FALL FOR HEALTHY FEETOCTOBER 2010
Pink
Showing Breast Cancer Support in October
Our Staff in Pink
HAPPY FALL!

October is a great month in Virginia...beautiful weather, beautiful leaves and so much to do.  We hope you are getting outside to enjoy it all and are doing so without any foot and ankle pain!

Our office staff has decided to go 'PINK' this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.  It is not foot & ankle related but has affected almost everyone in some way and we are happy to help promote awareness this month by wearing pink both online and in person.
 
If anyone in your family suffers from foot and ankle pain, please visit our WEBSITE.  It is a great resource for athletes, people experiencing heel or ankle pain, diabetics and more.  We also keep our BLOG updated with the very latest information.

Should you need to see a podiatrist this year, we hope you will consider our practice. Please CONTACT us or fill out the form on our WEBSITE to make an appointment. 

Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin Murray and Dr. Stewart Chang
Blue Ridge Foot and Ankle Clinic

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Fall Foot Facts on Good Morning America
Good Morning America Health
Click Image to View Video!


Just because flip flop season is pretty much over seasonal foot concerns don't stop there.  As you transition back into Fall shoes there are many things that it is important to be aware of.  Check out this VIDEO from ABC Good Morning America Health on foot conditions that you should pay attention to in the Fall.

They address bunions, corns, hammertoes, calluses, cracked heels & ingrown toenails and how they are affected by Fall footwear. 

If you are experiencing any of these problems, please contact us for help.

How do you know when to replace Charlottesville Fall Classicathletic shoes?

If you are running the Charlottesville Fall Classic on October 23rd you will find some great information from us in your race packet on common running injuries & when to replace athletic shoes.  Even if you're not running a 10K quite yet, it could still be time for new shoes so we wanted to share some of those tips with you as well!

Ayne Furman, DPM Fellow, AAPSM - The four main components of an athletic that can break down or wear out: outer sole, midsole, heel counter and shank or cut out area of the shoe.

The outer sole material is made of a carbon rubber, which is meant to be very abrasion resistant. Some athletic shoes will have a harder and more resilient rubber at the heel of the shoe since this is where most of the wear will occur. Once the outersole has worn through to midsole or there is more than 4mm difference from the other side of the heel the shoe should be replaced.

The mid-sole is normally composed of a foam material: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), Polyure- thane (PU) or a blend of both materials. The midsole is intended to be shock absorbing and in some shoes serves to control excessive foot motion. After certain amount of repetitive load is placed on the midsole it will compress not rebound and absorb shock or control the foot as well as it did when new. In some cases,the midsole can deform and compress unevenly which can create an alignment change of the foot. This can lead to over use type injuries.

Midsoles should be considered worn out:
1. After 300-500 miles of running or walking, 45-60 hours of basketball, aerobic dance or tennis.
2. Shows signs of unevenness when placed on flat surface.
3. Display noticeable creasing.

The heel counter of the shoe helps hold the heel on top of the midsole and prevents excessive heel motion. The heel counter should be considered broken down when it feels flexible when compressed side to side, or appears deviate to one side when viewing from the rear of the shoe.

The shank or mid cut area of the shoe can fatigue with use. This area of the shoe should be inspected periodically.

Even without use shoes can "wear out". Depending upon the environment the shoes are kept in; the outsole, midsole and some of the upper materials can dry out and not function optimally. Therefore, it is best to replace athletic shoes that are over a year old whether they are worn out or not.

Athlete's Corner Our Athlete's Corner is also a great resource for everyone from people who are just getting started to marathon runners.  We keep it updated with our favorite sports and exercise resources, links to local sports clubs and upcoming events and other helpful tips to keep you moving.


If you are experiencing foot and ankle pain from a sports related injury, please contact us.
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We will be doing a drawing at the end of this month and someone who is on our mailing list will win a free set of Powerstep orthotics!

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Blue Ridge Foot and Ankle Clinic
887 RIo East Court - Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 - 434-979-8116
417 South Magnolia Avenue - Waynesboro, Virginia 22980 - 540-949-5150