A major cause for leg amputation in diabetics is an infection in the foot or ankle. Because many diabetics do not recognize the signs of a foot or ankle infection, the condition often goes untreated and can rapidly lead to amputation.
Early signs of an infection to the foot or ankle include any area that is red, hot, & swollen. A diabetic may also notice an unexplained elevation of their blood sugar. As the infection progresses, the person may experience nausea, vomiting, fever & chills.
Infection in diabetics needs to be treated early and aggressively. Diabetes can decrease the body’s ability to fight infection. When this happens, a simple foot infection can lead to leg amputation in a matter of days.
Open wounds, blisters, athlete’s foot, and cracks in the skin can leave a diabetic susceptible to a foot or ankle infection. If you are diabetic and you notice any area of your foot or ankle that is red, hot & swollen, or you have an open wound or a blister, call your foot and ankle specialist immediately! Remember, aggressive & early treatment of infection in diabetics can greatly reduce the need for amputation.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Foot Doctors Can Help Diabetics Avoid Amputation
Podiatrists detect conditions that might lead to limb loss, experts say.
FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Being treated by a podiatrist helps diabetes patients reduce their risk of amputation, research shows.
Podiatrists, also called podiatric physicians, are medical specialists of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
"More than half of all amputations in the U.S. are related to diabetes. Podiatrists are detecting conditions that can lead to amputation. That's just what we do," study co-author Dr. James Wrobel, an associate professor of medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, said in a university news release.
The study of nearly 29,000 diabetes patients, aged 18 to 64, found that those who had had at least one visit with a podiatrist prior to receiving a foot ulcer diagnosis had a lower risk of amputation and hospitalization (nearly 15 percent and 17 percent, respectively).
The study findings were presented in July at a meeting of the American Podiatric Medical Association in Seattle.
Complications related to diabetes are the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation in the United States and cost an estimated $3 billion a year, according to the Amputee Coalition of America. An estimated 24 million Americans have diabetes and 86,000 undergo amputations each year, based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
FRIDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Being treated by a podiatrist helps diabetes patients reduce their risk of amputation, research shows.
Podiatrists, also called podiatric physicians, are medical specialists of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
"More than half of all amputations in the U.S. are related to diabetes. Podiatrists are detecting conditions that can lead to amputation. That's just what we do," study co-author Dr. James Wrobel, an associate professor of medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, said in a university news release.
The study of nearly 29,000 diabetes patients, aged 18 to 64, found that those who had had at least one visit with a podiatrist prior to receiving a foot ulcer diagnosis had a lower risk of amputation and hospitalization (nearly 15 percent and 17 percent, respectively).
The study findings were presented in July at a meeting of the American Podiatric Medical Association in Seattle.
Complications related to diabetes are the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation in the United States and cost an estimated $3 billion a year, according to the Amputee Coalition of America. An estimated 24 million Americans have diabetes and 86,000 undergo amputations each year, based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Diabetes Patients NEED More Prevention Services
It has been found that there is a distinct lack of appropriate prevention programmes for foot ulcers and amputations for patients that are suffering from type 2 diabetes, and it has been recommended that improved prevention services could significantly improve the high rate of amputation for diabetes patients.
Researchers have used information taken from electronic medical records to identify 150 patients on dialysis and 150 patients with a previous foot ulceration or amputation from 2000 to 2006. Factors such as patient education, podiatry care and the use of therapeutic shoes and insoles were monitored over a 30-month period. Despite 92.3 per cent of the overall population of the study having type 2 diabetes, only two patients in the dialysis group and none in the ulcer group were reported to be offered formal diabetes education.
In the study, 65 per cent of patients were seen by a podiatrist, of whom 70 per cent received care after developing a foot ulcer. This is compared with 42 per cent of patients in the dialysis group, and only 18 per cent of patients in the ulcer group received preventive care from a podiatrist.
It was noted that "Prevention services for the diabetic foot are simple to establish and can be made easily accessible through organized multidisciplinary care. These data provide further evidence that preventative foot care is not regularly provided, even among patients with the highest risk for lower limb complications. It also highlights an opportunity to improve prevention services for the diabetic foot with simple protocols for evaluation and referral."
