CMAA Newsletter 11-12-12 - California Certifying Board for Medical ...

KNOWLEDGE 

UNITY 

C 

M 

A 

A 

IS 

IS POWER 

● 

STRENGTH 

November/December 

2012 

■ 

■ 

■ 

WHAT’S INSIDE 

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE..............1 

TOP SECRET: 

Facts about a Medical 

Pioneer in History .....................2 

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE: 

Nominations Report ...................3 

Nominations Requirements ..........3 

■ FALL CONFERENCE 2012 

PICTORIAL HIGHLIGHTS ...........4-5 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

TRIWEST PROVIDER SERVICES: 

SmartSheets Now Available .........6 

CERTIFYING BOARD UPDATE: 

Newly Certified California 

Medical Assistants..................7-8 

CONTINUING EDUCATION: 

Plantar Fasciitis....................9-11 

Self-Assessment Test................12 

Article Order Form ...................13 

UPCOMING CMAA EVENTS: 

2013 Annual Meeting................14 

■ CONDOLENCES .......................14 

________________________ 

CALIFORNIA 

MEDICAL ASSISTANTS 

ASSOCIATION, INC. 

P.O. Box 5694 

Petaluma, CA 94954-5694 

Toll Free 1.888.464.2622 

Fax 208.730.3763 

www.cmaa-ca.org 

Email address: cmaahq@aol.com 

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT 

Published Bi-Monthly by the California Medical Assistants Association, Inc. for Medical Office Professionals 

President’s Message 

“Fall Conference 2012 Great Success!” 

Hello CMAA. We had a very 

productive Fall Conference in 

San Luis Obispo. The education 

was great. Our member and President- 

Elect, Kimara Moore, gave two presentations, 

the first on Vaccines and the 

other on CLIA waived testing. We heard 

from Alissa Macias on “Blood Pressure 

Mechanics,” and Scott Orr gave a presentation 

on the “Dynamics in the Work 

Place.” Shirley Lorraine spoke on the 

“Disability Etiquette For All,” which was 

a great topic because it taught us how 

we look at and interact with disabled 

people. Pat Gibson spoke on “Disaster 

Preparedness” and what we need to do 

to help in natural disasters, and the 

things we need to have stored such as 

money, food, clothes, and flashlights. 

Lori Rainer, who was accompanied by 

her canine companion Daisy, spoke on 

“From the View of the Patient.” She 

told us how patients feel when they 

come in to the hospital or the office, 

and how they have fears built up; and 

what we as medical assistants can do 

to help. 

Laurie Erceg spoke on “Medical Assistant 

Updates,” and discussed how we 

can improve on our duties in the office. 

Gail VanGrieken, a stroke survivor chose 

“Stroke Awareness” as her topic. She 

spoke on her experiences 

and how she was able to 

make it through that part of 

her life. 

We were able to do some 

sightseeing in San Luis 

Obispo. Some members went 

to the Melodrama in Oceano 

on Friday or Saturday evening. 

On Thursday evening I know 

Soaring 

to a 

Higher 

Education 

that some members were able to go to 

the Farmer’s Market in downtown San 

Luis Obispo. 

Each one of our speakers really had 

great topics. Thank you all for taking 

your time and speaking for us at Fall 

Conference. Also to those that attended, 

thank you for making it a great success. 

It was nice to be able to see old friends 

and make new ones. Thank you to the 

whole Executive Committee for doing a 

great job. There are not enough words 

to express my gratitude for all the hard 

work everyone put into the Fall Conference 

to make it the success that it was. 

Now we turn our thoughts to the Annual 

Meeting coming up on February 28, 2013 

in Modesto, California at the Sutter Gould 

Medical Learning Center. I 

look forward to seeing you 

all there. I know it also will 

be full of great speakers and 

topics. There will be more 

information to come on that. 

Please watch the website and 

your CMAA publication. 

Randy Geddings, CCMA-AC 

President, CMAA, Inc. 

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 1

California Medical Assistant 

PRESIDENT-ELECT’S MESSAGE 

E D I T O R 

VICKEY MARTINEZ, CCMA-C 

Riverside Region 

P.O. Box 2931 

Riverside, CA 92516 

Email: Vmartin1519@charter.net 

P U B L I C A T I O N 

C O M M I T T E E 

HARRIETT TOSE, CCMA-A 

Sacramento Region 

THERESA HENDERSON, CCMA-AC 

Riverside Region 

KATE LOGAN, CCMA-AC 

Sacramento Region 

Certifying Board Administrator 

C O O R D I N A T O R 

JANICE SAMS, CCMA-C 

Redwood Region 

C M A A 

P R E S I D E N T 

RANDY GEDDINGS, CCMA-AC 

(925) 784-4867 

(925) 449-9267 

Email: r.geddings@comcast.net 

For Advertising contact: 

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANTS 

ASSOCIATION, INC. 

at 

CMAA, INC. 

