Our office will be moving soon to 1140 Varnum Street NE, Suite #30
For anyone who has suffered from swollen ankles, you know how uncomfortable this can be. Such swelling can make it hard to walk, and the skin on the ankle may feel tight and stretched. Swelling of the ankles can result from a variety of things including injury, like a broken leg or sprained ankle, inflammation, and fluid retention. Ankles are a common lower extremity to experience swelling because of the accumulation of fluids in the body and gravity. Those more likely to experience swelling in their ankles include seniors, those who are overweight, and those who spend a prolonged time on their feet or in hot weather. Pregnant women are another group of people who are prone to ankle swelling because of their natural fluid retention, pressure on veins from the extra weight they are carrying, and a fluctuation of hormones. Swollen ankles are typically temporary, and resting and elevating the feet can resolve the problem. However, if the swelling is from an underlying health condition, like diabetes, a blood clot, heart failure, or even a problem with high blood pressure during pregnancy, it can be a more serious situation requiring immediate medical care. If you are experiencing swelling in your ankles and it is causing you persistent or worsening pain, or if you have other symptoms, it is strongly suggested that you make an appointment with a podiatrist to understand what is underlying the swelling and obtain treatment.
Ankle pain can be caused by a number of problems and may be potentially serious. If you have ankle pain, consult with Dr. Lubrina Bryant from District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
Ankle pain is any condition that causes pain in the ankle. Due to the fact that the ankle consists of tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments, ankle pain can come from a number of different conditions.
Causes
The most common causes of ankle pain include:
Symptoms
Symptoms of ankle injury vary based upon the condition. Pain may include general pain and discomfort, swelling, aching, redness, bruising, burning or stabbing sensations, and/or loss of sensation.
Diagnosis
Due to the wide variety of potential causes of ankle pain, podiatrists will utilize a number of different methods to properly diagnose ankle pain. This can include asking for personal and family medical histories and of any recent injuries. Further diagnosis may include sensation tests, a physical examination, and potentially x-rays or other imaging tests.
Treatment
Just as the range of causes varies widely, so do treatments. Some more common treatments are rest, ice packs, keeping pressure off the foot, orthotics and braces, medication for inflammation and pain, and surgery.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Ankles are joints that connect bones in the feet with bones in the lower leg. They are comprised of bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves. The ankle joint allows the foot to move side-to-side, as well as up-and-down.
Ankle pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, but is most commonly due to soft tissue injuries such as ankle sprains and strains.
An ankle sprain occurs when one or more of the strong ligaments that support and stabilize the ankle become overly stretched or even torn if the ankle rolls, turns, or twists awkwardly. Depending on the grade of sprain (mild-moderate-severe), there will be varying degrees of pain, swelling, and restricted range of motion, along with tenderness, bruising, and ankle instability. There may even be an audible popping noise at the moment of injury.
Ankle strains can sometimes produce similar symptoms of pain, swelling, and loss of motion, however, they are due to overly stretched muscles and tendons—not ligaments. Ankle strains may also cause muscle cramps in the feet, calves and shins.
Ankle fractures are another common source of ankle pain and occur one or more of the three bones in the ankle become fractured (broken). These breaks can be stress fractures (due to repetitive stress) or traumatic fractures (due to an acute injury). Depending on where and how severe the fracture is, symptoms can include pain and swelling that can sometimes spread up to the knee, bruising or discoloration, and an inability to bear weight. A visible deformity or exposed bone may occur in severe fractures.
Various forms of arthritis may also cause ankle pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes the immune system to attack healthy joints, like the ankle joint, by mistake, causing stiffness and swelling in both ankles. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage covering the ends of bones wears down, causing the bones to rub against each other. This results in pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in the ankle. Gout is a form of arthritis where excess amounts of uric acid in the bloodstream crystallize and build up on joints, causing severe pain and swelling. Reactive arthritis causes joint pain and swelling in the ankle in response to an infection in another part of the body.
Other forms of ankle pain include bursitis (an inflammation of a cushioning bursa sac between tendons and bone), scleroderma (a thickening of connective tissues), chronic ankle instability (caused by improperly healed ankle sprains), Achilles tendon injuries, flat feet, or an infection in the ankle.
It is necessary to protect the entire foot while working. Here are two classifications that most work-related foot injuries fall into. Lacerations, sprains, and punctures can fall into one category and account for approximately 10 percent of injuries that affect the feet. The second group can include slipping, falling, and tripping, which can happen as a result of a lack of foot safety. Many of these types of injuries can be avoided when the correct shoes are worn for the job being done. Wearing proper footwear can consist of having adequate room for the toes to move freely in, and having a low, wide heel may also help to reduce tripping hazards. Maintaining proper foot care such as trimming the toenails, and washing the feet daily can significantly contribute to foot safety at work. If you would like more information about how to protect your feet while at work, it is suggested that you consult with a podiatrist who can provide you with useful tips.
While working on the feet, it is important to take the proper care of them. For more information about working on your feet, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant from District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will treat your foot and ankle needs.
