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Former Lake Geneva resident subject of Masterpiece TV series

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10 — The Beacon also at www.readthebeacon.com March 22, 2013<br />

Mercy Health Line<br />

April is Foot Health Awareness Month<br />

Most <strong>of</strong> us don’t give much<br />

thought to our feet, until they start giving<br />

us trouble. Almost 75 percent <strong>of</strong><br />

Americans will have foot problems in<br />

their lifetime. Unlike other parts <strong>of</strong> our<br />

bodies, feet really take a pounding, literally.<br />

They’re stuffed into ill-fitting<br />

footwear for hours on end, are <strong>subject</strong><br />

to viruses like warts and fungi like athlete’s<br />

foot, are easily injured when we<br />

walk barefoot, and <strong>of</strong>ten bear the first<br />

signs <strong>of</strong> more serious health problems<br />

like arthritis, diabetes, anemia, kidney<br />

problems, gout, and nerve and circulatory<br />

disorders.<br />

The average person walks several<br />

miles a day, adding up to almost<br />

115,000 miles or more over a lifetime.<br />

The pressure exerted by walking is<br />

more than a person’s body weight;<br />

running can triple or quadruple that<br />

pressure. As the miles add up, so does<br />

the wear and tear. That’s why many<br />

foot problems tend to occur as we age.<br />

Ill-fitting shoes are the major cause<br />

<strong>of</strong> foot problems. Many <strong>of</strong> us wear<br />

shoes that are too small, too narrow in<br />

the toe box, pointed, poorly-made,<br />

worn out or have an excessively high<br />

heel. Foot problems caused or aggravated<br />

by ill-fitting shoes include blisters,<br />

bunions, corns and calluses, hammertoes,<br />

ingrown nails, heel pain and<br />

neuromas.<br />

You don’t have to be an athlete to<br />

be concerned about finding and wearing<br />

comfortable and well-fitting<br />

footwear. Taking the time and investing<br />

the money to purchase quality<br />

shoes, boots and sandals is time and<br />

money well spent. Here are some tips<br />

on choosing proper footwear:<br />

•Determine your needs. Will you<br />

wear your shoes to run 20 miles a<br />

week,<br />

to the <strong>of</strong>fice or factory, to a formal<br />

event, to the beach, to play racquet<br />

sports? Of course you wouldn’t wear<br />

steel-toed work boots to the beach, but<br />

you may think that your walking shoes<br />

are good enough for running, your<br />

<strong>of</strong>fice shoes will work fine for a day at<br />

the shopping mall, or your cheap tennies<br />

will do for a full day <strong>of</strong> cycling,<br />

which is not always the case.<br />

•Where to shop. Reputable stores<br />

specializing in certain types <strong>of</strong><br />

footwear are the best places to purchase<br />

shoes that will best meet your<br />

needs. For example, uniform stores<br />

carry footwear for employees who are<br />

on their feet all day. Remember that<br />

“one style fits all” doesn’t apply to<br />

shoes. Knowledgeable employees can<br />

help you determine your foot type<br />

(flat, normal or high-arched) and then<br />

suggest the size, style and type <strong>of</strong> shoe<br />

you need.<br />

• When to shop. Shop for shoes late<br />

in the day when your feet are at their<br />

largest.<br />

• How to shop. Always take along<br />

the socks or hosiery you’ll be wearing<br />

with the shoes, and if you wear<br />

orthotics, take those as well. Most <strong>of</strong><br />

us have one foot bigger than the other<br />

so choose the size for the bigger foot.<br />

Try on both shoes and walk more than<br />

just once around the store. Wiggle<br />

your toes and make sure your big toe is<br />

one thumb width from the front <strong>of</strong> the<br />

shoe. Feel for areas that are being<br />

pinched or rubbed. If your feet feel<br />

cramped or the shoe feels tight, don’t<br />

count on them to stretch; well-fitted<br />

shoes don’t require a “breaking in”<br />

period. Avoid shoes with heels in<br />

excess <strong>of</strong> two inches.<br />

Feet flatten as we age so you may<br />

need to increase your shoe size as you<br />

get older. Weight gain and pregnancy<br />

change foot size too. Your athletic<br />

