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End-of-Year Health Checklist

We’re here again. Can you believe we’re in the last month of 2021? It’s time to check in on those foot health goals. There’s still a little time left to make a positive change or start the new year off strong. Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari of the Carrollton Foot Center offers three must-have items to add to your end-of-year checklist. The goal is to encourage you and push you closer to action. It is not too late to pursue healthy foot care habits or make adjustments for next year.

We are focusing our goals on health, habits, and hang-ups. We’ll talk about ways to improve foot health. We’ll then highlight steps to add to your routine. Lastly, we’ll draw attention to hang-ups that could get in the way of your goals.

Bring out your notebook and pen. While answering these questions, use the responses as starting points for your checklist.

Health

One of the best ways to improve your foot health is to protect your feet:

  • Do you protect your feet with socks and shoes?
  • Are you wearing the right size shoes?
  • Do you need to learn more about living with neuropathy?
  • Can you spot the signs of a foot infection?
  • Do you share foot hygiene tools with others?

Habits

It’s not too early to start a new habit. Here are a few check-in questions:

  • Do you wash, dry, and moisturize your feet regularly?
  • Are foot inspections a part of your daily routine?
  • Are you confident with toenail trimming?
  • Do you frequently experience ingrown toenails?
  • Is a podiatrist a part of your health team?

Hang-Ups

You may be doing more harm than good to your feet. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do you ignore changes to your feet?
  • Do you push through foot and ankle pain?
  • Have you missed regularly scheduled podiatry appointments?
  • Do you have a condition like diabetes that impacts feet and ankles?
  • Does your family have a history of toe deformities?

Now is the time to connect with our team. We’re here for you, and we want to see you end 2021 well and walk confidently into 2022.

Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari, is here to help. She treats various conditions such as bunionscornscallusesdiabetic foot conditionsingrown toenailsplantar fasciitis, and more. We also offer advanced surgical solutions. Our team provides excellent service to patients in Denton, Dallas, and Collins counties. Contact our office at (469) 998-3668 for your foot and ankle solutions. Our office is at 4221 Medical Parkway, STE 450, in Carrollton, TX.

The Rules of Raynaud’s

Are you new to the conversation about a not-so-familiar condition? You may have heard it referred to as a phenomenon or even a disease. According to the Raynaud’s Association, 5-10 percent of Americans have this condition. When cold or feeling stressed, a person’s affected body part can experience color changes, temperature changes, numbness, and pain. Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari of the Carrollton Foot Center is helping her patients understand the basics.

Why does Raynaud’s seem rare?

Raynaud’s is a condition that affects how blood flows to parts of the body, including your toes. For some people, the symptoms are underreported or dismissed. The goal of the awareness month is to tell others about the symptoms and encourage people to seek medical help. According to the Foundation, only 1 in 10 people will recognize their symptoms and seek treatment. There is much work to do.

What is the proper name for Raynaud’s?

A person has Raynaud’s Disease, which is also known as Primary Raynaud’s if they haven’t been diagnosed with an underlying disorder. If someone has an underlying condition, such as frostbite or rheumatoid arthritis, they have Raynaud’s Phenomenon or Secondary Raynaud’s.

Am I at risk?

This condition can affect anyone, so don’t rule out your symptoms. Contact your doctor. Keep in mind that women are affected nine times more often. Many people receive a diagnosis around puberty.

Is there help?

While there is no cure, doctors can work with patients to manage attacks that can range in severity. Creating a care plan early is the best way to live with this disorder.

Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari, is here to help. She treats various conditions such as bunionscornscallusesdiabetic foot conditionsingrown toenailsplantar fasciitis, and more. We also offer advanced surgical solutions. Our team provides excellent service to patients in Denton, Dallas, and Collins counties. Contact our office at (469) 998-3668 for your foot and ankle solutions. Our office is at 4221 Medical Parkway, STE 450, in Carrollton, TX.

Back-to-School Rules

Do you know the rules for starting the school year on the right foot? Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari of the Carrollton Foot Center is here to help you and your family walk into the classroom with confidence about foot health and shoe choices. Here are a few questions to consider about your footwear this fall.

Are you sure about the shoe size? 

