WICHITA STATE MBB: Ron Baker Diagnosed with Stress Fracture

WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State starting guard Ron Baker will miss approximately six weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot as the third Shocker starter currently injured, Head Basketball Coach Gregg Marshall announced today.

He is the fourth Shocker starter injured since Nov. 21 who will miss significant playing time. The three currently injured players represent 28 season starts.

Coach Marshall announced Monday that senior forward Carl Hall (Cochran, Ga.) will miss four weeks with a broken right thumb, while sophomore guard Evan Wessel (Wichita) is out with a broken right pinky, which could also require surgery.

Seven-foot center Ehimen Orukpe (Lagos, Nigeria) missed three games with a sprained right ankle suffered Nov. 21 against Iowa before he saw seven minutes of limited time off the bench against Tennessee.

Baker, a redshirt freshman from Scott City, averages 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds through the first 10 games.

Wichita State has 11 players suiting up for practice, including transfer Kadeem Coleby (Nassau, Bahamas/Louisiana-Lafayette), and redshirting freshmen Derail Green (Houston, Texas) and Zach Bush (Wichita).

"The guys who were out there practiced very hard and very well yesterday and today," Marshall said. "I'm assuming these guys are excited about having an opportunity to step into a more prominent role. That's why you use all of your scholarships, but it's not going to make it any easier. Our margin for error is much less than it was approximately a week ago. We've literally got three starters out, and another one banged up. They were starters for a reason."

Wichita State next plays 7 p.m., Thursday at home against Charleston Southern.

"We need quite an atmosphere Thursday night," Marshall said. "At this point the Shocker faithful needs to do what they can to help. It's not on them. It's on us, but anything they can do to rally around this team with noise and support. We've got a few home games before Christmas and we've got the one right after Christmas against Northern Iowa. This place needs to be as loud as it can possibly be. We're 9-1, but we've had our wings clipped a little bit and we've got to use every available resource and that's certainly a big one."

Beautiful Celebrities With Ugly Feet

Are those sky high heels worth the damage to your feet? Here are some women celebrities who could use some podiatric intervention. Before you purchase those high heels stop and ask yourself if they are worth ruining your feet for fashion?

Katie Holmes


Keira Knightley


Shilpa Shetty


Jennifer Garner


Naomi Campbell


Princess Kate Middleton

Not even royal feet are safe from bunions, hammertoes, dry skin, corns and calluses.

Vince Neil The Show Must Go On ... Even With My Broken Foot!

Despite the fact he has two broken bones in his foot, Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil is REFUSING to bail on his concert tour ... insisting he'll sing through the pain.

Neil fractured two bones on his left foot while performing at the Blossom Music Center in Ohio Wednesday night ... and tweeted a pic of his swollen foot before he went to the doctor.

Neil has since had the foot put in a cast ... but tells TMZ nothing will keep him from hitting the stage in Toronto tonight ... even though he'll have to tone down the physical stuff.

Good thing he knows Dr. Feelgood.

Socks: Getting in shape with new technologies

Socks are often an afterthought for patients with diabetes, but they shouldn’t be. Advances in materials science and new twists on old favorites mean that modern socks conform to feet without the bunching, chafing, slipping, and irritation of the past. Some even promote healing.

Socks have come a long way since the days of the long white tube with the colored bands around the top. A visit to any sporting goods store will offer a rock climbing wall’s worth of “performance socks,” tricked out with high-tech properties such as moisture wicking, temperature control, and arch support.

No doubt that these sock manufacturers have taken more than a few cues from diabetic socks, which have always combined fibers to maximize support, cushioning, and comfort. But do diabetic socks offer advantages to patients beyond these performance socks? Yes and no, according to the experts. Proper fit and sizing play a big part in ensuring that diabetic socks do their job.

Materials

One hundred percent cotton or wool socks have been criticized for not maintaining the sock’s shape on the foot, which can be problematic for diabetic patients on two fronts. The increased friction between the skin and the fibers can lead to ulcerations. In addition, 100% cotton or wool socks may start out quite tight, possibly reducing circulation in patients who already have compromised blood flow. As the socks are worn over time, the fibers loosen, resulting in a sock that slides between the foot and the shoe, again leaving diabetic patients vulnerable to shear, blisters, and potential ulcerations.

On the other hand, purely synthetic socks may not allow sweat to evaporate properly; sweaty feet can lead to fungal infections, which in and of itself is more complicated in a patient with diabetes than an otherwise healthy subject and can also be another gateway to ulceration. Synthetics blended with natural fibers would seem to be the best bet, offering support and—most importantly—breathing room, according to Marybeth Crane, MS, DPM, FACFAS, CWS, managing partner of Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas in Grapevine.

“I’m not one that really likes totally cotton socks,” she said. “I find that socks with a little bit of Lycra in them are better. They also offer some compression to address swelling.”

Crane also advocates seamless socks because seams, constantly rubbing against the skin, may cause blisters, calluses, or ulcerations. For a patient with neuropathy, a skin irritation caused by the seam will not be felt immediately, increasing the risk of calluses and other pre-ulcerative conditions.

Moisture wicking can be achieved with a variety of materials: Wool, synthetics, cotton, silk, and renewable materials. Each has its pros and cons.

The biggest advantage of wool, and merino wool in particular, is that it is thermostatic so that feet stay comfortable in a range of temperatures. Wool also can absorb 30% of its own weight in water so feet are more likely to stay dry. Cushioning is another benefit, because diabetic patients have an increased risk for pressure ulcers and because focused areas of high plantar pressure are most likely to become sites of ulceration. On the downside, wool dries out slowly, and wool socks generally carry a higher price-tag than other materials. Both factors could prove problematic for a diabetic patient who cannot afford multiple pairs of socks.

Synthetics, such as nylon and Lycra spandex, help socks retain their shape. Some synthetics may provide arch support, which can help lateralize plantar pressures and provide a bit of extra stability for diabetic patients who have problems with balance. Socks with polypropylene, polyester, or acrylic fibers will offer moisture wicking. Synthetic socks are durable but may be unsuitable for warmer climates. In addition, the socks’ insulation properties may be reduced if the socks get too wet.

Silk is a natural insulator that is often blended with wool for extra softness. The lightweight material offers reliable wicking and a smooth texture; however, it is less durable than other materials. This is important not only with regard to the cost and inconvenience of replacing socks, but also because areas of wear in a sock’s fabric fail to protect the diabetic foot and leave skin vulnerable. In addition, the very “silkiness” of a silk-based material could cause the foot to slip within the shoe, leading to abnormal skin shear and friction-induced skin issues.

A full cotton sock is not advisable for the diabetic foot. The material is easily saturated with sweat and dries slowly, both of which leave the foot vulnerable to blisters. Cotton is less expensive than other materials and, when blended in small quantities with synthetics, it can offer softness.

Eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo, corn-based polylactic acid (PLA), hemp, and charcoal, offer moisture wicking and odor control properties. Combining these materials with synthetic fabrics ups their durability.

Finally, socks made of fabrics embedded with copper, silver, or charcoal fibers offer protection against bacteria. Patients with diabetes are less resistant than healthy individuals to infection, which can lead to complications such as cellulitis (diffuse inflammation of the connective tissue) or osteomyelitis (bone infection, which almost always occurs in the presence of an ulcer). However, a sock billed as resisting bacterial growth does not automatically reduce the chance of infections on the surface of the foot, nor will this type of fabric necessarily protect an open wound from becoming infected. Visual inspection of the feet, along with daily washing, is still needed to avoid infection.

Socks come in sizes

While it’s obvious to patients with diabetes that their shoes come in sizes, the same cannot always be said for socks.

“A lot of patients don’t realize that their socks need to be the correct size,” Crane said. “If the sock is too tight, it can cause ingrown toenails, it can cause problem with compression in between the toes, it can cause ulceration between the toes.”

Crane said she advices her patients with diabetes to “size up” when it comes to socks.