Researchers have used information taken from electronic medical records to identify 150 patients on dialysis and 150 patients with a previous foot ulceration or amputation from 2000 to 2006. Factors such as patient education, podiatry care and the use of therapeutic shoes and insoles were monitored over a 30-month period. Despite 92.3 per cent of the overall population of the study having type 2 diabetes, only two patients in the dialysis group and none in the ulcer group were reported to be offered formal diabetes education.
In the study, 65 per cent of patients were seen by a podiatrist, of whom 70 per cent received care after developing a foot ulcer. This is compared with 42 per cent of patients in the dialysis group, and only 18 per cent of patients in the ulcer group received preventive care from a podiatrist.
It was noted that "Prevention services for the diabetic foot are simple to establish and can be made easily accessible through organized multidisciplinary care. These data provide further evidence that preventative foot care is not regularly provided, even among patients with the highest risk for lower limb complications. It also highlights an opportunity to improve prevention services for the diabetic foot with simple protocols for evaluation and referral."
Diabetes Diagnosis for MI Man: Dog Ate Toe
Most pet owners would be irate if their dog bit off one of their toes, but Jerry Douthett, of Rockford, MI is nothing but grateful: this canine feat may have saved his life. Douthett was alerted to the seriousness of a bone infection in his foot, resulting from previously undiagnosed Type II diabetes, when his terrier Kiko bit off his big toe while he was passed out drunk, according to The Grand Rapids Press
"Jerry had had all these Margaritas, so I just let him sleep," his wife, Rosee, a registered nurse told the Michigan paper. "But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, 'My toe's gone, my toe's gone!'" He suspected for months something was wrong with his foot, but the 48-year-old musician had only recently scheduled an appointment to see a doctor. Douthett was rushed to the hospital by Rosie where doctors amputated the rest of his toe and diagnosed him with Type II diabetes.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/08/dog_eats_rockford_mans_big_toe.html
"Jerry had had all these Margaritas, so I just let him sleep," his wife, Rosee, a registered nurse told the Michigan paper. "But then I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, 'My toe's gone, my toe's gone!'" He suspected for months something was wrong with his foot, but the 48-year-old musician had only recently scheduled an appointment to see a doctor. Douthett was rushed to the hospital by Rosie where doctors amputated the rest of his toe and diagnosed him with Type II diabetes.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/08/dog_eats_rockford_mans_big_toe.html
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Top 10 First-Aid Essentials for Child Safety
What all parents need to have in their medicine cabinet for handling minor and major mishaps.
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD Print Email Lots of words can describe kids. "Naturally exuberant," "naturally active," and "naturally curious," are three phrases that Ken Haller, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, chooses to use.
Natural excitement and curiosity are normal and healthy parts of development, but they present special challenges for child safety. Children don't usually spend much time thinking about how to stay safe and healthy. That's mom and dad's job. While scrapes and bruises are also a normal part of childhood, there are more serious threats, such as poisoning and burns. Keeping key first-aid supplies handy for common injuries is a great first step in a child safety plan.
Child Safety: The Top 10 First-Aid Essentials
1. Your local poison control number. Almost 80 percent of reported poisoning cases involve children, and most of those are among children age 5 and under. Haller recommends placing the phone number for your local poison control center in your medicine cabinet and on your refrigerator, and programming it into your cell phone. "The centers are open 24 hours a day and have a nurse on call who can tell you exactly what to do after you describe the situation," Dr. Haller says. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in a life-threatening emergency situation, dial 911.
2. Pain relief medication. Child safety choices include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Monitor children's dosages carefully. For instance, if they're sick with a cough and congestion and you've already given them a medicine with acetaminophen (like a cold remedy), you don't want to give them another dose of Tylenol at the same time.
3. An assortment of bandages. A two-inch-square sterile gauze pad can clean almost any wound, says Haller. In addition, have adhesive-free dressings, other sizes of sterile pads, or a roll of gauze for minor burns or kneecap scrapes. Tape and strip bandages in a variety of sizes work for cuts and blisters, and an elastic wrap like an Ace bandage is effective for sprains.
4. Soap for clean-up. "For most wounds, cleaning with soap and water is good enough," says Haller. Always wash a wound before dressing it. You might also want to have an antiseptic solution or towelettes handy, which Haller says makes a good disinfectant.
5. Antibiotic ointment. Choose today's gold standard, Polysporin, or the old standby, bacitracin. For a large open wound on a frightened young patient, you can put the ointment on the bandage pad, instead of directly on the injury.