shoe size may differ from your dress<br />

shoe size. If you’re unsure about your<br />

size, ask a clerk to measure your feet<br />

while you stand.<br />

If, despite purchasing new shoes<br />

that fit well, you are still experiencing<br />

problems, see a board certified podiatrist;<br />

a physician who specializes in<br />

the treatment <strong>of</strong> foot and ankle problems.<br />

As mentioned earlier, your feet<br />

mirror your general health so you<br />

could have something more serious<br />

going on. Foot pain is NOT normal so<br />

don’t ignore it. Untreated foot problems<br />

can lead to larger complications,<br />

including a change in your gait, which<br />

can lead to knee, hip and spine problems.<br />

And if you’re the fix-it-yourself<br />

type, know that improper self treatment<br />

can turn a minor problem into a<br />

major one.<br />

People with diabetes have special<br />

concerns regarding their feet. About<br />

60 to 70 percent <strong>of</strong> people with diabetes<br />

have mild to severe forms <strong>of</strong> diabetic<br />

nerve damage that can impair<br />

feelings <strong>of</strong> pain in the foot. Foot disease<br />

is the most common complication<br />

<strong>of</strong> diabetes leading to hospitalization.<br />

If you have diabetes, it is extremely<br />

important that you work closely<br />

with your doctors and diabetes educators.<br />

Between appointments, examine<br />

your feet daily for signs <strong>of</strong> redness,<br />

warmth, blisters, ulcers, scratches,<br />

cuts and nail problems. Check<br />

between toes, the entire bottom <strong>of</strong> the<br />

foot and around the ankle. Call your<br />

doctor immediately if you experience<br />

any injury to your feet. Even minor<br />

injuries are an emergency for people<br />

with diabetes.<br />

Our feet are biological masterpieces<br />

that serve us well when we<br />

serve them well. They deserve to be<br />

pampered with regular exercise (walking<br />

is the best form <strong>of</strong> exercise for the<br />

feet), daily hygiene, properly fitted<br />

shoes and medical attention when<br />

needed.<br />

Mercy HealthLine is a paid column.<br />

For information on this or<br />

dozens <strong>of</strong> health-related questions,<br />

visit the Mercy Walworth Hospital and<br />

Medical Center at the intersection <strong>of</strong><br />

Highways 50 and 67, call (262) 245-<br />

0535 or visit us at www.Mercy-<br />

HealthSystem.org.<br />

Touring the Open Arms Free Clinic in Elkhorn are (from left): Destination<br />

Imagination team member Maddy Aradillas; Clinic Director Sara Nichols; DI team<br />

members Anegla Pieroni; Jimmy Lei; Kendra Pease; Hailey Dupee; and not shown,<br />

Destination Imagination Team coach Dawn Dupee. (Photo furnished)<br />

Destination Imagination students<br />

visit Open Arms Free Clinic, Inc.<br />

Students from Badger High School’s<br />

Destination Imagination, a team-based<br />

creative problem solving program, visited<br />

Open Arms Free Clinic, Inc. on March 4,<br />

to learn more about how the clinic serves<br />

the community. The students plan to make<br />

a video about the clinic for their upcoming<br />

Destination Imagination competition.<br />

Open Arms Free Clinic, Inc. is a<br />

501(c)(3) not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it volunteer medical<br />

clinic located in Elkhorn across from the<br />

high school. The clinic <strong>of</strong>fers non-emer-<br />

Since Birth,<br />

I Have Been Happier Than<br />

My Best Friend, Joey.<br />

The Only Difference Is<br />

My Mom & Dad Take Me To<br />

FONTANA FAMILY<br />

CHIROPRACTIC!<br />

gent health care to people who live or<br />

work in Walworth County, are at or below<br />

200 percent <strong>of</strong> the federal poverty level,<br />

and have no health insurance.<br />

Eligibility Screening takes place on<br />

Wednesdays from 2-7 p.m. Clinic hours<br />

are Thursdays from 2-7 p.m.<br />

To learn more about OpenArmsFree<br />

Clinic, Inc., visit their website at www.openarmsfreeclinic.org<br />

or their Facebook<br />

page at https://www.facebook.com/Open<br />

ArmsFreeClinic.<br />

450 MILL STREET • SUITE 102 • FONTANA, WI 53125<br />

(262) 275-5005<br />

www.fontanafamilychiropractic.com

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