Custom Arch Supports give Queens a lift from the ground up!

Arch supports (“orthotics”) support more than just arches in Queens

The benefits of custom-made arch supports are well known to those who have benefited from them. Shoes with uneven wear, and foot and leg pain can be helped with these miracle devices. Less known benefits include better posture and back pain relief. Fallen arches may cause foot problems, but these foot problems can work their way up to the spine starting other health problems.  A properly made custom arch support is a prescription device that corrects more than what first meets the eye, or feet!

Fallen arches are a leading culprit of pain

There is a natural arch to your foot that works to help you walk and support for your entire frame. The arch, in its ideal, supports the spine and makes for proper gait. Fallen foot arches can cause foot problems ranging from corns and blisters to bunions, hammertoes, heel pain, achilles tendon pain and more.

What happens to your back when your arches fall?

When your arch falls, your foot flattens.  This causes your knees to rotate inwards towards each other.  This causes your hip to increase the curve of your lower back toward your stomach.  If you stayed like you would feel like you were leaning forward.  So, to make up for the increased forward curving of your lower back your middle and upper back increase their backward curvatures in the opposite direction.

All these increased curves put extra pressures on and strain the joints involved.  Pain in the heels (especially with the first step out of bed in the morning in one or both feet), pain in the inside of one or both knees, low back pain and middle-upper back pain can all be related to having fallen arches.

A properly made custom arch support replaces the factory insole of your shoe, sneakers, etc..  It can have excellent results when done right.

On the other hand there can be injuries that cause a weakening of the structures that support your arch.  Professional evaluation including x-rays and MRI is necessary.

If you suspect you may have fallen arches and you near the Queens / Whitestone area, Family Foot Center is the neighborhood podiatric care facility near you.

Dr. Stanley J. Zawada at Family Foot Center in Whitestone, QUEENS, NY diagnoses foot issues and prescribes effective courses of actions to take.

If you have, or think you may have fallen arches, please don’t hesitate, call Family Foot Center at 718-767-5555. CALL NOW!

Nail fungus is a condition that is quite common. It starts with a white or yellow spot beneath the toenail. It may seem innocuous, but as the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. It also is rarely kept to one nail, and can affect several of them. Therefore, if nail fungus in one toe goes unchecked, it will most likely spread to other toes.

Toenail fungus can vary in discomfort. There are kinds that are quite mild and simply need treatment because they’re unappealing aesthetically. However, there are forms of toe fungus that are painful and cause thickened nails. If that’s the case, treatment from a medical professional is highly recommended. Once one gets a toe fungus, despite successful treatment, there is a higher chance of it coming back.

The proper, scientific name for toe fungus is onychomycosis (on-ih-koh-my-KOH-sis). Toe fungus can also spread to such a degree that it affects the area between your toes and the skin of your feet. At that point, it’s gone beyond a simple toe fungus and it takes on the name of “athlete’s foot”.

Fungal nail infections are caused by various different fungal organisms. The most common cause is a type of fungus called dermatophyte. However,  yeast and molds are also common culprits of nail infections.

These infections can develop at any age, but are more common the older the person gets. This is because as one gets older, the nail becomes brittle and dry, which results the nail to crack. The fungi enters through these cracks. One can contract a nail fungal infection if they have reduced blood circulation to feet or a weakened immune system.

There are severe cases that must be absolutely treated by medical professionals. If they go unchecked, toenail fungus can create permanent damage to your nails. It could lead to the infection spreading beyond your feet, especially if you have a suppressed immune system.

If you have any of these symptoms, you could have toenail fungus:

• Thickened nails
• Whitish to yellow or brown discoloration
• Brittle, crumbly or ragged nails
• Nails that are distorted
• A dark color building up under your nail
• A slightly foul smell

We are a conveniently located podiatrist in Queens. If you have, or think you may have fungus toenails, please don’t hesitate, call Family Foot Center at 718-767-5555. CALL NOW!