Working on Your Feet
Standing on your feet for long periods of time can cause stress and pain in your feet. Your whole body may experience change in terms of posture, back pain, bunions, callouses and or plantar warts. There are ways to avoid these conditions with proper foot care, smart choices and correct posture.
Positive Changes
Negative heeled shoe – Choosing this shoe type places the heel slightly lower than the ball of the foot. These are great for overall foot health. Find shoes that fit you correctly.
Go barefoot – Our feet were not designed to be enclosed for all hours of the day. Try to periodically expose your feet to air.
Eliminate Pain
Foot Exercises – Performing simple exercises, incorporating yoga and doing stretches are beneficial. This will allow increased blood flow to the area and muscles of the foot.
Achilles tendon – Stretching the foot out flat on the floor will relax the calf muscles and tendon. These exercises can be performed almost anywhere. Make sure you add these exercises to your daily regimen.
With a little bit of this information and knowing more about foot health, you will notice changes. Foot stretches and proper footwear will help with pain and prevent further issues.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.
Foot care is important regardless of your profession, but those who work on their feet must pay special attention. Bunions, calluses, blisters, and plantar warts are just a few of the many conditions that can arise after standing all day. While painful at their worst, these conditions can easily be avoided with the right foot care. This includes both appropriate footwear and proper posture—important elements that affect the health of your feet.
Choosing appropriate footwear means choosing a shoe that has a negative heel. This means that the heel is slightly lower than the ball of your foot, which places less of a strain. If you have a profession that requires you to be on your feet all day, investing in a pair of high-quality shoes is pertinent. High-quality shoes can be purchased from a respected manufacturer that emphasizes foot care and foot health.
Despite the regularity of wearing shoes, the feet are naturally not designed to be enclosed. Regular “barefoot” time for your feet can be beneficial for foot health. Among other methods, allowing your feet to breathe can help alleviate the pain and pressure your feet may be experiencing from being on your feet all day.
Simple foot exercises and yoga positions can help improve both the health and function of your feet. Active foot exercises that create movement will stimulate your foot’s blood flow and circulation, and yoga positions that place your feet flat onto the floor will stretch out their muscles. Yoga is particularly beneficial for your Achilles tendon and calf muscles, which are areas that can become especially problematic if not taken care of. Foot exercises and yoga positions can be easily performed every day at virtually any location and any time; whether it is at the office, at the gym, or at home right before you go to bed. Simple stretching can increase your foot health by miles.
The foot pain you experience after lengthy hours working on your feet may seem inevitable and unavoidable; in reality, however, that is not the case. Wearing proper footwear and performing simple foot exercises and stretches can help ease foot pain and allow you to truly avoid frustrating foot problems.
Your feet can easily be kept healthy with some education and a little effort. Pain that begins at the feet can eventually affect the whole body. Begin taking care of your feet now!
A chronic foot wound is a wound on the foot that does not repair itself in a normal or timely manner. Because such wounds can have serious consequences, it is important for those at risk to practice wound prevention and treatment guidelines. Wounds on the feet can include arterial, diabetic, pressure wounds and venous ulcers. When such wounds surface, it is crucial that they be assessed and even biopsied. Treating such wounds is based on the TIME principle which stands for tissue debridement, infection control, moisture balance, and edges of the wound. Once these things are evaluated, treatment is specific to the wound type. Underlying conditions, such as diabetes or vascular disease are also important to manage. If you are someone who has chronic foot wounds, it is highly suggested that you are under the care of a podiatrist, who can regularly examine your feet and immediately treat wounds that surface.
Wound care is an important part in dealing with diabetes. If you have diabetes and a foot wound or would like more information about wound care for diabetics, consult with Dr. Lubrina Bryant from District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
What Is Wound Care?
Wound care is the practice of taking proper care of a wound. This can range from the smallest to the largest of wounds. While everyone can benefit from proper wound care, it is much more important for diabetics. Diabetics often suffer from poor blood circulation which causes wounds to heal much slower than they would in a non-diabetic.
What Is the Importance of Wound Care?
While it may not seem apparent with small ulcers on the foot, for diabetics, any size ulcer can become infected. Diabetics often also suffer from neuropathy, or nerve loss. This means they might not even feel when they have an ulcer on their foot. If the wound becomes severely infected, amputation may be necessary. Therefore, it is of the upmost importance to properly care for any and all foot wounds.
How to Care for Wounds
The best way to care for foot wounds is to prevent them. For diabetics, this means daily inspections of the feet for any signs of abnormalities or ulcers. It is also recommended to see a podiatrist several times a year for a foot inspection. If you do have an ulcer, run the wound under water to clear dirt from the wound; then apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover with a bandage. Bandages should be changed daily and keeping pressure off the wound is smart. It is advised to see a podiatrist, who can keep an eye on it.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
Diabetics must be wary of all wounds, regardless of depth or size. Diabetes, a chronic disease in which the body cannot properly use glucose the way it normally would, causes various complications that make wounds difficult to heal. Nerve damage or neuropathy will cause diabetics to have trouble feeling the pain of a blister or cut until the condition has significantly worsened or become infected. A diabetic’s weakened immune system can make even the most minor of wounds easily susceptible to infection. Diabetics are also more prone to developing narrow, clogged arteries, and are therefore more likely to develop wounds.
