Ryan Howard Achilles Tendon

What a heart breaker to end the season with a Phillie's loss. What may be even more of a heart breaker is that Ryan Howard may have torn his Achilles tendon. If that is the case, he may not return until August of next year. He recently had cortisone injections around the tendon prior to the playoffs. Some Dr's do not like to give this type of injection near the Achilles Tendon for fear that it may rupture the tendon. We will not know until later today if the tendon was torn. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI. Stay tuned for more info.



http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/

Crawl before you walk

My daughter Paige asked my wife Karen and I a few weeks ago if we would participate with her in a 5K walk, for the cause, Walk from Obesity. This is a movement that Paige believes in so I tell her that I'm in. What I didn't tell her was that I have never participated in one. You see I used to be a weekend warrior but 4 knee operations, an osteochondral defect in my femur, an unrepaired torn ACL, and an arthritic hip on my other side has relegated me to being a dedicated golfer who always rides in a golf cart in order to play. Deep down inside I'm petrified that I'll embarass myself by limping my way for about a mile and then heading straight for the tent at the finish line.

In order to prepare for the event, I made a sort of mental checklist that I would like to share with you in case you are ever participating in your first walk or run.
-I inspected my cross trainers for wear and tear. They were fine but if they weren't, I was prepared to break in a new pair well before the walk.
-I made certain that my excellent pre-fabricated arch support devices were in place. A well-supported orthotic or pre-fab is a must for long periods of standing, walking, or exercise.
-I wore a comfortable, well-fitting pair of high percentage cotton athletic socks. Cotton helps your feet breathe better than synthetics.
-I made sure the socks did not bunch up in my cross trainers as that can easily cause blisters.
-I clipped my nails staight across, cutting them even with the flesh at the tip of my toes the day before the walk.
-I went to my local Y regularly and stayed limber utilizing machines devoted to the lower AND upper extremities. I always work out a few times a week but I wanted to make sure I didn't slack off now.
- I stretched daily, especially the quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
-I ate and slept well the week leading up to the walk.
-I hydrated well before, during, and after the walk.
-I wore a knee bace.

Well to make a long story short, I was able to complete the walk. After hitting the wall in the first third, I found it easier as I went along. I iced the knee down afterward and actually felt fine the next day. I enjoyed myself and am now not afraid to participate in other walks for good causes.

For more information on this cause, please visit: http://www.walkfromobesity.com/

Bradford J. Jacobs, DPM
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/

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