6. Tweezers. Essential for the removal of splinters or dirt particles from a cut or puncture wound, tweezers should be wiped with alcohol before using. If possible, have both a pointed tip and a slanted tip pair.
7. Itch relief. Choose a few different formats to cover all itchy bases. Calamine lotion is still a soother for poison ivy and the like. Over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone cream is great for dermatitis-type skin rashes and irritations, while an OTC antihistamine like Benadryl (a cold symptom and nasal allergy mainstay), is handy for an itchy initial reaction to a wasp or bee sting. If your child breaks out in hives and has any throat swelling, signs of a serious allergic reaction, call your doctor immediately.
8. "Instant" ice packs. These disposable packs don't need to be kept frozen and are literally a snap to use to reduce swelling after an injury.
9. A tooth-preserving storage device. Should one of your child's permanent teeth get knocked out by accident, a product like Save-A-Tooth will hold and protect it on your way to the dentist, improving the chances of it being replanting.
10. A sterile eye wash. This is handy to flush out any dirt or foreign particles that get into the eyes.
Child Safety: What to Toss
Here are a few medicine chest items that can be cleared out to make room for the top 10 child safety items:
• Ipecac (a poison treatment). "Ipecac is not recommended anymore," says Haller. Not only can ipecac cause a number of side effects, it can also make the damage of certain harsh poisons worse. Each poison affects the body differently and needs a different treatment approach.
• Neosporin. This antibacterial ointment may cause redness or inflammation and has been largely abandoned in favor of Polysporin or bacitracin.
• Aspirin is not recommended for children, unless specifically directed by your physician, because of the risk of a condition called Reye's syndrome.
• Expired products. Check your medicine cabinet every three months and get rid of products that have reached their expiration date. "It's not that they become toxic, but that the components break down, so they're simply no longer effective," Haller explains. "If you notice that your product is only past the date by a week or so and you need it right then, go ahead and use it. Just make a mental note to replace it soon." This advice goes for both over-the-counter and prescription items.
Taking time to ensure child safety is important. With a carefully thought-out shopping list and a trip to your favorite drugstore, you can easily outfit your medicine cabinet for most of life's little bumps along your child's road to discovery.
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD Print Email Lots of words can describe kids. "Naturally exuberant," "naturally active," and "naturally curious," are three phrases that Ken Haller, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, chooses to use.
Natural excitement and curiosity are normal and healthy parts of development, but they present special challenges for child safety. Children don't usually spend much time thinking about how to stay safe and healthy. That's mom and dad's job. While scrapes and bruises are also a normal part of childhood, there are more serious threats, such as poisoning and burns. Keeping key first-aid supplies handy for common injuries is a great first step in a child safety plan.
Child Safety: The Top 10 First-Aid Essentials
1. Your local poison control number. Almost 80 percent of reported poisoning cases involve children, and most of those are among children age 5 and under. Haller recommends placing the phone number for your local poison control center in your medicine cabinet and on your refrigerator, and programming it into your cell phone. "The centers are open 24 hours a day and have a nurse on call who can tell you exactly what to do after you describe the situation," Dr. Haller says. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in a life-threatening emergency situation, dial 911.
2. Pain relief medication. Child safety choices include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Monitor children's dosages carefully. For instance, if they're sick with a cough and congestion and you've already given them a medicine with acetaminophen (like a cold remedy), you don't want to give them another dose of Tylenol at the same time.
3. An assortment of bandages. A two-inch-square sterile gauze pad can clean almost any wound, says Haller. In addition, have adhesive-free dressings, other sizes of sterile pads, or a roll of gauze for minor burns or kneecap scrapes. Tape and strip bandages in a variety of sizes work for cuts and blisters, and an elastic wrap like an Ace bandage is effective for sprains.
4. Soap for clean-up. "For most wounds, cleaning with soap and water is good enough," says Haller. Always wash a wound before dressing it. You might also want to have an antiseptic solution or towelettes handy, which Haller says makes a good disinfectant.
5. Antibiotic ointment. Choose today's gold standard, Polysporin, or the old standby, bacitracin. For a large open wound on a frightened young patient, you can put the ointment on the bandage pad, instead of directly on the injury.
6. Tweezers. Essential for the removal of splinters or dirt particles from a cut or puncture wound, tweezers should be wiped with alcohol before using. If possible, have both a pointed tip and a slanted tip pair.
