Blog Archive

Tips for Working Out When You Have a Neuroma Mar 6th, 2023

About 1 in 3 people have a neuroma, which is a condition that can cause pain in the ball of the foot. If you’re among them, you may wonder if you can keep up an active lifestyle. Fortunately, you can work out even if you have a neuroma. Eric Harmelin,...

How to Keep a Sprained Ankle From Becoming a Chronic Instability Feb 15th, 2023

From sports accidents to high-heel mishaps, there are many ways you can wind up with a sprained ankle. While this seemingly minor injury may not come across as a big deal, it can spell big trouble for your ankle down the road.  Once you’ve injured your ankle, the chances of reinjuring...

Custom Orthotics: A Simple Solution to Multiple Foot Problems Jan 6th, 2023

Foot pain is a widespread issue. Most people will suffer from foot pain at some point in their life. Your feet take a lot of stress and pressure in daily use, and this can result in foot problems and symptoms of foot pain. Instead of suffering through foot pain, find...

Flat Feet and Lower Back Pain: What's the Connection? Dec 16th, 2022

Americans are no strangers to lower back pain — nearly 65 million people report recent back pain and 16 million experience chronic back pain that places considerable limits on their lives. While there are many roads to lower back pain, it’s worth taking a closer look at your feet to determine...

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis and How We Treat It Nov 1st, 2022

 The pain and annoyance of plantar fasciitis are often hard to miss: it causes pain from your first step each morning. You may also experience pain when you walk after periods of rest. About 54% of people diagnosed with plantar fasciitis reported that the pain was too severe to ignore...

How to Prevent and Treat Ingrown Toenails Oct 1st, 2022

Your feet bear the brunt of your body weight all day, and provide a solid foundation to stand on. So when something causes you pain and discomfort in your feet, you feel it big-time.. Ingrown toenails are one of the most common conditions that may have you searching for quick...

When Does Hammertoe Require Surgery? Sep 1st, 2022

At Annapolis Foot and Ankle Center, Eric Harmelin, DPM, Rikhil Patel, DPM, and their team have seen — and treated — a lot of hammertoes.  Hammertoes are among the most common deformities of the forefoot.  Typically, it develops in your second, third, and fourth toes. The problem begins when the middle joint in the...

How Can I Prevent My Bunions From Getting Worse? Aug 1st, 2022

If you’ve started to develop a bunion, you may wonder what your next steps should be. Is there really any way you can prevent them from getting worse? The answer is yes. There are a few different routes you can take depending on the state of your bunion or what...

Annapolis Foot and Ankle Aug 26th, 2019

Annapolis Foot and Ankle is pleased to report that it has been chosen to participate in a study in collaboration with DAPS Health - Diabetes Amputation Prevention Specialists - that addresses the greatest fear that a diabetic has - the fear of Amputation. The study is testing technology that can...

When Should I Worry About My Child's Foot Pain? Aug 14th, 2019

When a child is experiencing leg pain, parents might not consider the foot as the source, especially because some foot disorders can also cause symptoms in the leg. When it comes to foot-related problems, early intervention by an expert is the key to proper treatment. Flat feet, a general term...

Obesity And Your Feet Jul 22nd, 2019

Obesity is an ever-increasing problem in American society. Currently, up to one third of the U.S. population is considered obese, defined as a body mass index greater than 30. Although it seems obvious, many studies have found a direct link between increased BMI and foot problems. Not only is there...

Charcot Foot Jul 15th, 2019

What Is Charcot Foot? Charcot foot is a condition causing weakening of the bones in the foot that can occur in people who have significant nerve damage (neuropathy). The bones are weakened enough to fracture, and with continued walking, the foot eventually changes shape. As the disorder progresses, the joints...

Chronic Ankle Instability Jul 1st, 2019

What Is Chronic Ankle Instability? Chronic ankle instability is a condition characterized by a recurring giving way of the outer (lateral) side of the ankle. This condition often develops after repeated ankle sprains. Usually, the giving way occurs while walking or doing other activities, but it can also happen when...

Talar Dome Lesion Jun 5th, 2019

Talar Dome Lesion What is a Talar Dome Lesion? The ankle joint is composed of the bottom of the tibia (shin) bone and the top of the talus (ankle) bone. The top of the talus is dome-shaped and is completely covered with cartilage—a tough, rubbery tissue that enables the ankle...

High Ankle Sprains May 8th, 2019

High Ankle Sprains: What’s the difference? Ankle sprains are common injuries. In fact, they are one of the most common injuries encountered in the United States. But what is the difference between a common ankle sprain and a high ankle sprain? And why do athletes with a high ankle sprain...

Diabetic Foot Ulcers Apr 30th, 2019

Diabetic Foot Ulcers: The Facts During their lifetime, 15 percent of people with diabetes will experience a foot ulcer and between 14 and 24 percent of those with a foot ulcer will require amputation. Diabetes is the leading cause of lower extremity amputations in the United States occurring among people...

Morton's Neuroma Apr 22nd, 2019

Morton's Neuroma If you sometimes feel that you are "walking on a marble," and you have persistent pain in the ball of your foot, you may have a condition called Morton's neuroma. A neuroma is a benign tumor of a nerve. Morton's neuroma is not actually a tumor, but a...