“For instance, I wear a size 6-6.5 (in shoes) and most size small socks go to 6. I’ll go to a medium sock instead of a small because they will shrink once they are washed,” she said.

Socks that are too tight can reduce flow, which is particularly problematic in patients whose diabetes is complicated by vascular disorders. Poor blood flow impairs healing of existing ulcers and other wounds; it can exacerbate loss of sensation in neuropathic patients, increasing the risk of neuropathic ulcers; and it can also increase the risk of ischemic ulcers, which are even more difficult to heal. However, socks that are too big can wrinkle or bunch inside the shoe, putting excess pressure on the feet. For patients with neuropathy, a bunched sock can easily lead to blisters or ulcerations.

But as with shoes, neuropathic patients often need a sock to feel snug against their leg. A sock with binding elastic at the top may feel right to these patients, but can negatively impact blood flow.

If possible, socks and shoes should be fit simultaneously, Crane added.

“One of my pet peeves is that the socks and shoes are not fit at the same time,” she said. “I have a patient who has a beautiful pair of diabetic shoes, but she wears them with pantyhose that she buys at the drug store. The hose have a seam in them and that causes an ulceration on the tip of her toe.”

Another argument for fitting shoes and socks simultaneously is that once a sock size has been determined, the shoe size may change. For instance, a neuropathic patient who is prescribed a therapeutic sock with silicone padding to reduce plantar pressure may have to go with a shoe that is a half-size larger or convert to extra-depth shoes.

OTS socks

Crane pointed out that socks are not covered under the Therapeutic Shoe Bill (see HEADLINE, PAGE XX) so they are an out-of-pocket expense for the patient.

“Good socks are expensive,” she said. “You can’t buy a good pair of socks for $4. You are looking at as much as $20.”

As a result, off-the-shelf (OTS) socks are not always out of the question.

“In terms of the OTS, performance socks, I like the ones that have a bit of Lycra and a bit of either DryWeave or CoolMax to wick the sweat away from the foot. That’s necessary whether the person is a diabetic or not,” she said.

But these performance socks don’t necessarily offer the kind of support that a diabetic foot requires, pointed out Roy H. Lidtke DPM, CPed, FACFAOM, associate professor of podiatric medicine and surgery at Des Moines University and director of the Center for Clinical Biomechanics at

St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA. Socks made especially for patients with diabetes provide that support, along with added benefits.

“They offer extra padding and compression that can produce a form of neuromuscular feedback,” Lidtke said. “An example would be when you wear a pair of padded socks with areas of elastic compression and you feel a tightness around your arch. This provides greater proprioceptive feedback on the position and neuromuscular control of the foot.”

Diabetes is often complicated by a loss of postural control, which research suggests is a product of more than just the loss of sensation that accompanies neuropathy. Any intervention that can improve proprioception could potentially also help to improve postural control and, in turn, reduce patients’ risk of falling.

Higher the Heels and Greater the Dangers

X-rays show how high heels stretch the foot’s arch. Doctors say long-term use has painful consequences.

Tamiko Woolfalk rattled off her list of high heels, beaming as if they’re achievement awards.

Boots, pumps, booties, the red ones ... and the gray ones that she still needs to find a shirt to match.In all, she counted 30 pairs in her closet, with heels ranging from 2 to 5 inches high.

“Do they hurt? Absolutely,” said the Far West Side resident. “The worst is the burn on the balls of the feet. But it’s worth it.”

Stiletto-enthusiasts such as Woolfalk say foot pain is the price you pay for the confidence that comes with wearing high heels.

Physicians, however, say the price is steeper than that. More and more, podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons are educating women about the long-term consequences of wearing the wrong shoes, particularly high heels. Aside from foot, lower-back, neck and shoulder pain, they say, high heels also can lead to foot deformities. And recently they have been linked to arthritis.

A recent poll by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists found that 25 percent of women who wear high heels every day are more likely to get arthritis. Other studies from various medical journals this year show that walking on high heels increases bone-on-bone movement in knee and hip joints, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis.

A study released in March by Finnish researchers concluded that women who wear high heels for 40 hours a week over two years walk differently from women who wear them 10 hours a week. Those habitual high-heel wearers take shorter, more-forceful strides and walk less efficiently, the study found.

Many women who wear heels every day develop tight Achilles tendons, which can cause back pain and make it more difficult for them to walk barefoot or in flat shoes. Other conditions include bunions, hammertoes, calluses and Haglund’s deformity, also called a “pump bump.”

A recent survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that 53 percent of women experience foot pain.

“It’s hard to think, in general, that people are so accepting of pain that they don’t question it. Foot pain is not normal,” said Dr. Lori DeBlasi, a Columbus podiatrist who works at Specialized Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.

DeBlasi said she cringes when she walks through department stores and sees all of the high heels on display.

Woolfalk, 34, a patient-care coordinator in DeBlasi’s office, said that, despite seeing the many foot conditions at work, she maintains a strong fondness for her shoes.

They’ve taken her to nightclubs, where they’ve carried her feet across dance floors for hours at a time. For years, she has witnessed the attention garnered by elongated legs and slim calves.

“You can’t go to the club with sneakers — it’s about the height of the shoe, the sexiness of the calf. It’s a good time and a nice picture,” she said. “Nothing can change my mind about these shoes. ”In some cases, the loyalty to foot fashion goes to extremes. Some women go as far as amputating toes to fit into shoes. It’s called toe tucking.

There have been reported cases in New York City when women pay as much as $2,000 to have part of or all of a pinkie toe removed so they can better fit into pointy shoes.

“These are extreme cases, but it shows you this is the same as the Chinese foot-binding,” said Dr. Judith Smith, an surgeon in Springfield, Mo. “It is a fashion statement and a status symbol.”

Smith, a member of the board of directors of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society’s outreach and education fund, performed a survey in the 1990s that found that 88 percent of women wore shoes that were too narrow, and 76 percent had some sort of foot deformity. Over a 15-year period, 87 percent of forefoot procedures were in women, according to her report.

Smith said she has had patients who were told their surgeries would be ineffective if they continued wearing high heels, yet they still did.

“There’s almost a disconnect there. They just can’t imagine life without these shoes.”

Woolfalk said she has worn her beloved heels less over the past few years but doesn’t plan to cut them out of her life. She said she hasn’t had any lasting consequences from her years of foot pain.

Predicting who will develop foot problems is like trying to predict which cigarette smoker might get cancer, Smith said. “Our job is to educate them on the problems that can arise.”

Some tips from medical professionals:

• If you must wear heels, stick to a wedge rather than a stiletto to maximize stability and keep your feet from rocking side to side.

• Try to keep heels to 1 to 2 inches high, and don’t wear them for more than a few hours at a time.

• Buy shoes at the end of the day, when feet are at their largest.

• Leave enough room in the toe of the shoe to slip in a finger.

• Buy shoes with good arch and heel support. Ballet flats and flip-flops can be just as harmful as high heels if they are too flexible and don’t support your feet.

Americans Underestimate Weight Gain

Even though the average adult weight rose in 2008-2009, most surveyed thought they'd dropped pounds

If you've ever stepped on the scales and been shocked at the number you see, then you're not alone: a large new study finds that Americans routinely underestimate the amount of extra pounds they pack on.

The finding could have real implications for the U.S. obesity epidemic, the researchers said.

The study's lead author, Catherine Wetmore, said in an institute news release. "If people aren't in touch with their weight and changes in their weight over time, they might not be motivated to lose weight." The study was based on national survey data involving 775,000 American adults from 2008 and 2009.

Wetmore's team notes that many adults thought they had actually lost weight when they hadn't. That's important to note, Wetmore said, because data that underestimate the growing obesity epidemic could have serious public health consequences.

For example, she said, "If we had relied on the reported data about weight change between 2008 and 2009, we would have undercounted approximately 4.4 million obese adults in the U.S."