7. Itch relief. Choose a few different formats to cover all itchy bases. Calamine lotion is still a soother for poison ivy and the like. Over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone cream is great for dermatitis-type skin rashes and irritations, while an OTC antihistamine like Benadryl (a cold symptom and nasal allergy mainstay), is handy for an itchy initial reaction to a wasp or bee sting. If your child breaks out in hives and has any throat swelling, signs of a serious allergic reaction, call your doctor immediately.
8. "Instant" ice packs. These disposable packs don't need to be kept frozen and are literally a snap to use to reduce swelling after an injury.
9. A tooth-preserving storage device. Should one of your child's permanent teeth get knocked out by accident, a product like Save-A-Tooth will hold and protect it on your way to the dentist, improving the chances of it being replanting.
10. A sterile eye wash. This is handy to flush out any dirt or foreign particles that get into the eyes.
Child Safety: What to Toss
Here are a few medicine chest items that can be cleared out to make room for the top 10 child safety items:
• Ipecac (a poison treatment). "Ipecac is not recommended anymore," says Haller. Not only can ipecac cause a number of side effects, it can also make the damage of certain harsh poisons worse. Each poison affects the body differently and needs a different treatment approach.
• Neosporin. This antibacterial ointment may cause redness or inflammation and has been largely abandoned in favor of Polysporin or bacitracin.
• Aspirin is not recommended for children, unless specifically directed by your physician, because of the risk of a condition called Reye's syndrome.
• Expired products. Check your medicine cabinet every three months and get rid of products that have reached their expiration date. "It's not that they become toxic, but that the components break down, so they're simply no longer effective," Haller explains. "If you notice that your product is only past the date by a week or so and you need it right then, go ahead and use it. Just make a mental note to replace it soon." This advice goes for both over-the-counter and prescription items.
Taking time to ensure child safety is important. With a carefully thought-out shopping list and a trip to your favorite drugstore, you can easily outfit your medicine cabinet for most of life's little bumps along your child's road to discovery.
Monday, July 19, 2010
A revolutionary sneaker, or overhyped gimmick?
By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
They are, advertisements say, a game-changer in athletic footwear: sneakers that are supposed to tone muscles, promote healthy weight loss and improve the posture of those who walk, work or shop in them.
The makers of "toning shoes" say the shoes can help give wearers more shapely butts, legs and abs, often without the need for gym workouts. That's partly why toning shoes — which often have a rounded sole like a rocking chair, to stretch the wearer's leg muscles with each stride — represent the fastest-growing segment of the $17 billion-a-year athletic footwear industry. It's a market driven by a customer base that is 90% women, according to sneaker analyst Matt Powell of SportsOneSource.
YOUR HEALTH: 'Rocker' shoe put to the test
Busy moms and working women who spend much of the day on their feet — such as teachers, nurses, hairstylists and restaurant servers — are among the most devoted buyers of toning shoes, which typically sell for $100 to $250.
Skechers, the market leader, now has Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana touting the shoes in an effort to attract men. Powell predicts that sales will explode 400% this year, to more than $1.5 billion.
"We've never seen a category grow this fast," he says.
But now a growing number of doctors are warning that toning shoes don't deliver on their marketing promises and could cause injuries by, among other things, changing a person's gait, or way of walking.
Claims that toning shoes can significantly contribute to a person's fitness are "utter nonsense," says Barbara de Lateur, distinguished service professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine in Baltimore.
De Lateur and other doctors warn that toning shoes create their advertised benefit by destabilizing how a person walks and say that wearing the shoes can result in strained Achilles tendons. De Lateur also says the shoes can be a particular problem for older consumers or those who have difficulty keeping their balance.
Alison Drury of Louisville can attest to that.
She says she broke her right ankle after awkwardly rolling over the outside of her foot during her first mile-long walk in Skechers Shape-ups shoes.
"I'm afraid to ever put them on again," Drury says.
Montana said in an interview that his Shape-ups walking, cross-training and running shoes helped relieve pain in his knees and back and enabled him to start jogging for the first time in 15 years.
As for people getting hurt or doctors' warnings, the four-time Super Bowl champion says he can only talk from personal experience.
"I haven't fallen off one yet. And I've been jogging and walking for a long time in them," he says. "I can understand people's thoughts. But once you get in, and get yourself comfortable and used to the feel and the shape of the shoe, you don't even notice it."
A bright spot in the market
Toning shoes try to replicate the gentle, heel-to-toe motion of walking on a soft, sandy beach.