P.O. Box 5694 

Petaluma, CA 94954-5694 

Toll Free: 1.888.464.2622 

Fax: 208.730.3763 

Email: cmaahq@aol.com 

www.cmaa-ca.org 

Material contained herein may NOT 

be used without the permission of the 

California Medical Assistants Association, Inc. 

ALL ITEMS FOR PUBLICATION 

SHOULD BE SENT 

DIRECTLY TO THE EDITOR. 

California Medical Assistant 

— NEXT ISSUE — 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 

To submit items to be published in this 

newsletter, please mail or email: 

Vickey Martinez, CCMA-A 

P.O. Box 2931 

Riverside, CA 92516 

Email Address: vmartin1519@charter.net 

DEADLINE: December 1, 2012 

All materials must be submitted by the 

deadline date to be included in the next issue! 

CLARA BARTON was born 

on December 25, 1821, in 

Oxford, Massachusetts. 

Clara first found her calling 

when she tended to her brother 

David during a long illness. 

To overcome shyness, Clara 

became a teacher. Later, Clara 

began teaching at Bordentown, 

New Jersey where she convinced 

them to offer schooling 

for free. In just eighteen years 

class size grew from six to six 

hundred students. 

KNOWLEDGE 

C 

M 

A 

A 

UNITY 

IS 

IS POWER 

● 

STRENGTH 

FACTS ABOUT A MEDICAL PIONEER IN HISTORY 

In 1854 Clara worked as a 

CLARA BARTON 

copyist in the Patent Office in 

Washington, DC. She was the 

first woman in the United States to hold such a government appointment. 

During the Civil War, Clara served as an independent nurse, and first saw combat 

in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1862. 

Clara was nicknamed “The Angel of the Battlefield” for her work. 

After the war ended in 1865, Clara Barton worked for the War Department 

helping to reunite missing soldiers and their families. 

Clara lobbied for an American branch of the International Red Cross. The 

American Red Cross Society was founded in 1881, and Clara Barton served as 

its first president. 

Clara Barton oversaw assistance and relief work for the victims of the 1889 

Johnstown Flood and the 1900 Galveston Flood. 

Clara Barton chose to devote her life to helping others, never marrying or 

having children, Clara continued lecturing and writing until her death on 

April 12, 1912 at her home in Glen Echo, Maryland. 

Submitted by Kimara Moore CCMA-AC, 

President-Elect, CMAA, Inc. 

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANTS ASSOCIATION, INC. 

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T 

The purpose of the California Medical Assistants Association, Incorporated, 

is to promote the professional and educational growth of medical assistants. 

2 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

N★O★M★I★N★A★T★I★O★N★S 

Attention! 

It is that time of year again to elect our 

officers for 2013-2014. Now don’t 

turn the page, please continue to read 

this article. I went through the nominations 

book for the past 10 years and 

found the same problem, hard to get 

nominees. People have a problem 

volunteering, but once they do they are 

grateful and have really grown as a 

person. Now is the time to step out of 

your comfort zone and into a leadership 

position. Step into new challenges 

and discover the rewards CMAA can 

offer. Each one of you has somethi 

focus on expanding your experiences 

in our professional organization and 

gain growth for yourself and work 

environment. 

We have a wonderful organization and 

need new and committed members to 

step up for the challenge. We have 

many people within, willing to help and 

encourage you, just ask them! 

The fear factor will be replaced with a 

sense of confidence and partnership in 

yourself and CMAA. So please put 

your name on the ballot and join in the 

future for CMAA. It can be fun, very 

rewarding, and everyone should try it 

least once. 

We are seeking nominees for the 

following elected positions at the 

state level: 

★ President-Elect 

★ Vice-President 

★ Secretary/Treasurer 

★ Education Chairman 

★ Membership Chairman 

★ Marketing Chairman 

★ Nominations Chairman 

Thank you for stepping up to a future 

with CMAA. Please call me at 707- 

433-8223 or email me at Suegg51@ 

yahoo.com and let me know what 

position you would like to run for. 

Sue Gouig, CMAA-AC 

Nominations Chairman 

NOMINATIONS REQUIREMENTS 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 

1. Must have served at least one full term as President of a 

Component Region. 

2. Must have served as an officer of the Executive 

Committee of this corporation for at least one full term. 

VICE-PRESIDENT 

1. Must have served at least one full term as President 

of a Component Region. 