Karen Congro, nutritionist and director of the Wellness for Life Program at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York City said, "I see this in the clinic every single day; people think they are a certain weight, and they are totally wrong. There is a disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to weight." "When it comes to weight, there is a lot of magical thinking going on."

In the surveys used in the study, participants were asked about their weight at the time of the survey, as well as how much they weighed one year ago.

The researchers report that, on average, American adults gained weight in 2008. However, even though the average reported weights rose between the two surveys, Americans polled typically thought they had lost weight in the past year.

Since the prevalence of obesity actually increased slightly between 2008 and 2009 (from 26 to 26.5 percent) and the average weight increased by about 1 pound, the researchers concluded that those surveyed were unclear about the change in their weight over the course of the year.

"We all know on some level that people can be dishonest about their weight," IHME professor Ali Mokdad said in the news release. "But now we know that they can be misreporting annual changes in their weight, to the extent of more than 2 pounds per year among adults over the age of 50, or more than 4 pounds per year among those with diabetes. On average, American adults were off by about a pound, which, over time, can really add up and have a significant health impact."

The researchers noted that women seemed more aware of fluctuations in their weight than men. Younger people were also better at judging fluctuations in their weight compared to older Americans.

The study's authors pointed out that not all participants thought they lost weight. They added that certain groups were more likely to report unintentional weight gain, including people under 40 years of age, smokers, minorities, and people with sedentary lifestyles and/or less-than-ideal diets.

Besides Diabetes and CVD, Obese Children Will Have 50% Higher Risk of Colon Cancer

The newest reason for doing everything possible to reduce childhood obesity names certain cancers as risks associated with a high BMI....



Obesity in childhood has a direct link with bladder and urinary tract (urothelial), and colorectal cancers in adulthood, warn Israeli researchers.

Childhood obesity is associated with all sorts of immediate health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breathing and joint problems, along with an increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. This study set out to examine the relationship between childhood obesity and future diagnoses of urothelial, or bladder, and colorectal cancers.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University gathered the health information of 1.1 million males collected by the Israeli Defense Forces and then linked this medical data to the National Cancer Registry. They looked specifically at the rates of urothelial and colorectal cancer over a follow-up period of 18 years in those who were obese, meaning that they had a body mass index (BMI) in the 85thpercentile and above, at age 17. Adjustments were made for year of birth, level of education, and religiosity.

Those whose BMI placed them in the range of obesity in adolescence had a 1.42% greater chance of developing urothelial or colorectal cancers in adulthood.

While these results only tell us about the incidences of two specific types of cancer, Ari Shamiss, one of the doctors involved in the study, has indicated that he is currently researching connections between childhood obesity and other cancers in the hopes of uncovering other connections. "We still need to learn whether obesity is directly causing the high risk of cancer, and, perhaps most essentially, whether losing weight is effective -- and if so, how much and when -- in lowering it.

In conclusion, childhood obesity is associated with a 50% higher risk of urothelial or colorectal cancers.

"Overweight in Adolescence is Related to Increased Risk of Future Urothelial Cancer," published in the journal Obesity.

Robert Downey Jr., Halle Berry, Kristen Stewart All Have Foot Injuries

Ankle Injury

Production on "Iron Man 3" has been suspended after leading man Robert Downey Jr. injured his ankle while performing a stunt. "There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates," Marvel Studios said Wednesday in a statement regarding the incident which happened on the film's Wilmington, North Carolina, set.

With a budget said to be in the $200-million range, every day Downy Jr. is not working is major money down the drain. The silver lining: It's a Marvel production! With the success of "The Avengers," which has made nearly $1.5 BILLION worldwide, they can afford it. On set injuries are nothing new to Hollywood.



Hurt Head and Foot

Halle Berry reportedly suffered a minor head injury this summer while she was shooting a fight sequence for her upcoming film "The Hive." Her rep said she was taken to the hospital "as a precaution." Apparently Berry is a bit accident prone: She suffered a broken foot last year at her rented villa on a day off from production of the upcoming "Cloud Atlas."



Hand then Foot

Production in London came to a halt on "Snow White and the Huntsman" when Kristen Stewart injured her hand last year. Stewart also reportedly suffered a puncture wound to her foot during reshoots of the upcoming "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2."

Pointers For Protecting Feet From Skin Cancer

(ARA) - Walking on the beach, frolicking in the surf, participating in sports, strolling through a theme park while on vacation - your feet will carry you through a lot of fun this summer. But can paying attention to them help you avoid the most common form of cancer in America? Possibly, experts say. Each year, more than 1 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Yet only 32 percent of Americans use sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun's damaging rays, NCI says in its Cancer Trends Progress Report. Even when sunscreen is applied, the feet are often neglected.

"While skin cancers typically appear on areas of sun-exposed skin like the face, arms and hands, they can also occur on areas that get much less sun, such as the feet," says Dr. Joseph Caporusso, a podiatrist and president of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

"With flip-flops and sandals being common summer foot attire, more Americans than ever are exposing their feet to the sun's potential harmful rays." Sun exposure, however, isn't the whole story when it comes to skin cancers on the feet. More often, skin cancers of the feet can be linked to exposure to viruses or chemicals, chronic inflammation or irritation, or even inherited traits, according to APMA.

"Unfortunately, the skin on our feet is often overlooked during routine medical checkups," Caporusso notes. "Yet, foot health can be an indicator of overall health. It's important for everyone to have their feet checked regularly by podiatrist for any signs or symptoms of skin cancer."

APMA offers a few tips for protecting your feet this summer:
* Apply the same broad-spectrum sunscreen you use on the rest of your body to your feet, including the tops, on and between the toes, and even the soles of your feet. Reapply every two hours when you're out in the sun and more frequently if you spend a lot of time in and out of the water.

* Conduct regular self exams of your feet. Look for signs of problems, such as cracking or sores. Keep in mind that freckles and moles on the soles of the feet are very unusual, and may be a sign you should see a podiatrist.

* Be aware of the warning signs for malignant melanoma - the most deadly type of skin cancer. This type of cancer may occur on the skin of the feet and on occasion, beneath a toenail. Learn the ABCDEs of melanoma: Asymmetrical lesions, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and Evolving characteristics of any of the ABCD traits. If you notice a mole, freckle or lesion with any of these characteristics, have your health care provider take a look.

* Skin cancer of the feet can easily be mistaken for other, less serious problems. For example squamous cell carcinomas, the second-most-common type of skin cancer, may resemble a plantar wart, fungal infection, eczema, an ulcer or other common dermatological condition.

* Skin cancers in the lower legs, ankles and feet may look very different from those that occur in the rest of the body. Podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat lower extremities, so their knowledge and training can help patients detect both benign and malignant skin tumors early.

Bunions Painful?

Prolonged changes to normal foot patterns can lead to the formation of bony protrusions commonly known as bunions.

Typically caused by tight fitting footwear, a bunion can be an eyesore, although the real sore is experienced on the great toe and sometimes the fifth toe (Tailor's Bunion). For early stages, preventing the bunion from enlargement is important.

Prevention can be achieved with orthotics that relieves pressure on the bunion.
Orthotics may be semi-rigid to rigid to meet the accommodations each person needs who are suffering from bunions. Orthotics are devices worn in your shoes that provide correction to your feet, helping them to function more efficiently.

Prescription orthotics may help relieve your pain by realigning and stabilizing the bones in your feet, restoring your natural walking pattern. They will also help alleviate pain from rubbing, which often leads to enlargement of the protrusion.

Patients should be advised to wear comfortable shoes that help support their feet. Taking preventative measures in the initial stages of the bunion’s existence is a great way to slow its growth.

Be sure to come by and see Dr. Weaver about getting your custom orthotics today and stop the unsightly growth of your bunion. The key to better health could be right under your toes.

Pedicures and Painful Nails

While having a pedicure at the local nail salon may seem like a luxury that you deserve, it’s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open and to make sure that you keep your feet safe by following a few easy tips.