The instability built into them makes a wearer work harder to maintain his or her balance — effectively giving muscles a more rigorous workout, shoe companies say. This notion is explained in the instructional booklet and DVD that accompany Skechers Shape-ups.
The basic concept of shoes that result in the wearer's heels being lower than their toes is not new. Remember the Earth Shoe phenomenon in the 1970s?
But the sales and marketing by toning shoemakers such as Skechers, Reebok, MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology), Avia and New Balance are thoroughly 2010.
A growing number of companies, such as Skechers and Reebok, are moving beyond clunky-looking walking shoes and rolling out sleeker-looking toning sneakers for running, training and hiking that look more like athletic than orthopedic shoes.
Other companies, such as FitFlop, are rolling out toning sandals and clogs.
Toning shoes typically sell for more than basketball, running or cross-training shoes. That has made toning shoes a bright spot for manufacturers and retailers in the otherwise flat athletic footwear market, in which overall sales slid 1.4% in 2009, according to the NPD Group.
The only thing bigger than toning shoes' sales growth might be the claims their marketers make about them. The Skechers website says Shape-ups will help you "Shape Up While You Walk" by toning your butt, leg and abdominal muscles, burning calories, fighting cellulite, improving your posture and circulation and reducing knee joint stress.
"Get in Shape Without Setting Foot in a Gym," Skechers claims.
Reebok, on its website, says the balance-ball-inspired technology used in its EasyTone shoes generates 28% more muscle activity in the gluteus maximus muscles of test subjects and 11% more in their hamstrings and calves.
"EasyTone shoes help tone your butt and legs with every step," Reebok says.
MBT says its "Anti-Shoe" will "tone muscles your trainer never knew you had." In the movie The Joneses, Demi Moore plays a sexy suburban mom who makes the other housewives desperate for her MBTs.
'Sorry, I don't see it'
There are elements of truth to the ads, according to doctors who have questioned the effectiveness and safety of toning shoes. But many of the doctors want more independent studies on the shoes, rather than industry-financed research. Other doctors, such as de Lateur, say they have seen enough to conclude that the shoes mostly represent hype.
Her colleague at Johns Hopkins, Wendy Shore, says consumers would get the supposed health benefits of toning shoes and save money if they skipped buying the shoes, then "bought one less bagel a day — and walked an extra block."
David Davidson, national president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, says the shoes basically make adults learn to walk, or run, all over again by changing their gait. That's a "scary" prospect for someone with a "borderline problem" they might not know about.
Davidson says he's suspicious of any shoes that come with an instructional booklet and DVD.
"Nothing about these shoes has any redeeming value to me," he says. "Sorry, I don't see it."
Bryan Markinson, chief of podiatric medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says some of his patients who are "not in the greatest of shape" have inflamed their Achilles tendons while wearing toning shoes. People thinking of buying them, he says, should begin an "active stretching program" or else risk injury.
Jonathan Deland, chief of foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, warns the shoes can be "dangerous" for people with balance problems.
On the other hand, Deland acknowledges that he has worn Shape-ups and likes the way they make wearers use their muscles more to maintain balance.
"I don't want people to think these toning shoes are like going to the gym and feeling like you did a really great workout," Deland says.
"Can they help a bit? Yes."
Limits encouraged
Manufacturers point to thousands of unsolicited testimonials they say they've received from customers who report their shoes toned their legs and buttocks, reduced their waist or dress sizes and helped alleviate foot injuries such as heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.
Jennifer Weiderman, vice president of Skechers' Fitness Group, says she doesn't know of any customers who've injured themselves. To get used to them, people should wear them 25 to 45 minutes a day for the first couple of weeks, she says.
"It's like any new exercise program or eating plan," she says. "You don't want to go into it like gangbusters."
As for toning shoes' critics, she suggests they try a pair before making up their minds.
"We've had a lot of podiatrists, also chiropractors and medical professionals, who think they're great," she says. As with any new category, she adds, "There's always people who will have opinions."
Regarding Skechers' claim that consumers can get in shape without setting foot in the gym, she says that's meant more for people who don't have the time or money for often-pricey gym memberships.
"So if you can't get to the gym, you still can incorporate fitness into your lifestyle. I believe that's the premise behind that line," she says.