2. Must have served as an officer of the Executive 

Committee of this corporation for at least one full term. 

SECRETARY/TREASURER 

1. Must have working knowledge of parliamentary 

procedure and the C.M.A.A. Bylaws. 

2. Must have the ability to take accurate notes by hand 

and/or a recording device, and the transcription of 

the same. 

EDUCATION CHAIRMAN 

1. Must have served as Region Education Chairman, and/or 

2. Must be an Educator, and/or 

3. Must have served on the State Education Committee. 

MEMBERSIP CHAIRMAN 

1. Must be knowledgeable on membership eligibility. 

2. Must be knowledgeable regarding the history, structure, 

and function and aims of the Corporation. 

NOMINATIONS CHAIRMAN 

1. Must know the eligibility requirements and the 

procedure for nominations as an officer or chairman. 

MARKETING CHAIRMAN 

1. Devout interest and background in CMAA. 

2. To create materials to promote CMAA. 

R★E★P★O★R★T 



Fall Convention Highlights 

Alissa Macias speaker on “Blood Pressure” 

President Geddings with Rebecca, 

Pat, Theresa and Sue 

Shirley Lorraine presented “Disability Etiquette for All” 

Anne, Julie, Vickey, Beth and Kim 

awaiting Education Session 

Gail VanGrieken speaker on “Stroke Awareness” 

Bryon accepting membership award 

for Sonoma Region 



Fall Convention Highlights 

Scott Orr presented “Dynamics in the Workplace” 

Kimara assisting Diana on a Clia waived test, 

watching Anne and Vickey 

SLO Farmer’s Market providing musical entertainment 

Laurie Erceg preparing for topic 

“Medical Assisting Updates” 

Entertainment at SLO Farmer’s Market 

Theresa, Kim and Vickey at 

SLO Farmers Market 


TriWest Provider Services 

SmartSheets 

Now Available on TriWest’s Secure Website 

TriWest Healthcare Alliance (TriWest) has developed 

a new resource for providers registered to TriWest’s 

secure provider website at TriWest.com that offers 

clinical support to providers and clinicians at the 

point of care – InterQual® SmartSheets criteria. 

Care Planning SmartSheets provide concise quick 

view checklists of care planning criteria. 

After logging into the secure provider website, you will 

see the InterQual SmartSheets link listed under the 

Referral/Authorization heading. By clicking on the 

SmartSheets link, you will have access to some of the 

most widely searched InterQual criteria information. 

You may use this Clinical Reference as a resource for 

medical information. 

InterQual criteria is intended for use as a screening 

guideline with respect to the medical appropriateness 

of healthcare services and not for final clinical or 

payment determination concerning the type or 

level of medical care provided or proposed to be 

provided to the patient. 

Here is the list of available SmartSheet topics: 

INTERQUAL SMART SHEETS 

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion 

Cervical Hemilaminectomy 

Cervical Laminectomy 

Cervical Spine Fusion 

Computed Tomographic Angiogram Magnetic 

Resonance Angiogram Brain 

Lumbar Discectomy 

Lumbar Hemilaminectomy 

Lumbar Laminectomy 

Lumbar Spine Fusion 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Contrast Brain 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Pediatric 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Cervical Spine 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lumbar Spine 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pituitary 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Thoracic Spine 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lumbar Spine Pediatric 

Thoracic Laminectomy 

Thoracic Spine Fusion 

Total Joint Replacement Knee 

When you open a SmartSheet, a list of “Indications” 

for the selected condition will appear. For example, 

the Discectomy and Fusion, Anterior Cervical 

SmartSheet offers two indications: 

Cervical disc herniation/sponsylosis (spinal stenosis) 

Myelopathy (spinal cord compression) 

Clicking on one of the indications (e.g., cervical disc) 

presents you with a checklist of diagnoses related 

to that specific condition to help you rationalize 

the procedure. 

Remember, only registered users of the secure 

provider website at TriWest.com have access to the 

SmartSheets. If you’re not registered, go to Register 

Now at TriWest.com and complete the online form. 

Register for a secure account to verify patient eligibility 

and check benefits, submit referrals/authorizations and 

claims online, check the status of referrals/authorizations 

and claims, and more! Once you’re registered, 

you can immediately begin using the SmartSheets. 

“TRICARE” is a registered trademark of the TRICARE Management Activity. All rights reserved. 

TriWest Healthcare Alliance provides access to quality health care for 

2.9 million members of America’s military family in the 21-state TRICARE 

West Region. 