If you schedule your pedicure first thing in the morning, you may find that the foot bath is the cleanest it will be all day. If you can’t be the first customer, however, make sure that the technician cleans both the tub and the filter prior to your pedicure.

If at all possible, bring your own pedicure tools to the salon. Bacteria and fungus can easily be transferred from person to person on these tools, especially if the salon does not use proper sterilization techniques. Never allow technicians to use blades or knives to cut your calluses or to eliminate thick, dead skin. Only use pumice stones, foot files or exfoliating scrub. Once you soak your feet for a few minutes, this thickened skin can be easily sloughed off with these types of tools.

The pedicurist should trim your nails straight across. Do not let them dig into the sides of the nails or try to trim out ingrown nails. If you think you may have an ingrown toenail, see a podiatrist immediately.

Only healthy nails should be painted with colored polish. Make sure to change the polish frequently and to check your nails when the polish is off. Signs of fungus and other nail problems can often be hidden under nail polish, so be vigilant in checking your nails.

If your skin bleeds or gets nicked at the salon, make sure to carefully clean and disinfect that area and then watch for signs of infection. Call Dr. Weaver immediately if you have any signs of redness or skin irritation after your salon visit.

Missy Franklin says her huge feet are a big topic in London

Missy Franklin is getting lots of attention in London and it has nothing to do with her historic medal haul at the Aquatics Centre. Well, it has something to do with it.

The 17-year-old rising high school senior told NBC on Monday that her size 13 feet have been drawing attention from athletes around the Olympics. Host Michele Beadle joked that she'd put a stop to those having fun at the expense of Missy's trotters, but Missy, in her typical bubbly demeanor, said she doesn't mind. In fact, she's proud of her big feet.

And why wouldn't she be? Those feet helped her win four gold medals in London and played a part in her becoming America's Olympic sweetheart. Her dad says they're Missy's "built-in flippers."

Sometimes you see young female athletes with abnormal size become uncomfortable in their bodies. Missy has none of that. Given how gracefully she moves in and out of the pool with her 6-foot-1 frame (remember that "Call Me Maybe" clip?), it's no wonder.

"I think it's helped me so much," she told ThePostGame last year. "God has blessed me with an excellent swimmer's body."

Is ice bathing the Olympic Tebowing? It sure looks like it

When you're trying to diagnose an emerging phenomena, one need look no further than Twitter. Now, a day before the 2012 Olympic Games officially open, we may already have the London Games' response to Tebowing: Posed ice bathing.

The U.S. women's gymnastics team engages in some seductive foot and ankle chilling — Instagram. As first noted by the New York Times, no fewer than seven Olympic athletes took to the Twitterverse to ice bathe luxuriously, seductively or, at the very least, frigidly.There was U.S. gymnast Alexandra Raisman quite literally cooling her heels with high-profile teammates. There was Jamaican 100-meter contender Yohan Blake offering a steely stare from inside the most un-Jamaican environment possible.

South African swimmer Jessica Roux appeared to be completely enveloped in a unique, plastic-looking ice bathing tub (is it called a tub? What DO you call an ice bathing receptacle?)

In fact, that's the only thing that all these ice bathing athletes have had in common: They can't hide just how cold they really are ... with one significant exception. Somehow, members of the South African men's swimming team found a way to make a full body ice bath look like a hot tub shot. The photo, tweeted out by Graeme Moore, showcased four South African racers lounging in an enormous ice bath as if they were prepping for a GQ photo shoot. In fact, they looked so convincing, maybe someone should line them up for a cover soon.

It will be hard for these preliminary ice bath antics to strike with the timeliness of Tebowing, in large part because there aren't any ice baths sitting right next to pool decks, gymnastic floors, basketball courts or soccer fields, to name but a few of the key fields of play. Perhaps there's still time to install one near a fencing strip, but it's not worth holding one's breath. Lacking that celebratory punch, ice bathing is going to have a heck of a time reaching Tebowing status, though that hardly diminishes just how strong a start it has as an Olympic phenomenon. At this point, we may be just one Instagram pic of Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant in an ice bath with horrid shirts and wide frame glasses next to the tub away from inspiring teens everywhere to search for the nearest ice bath to tweet themselves chilling out, so to speak.

Best lightweight walking shoes

Having Diabetes for a Decade Triples Stroke Risk

Having diabetes for a decade or more dramatically increases the risk for ischemic stroke 3% each year and triples at 10 years....

Senior investigator Mitchell Elkind, MD, from Columbia University Medical Center in New York, stated that, "We were not surprised to see an increased risk, but we were taken aback by how high the risk was."

Using data from the Northern Manhattan Study, investigators looked at 3298 multi-ethnic participants. They found that 22% had diabetes at baseline and another 10% went on to develop the disease over the course of the study. There were 244 ischemic strokes.

The authors explained, "Our study provides evidence that the risk of ischemic stroke increased continuously with duration of diabetes mellitus." "This was after controlling for other factors such as age, smoking history, physical activity, history of heart disease, blood pressure, and cholesterol."

"The increase is not as much during the second half of the first decade," they noted, "but it increases steeply as the disease enters its second decade."

Duration of Diabetes and Ischemic Stroke Risk
Diabetes (Years) Hazard Ratio 95% Confidence Interval
0 to 5 1.7 1.1 - 2.7
5 to 10 1.8 1.1 - 3.0
>10 3.2 2.4 - 4.5

Among the nearly 26 million Americans with diabetes, more than half are younger than age 65 years, according to the American Diabetes Association. Dr. Elkind said, "We used to think of type 2 diabetes as a disease people get when they are older, after a lifetime of poor dietary habits, but the age at diagnosis is getting younger and younger because of the obesity problem among young people."

The researchers pointed out that diabetes was determined by self-report in this study. "It's possible we missed some cases," Dr. Elkind added during an interview. An estimated one third of diabetes cases may be undiagnosed. It has also been found that true onset of diabetes may be 4 to 7 years earlier than clinical diagnosis.

As the population ages and the elderly live longer, more and more people will live with longer duration of disease, the authors note. "It is important to better understand the dynamics between diabetes, time, and stroke, and to emphasize the importance of interventions to prevent early diabetes. Minimizing the number of years a patient has diabetes would help combat the increase in stroke risk with each year of the disease."

Some of the reasons for increased stroke risk may include an association between longer diabetes duration and thicker plaque in neck arteries and the higher prevalence of hypertension, accelerated vascular complications, and clotting abnormalities.

9 Footwear Do's and Don'ts

Our poor feet. They withstand lots of abuse, quickly carrying us to last-minute outings, pounding the pavement on mind-clearing runs, and being squeezed into impractical (but fashionable) shoes. But we need to take care of them to avoid foot pain, injury, and other ailments. So do your tootsies a favor and follow these healthy tips.

Don't wear high heels for too long. We've all been there: out on the town in an amazing pair of pumps ... with achy feet and knees. A 2010 study found that over time, wearing heels higher than 2 inches can put you at risk for joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis, and a new study finds that high heels are a leading cause of ingrown toenails, which can lead to infection and permanent nail damage. But we're not telling you to stop wearing heels--that's unrealistic. "I wouldn't recommend walking miles in heels, but a comfortable heel can be worn to work all day if it has the right features and/or orthotic," says Michele Summers, a California-based podiatrist and shoe designer. (You can pick up arch-support inserts at drug stores.) Try saving your sky-high heels for short-lived occasions like dinners, says John Brummer, a New York City-based podiatrist.

Don't wear flip-flops everywhere. They're easy, and as temperatures heat up, you're likely to slip them on often. Cool it, say experts. "Flip-flops give your foot basically no support, and the constant rubbing of the thong between the toes can cause a friction blister," says Summers. Not to mention they make stubbed toes, cuts, and sprained ankles more likely, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). Limit flip-flops to settings like the beach or the pool. And when you do wear them, invest in a supportive leather pair, or a pair that carries the APMA seal of acceptance, the association advises. (If you have diabetes, you should never wear flip-flops, since the disease can dull your sense of pain, allowing minor wounds to become major problems--infected, for example--without your knowledge.)