Robert Forster, a physical therapist in Santa Monica, Calif., was hired by Skechers to research the effect of Shape-ups. His conclusion: The shoes are a good way to "increase calorie burn and activate more muscles" while walking or doing daily errands.
All shoes change a person's gait, Forster says, adding that Shape-ups can improve a wearer's gait.
However, people with balance problems or tight Achilles tendons should take a "cautious approach," he says.
With air-filled pods on the bottom that sink into the shoes as the wearer walks, Reebok's EasyTone shoes look more like regular sneakers than the rounded-bottom Skechers Shape-ups.
Katrin Ley, Reebok's head of brand strategy, predicts the company will sell more than 5 million pairs in the USA this year — and a total of 10 million globally, because the brand is making strong inroads in Europe and Asia.
"It's something that is relevant around the world," Ley says.
Bill McInnis, head of Reebok's Advanced Innovation division, says the company sees EasyTones as "part of an active lifestyle," not a substitute for one. "We're not trying to say, 'Hey, this is a magic bullet. You don't have to work out again.' "
Not every athletic footwear maker is sold on toning shoes, however. Industry leader Nike has no plans to sell such shoes and is scornful of the products on the market.
"Our focus is on creating performance products that really work," Nike spokesman Derek Kent said in a statement.
"Unlike today's toning products, we won't ask the consumer to compromise on stability, flexibility or any other key performance characteristics as they train."
Mixed reactions
Such criticism might slow, but won't stop, toning shoes' popularity and sales growth, sneaker industry analyst Powell says.
Despite the reluctance of many men to buy a product that some see as "women's shoes," he expects sales of toning shoes to men to eventually become 25% of the market.
The reaction of consumers who've worn the shoes runs the gamut.
Lisa Nosseir of Monroe Township, N.J., loves the "support and comfort" she gets from Shape-ups, although she thinks the toning claims are "far-fetched."
Barb Likos of Denver says she considers her toning shoes a "cute gimmick."
Her Shape-ups help to strengthen her calf muscles, she says, but did nothing to tone her butt and thighs. Even though they are her "most comfortable pair of shoes," she says she regrets spending $120 on them.
As for Skechers trying to persuade men to buy them, well, good luck with that.
"My husband would not be caught dead in these things," Likos says.
If anyone's looking for a slightly used pair of Shape-ups, they can contact Drury in Louisville
They are, advertisements say, a game-changer in athletic footwear: sneakers that are supposed to tone muscles, promote healthy weight loss and improve the posture of those who walk, work or shop in them.
The makers of "toning shoes" say the shoes can help give wearers more shapely butts, legs and abs, often without the need for gym workouts. That's partly why toning shoes — which often have a rounded sole like a rocking chair, to stretch the wearer's leg muscles with each stride — represent the fastest-growing segment of the $17 billion-a-year athletic footwear industry. It's a market driven by a customer base that is 90% women, according to sneaker analyst Matt Powell of SportsOneSource.
YOUR HEALTH: 'Rocker' shoe put to the test
Busy moms and working women who spend much of the day on their feet — such as teachers, nurses, hairstylists and restaurant servers — are among the most devoted buyers of toning shoes, which typically sell for $100 to $250.
Skechers, the market leader, now has Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana touting the shoes in an effort to attract men. Powell predicts that sales will explode 400% this year, to more than $1.5 billion.
"We've never seen a category grow this fast," he says.
But now a growing number of doctors are warning that toning shoes don't deliver on their marketing promises and could cause injuries by, among other things, changing a person's gait, or way of walking.
Claims that toning shoes can significantly contribute to a person's fitness are "utter nonsense," says Barbara de Lateur, distinguished service professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine in Baltimore.
De Lateur and other doctors warn that toning shoes create their advertised benefit by destabilizing how a person walks and say that wearing the shoes can result in strained Achilles tendons. De Lateur also says the shoes can be a particular problem for older consumers or those who have difficulty keeping their balance.
Alison Drury of Louisville can attest to that.
She says she broke her right ankle after awkwardly rolling over the outside of her foot during her first mile-long walk in Skechers Shape-ups shoes.
"I'm afraid to ever put them on again," Drury says.
Montana said in an interview that his Shape-ups walking, cross-training and running shoes helped relieve pain in his knees and back and enabled him to start jogging for the first time in 15 years.
As for people getting hurt or doctors' warnings, the four-time Super Bowl champion says he can only talk from personal experience.