One month can make a big difference. Before you pick up a new pair of shoes in the same size as last month, think again. Take the time to measure your child’s feet. Whether the growth has been a half size or more, it’s worth your time to start things off right. Wearing ill-fitting shoes at a young age can impact future foot health.

Are you picking color over comfort? 

Trends come and go, but foot pain may stay. While selecting shoes during the back-to-school season, focus on comfort and support. Yes, shoes can be both fashionable and properly fitting. Now is the time to teach your child about the value of choosing long-term foot health over short-term trends.

Are you ignoring foot pain?

From sitting on the sidelines to complaining about wearing shoes, listen to how your child speaks about their footwear. Also, inspect your child’s feet. Redness, swelling, or others signs of pain are a cause for concern. Schedule an appointment with a podiatrist. 

Are you considering orthotics? 

Custom orthotics are for children, too. Learn more about how these prescriptive devices address your child’s unique foot needs. Pediatric foot care is a critical part of development, so don’t delay in exploring your options. 

Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Naghmeh Lilly Khavari, is here to help. She treats various conditions such as bunionscornscallusesdiabetic foot conditionsingrown toenailsplantar fasciitis, and more. We also offer advanced surgical solutions. Our team provides excellent service to patients in Denton, Dallas, and Collins counties. Contact our office at (469) 998-3668 for your foot and ankle solutions. Our office is at 4221 Medical Parkway, STE 450, in Carrollton, TX.

Kick Off Spring with Kickball

Every year on April 17th, people around the world observe National Kickball Day. Kickball, depending on which part of the world you’re in, can either be the same as soccer (or football, in European countries) or it could be that game we all played in gym class during grade school. Ironically, the term ‘kickball’ is actually a shortened version of its original name, ‘kick baseball.’ As a sport, kickball originated in the early 1900s in Cincinnati, Ohio. Regardless of what kickball means to you or how you choose to play it, this fun activity is a very foot-heavy sport that relies on the endurance and resilience of our feet and ankles. Even when we’re all grown up and out of grade school, kickball can be a fun past time between a group of adults.

If you’re looking to start a kickball meet up, more power to you! It’s important, however, to keep your feet and ankles in mind when getting back into such an active pastime. What are some ways you can keep your feet and ankles in mind when looking to start playing kickball again?

Supportive shoes

Making sure that you have an appropriate pair of shoes for the standing and running around required for kickball is so important! Take some time to remember what issues you have had in the past, like heels that start to ache after standing for some time, or toes that cramp up. Be sure to consider these factors when choosing a pair of shoes for kickball!

Stretching it out

Before and after you plan to be active, be sure to get those stretches in. Dr. Lilly Khavari is a great resource for foot-friendly stretching exercises to make sure you’re warmed up and ready for the competition ahead. Take it a step farther by preparing ahead of time – if your first kickball visit is in one month, start doing exercises and training your feet and ankles to be ready for activity again today! Checking up – by far, one of the most beneficial things you can do to make sure you’re ready to get active on the field again is to check up on your foot and ankle health at Carrollton Foot Center in Carrollton, Texas. Take care of yourself by being proactive – call us today at (469) 998-3668 to schedule an appointment!

Shockwave Therapy: An Alternative to Surgery

There’s some exciting news electrifying the world of podiatry today: a shocking alternative to invasive surgical procedures! Though it was invented in the mid-1960s, this innovative treatment method has become especially known in the last few decades thanks to advancements in podiatric medicine. While traditional surgical methods are appropriate in certain cases and often serve as viable options to treat various foot and ankle issues, podiatrists have worked hard to develop less invasive alternatives that produce similar or better results. One of these treatment methods, in particular, called Shockwave Therapy, is a treatment offered by Dr. Lily Khavari to address several types of foot and ankle pain. Though Shockwave Therapy is most commonly used to treat heel pain, that’s not all it can be used to address:

  • Stress fractures
  • Corns & Calluses
  • Neuromas

While the name of this treatment method might sound like it could be painful, Shockwave Therapy is well known for being relatively painless. Shockwave Therapy utilizes high-intensity soundwaves by directing them at target areas that are painful, inflamed, or uncomfortable. These soundwaves penetrate the tissues deep within our bodies. As a result, they stimulate the growth and development of healthy new tissues to replace damaged, inflamed tissues. Prior to Shockwave Therapy becoming widely used with leading podiatrists, foot issues like plantar fasciitis and chronic tendinitis were treated by surgical intervention. It can take a lot of time to prepare for surgery when you consider getting time off of work, having to go under anesthesia and the recovery time of the incision site. When comparing this to trying Shockwave Therapy first, you could:

  • Avoid long waits for a surgery date
  • Going under anesthesia
  • Taking up to a week or more off of work
  • Virtually eliminate a painful recovery that requires drugs
  • Enjoying the same success rate as invasive surgery

Our team at Carrollton Foot Center in Carrollton, Texas offers the best care in town. If Shockwave Therapy has piqued your interest, follow up today! Call us at (469) 998-3668 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Khavari.

What is a hammertoe and solutions to relieve the pain

Hammertoes are a biomechanical condition caused by imbalance of the muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments which hold the toe in a straight position. Foot structure, types of shoegear, genetics, trauma, and certain disease processes such as arthritis and diabetes can lead to this deformity.  Women are much more likely to develop the deformity in comparison to men. Hammertoes

are mostly seen in the second, third, and fourth toes of the foot. In basic terms, it is a condition of curling of the toe and its downward rotation which results in a claw/hammer type look. The deformity is mostly seen in the middle joint of the toes.  In early stages, hammertoes are flexible and can be corrected and remain pain free with conservative solutions and without surgical assistance, however, if left untreated they can become quite painful to live with and can also be quite unsightly.

Over time the hammertoes become more pronounced due to prolonged pressures of narrow shoes and high heels. The hammertoe can also be caused by bunion development along the outside of the big toe. As more pain develops, hammertoes are unable to correct themselves out and in severe conditions can start crossing over the adjacent digits.  The pain from malpositioned toes is usually felt in the first joint of the affected toes – the proximal interphalangeal joint – the pointed joint continues to throb with prolonged use of shoes with narrow toe boxes, thus limiting activity level due to intense pain and discomfort.

Fortunately, there are solutions to prevent this from happening, so follow our three easy steps to keep your feet healthy and pain-free.

©Spanishalex/iStock

Change Up Your Footwear

You would be surprised by how much the simple change of shoes can help prevent the condition from progressing. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a toe box that is too narrow or too short in shoes will cause the toes to compress and curl under to make room for the rest of the foot. A pair of shoes with deep toe boxes of a minimum of a half-inch of space between the longest toe and at the end of the should be worn.  Medical grade or custom inserts for daily use are also highly recommended as they correct the biomechanical imbalances of the foot and balance all tendons to prevent progression and worsening of the hammertoes.

Exercises and Stretching

Keeping the toe joints flexible is one of the most common recommendations passed on from your podiatrist. Stretching and strengthening the toes can be done with simple activities at home, such as picking up marbles with the affected toes, using a towel to gently stretch the curved joints and rolling the toes on a golf ball or a water bottle.

Reducing Inflammation

The hammertoe is constantly under stress, so reducing inflammation is standard for patients dealing with discomfort. You may feel immediate relief from non-prescription pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Alongside the medication, icing the affected toes 10 minutes at a time can effectively reduce inflammation and relieve pain quickly.

Dealing with hammertoes and foot pain varies among patients and some may need advanced physical therapy or surgical treatment. If you are struggling to manage hammertoe pain, then these conservative methods may be effective. If hammertoe pain continues to limit your everyday activities then make an appointment for surgical correction at our office, Carrollton Foot Center.

Curious about your child’s feet?

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am passionate about pediatric foot care because I am a true believer that if simple foot and biomechanical issues are addressed early on in life, then the chances of having major foot issues as an adult are MUCH lower.  I recently had a baby, and there is nothing sweeter than those chubby baby feet but keeping them healthy is also of utmost importance.  With all the different shoe types out there and the many different activities that our kids get into these days, it is hard to truly know what is best and when to really notice a problem with their ever-growing feet. With that said, it is important to know that a kid’s arch does not really form until about age 3 and the foot appears flat due to a thick layer of baby fat that fills the arch area, if the foot is flexible and free of pain, there is no reason for concern.