Do exercise in shoes designed for your sport. It's "extremely important" to find gym shoes designed for your sport of choice because they'll accommodate the actions needed for the specific activity, says Brummer. If you're a runner, consider going a step further with a professional fitting, since your gait and range of motion affect the shoe you need, advises the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. For example, overpronators--runners whose feet rotate too far inward--are steered toward shoes that offer more support.

Don't wear the same shoes every day. It's tempting to always throw on your trusty flats. But alternating shoes can help keep your feet limber, says Summers. Plus it's good to air out shoes every other day to avoid bad smells. (Your significant other will thank you.)

Don't wear hand-me-downs. Reconsider those thrift-store sandals. "Each foot imprints a different wear pattern into the shoe," says Summers, so a used pair may not be the best fit.

Do discard worn-out shoes. Speaking of old shoes, it might be time to pitch yours. (Sniff.) If the sole is worn down more on one side than the other or is separating, let the pair go, says Summers. And replace athletic shoes that are beyond their shelf life; running shoes can last about 300 to 500 miles before causing problems, depending on the athlete, Brummer says.

Do change out of sweaty footwear. Fungal infections aren't just a consequence of barefoot showering at the gym. (By the way, don't do that.) You could get athlete's foot if you hang out in damp hosiery. Change your shoes and socks regularly, wash your feet daily, and dry your feet thoroughly to help prevent infection, advises the APMA.

Do have your feet measured. It's not your imagination: Your shoes may no longer fit. "Our shoe size can change from anything such as weight gain, hormonal activity, circulation disorders, or simple aging," says Brummer. "It is best to try on shoes at the end of the day when your feet are most swollen." You should have your feet measured at least once a year, especially if you're an older adult, adds Summers. (If you have diabetes, you should also see a podiatrist at least twice a year, Brummer says.)

Don't buy shoes that hurt. Sorry to break it to you, but you're probably not going to break in those painful shoes. "A shoe should feel comfortable when you try it on in the store," says Summers. "If it feels too tight in the store, it will be too tight at home and may even feel worse after being worn for a little while." That said, shoes can be stretched and modified for certain foot deformities such as bunions and hammertoes, says Brummer. Use good judgment--and walk away if you have any doubts. Your (happy) feet will thank you later.

Most diabetes amputations 'preventable'

An estimated 80% of lower limb amputations in people with diabetes are preventable, a charity has revealed.

In Northern Ireland, there were 199 diabetes-related amputations last year.

A campaign has been launched aimed at putting a stop to preventable amputations.

'Putting Feet First' by Diabetes UK Northern Ireland wants to reduce diabetes-related amputations by 50% within five years.

Diabetes is a serious condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high.

People with Type 1 diabetes do not produce any insulin which is needed in order to control the levels of glucose in the blood. Those with Type 2 diabetes produce an insufficient amount of insulin - or can be insulin resistant.

If blood glucose levels are not maintained at normal levels, it can lead to long-term complications such as heart disease, stroke and amputation.

There are currently 73,500 people diagnosed with diabetes in the region.

Iain Foster, the charity's National Director, said: "A single preventable amputation is one too many so the fact that hundreds of people in Northern Ireland have endured unnecessary foot amputations is nothing short of shameful."

Amputations have a devastating effect on quality of life and so every amputation that results from poor healthcare is a tragedy.

Iain Foster
He explained that diabetic foot problems arise from reduced circulation and damaged nerve endings.

He said a big part of bringing this to an end is giving people with diabetes information about how to look after their feet.

The charity wants everyone with diabetes to get a thorough annual foot check and for a specialist diabetes foot care teams for foot ulcers to deal with referrals within 24 hours.

"Many people with diabetes aren't even aware that amputation is a potential complication. We also need to make sure that people with diabetes understand what healthcare they should be getting."

Mr Foster said there are opportunities within the current healthcare system for problems to be detected early - and treatment obtained - before complications set in.

The campaign will include working with healthcare professionals in GP practices and areas, such as A&E departments, to increase awareness of the signs of early complications and the need for a quick referral to specialist staff.

He added: "Quality of care makes a big difference to amputation rates. Foot ulcers can deteriorate in a matter of hours so failing to refer someone quickly enough can literally be the difference between losing a foot and keeping it."

"It is a scandal that needs to be brought to an end."