"I haven't fallen off one yet. And I've been jogging and walking for a long time in them," he says. "I can understand people's thoughts. But once you get in, and get yourself comfortable and used to the feel and the shape of the shoe, you don't even notice it."
A bright spot in the market
Toning shoes try to replicate the gentle, heel-to-toe motion of walking on a soft, sandy beach.
The instability built into them makes a wearer work harder to maintain his or her balance — effectively giving muscles a more rigorous workout, shoe companies say. This notion is explained in the instructional booklet and DVD that accompany Skechers Shape-ups.
The basic concept of shoes that result in the wearer's heels being lower than their toes is not new. Remember the Earth Shoe phenomenon in the 1970s?
But the sales and marketing by toning shoemakers such as Skechers, Reebok, MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology), Avia and New Balance are thoroughly 2010.
A growing number of companies, such as Skechers and Reebok, are moving beyond clunky-looking walking shoes and rolling out sleeker-looking toning sneakers for running, training and hiking that look more like athletic than orthopedic shoes.
Other companies, such as FitFlop, are rolling out toning sandals and clogs.
Toning shoes typically sell for more than basketball, running or cross-training shoes. That has made toning shoes a bright spot for manufacturers and retailers in the otherwise flat athletic footwear market, in which overall sales slid 1.4% in 2009, according to the NPD Group.
The only thing bigger than toning shoes' sales growth might be the claims their marketers make about them. The Skechers website says Shape-ups will help you "Shape Up While You Walk" by toning your butt, leg and abdominal muscles, burning calories, fighting cellulite, improving your posture and circulation and reducing knee joint stress.
"Get in Shape Without Setting Foot in a Gym," Skechers claims.
Reebok, on its website, says the balance-ball-inspired technology used in its EasyTone shoes generates 28% more muscle activity in the gluteus maximus muscles of test subjects and 11% more in their hamstrings and calves.
"EasyTone shoes help tone your butt and legs with every step," Reebok says.
MBT says its "Anti-Shoe" will "tone muscles your trainer never knew you had." In the movie The Joneses, Demi Moore plays a sexy suburban mom who makes the other housewives desperate for her MBTs.
'Sorry, I don't see it'
There are elements of truth to the ads, according to doctors who have questioned the effectiveness and safety of toning shoes. But many of the doctors want more independent studies on the shoes, rather than industry-financed research. Other doctors, such as de Lateur, say they have seen enough to conclude that the shoes mostly represent hype.
Her colleague at Johns Hopkins, Wendy Shore, says consumers would get the supposed health benefits of toning shoes and save money if they skipped buying the shoes, then "bought one less bagel a day — and walked an extra block."
David Davidson, national president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, says the shoes basically make adults learn to walk, or run, all over again by changing their gait. That's a "scary" prospect for someone with a "borderline problem" they might not know about.
Davidson says he's suspicious of any shoes that come with an instructional booklet and DVD.
"Nothing about these shoes has any redeeming value to me," he says. "Sorry, I don't see it."
Bryan Markinson, chief of podiatric medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says some of his patients who are "not in the greatest of shape" have inflamed their Achilles tendons while wearing toning shoes. People thinking of buying them, he says, should begin an "active stretching program" or else risk injury.
Jonathan Deland, chief of foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, warns the shoes can be "dangerous" for people with balance problems.
On the other hand, Deland acknowledges that he has worn Shape-ups and likes the way they make wearers use their muscles more to maintain balance.
"I don't want people to think these toning shoes are like going to the gym and feeling like you did a really great workout," Deland says.
"Can they help a bit? Yes."
Limits encouraged
Manufacturers point to thousands of unsolicited testimonials they say they've received from customers who report their shoes toned their legs and buttocks, reduced their waist or dress sizes and helped alleviate foot injuries such as heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.
Jennifer Weiderman, vice president of Skechers' Fitness Group, says she doesn't know of any customers who've injured themselves. To get used to them, people should wear them 25 to 45 minutes a day for the first couple of weeks, she says.
"It's like any new exercise program or eating plan," she says. "You don't want to go into it like gangbusters."
As for toning shoes' critics, she suggests they try a pair before making up their minds.
"We've had a lot of podiatrists, also chiropractors and medical professionals, who think they're great," she says. As with any new category, she adds, "There's always people who will have opinions."
Regarding Skechers' claim that consumers can get in shape without setting foot in the gym, she says that's meant more for people who don't have the time or money for often-pricey gym memberships.
