Warts are a virus to which you have a genetic susceptibility, meaning either you can contract the virus or you cannot.  They are the same virus on the skin of the hands as on the feet so if you suspect you may have one, best to keep it covered and not touch it until you see a medical professional.

Sculptra is an injectable filler commonly used in the face by plastic surgeons that when injected into the foot using a patented technique, can provide padding and relief for up to several months.  This miracle for the feet was revolutionized in NYC and is being used around the country. 

Call Boston Common Podiatry to book an appointment With Dr. Jordana Szpiro and find out more!!

This  bacteria is often spread by unknowing carriers in their nose and can be passed from one person to the other in the most unexpected way.

Here is a true story….

A woman shaved her legs before having a pedicure, leaving her now hair follicles vulnerable to infection.  The woman performing her pedicure wiped her nose and continued scrubbing or massaging the client’s legs.  As it turned out, this nail technician was a carrier of MRSA who subsequently spread the infection to the unsuspecting client,  an infection that then took more than a year to defeat.

Another true story…

I was having a pedicure performed at a very reputable spa and noticed that the nail technician had warts on her fingers and wasn’t wearing gloves, for either manicures or pedicures.  I commented and she waved it off. 

Warts and fungus, like MRSA, can also be spread by the technicians.

Reasons number 101 and 102 to be 150% sure you are having your pedicures performed by knowledgeable professionals in a safe, sterile environment, and to make sure the nail technician is wearing gloves.

A medical pedicure is performed under the supervision of a physician, with disposable liners in the basin and medically autoclaved instruments.  

Those who have no infection can be confident they won’t leave with any new problems.   Those who do have fungal infections or viral warts can enjoy their treatments with a clear conscience that they won’t spread them to others.

The symptoms of mild frostbite include red, swollen, toes with shiny skin and extreme sensitivity or numbness.  The toes will be cold rather than warm which will distinguish this from infection.  If frostbite is suspected  soak the feet in warm water, make sure they are in loose shoes that won’t impede circulation and keep warm socks on them at all times.  Even though they are very painful avoid going barefoot.

And of course, seek professional help as soon as possible

Protect yourself from foot fungus, plantar warts and foreign bodies in your feet with shower shoes

Stress fractures and muscle and tendon strains in the feet are common problems when wearing flip-flops ….. to move in carrying heavy boxes or furniture up and down stairs

If you play sports remember to slowly work back up to your in season or preseason training program to avoid foot injuries that can be caused by weakness or overuse after taking the summer off.  Also remember to replace last year’s shoes!

What to do BEFORE your start your boot camp……start exercising on your own and build up slowly so it’s not such a shock to your body, make sure you have proper shoe gear with good arch support and lateral stability, check into arch supports if you have very flat feet, if you have any concerns about prior injuries that may recur, see a podiatrist to see what you can do to prevent the same injury from happening again.

What to do if you think you may be developing a foot problem once you  have started the program….if the problem doesn’t go away after a day of rest, then see your local podiatrist, do not continue to exercise once you have an injury.  If you catch it early enough you may be able to correct it and continue with your program, but if you let it go you may cause a long term injury that can take months of recuperation and ruin all that hard work!