November is Diabetes Awareness month. Please check out Dr. Saffers interview on Diabetes and foot health with Tara Lynn of Channel 2 news.
http://www2.counton2.com/lifestyles/east_cooper/

Please look for Dr. Saffers new article in the latest East Cooper Medical Centers summer publication "Embrace". The article is titled "These Feet Are Made for Walking." Great information on selecting the right shoes for women this summer. We should have it up on our website in the next couple of weeks.
On page three of the Embrace publication, East Cooper Hospital has a random drawing to win a $100 gift card for answering a question from this article.

The question is: For the comfort and health of your feet, what is the maximum recommended heel height?
Carolinafootspecialists.net

Check out our new Summer Newsletter 2010 on our home page. Great tips on prevention of foot injuries while playing golf and mowing the lawn during the summer months.
Carolinafootspecialists.net

Enjoy Pregnancy without Foot Pain
"Oh my aching feet" is a phrase you hear often from pregnant women. But, are sore feet a symptom they just must deal with during pregnancy? The answer is "no." There are many remedies available to help alleviate foot pain.
Women often experience foot pain during pregnancy because of increased weight, foot instability and swelling. "In the last five years, I've seen an increase in pregnant women with foot pain because more women than ever before are active, even running marathons, during their pregnancies," We recommend the following guidelines to help reduce foot pain during pregnancy.
Painful, Swollen Feet -- Pregnant women often experience throbbing, swollen feet due to excess fluid build up (edema) in the feet from the weight and position of the baby. To reduce swelling, put feet up whenever possible, stretch legs frequently, wear wide comfortable shoes and don't cross legs when sitting.
Arch Pain -- Pain in the arch can be due to both arch fatigue or over pronation (or the flattening of the arch). Over pronation causes extreme stress to the ligament (the plantar fascia) that holds up the arch of the foot. The best way to prevent arch pain is to stretch daily in the morning and before and after any exercise, don't go barefoot and wear supportive low-heeled shoes.
Ingrown Toenails -- Excessive stress from tightly-fitting shoes causes painful ingrown toenails. Give your feet a break: wear wider shoes during the last trimester of pregnancy to avoid ingrown toenails. If you do experience an ingrown toenail, avoid attempting "bathroom surgery." Repeated cutting of the nail can cause the condition to worsen over time. It is best to seek treatment with a foot and ankle surgeon.
It is also not uncommon for women to experience a change in their foot size during pregnancy. "A permanent growth in a women's foot, up to half a size, can occur from the release of the same hormone, relaxin, that allows the pelvis to open to deliver the baby. It makes the ligaments in your feet more flexible, causing feet to spread wider and longer,"
Pregnancy and pending motherhood should be a joy. If foot pain persists, make sure you see a foot and ankle specialist. Relief with conservative treatments such as physical therapy, foot orthotics, supportive shoes and minor toenail procedures can relieve your foot pain and keep you active.

Sunscreen on Your Feet?
Prevent skin cancer on feet
When at the pool, beach, or lake we all lather up with sun screen to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun. But do we remember to apply sunscreen to our feet?

Many don't realize skin cancer can occur on the feet from unprotected sun exposure, and overlook applying sunscreen to the area. Skin cancer of the foot is prevalent and can even be fatal if not caught early.

While all types of skin cancer, including squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma, can be found on the foot, the most common is the most serious form, melanoma. Symptoms can be as subtle as an abnormal-looking mole or freckle found anywhere on the foot, and often go unnoticed without routine foot exams.

Early diagnosis is key to effective treatment for the condition. But because people aren't looking for the early warning signs or taking the same precautions they do for other areas of the body, often times skin cancer in this region is not diagnosed until later stages.

We recommend to regularly inspect your feet, including the soles, in between their toes and even under their toenails, for any changing moles or spots and to have any suspicious areas promptly examined by a foot and ankle specialist.