Wounds should be taken care of immediately after discovery, as even the smallest of wounds can become infected if enough bacteria build up within the wound. To remove dirt, wounds should be first rinsed under running water only. Soap, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine can irritate the injury and should be avoided. To prevent infection, apply antibiotic ointment to the wound and cover it with a bandage. The bandage should be changed daily. The skin around the wound may be cleaned with soap.
To prevent further exacerbation, see a doctor—especially if you have diabetes. Minor skin conditions can become larger problems if not properly inspected. As the wound heals, make sure to avoid applying pressure to the affected area.
Restless leg syndrome, referred to as RLS and also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a condition where an individual experiences tingling sensations and an urge to move the legs. It can also include a desire to move the feet and can be quite uncomfortable. Symptoms of this ailment typically worsen at night and interfere with sleep. While there is no cure for this syndrome, there may be help to relieve symptoms and increase sleep quality. It is beneficial to find the root cause of restless leg syndrome so that treatment can be more effective. Things that can lead to RLS include sleep deprivation, a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, certain medications, or renal insufficiency. Movement, such as exercise and stretching, consuming healthy foods, and getting massages may help. If you have restless leg syndrome and it is interfering with the quality of your life, it is suggested that you visit a podiatrist for an evaluation and treatment methods that are tailored to you.
Foot Pain
Foot pain can be extremely painful and debilitating. If you have a foot pain, consult with Dr. Lubrina Bryant from District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor will assess your condition and provide you with quality foot and ankle treatment.
Causes
Foot pain is a very broad condition that could be caused by one or more ailments. The most common include:
Diagnosis
To figure out the cause of foot pain, podiatrists utilize several different methods. This can range from simple visual inspections and sensation tests to X-rays and MRI scans. Prior medical history, family medical history, and any recent physical traumatic events will all be taken into consideration for a proper diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment depends upon the cause of the foot pain. Whether it is resting, staying off the foot, or having surgery; podiatrists have a number of treatment options available for foot pain.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
The feet, being the foundation of the body, carry all of the body’s weight and are therefore prone to experiencing pain and discomfort. If you are experiencing foot pain, it is important to determine where in the foot you are experiencing this pain to help discover the cause of it. While pain can be experienced virtually anywhere in the foot, the most common sites of foot pain are in the heel and ankle.
Heel pain can be due to a multitude of conditions including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and heel spurs. Pain experienced in the ankle can be a sign of an ankle sprain, arthritis, gout, ankle instability, ankle fracture, or nerve compression. In more serious cases, pain in the foot can be a sign of improper alignment or an infection.
Foot pain can be accompanied by symptoms including redness, swelling, stiffness and warmth in the affected area. Whether the pain can be described as sharp or dull depends on the foot condition behind it. It is important to visit your local podiatrist if your foot pain and its accompanying symptoms persist and do not improve over time.
Depending on the location and condition of your foot pain, your podiatrist may prescribe certain treatments. These treatments can include but are not limited to prescription or over-the-counter drugs and medications, certain therapies, cortisone injections, or surgery.
If you are experiencing persistent foot pain, it is important to consult with your foot and ankle doctor to determine the cause and location. He or she will then prescribe the best treatment for you. While milder cases of foot pain may respond well to rest and at-home treatments, more serious cases may take some time to fully recover.
Suffering from this type of pain? You may have the foot condition known as Morton's neuroma. Morton's neuroma may develop as a result of ill-fitting footwear and existing foot deformities. We can help.
The toenails can look disfigured with a severe case of toenail fungus. It is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is considered to be highly contagious. This virus lives and thrives in warm and moist environments, such as public swimming pools, shower rooms, or similar areas. Some of the symptoms that are associated with toenail fungus can include yellowed nails that can become brittle, and the affected nails may emit an odor. It is beneficial to implement certain methods that are successful in preventing toenail fungus. These can consist of wearing appropriate shoes, such as flip flops or water shoes, and refraining from sharing shoes, socks, and towels. Toenail fungus does not improve without medical attention. If you have developed this condition, it is suggested that you confer with a podiatrist who can guide you toward the correct treatment options, which may include prescribed medicine.
If left untreated, toenail fungus may spread to other toenails, skin, or even fingernails. If you suspect you have toenail fungus it is important to seek treatment right away. For more information about treatment, contact Dr. Lubrina Bryant of District Podiatry, PLLC. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.
Symptoms
Treatment
If self-care strategies and over-the-counter medications does not help your fungus, your podiatrist may give you a prescription drug instead. Even if you find relief from your toenail fungus symptoms, you may experience a repeat infection in the future.
Prevention
In order to prevent getting toenail fungus in the future, you should always make sure to wash your feet with soap and water. After washing, it is important to dry your feet thoroughly especially in between the toes. When trimming your toenails, be sure to trim straight across instead of in a rounded shape. It is crucial not to cover up discolored nails with nail polish because that will prevent your nail from being able to “breathe”.
In some cases, surgical procedure may be needed to remove the toenail fungus. Consult with your podiatrist about the best treatment options for your case of toenail fungus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Washington, D.C . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot care needs.
