Before You Start an Exercise Program...

Be sure to get permission from your physician before beginning any exercise program. Always start out slow with beginner exercises, and work your way up to more advanced exercises. You must use proper form. If you're not sure if about your form, I suggest you engage the services of a qualified trainer to assist you.

Monday, February 18, 2013

The Major Cause of Foot Pain in Women

Foot disorders in women are quite common and the number one reason is explained in the article below.

It seems in health & fitness, many articles bring up negative topics like pain, injuries, etc. This is because every week, we as trainers hear about many problems that people experience. Through speaking with them and their doctors, therapists, chiropractors, etc...we are able to find the causes and the best possible cures or fixes.

Having had my share of injuries, I'm always trying to help my clients avoid pain and injury whenever possible.

In the following article, find out what you can do to avoid serious foot problems that could eventually lead to extreme pain and possible surgery to correct.

Even though this particular article is directed at women, you men should read it too...so you can share it with the special women in your life.


Women May Pay Steep Price for Wearing High Heels


• Written by Jeff Behar, MS, MBA


The incline of high heels causes the calf muscles to contract and over time this causes the muscle fibers to shorten and the Achilles tendon to thicken, so much so that some women feel foot pain even when they stop wearing high-heels.

For the study, Marco Narici of Manchester Metropolitan University and colleagues recruited 80 women aged 20 to 50 who had been wearing heels of at least 2 inches almost daily for two years or more. Of those, 11 said they experienced discomfort when walking in flatter shoes.

When compared with women who did not wear heels, ultrasounds revealed the women who wore heels had calf muscle fibers that were 13% shorter, while MRIs showed the Achilles tendon, which attaches the heel bone to the calf muscle, was stiffer and thicker.



High heels look beautiful, but the body isn't meant to wear them. High-heels can cause a lot of damage according to Dr. Youner. For example:

• Squeezing into high heels with narrow toe boxes can cause a condition called Morton's neuroma, a painful thickening of tissue between the third and fourth toes.

• Haglund's deformity, sometimes called the "pump bump," occurs when back straps of heels dig into the tissue around the Achilles tendon.

• High heels put stress on the back and knees.

• Too-tight shoes can bring on bunions, an enlargement of bone or tissue at the base of the big toe that pushes the big toe toward the second toe.

• Pointy shoes can worsen hammertoe by forcing the toes to bend at the middle joints, eventually causing them to stay bent and rigid even when barefoot.

• And then there are those uneven-sidewalk wipe-outs that lead to ankle sprains and breaks.


The fix for many of these conditions, podiatrists said, may come as bad news for those emulating "Sex and the City" fashionista Carrie Bradshaw: Box up your stilettos, take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories if necessary, and wear more sensible footwear.

"I tell a lot of women to put on sneakers and take Aleve," Youner said. "A heel will make a woman's butt stick out and makes the body look taller, thinner. Society pushes us to look a certain way, and all women want to look attractive. In reality, it can be crippling, and it is literally changing the shape of the body."

And don't think those now ubiquitous flip-flops are your solution. Flip-flops offer no arch support or shock absorption, and the toes have to scrunch with every step to keep the foot from slipping, foot experts said.

"I have recently seen some lovely flip-flops injuries," Youner said. "Flip flops are meant for the beach, not for walking on cement or on vacation or at an amusement park. If you wear them, you are treating your feet poorly and you will eventually pay for it."

If you must wear heels, minimize the time you spend on your feet, wear wider heels that distribute the weight better and shop for shoes at the end of the day when your foot is larger, says Hannan



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