It is not uncommon for parents to be concerned about their child’s “flat feet”.  Children possess an apparent flat foot during the first year of life. Some will outgrow this, but some will not.  When a child’s arch is flat, coupled with inward bowing of the ankles and Achilles tendon, they may have a true flexible flatfoot.  The most important thing to note is that it is never normal for child to com

plain of foot pain and their complaints should not be taken lightly, “growing pains” are not normal!

FIVE SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE A FOOT PROBLEM:

 

  1. Can’t keep up with peers
  2. Withdraws from activities thy usually enjoy
  3. Trips often and falls
  4. Does not want to show his/her feet
  5. Complains of pain-IT IS NEVER NORMAL FOR A CHILD TO HAVE FOOT PAIN

Toe walking is normal for the first 2-3 months of walking, if this continues, they should be examined for tight heel cords.

What can be done???

There are many things that can be done to manage a developmental flat foot.  Your podiatrist can help diagnose, condition and recommend proper treatment.  Intervention may include balance and coordination exercises, in addition to littleSTEPS foot orthotics for kids.

What are littleSTEPS?

They are prefabricated foot orthotics, an affordable alternative to expensive custom foot orthoses while delivering a prescription-based correction.  They improve pain, posture, strength, coordination, balance, and flat feet.

For more information and to have your children’s feet evaluated, please contact our office at 469-998-3668 for a consultation with Dr. Khavari!

Are you ready for sandal season?

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Are you embarrassed of discolored or damaged nails? With Sandal season coming up, many are excited to show off their feet and pedicured toes, however, some people are suffering from various toenail conditions causing toenail discoloration and breakage. These conditions could include toenail deformities, fungal nails, ingrown toenails, fallen nails due to trauma and sometimes nail changes due to other organ/systemic diseases. It is important to get your nail deformity examined by a podiatrist to evaluate the condition and rule out any suspected melanoma. Should the condition not be concerning for a melanoma, then your podiatrist is able to apply a product called KeryFlex to your discolored or deformed toenail.

KeryFlex is a safe, non-systemic in-office application that restores the appearance of a patient’s natural nail(s). It allows for the remodeling of a patient’s nail(s) affected by fungus, trauma, or other nail dystrophies. This medical-grade resin creates a flexible, non-porous artificial nail which allows the remaining natural nail to grow. A KeryFlex nail provides an immediate cosmetic solution during any anti-fungal treatment regimen. It also provides an immediate cosmetic improvement to compliment laser nail procedures. A KeryFlex nail is durable and unaffected by acetone, nail polishes or detergents. If you’ve taken the step to treat your nails, and you’re concerned about their appearance, you don’t have to hide your feet. The KeryFlex™ nail restoration procedure produces a realistic nail substitute that allows you to show off your toes while your natural nail tissue grows underneath.

 

When you come in for a treatment, Dr. Lilly Khavari will first debride the affected tissues. Then the resin is carefully brushed onto the nail bed and the layers are then built up. From there our expert doctor and medical assistant can sculpt the resin until it
matches the curve and shape of your natural nail. Once you and they are satisfied with the result, the gel is sealed and allowed to dry. Then a final layer of a bonding substance is applied, and everything is hardened under an ultraviolet light. Once the resin has set, the nail is buffed for smoothness and you are sent on your way with beautiful toes.

The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes per toe, and the nail lasts between six to eight weeks before needing a reapplication. During that time, your new nail is still growing underneath the artificial one– healthy and protected from damage. There are no side effects from the procedure and each KeryFlex treatment uses a new kit, so you are never exposed to someone else’s infection.

You don’t have to wait months for your natural nails to heal to feel comfortable removing your socks and showing off your toes again. This special resin allows your toes to look their best while they recover. If you don’t want to be embarrassed by your feet any longer, contact Carrollton Foot Center for an appointment or more information. Call us at (469) 998-FOOT (3668) to make your appointment. We look forward to seeing you.

Keryflex, discolored toe nails, fungal toe nail, nail restoration, ingrown toe nail, fallen toe nail

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