Lower extremity focus helps cut risk of falls

Falls are common, disabling and costly. Causes are multifactorial but include foot disorders, ill-fitting footwear, and poor bal­ance. Recent research supports a multi­dis­ci­plinary approach to falls prevention and indicates that lower extremity practi­tioners can play an important role. Falls in older people are a major public health problem, with one in three people aged 65 years and older falling each year.1 Falls most frequently result in minor injuries such as superficial cuts and abrasions, bruises, and sprains. However, up to 15% of falls result in more serious injury such as head trauma, fractures, dislocations, and lacerations, making falls the leading cause of hospitalization in older people.2 Furthermore, in the US, falls are responsible for two-thirds of deaths from unintentional injury, making falls a larger contributor to mortality in older people than motor vehicle accidents.3 Management of fall-related injury makes a substantial contribution to healthcare expenditure. In the US, it has been estimated that each injurious fall costs an average of $10,749 in treatment costs—a figure that increases to $26,483 if hospitalization is required.4 In 2000, the total cost of treating nonfatal injurious falls in the US was an estimated $19 billion.5 Although substantial, these figures are likely to be an underestimate of the true economic impact of falls, as they focus on direct treatment costs and do not consider loss of productivity, personal costs, and the financial impact on spouses, other family members, and caregivers. What causes falls? Falls are complex multifactorial events that result from both intrinsic (physiological) and extrinsic (environmental) risk factors. Prospective studies have identified major intrinsic risk factors for falls in older people; these include muscle weakness, a previous history of falls, gait disorders, visual impairment, use of psychoactive medications, and cognitive impairment. Extrinsic risk factors include hazards such as stairs, slippery surfaces, throw rugs, and cracked pavements.6 It is now well accepted that environmental hazards alone are not the major cause of most falls. Rather, the interaction between environmental hazards and an older person’s physical abilities plays a key role. For example, an older person with high level of physical functioning may be able to cope in a hazardous environment without falling, while an older person with significant physical impairment may fall in a relatively safe environment. Furthermore, an older person’s perceptions of their own abilities and risk of falling, particularly fear of falling, influences their level of exposure to hazardous situations and subsequent incidence of falls.7 Foot disorders, balance, and falls The foot provides the only source of direct contact with the ground during walking, and contributes to both the absorption of impact after heel contact and the generation of power required for forward momentum. Each of these functions requires the complex interaction of joint motions at specific times to achieve smooth transfer of body weight. It is therefore reasonable to expect that foot dysfunction may interfere with normal progression of the body during walking and may therefore be a contributing factor to falling in older people.8 The first literature reference to the potential link between foot problems and falls, a paper published by De Largy9 in 1958, suggested that structural foot disorders may lead to inactivity and subsequent lower extremity muscle weakness, thereby increasing the risk of falls. In 1966, Helfand suggested a more direct link, arguing that foot disorders impair balance by modifying the base of support during standing and walking.10 In the past decade, a growing body of evidence has emerged to support these early observations. In addition to foot pain, structural factors such as hallux valgus, lesser-toe deformity, limited ankle joint range of motion, and reduced strength of foot and ankle muscles have been shown to impair performance in tests of walking speed, balance, and functional tasks, such as rising from a chair.11-13 Two prospective studies have confirmed that many of these characteristics are also independently associated with falls after established risk factors are considered. Menz et al14 prospectively followed 176 retirement village residents for 12 months to track the incidence of falls and found that, compared with those who did not fall, fallers were more likely to have foot pain and exhibit decreased ankle flexibility, more severe hallux valgus deformity, decreased plantar tactile sensitivity, and decreased toe plantar flexor strength. After adjusting for physiological falls risk and age, decreased toe plantar flexor strength and disabling foot pain remained significantly and independently associated with falls. More recently, a 12-month prospective study of 312 com­munity-dwelling older people by Mickle et al15 concluded that, compared with nonfallers, fallers demonstrated significantly less plantar flexion strength of the hallux and lesser toes and were more likely to have hallux valgus and lesser-toe deformity. Footwear, balance and falls By modifying the interface between the body and the environment during weightbearing, footwear has the potential to influence postural stability, either beneficially or detrimentally. Several studies have reported that many older people wear suboptimal footwear that could potentially increase the risk of falling. Barbieri16 conducted interviews with older people who had fallen while hospitalized, and found that poorly fitting shoes played a role in 51% of cases. Similarly, Finlay17 evaluated footwear in 274 patients admitted to a geriatric outpatient unit, and reported that only 53% were wearing adequate footwear. Finally, Hourihan et al18 reported that 33% of 147 subjects hospitalized for fall-related hip fracture were wearing slippers when they fell. Laboratory-based biomechanical studies have since confirmed that that high heels, narrow heels, and excessively thick and soft soles are detrimental to balance in all adults, while shoes with a low, broad heel and thin, firm midsoles are beneficial.19 However, extrapolating the laboratory findings to falls studies is difficult due to the wide range of other risk factors that need to be considered and the range of different shoes and walking surfaces encountered during normal daily activities. Although prospective studies have shown that shoes with high, narrow heels increase the risk of falls,20 there is also evidence that the role of footwear varies depending on whether the fall takes place outdoors or inside the home, with the risk of indoor falls being increased when older people are barefoot or wearing socks compared with wearing shoes.21,22 Nevertheless, despite the inherent difficulties in identifying the role of footwear in falls, general recommendations regarding footwear have been developed for older people at risk of falling (see Figure 1). Falls prevention interventions Over the past three decades, there has been a sustained research effort to evaluate the effectiveness of a wide range of interventions to prevent falls in older people, resulting in hundreds of trials. This vast body of research has been collated recently into a systematic review published by the Cochrane Collaboration,23 and this provides the best available evidence of what works for falls prevention. For older people living in the community, this review of 111 trials indicates that exercise (including multiple-component group exercise, Tai Chi, and individually prescribed multiple-component home-based exercise), gradual withdrawal of psychoactive medication, the prescription of vitamin D (in people with low vitamin D levels), prescription modification by primary care physicians, the use of pacemakers (in people with carotid sinus hypersensitivity), and first eye cataract surgery are effective for reducing the incidence of falls. The review found that home safety modification was not effective for reducing falls overall, but was effective in people with severe visual impairment and older people at high risk of falling. Foot specialists and falls prevention In response to the emerging evidence that foot problems and inappropriate footwear increase the risk of falls, two recent falls prevention guidelines recommend that older people at risk of falling should have their feet and footwear assessed, and that appropriate treatment should be provided as part of a multifactorial intervention strategy.24,25 Furthermore, several multidisciplinary “falls clinics” have been established in the US, the UK, and Australia that employ podiatrists alongside physical therapists, geriatricians, and occupational therapists.26 However, there is very little guidance in the literature on what type of interventions should be used by lower extremity practitioners to prevent falls. Furthermore, a recent evaluation of podiatry involvement in falls prevention clinics in Australia revealed a high level of variability of podiatry service provision relative to eligibility criteria, assessments undertaken, and interventions provided.26 Based on these observations, it would appear that despite significant potential, lower extremity healthcare currently has a limited and poorly defined role in falls prevention, largely because of a lack of evidence from randomized trials to guide treatment. A multifaceted podiatry intervention To address this substantial gap in the literature, our research group recently conducted, to our knowledge, the first randomized controlled trial of a podiatry intervention specifically designed to improve balance and prevent falls.27 In this study, 305 community dwelling older men and women with disabling foot pain and an increased risk of falling were allocated to either a routine podiatry care control group or a multifaceted podiatry intervention, and were tracked for falls over a 12-month period. The routine podiatry care group received ongoing maintenance treatment only, which typically involved nail care and scalpel debridement of hyperkeratotic lesions (corns and calluses). The multifaceted podiatry intervention group also received routine care in addition to prefabricated foot orthoses (Figure 2), advice on footwear, a cost subsidy to assist in the purchase of new footwear if current footwear was deemed inappropriate, a home-based program of foot and ankle exercises (Table 1), and a falls prevention education booklet. At the completion of the study, researchers had documented 264 falls. Participants in the intervention group experienced 36% fewer falls than participants in the control group. In addition, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements relative to the control group with regard to strength (ankle eversion), range of motion (ankle dorsiflexion and inversion/eversion), and balance (postural sway on the floor when barefoot and maximum balance range wearing shoes). Adherence to the interventions was good, with 52% of the participants completing 75% or more of the requested three exercise sessions weekly, and 55% of those issued orthoses reporting that they wore them most of the time.28 Given that the interventions are inexpensive and relatively simple to implement, we believe that program could be incorporated into routine podiatry practice or multidisciplinary falls prevention clinics with minimal training. Future directions The findings of our trial suggest that podiatry has an important role to play in preventing falls in older people living in the community. However, whether the same intervention would be effective in residential aged-care settings or in older people without foot pain requires further investigation. Given that older people in residential care are generally older, more frail, and more likely to have cognitive impairment than those living in the community, the intervention may need to be modified to address the needs of this population. Furthermore, the intervention did not target all relevant foot and ankle risk factors for falls. Both hallux valgus and deformity of the lesser toes have been shown to be risk factors for falls, but these conditions generally require surgical treatment. It is likely that surgical treatment of toe deformities is beneficial for balance, but this has yet to be formally evaluated. Finally, we used only a simple prefabricated orthosis in our intervention; future investigations could evaluate the effectiveness of other types of orthoses and braces in improving balance and preventing falls. Conclusion Falls in older people are common, disabling, and costly to the healthcare system. Foot disorders and inappropriate footwear increase the risk of falling. Recent research indicates that a multifaceted podiatry intervention improves foot and ankle strength, range of motion, and balance and reduces the rate of falls by 36%. These findings make a strong case for lower extremity healthcare to play an important role in the multidisciplinary effort to prevent falls in the older population. Hylton B. Menz, PhD, is professor and deputy director of the Musculoskeletal Research Centre at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Martin J Spink, BPod(Hons), is a podiatrist and PhD candidate in the Department of Podiatry and Musculoskeletal Research Centre at La Trobe University. Disclosure: The trial reported in this article was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the La Trobe University Central Large Grants Scheme. The foot orthoses were provided by Foot Science International. Professor Menz is funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Career Development Award. Neither of the authors has a competing interest to declare. By Hylton B. Menz, PhD, and Martin J. Spink, BPod(Hons)

Division 11 player bitten by a shark

Of all the injuries college basketball players have sustained this year, Chad Renfro's may have been the scariest. Renfro, the leading returning scorer at Division II Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., was paddling out on his surfboard to catch a wave at a beach near his parents home in Jacksonville when he felt sharp pain in his left foot. A shark bit him with enough force to slice most of a tendon, damage a bone and require 85 stitches to close the wound. "Immediately I knew what it was, so I just paddled back in as fast as I could — caught the next wave in," Renfro told WJXT-TV in Jacksonville. "I was sitting there and people kept looking at me. I was trying to get someone to help me, and then one girl had walked over and I told her to call 911, and then I saw the lifeguards drive by, and so I just hollered for them and they came over." The silver lining to the shark attack is Renfro's injuries could have been far worse. The 6-foot-4 guard expects to return to the basketball court in time for the start of next season and even hopes to get back on a surfboard as soon as possible. Experts have said what bit Renfro was likely either a four-to-five-foot bull or lemon shark, both of which are common off the coast of Florida. Renfro's mom joked with WJXT-TV that her son would be more likely to win the lottery than get bit by a shark while surfing. Hopefully he buys a winning ticket when he leaves the hospital because he's due for some good luck.