"So if you can't get to the gym, you still can incorporate fitness into your lifestyle. I believe that's the premise behind that line," she says.
Robert Forster, a physical therapist in Santa Monica, Calif., was hired by Skechers to research the effect of Shape-ups. His conclusion: The shoes are a good way to "increase calorie burn and activate more muscles" while walking or doing daily errands.
All shoes change a person's gait, Forster says, adding that Shape-ups can improve a wearer's gait.
However, people with balance problems or tight Achilles tendons should take a "cautious approach," he says.
With air-filled pods on the bottom that sink into the shoes as the wearer walks, Reebok's EasyTone shoes look more like regular sneakers than the rounded-bottom Skechers Shape-ups.
Katrin Ley, Reebok's head of brand strategy, predicts the company will sell more than 5 million pairs in the USA this year — and a total of 10 million globally, because the brand is making strong inroads in Europe and Asia.
"It's something that is relevant around the world," Ley says.
Bill McInnis, head of Reebok's Advanced Innovation division, says the company sees EasyTones as "part of an active lifestyle," not a substitute for one. "We're not trying to say, 'Hey, this is a magic bullet. You don't have to work out again.' "
Not every athletic footwear maker is sold on toning shoes, however. Industry leader Nike has no plans to sell such shoes and is scornful of the products on the market.
"Our focus is on creating performance products that really work," Nike spokesman Derek Kent said in a statement.
"Unlike today's toning products, we won't ask the consumer to compromise on stability, flexibility or any other key performance characteristics as they train."
Mixed reactions
Such criticism might slow, but won't stop, toning shoes' popularity and sales growth, sneaker industry analyst Powell says.
Despite the reluctance of many men to buy a product that some see as "women's shoes," he expects sales of toning shoes to men to eventually become 25% of the market.
The reaction of consumers who've worn the shoes runs the gamut.
Lisa Nosseir of Monroe Township, N.J., loves the "support and comfort" she gets from Shape-ups, although she thinks the toning claims are "far-fetched."
Barb Likos of Denver says she considers her toning shoes a "cute gimmick."
Her Shape-ups help to strengthen her calf muscles, she says, but did nothing to tone her butt and thighs. Even though they are her "most comfortable pair of shoes," she says she regrets spending $120 on them.
As for Skechers trying to persuade men to buy them, well, good luck with that.
"My husband would not be caught dead in these things," Likos says.
If anyone's looking for a slightly used pair of Shape-ups, they can contact Drury in Louisville
Friday, July 16, 2010
Numb toes and diabetes warning sign
It is very important to realize that numb toes are a serious sign of diabetic neuropathy. This clearly means that the nerves of the feet are being damaged. This is a serious warning that must not be ignored. If this is not treated you can lose your feet. Many have had their feet cut off due to this problem. Numb toes are a warning that the diabetic or person with high blood glucose is losing the fight.
It is important to recognize that time is critical to the diabetic. Those who wait lose the body. The cause of the problem of numb toes is that the blood circulation is being cut off and this is something that you do not want. As the blood vessels and nerves become overtaken by the blood glucose poison the numbness in the feet come in. As the diabetic waits the vessels and nerves are overcome and lose.
Diabetes is a poison hign blood glucose that destroys the body. The typical diabetes diet of sugar free cannot stop the damage to the toes and fingers. Only a specialized diabetes foot diet can reverse the nerve damage. Diabetes is increasing worldwide with millions losing the battle to this illness.
A diabetic must realize that a common sugar free diet is not enough to reverse the problems of diabetic feet and toes. Never wait to find a reverse diabetes diet.
It is important to recognize that time is critical to the diabetic. Those who wait lose the body. The cause of the problem of numb toes is that the blood circulation is being cut off and this is something that you do not want. As the blood vessels and nerves become overtaken by the blood glucose poison the numbness in the feet come in. As the diabetic waits the vessels and nerves are overcome and lose.
Diabetes is a poison hign blood glucose that destroys the body. The typical diabetes diet of sugar free cannot stop the damage to the toes and fingers. Only a specialized diabetes foot diet can reverse the nerve damage. Diabetes is increasing worldwide with millions losing the battle to this illness.
A diabetic must realize that a common sugar free diet is not enough to reverse the problems of diabetic feet and toes. Never wait to find a reverse diabetes diet.
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