, lesser brain thickness, smaller brain surface area, and a higher amount of white matter. In other words, their brains aged much faster than they should have.

And interestingly enough, the faster walkers had a much younger and more youthful appearance because their skin didn’t age as fast.

If all that’s not fascinating enough, the study used neurocognitive tests for the participants, when they were just 3 years old, to correctly predict which would become fast walkers and which would become slow walkers.

Whether you become a fast walker or slow walker is actually hardwired into your physiology!

What Can You Do with this New Information?

Does all this mean that basically your genetics control how fast you’ll walk and how healthy you’ll end up later in life?

No. That’s not the conclusion at all.

Rather, your walking speed should be considered an indicator of the potential health problems you can face in midlife and later life.

The study did not identify a specific speed you should walk at to get the maximum health benefits and avoid problems caused by a slower walking speed. However, the author who reviewed the study, Stephanie Studentski, a medical doctor, suggested a pace of about 2.46 miles per hour.

So, the action you can take is to generally walk at a brisk pace. Not a hurried or full-bore pace. But at a quick and energetic pace.

While the study did not conclude the underlying factor that ties walking speed and your health together, it suggests this process is all driven by the health of your brain.

In conclusion, make sure you have properly fitting footwear so you don’t experience any injuries to your feet or ankles. Otherwise, walk it up so your brain stays healthy and you avoid many age-related health problems!

New Research from Duke University Shows You Can Regrow Cartilage

We’ve had a busy month here with some fascinating new research from highly credible sources.

And in this case, Duke University recently published research in ScienceAdvances which found that humans do in fact have some ability to regrow cartilage.

The implication is that new medical processes can be invented which capitalize on this ability. And that could help you regrow cartilage in your ankles, knees (or any other joint for that matter).

At this point, It’s thought to be fairly limited in nature. So, it’s not like you’re going to experience major regrowth in seconds like a Marvel superhero or supervillain.

But at the same time, it could mean faster or even complete recovery from cartilage injuries in your joints. It’s possible arthritis could eventually be prevented or even completely reversed!

What Causes This Regeneration?

For years, the thinking has been that once your cartilage is damaged, your body can’t repair it. However, Duke research found that humans can repair their cartilage, regardless of age and injury history.

Humans do naturally have a very limited ability to regenerate tissue. For example, some children can regenerate their fingertips (if amputated), but only when done correctly via a specific process.

For the regeneration of cartilage, microRNA is the key. Salamanders and lizards are known for their joint and limb repair. And microRNA is highly active in them.

And in this study by Duke, researchers found microRNA is associated with “protein turnover” (the scientific way of saying your body has the ability to regenerate cartilage).

You have microRNA. However, the problem is that it’s much less active in us than lizards and salamanders. And, they have yet unidentified cells (not found in humans) which help them regenerate entire limbs.

The Future Holds Dramatic Changes

Eventually, scientists will figure out which cells are responsible for limb regeneration. They’ll learn how to use microRNA to help regrow your cartilage, and possibly entire limbs.

To date, the Duke study is the only one to research this phenomenon (to the best of anyone’s knowledge). This is completely uncharted territory for science.

So, it opens the door for further investigation and the development of new medical technologies that help you regenerate your cartilage!

A Simple and Effective Plan for Keeping Your Feet and Ankles Healthy in 2020

Excess weight places higher stress on your feet and ankles. And, you know how it puts you at risk for diabetes and heart disease (the leading killer of both men and women in the United States).

But eating healthy can be hard if you’re used to it. So, how do you get yourself to eat healthy when every ounce of your being would rather go and grab some McDonald’s fries instead?

Here’s what to look for:

1. You Could Have a Food Addiction

Yes, it is possible to get addicted to eating. You can get addicted to anything. There’s no shame in it. Usually, people have extreme trauma in their childhood that they don’t talk about and want to escape.

So, if you’re like millions of other Americans, you turn to an addiction to cover up those painful feelings. It’s a frequent response to overwhelming psychological pain, but you don’t need to feel embarrassed or afraid about it (even though you probably do).

If you’re concerned about your eating and have tried to make big changes but always find yourself returning to your old habits, you might be a compulsive overeater.

Overeaters anonymous offers a simple 15-question guide to help you decide if you suffer from compulsive overeating.

2. Create a Healthy Diet You Enjoy

If you don’t enjoy eating healthy, you won’t stick with it. It’s never going to work for you, or anyone else, to eat in a way that feels like torture.

But, you can absolutely find a way to eat healthy that you also look forward to. In general, experts today recommend avoiding simple carbohydrates, like the kind found in white flour or other light-colored grains.

Instead, minimize your carbohydrate intake. When you do eat carbs, indulge in darker-colored grains (like brown rice or blue corn chips).

With meat, focus on fish, chicken, and lean meats. Pile on the fruits and veggies. Avoid creamy dressings. Use olive oil instead of butter or margarine.

Eating actually is a science. You won’t get a full guide here. But basically, if you eat a diet close to the Mediterranean diet, that sets you up for a long, healthy, and enjoyable life.

3. Keep Physically Active

Again, the key here is to find physical activity you enjoy. Otherwise, you’ll quit because you hate it so much.

At minimum, aim for 20-30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at least three times per week (and ideally five). That means if you were to talk to someone while exercising, you would have a difficult time doing so.

While exercise isn’t necessarily the funnest thing in the world at first, you’ll feel the difference: increased energy, focus, and self-esteem. As you see your weight falling, you’ll feel motivation to continue further.

Changing Isn’t Easy, So Focus on Little Steps

We humans love our familiar routine, even if it’s not the healthiest one. You can go cold turkey and do everything all at once.

But for most, it’s easier to start small. Make one or two different lifestyle changes each week. Over time, the difference these changes make accumulate, and you experience dramatic benefits.

Your feet and ankles feeling less pressure and pain may actually be one of the least pronounced benefits. Your self-esteem, confidence, energy, and positive responses from other people will be much more motivating!