Suddenly All the Kids Have Diabetes

From the way diabetes gets talked about in the news, you'd think that everyone and their brother had it. Well, now it's looking more like everyone and their daughter has it. A new study has just been released which shows a pretty terrifying increase in the rate of diabetes and pre-diabetes among young people. In 2000, only 9 percent of teens were diabetic or pre-diabetic. By 2008, a whopping 23 percent of adolescents are. Jesus H. Christ on a cracker. That is a huge increase in just eight years. One small ray of hope is that the test they used, a fasting blood glucose test, doesn't give as accurate a picture of a person's health because it's a single snapshot of blood sugar rather than an average over time. So that number could be somewhat artificially high. Still, even considering that, this news is not good. The author of the study, Ashleigh May, who is an epidemiologist for the CDC, calls the findings "very concerning." Pediatric endocrinologist Larry Deeb, who is also a former president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association, says other research shows there could be "a 64% increase in diabetes in the next decade. [...] We are truly in deep trouble. Diabetes threatens to destroy the health care system." As if that wasn't bad enough, this study also found something else that's equally scary: [H]alf of overweight teens and almost two-thirds of obese adolescents have one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high levels of bad cholesterol. By comparison, about one-third of normal-weight adolescents have at least one risk factor. While it was already clear that we needed to do something to protect the health of our kids, this data suggests we'd better do something quickly. Not that there's any easy way to fix this problem, especially among modern teens who already have so many other things to worry about, like being bullied and not getting caught in a sexting scandal. Perhaps it's time to call upon some kind of health superhero. Will Mr. Metabolic Syndrome save the day and defeat evil Dr. Diabetes? Blood Sugar Man to the rescue? Can we even just get Jack Black in a spandex suit doing PSAs? Someone? Anyone? Help. By Cassie Murdoch

Born to run barefoot? Some end up getting injured

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Swept by the barefoot running craze, ultramarathoner Ryan Carter ditched his sneakers for footwear that mimics the experience of striding unshod. The first time he tried it two years ago, he ran a third of a mile on grass. Within three weeks of switching over, he was clocking six miles on the road. During a training run with a friend along a picturesque bike path near downtown Minneapolis, Carter suddenly stopped, unable to take another step. His right foot seared in pain. "It was as though someone had taken a hammer and hit me with it," he recalled. Carter convinced his friend to run on without him. He hobbled home and rested his foot. When the throbbing became unbearable days later, he went to the doctor. The diagnosis: a stress fracture. As more avid runners and casual athletes experiment with barefoot running, doctors say they are treating injuries ranging from pulled calf muscles to Achilles tendinitis to metatarsal stress fractures, mainly in people who ramped up too fast. In serious cases, they are laid up for several months. Many converts were inspired by Christopher McDougall's 2009 best-seller "Born To Run," widely credited with sparking the barefoot running trend in the Western world. The book focuses on an Indian tribe in Mexico whose members run long distances without pain in little more than sandals. While the ranks of people running barefoot or in "barefoot running shoes" have grown in recent years, they still represent the minority of runners. Some devotees swear they are less prone to injuries after kicking off their athletic shoes though there's no evidence that barefoot runners suffer fewer problems. In some cases, foot specialists are noticing injuries arising from the switch to barefoot, which uses different muscles. Shod runners tend to have a longer stride and land on their heel compared with barefoot runners, who are more likely to have a shorter stride and land on the midfoot or forefoot. Injuries can occur when people transition too fast and put too much pressure on their calf and foot muscles, or don't shorten their stride and end up landing on their heel with no padding. Podiatrist Paul Langer used to see one or two barefoot running injuries a month at his Twin Cities Orthopedics practice in Minneapolis. Now he treats between three and four a week. "Most just jumped in a little too enthusiastically," said Langer, an experienced runner and triathlete who trains in his barefoot running shoes part of the week. Bob Baravarian, chief of podiatry at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif., said he's seen "a fair number" of heel injuries and stress fractures among first-timers who are not used to the different forces of a forefoot strike. "All of a sudden, the strain going through your foot is multiplied manifold" and problems occur when people don't ease into it, he said. Running injuries are quite common. Between 30 to 70 percent of runners suffer from repetitive stress injuries every year and experts can't agree on how to prevent them. Some runners with chronic problems have seized on barefoot running as an antidote, claiming it's more natural. Others have gone so far as to demonize sneakers for their injuries. Pre-human ancestors have walked and run in bare feet for millions of years often on rough surfaces, yet researchers surprisingly know very little about the science of barefoot running. The modern running shoe with its cushioned heel and stiff sole was not invented until the 1970s. And in parts of Africa and other places today, running barefoot is still a lifestyle. The surging interest has researchers racing for answers. Does barefoot running result in fewer injuries? What kinds of runners will benefit most from switching over? What types of injuries do transitioning barefoot runners suffer and how to prevent them? While some runners completely lose the shoes, others opt for minimal coverage. The oxymoron "barefoot running shoes" is like a glove for the feet designed to protect from glass and other hazards on the ground. Superlight minimalist shoes are a cross between barefoot shoes and traditional sneakers — there's little to no arch support and they're lower profile. Greg Farris decided to try barefoot running to ease the pain on the outside of his knee, a problem commonly known as runner's knee. He was initially shoeless — running minutes at a time and gently building up. After three months, he switched to barefoot running shoes after developing calluses. Halfway through a 5K run in January, he felt his right foot go numb, but he pushed on and finished the race. He saw a doctor and got a steroid shot, but the pain would not quit. He went to see another doctor, who took an X-ray and told him he had a stress fracture. Farris was in a foot cast for three months. He recently started running again — in sneakers. "I don't think my body is made to do it," he said, referring to barefoot running. Experts say people can successfully lose the laces. The key is to break in slowly. Start by walking around barefoot. Run no more than a quarter mile to a mile every other day in the first week. Gradually increase the distance. Stop if bones or joints hurt. It can take months to make the change. "Don't go helter skelter at the beginning," said Dr. Jeffrey Ross, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of the Diabetic Foot Clinic at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston. A year and a half ago, Ross saw a steady stream — between three and six barefoot runners a week — with various aches and pain. It has since leveled off to about one a month. Ross doesn't know why. It's possible that fewer people are trying it or those baring their feet are doing a better job adapting to the new running style. There's one group foot experts say should avoid barefoot running: People with decreased sensation in their feet, a problem common among diabetics, since they won't be able to know when they get injured. Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman runs a lab devoted to studying the effects of running form on injury rates. He thinks form matters more than footwear or lack of — don't overstride, have good posture and land gently. In a 2010 study examining different running gaits, Lieberman and colleagues found that striking the ground heel first sends a shock up through the body while barefoot runners tend to have a more springy step. Even so, more research is needed into whether barefoot running helps avoid injury. "The long and the short of it is that we know very little about how to help all runners — barefoot and shod — prevent getting injured. Barefoot running is no panacea. Shoes aren't either," said Lieberman, who runs barefoot except during the New England winters. Carter, the ultramarathoner, blames himself for his injury. Before he shed his shoes, he never had a problem that kept him off his feet for two months. In April, he ran his fourth 100-mile race — with shoes. Meanwhile, his pair of barefoot running shoes is collecting dust in the closet.