Balance Braces Apr 16th, 2019

Are you at risk for a fall? • Over 14 million American adults aged 65 and older experience a fall each year• Every 15 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency room for a fall-related injury• In 2010, such falls resulted in direct costs to the US healthcare...

Platelet Rich Plasma Apr 2nd, 2019

What Is Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP)? Although blood is mainly a liquid (called plasma), it also contains small solid components (red cells, white cells, and platelets.) The platelets are best known for their importance in clotting blood. However, platelets also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors which are very important...

Subchondroplasty Procedure Mar 26th, 2019

Subchondroplasty® Procedure The SCP® Procedure is a minimally-invasive surgery that targets and fills subchondral bone defects, often referred to as Bone Marrow Lesions (BML). These often-painful defects are in the spongy cancellous bone that underlies the cortical bone. The procedure is usually performed along with arthroscopy ("scoping") of the nearby...

Bleach Is Not A Solution To Athletes Foot Jun 26th, 2017

Athlete's foot is a skin infection caused by fungus. A fungal infection may occur on any part of the body; on the foot it is called athlete's foot, or tinea pedis. Fungus commonly attacks the feet because it thrives in a dark, moist, warm environment such as a shoe. Fungal...

RG3 Dislocated Left Ankle Jun 20th, 2017

According to Chick Hernandez of Comcast SportsNet, Griffin suffered a dislocated left ankle in the first quarter of the Redskinsâ game with the Jaguars. He rolled to his right and completed a pass to DeSean Jackson and appeared to land awkwardly on his left foot. What is a dislocated ankle?...

Ankle Equinus Jun 13th, 2017

Normal range of motion in the ankle is measured in the supine position (on your back) with knees extended. Force is applied to the forefoot, aimed at moving the toes and forefoot toward the knee. This motion at the ankle is called dorsiflexion. To measure the amount of dorsiflexion an...

Nail Fungus 101 Jun 6th, 2017

Conditions that can be mistaken of Nail fungus 1. Lines and ridges:They may worsen during pregnancy. A large groove down the center of the nail can be caused by nail biting. 2. Senile nails: As you age, the nails become brittle, develop ridges and separation of the nail layers at...

Running Shoes May 29th, 2017

Choosing the right running shoe is one of the most important decisions a runner must make. The wrong shoes can lead to injury, discomfort, or end your running career before it begins. However, choosing the right shoe will keep your feet happy, support your unique running mechanics, and make the...

Achilles Tendinitis May 22nd, 2017

Achilles tendinitis is a common condition that causes pain along the back of the leg near the heel. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone and is used when you walk, run, and jump. Although the Achilles tendon...

Replace Your Shoes Before Injury May 15th, 2017

Answer: Running in old or worn-out shoes is a common causes of running injuries. Your running shoes lose shock absorption, cushioning and stability over time. Continuing to run in worn-out running shoes increases the stress and impact on your legs and joints, which can lead to overuse injuries.  A good...

Top 10 Foot Problems May 15th, 2017

Top 10 Foot Problems June 6, 2014 10. ACHILLES TENDONITIS Achilles tendonitis may occur in athletes who over train or don't do warm-up exercises as well as in individuals who may have had a sprain or strain while working or just going for a walk. As a result of this...

Foot Care Before And After A Marathon May 8th, 2017

Find the right fit for you From traditional thick-heeled running shoes to minimalist, lightweight toe shoes, thereâs fiery debate amongst runners about the best gear for your feet. Some donât wear anything at all to pad their stride. But most suggest shoes of some sort and stress the importance of...

External Fixation May 1st, 2017

What is External Fixation? Weâre all acquainted with the non-surgical approaches that help a broken bone heal: the doctor applies a cast, brace or splint around a fracture or a corrected bone deformity to provide support during the healing process. In some cases, however, particularly more severe injuries, todayâs best...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Foot And Ankle Apr 25th, 2017

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system attacks its own tissues. In RA, the defenses that protect the body from infection instead damage normal tissue (such as cartilage and ligaments) and soften bone. How It Happens The joints of your body are covered with a...

Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) Apr 18th, 2017

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is blood plasma that has been enriched with platelets to help stimulate healing of bone and soft tissue. This cutting-edge therapeutic approach is just one of the advanced techniques offered at Annapolis Foot and Ankle Center. Our podiatrist and foot surgeon has utilized platelet-rich plasma as part...

Runners Knee (Patellofemoral Pain) Nov 10th, 2016

Runners knee is a blanket term to describe a number of conditions that cause pain at the front of the knee (patellofemoral pain). A common complaint of athletes, it is often the result of irritation in the soft tissues around the front of the knee. For some people, it is...

Hammertoe Repair Nov 10th, 2016

What is a hammertoe repair? A hammertoe repair is a surgical procedure for a misshapen toe. When you have a hammertoe, the middle joint of the toe bends up in a way that makes the toe look like it is forming an upside-down V. The bent joint may rub the...

Articular Cartilage Restoration Nov 10th, 2016

Articular cartilage is the smooth, white tissue that covers the ends of bones where they come together to form joints. Healthy cartilage in our joints makes it easier to move. It allows the bones to glide over each other with very little friction. Articular cartilage can be damaged by injury...