Autism Linked to Mom's Diabetes

Mothers who are obese or who have diabetes appear to be more likely to have children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.... According to Paula Krakowiak, MS, a PhD candidate at the MIND Institute at the University of California Davis, and colleagues, maternal obesity was associated with greater odds of the offspring receiving a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.56) or a developmental delay (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.61) by age 5. A combination of maternal metabolic conditions was associated with a range of impairments in the children's development, the researchers reported. Susan Hyman, MD, of the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., who is the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' autism subcommittee, called the findings provocative. Although the observational study could not prove causal relationships, Hyman said the findings suggest that maternal metabolic disorders are contributing causes to autism and other developmental disorders. Roughly one in every 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a recent estimate from the CDC, and one in every 83 has another developmental delay. Hyman also said that if maternal metabolic conditions are adding to the burden of autism, it is likely a small contribution. She noted that other factors related to obesity that were not captured in the database could be involved in the relationships. She added that mothers of children with disabilities often scrutinize everything they did, ate, and were exposed to during their pregnancy to try to find an explanation. But, she said, "At the time of your child's diagnosis, that's all ancient history. What you have to concentrate on is what you can do, what are effective interventions ... being proactive and changing what you can change is really what research is all about. It's not about pointing fingers." Krakowiak agreed, noting that the study is preliminary and cannot prove cause and effect; it is possible there are other factors involved that independently affect obesity and autism. "So I would definitely not want moms to feel guilty for having any one of these conditions, and that being a cause of their child's disorder," she said. The exact cause of autism has not been identified, but both genetics and environmental factors are believed to be involved. Previous studies have identified an association between diabetes during pregnancy and general developmental impairments in the offspring, although research examining the relationship with autism has yielded mixed results. To further explore issue, Krakowiak and colleagues turned to the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment) study, an ongoing case-control study of children born in California. The current analysis included 1,004 children ages 2 to 5 -- 517 with an autism spectrum disorder, 172 with other developmental delays, and 315 with typical development. All of the children were evaluated using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), which assessed cognitive and adaptive development, respectively. The specific metabolic conditions assessed among the mothers were obesity, hypertension, and diabetes (either gestational diabetes or type 2 diabetes) during pregnancy. All three of the metabolic conditions were more frequent among the mothers of children with an ASD or other developmental delay. Combined, the rates were 28.6% for mothers of children with an ASD, 34.9% for mothers of children with a developmental delay, and 19.4% for mothers of typically developing children. After adjustment for sociodemographics and other factors, mothers who had one of the three conditions were more likely to have a child diagnosed with an ASD (OR 1.61) or developmental delay (OR 2.35). Maternal hypertension alone was not related to either outcome, and maternal diabetes was associated with greater odds of having a child with a developmental delay (OR 2.33), but not autism. Maternal obesity was associated both with ASD and developmental delay among the children. Among the children with an ASD, maternal diabetes was associated with "relatively small" impairments in expressive language. Among the children without an ASD, the combination of maternal conditions was associated with a wide range of deficits in cognition and adaptive development. Although a case-control study cannot prove cause and effect, there are some possible mechanisms to explain a relationship between maternal metabolic conditions and a child's neurodevelopment, according to Hyman. Maternal glucose, but not insulin, can cross the placenta. If the mother has elevated levels of glucose, the fetus will have to produce more insulin. The increased oxygen demand that results can induce intrauterine tissue hypoxia. Poorly regulated maternal glucose could also result in iron deficiency in the fetus. Both hypoxia and iron deficiency can harm the developing brain. An alternate explanation is that the proinflammatory cytokines present in mothers with metabolic conditions may impair fetal neurodevelopment. Hyman said all of these explanations are hypothetical and need to be studied further. "I think that we have to look at this as a call to our society that there are multiple implications of the obesity epidemic that we need to consider, and that we need to be proactive in what we can do," she said. "What we can do is we can eat healthy and exercise, and this is a positive suggestion for change. There are so many things we can't change. We can change this."

Banish Shin Splints Forever With One Magical Exercise

The sun is out, the weather's warm, and in a month or so you're going to be parading around the beach nearly naked. Time to shed that winter weight. So you start running. But lo! Just as you start getting results, you also get pain. In your shins. It's bad. Shin splints are one of the most common running and sports injuries, and they can really knock you off your routine. Luckily, with one simple exercise, you can kill your shin splints. Here's how to send them to hell, where they belong. Welcome to Fitmodo, Gizmodo's gym for your brain and backbone. Don't suffer through life as a sniveling, sickly weakling—brace up, man, get the blood pumping! Check back on Wednesdays for the latest in fitness science, workout gear, exercise techniques, and enough vim and vigor to whip you into shape. First off, what are shin splints? The medical name for them is tibial stress syndrome. They're a result of fatigue and inflammation in the muscle tissue in the front of your leg and the posterior peroneal tendon. Pain usually occurs around the front, outer side of your tibia (shin bone). It's generally considered to be an overuse injury, and it's incredibly common. What most people don't realize is just how insanely easy it is to treat. Back when I first started fixing my knees, my physical therapist had me do some very light running on a treadmill. After just a few sessions, I started getting shin splints, and they sucked. I thought it meant I had to stop. Nope. My doc said, "I'm going to give you one exercise routine that you're going to do once a day, and the shin splints will be gone within the week." Sounded like bullshit to me. But, to my amazement, he was absolutely right. Here's how you do it. Instructions: § 1. Find some stairs. Actually, just one stair or a curb will do. § 2. Turn so you're facing down the stairs. Scoot forward until just your heels are on the stair, with the rest of your foot hanging off (you can hold a wall or railing for balance). § 3. With your legs straight, point your toes downward as far as you can, then lift them up as far as you can. Repeat. § 4. Use a timer. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds. Do them rapidly, but with full extension and flexion. § 5. After 30 seconds, bend your knees at a 45-degree angle (about half way). Without pausing to rest, do another 30 seconds of flexing in that position. That's one complete set. If it burns like hell, then you're doing it correctly. § 6. Rest for a minute or two, then do another set—30 seconds with the legs straight, immediately followed by 30 seconds with the knees bent. Rest for a another minute, and repeat the two-part set. § 7. Each day, do three of these two-part sets. The total daily routine includes 6 30-second sessions. That's it. Toe raises. You think I'm crazy. That's fine. Try it. I've been spreading this wisdom for the past ten years like some kind of Johnny Shin Splint-seed and it has worked for literally everyone. I'm eager to hear the results from a larger sample size (that's you, dear readers). The usual disclaimer applies: Everyone's body is different, and if you feel like you're injuring yourself, stop and see a doctor or physical therapist. You may have something else that could require calf stretching, calf raises, shin stretching, or standing on tennis balls to do mid-foot stretching. Some people are told to walk around on their heels, but it seems that this would cause impact and stress on the knees. Really, I've never seen the toe raising exercise fail when performed properly, daily. Have you had shin splint issues? If you've fixed them, how? If you haven't yet, try this and tell us if it works. And tune in next Wednesday for more Fitmodo.

Health Tip: What Triggers Ingrown Toenails?

An ingrown toenail can result from a number of things, but poorly fitting shoes and toenails that are not trimmed properly are the most common causes. The skin along the edige of a toenail may become red and infected. The great toe is usually affected, but any toenail can become ingrown.

Ingrown toenails may occur when extra pressure is placed on your toe. Most commonly, this pressure is caused by shoes that are too tight or too loose. If you walk often or participate in athletics, a shoe that is even a little tight can cause this problem. Some deformities of the foot or toes can also place extra pressure on the toe.

The American Podiatric Medical Association says risk factors for ingrown toenails include:Nails that are not trimmed properly can also cause ingrown toenails.

•Wearing shoes that are too tight or crowd the toes.
•Having feet that are frequently subjected to injury during everyday activities.
•When your toenails are trimmed too short or the edges are rounded rather than cut straight across, the nail may curl downward and grow into the skin
•Poor eyesight and physical inability to reach the toe easily, as well as having thick nails, can make improper trimming of the nails more likely
•Picking or tearing at the corners of the nails can also cause an ingrown toenail
Some people are born with nails that are curved and tend to grow downward. Others have toenails that are too large for their toes. Stubbing your toe or other injuries can also lead to an ingrown toenail.