C E R T I F Y I N G B O A R D U P D A T E 

Congratulations to the newly California Certified Medical Assistants 

Certification Codes: A = Administrative C = Clinical AC = Administrative and Clinical 

NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN 

AGUILAR, MELISSA AC WILLITS 

DAVIS, SARAH NICOLE AC HEMET 

ALBOR, MARIA D. AC WATSONVILLE 

DE GUZMAN, MIA FIGUEROA C FAIRFIELD 

ALLEN, ANNEKE • AC LIVERMORE 

DECUSEARA, MARGARETA C HAYWARD 

ALTAMIRANO, TIFFANY IRENE AC PASO ROBLES 

DEHNER, LISA • AC SANTA ROSA 

ANAYA, ANDREA • C HAYWARD 

DIAZ, JOANNA • A WHITTIER 

ANDREWS-WRIGHT, CHANDRA • A SAN PABLO 

DiPROFIO, SUSAN A. • AC ROSAMOND 

ARGUELLES, ARACELY • C BAKERSFIELD 

DOMINGO, JEANNIE ALVAREZ • C FAIRFIELD 

ARMSTRONG, ASHLEY • AC BRAWLEY 

DRAPER, DEBORAH M. A HUNTINGTON BEACH 

ARREDONDO, ADRIANA C RIVERSIDE 

ECKOWITZ, JENNIFER AC VALLEY SPRINGS 

AU, PHILOMENA • C ALAMEDA 

EDSTROM, NANCY C SACRAMENTO 

BAILEY, ANGELA A ANDERSON 

EDWARDS, SHALETHA AC MODESTO 

BAILEY, LINDSEY AC RIVERSIDE 

ESTRADA, DANIEL A LA HABRA 

BAN, PHALLY • C PINOLE 

ESTRADA, NOEMI C REDWOOD CITY 

BARR, JEFFREY K. AC RANCHO CORDOVA EUSTON, KAREN LOUISE AC BODEGA 

BARRERA, SUSSY AC LOS ANGELES 

FAKIRA, IBRAHEEM AC LOS ALTOS HILLS 

BENTZ, DENIELLE R. C POINT MUGU 

FANN, MONICA • AC SANTA CRUZ 

BERRETT, TREY AC REDDING 

FITZPATRICK, BREE E. AC MODESTO 

BERT, CHERYL • C FRAZIER PARK 

FLETCHER, LYNDSAY J. AC MONTE RIO 

BERTAO, AMBER AC SCOTTS VALLEY FOLEY, LINDA A. • AC EUREKA 

BILLETER, MARTHA A. A LANCASTER 

FORT, PATRICIA ANN • A OAKLAND 

BOLIN, SUSANNE LYNN AC TURLOCK 

FUNG, DOROTHY L. • AC SAN FRANCISCO 

BOWES, DELENA • C WILLOWS 

GARCIA, ELEANORE • AC VISTA 

BOWMAN, PEGGY M. AC ROCKLIN 

GARCIA JR., EDELMIRO • C ARVIN 

BRUMMEL, CHRISTINE A. AC TRACY 

GEORGE, AMANDA C OCEANSIDE 

BURTON, JULIE • C THIRD LAKE 

GIL, BRENDA AC SANTA MARIA 

BUTLER N., NTALYA • C SAN JOSE 

GONZALES, MELINDA A. C DUTCH FLAT 

BYROM, EMILY G. C LIVERMORE 

GORDON, CATHERINE M. AC MONROVIA 

CALDONA-BALTAZAR, JOYCE C SUISUN CITY 

GOULETTE, MARY A REDWOOD VALLEY 

CALZADA, ADRIENNE ANTONIA AC BAKERSFIELD 

GRIFFIN, SONYA RAE C WINDSOR 

CAMACHO, SHEILA YSASI • C PICO RIVERA 

GRIMES, BRAD AC SAN DIEGO 

CAMARA, KAREN YORK • C MOUNTAIN HOUSE GUERRA, CASSANDRA MARIE • AC WESTMORLAND 

CAMPAGNA, JOAN • C MILL VALLEY 

GUILD, HANNAH ELIZABETH C YORBA LINDA 

CARBONEL, TABITHA • C SAN JOSE 

HAMILTON, BRIA A PALMDALE 

CASTANEDA-CASTRO, ANGELICA • C WATSONVILLE 

HARRIS, ASHLEY ANNE AC EL CAJON 

CASTRILLO, MICHELLE C AMERICAN CANYON HARRISON, VALERIE M. C VISTA 

CASTRO, TERESA RODRIGUEZ C THERMAL 

HARVIS, MARIE ANETTE AC MONROVIA 

CHANG, EVE AC PLEASANTON 

HASKIN, ESTHER M. AC STOCKTON 

CHAU, AMY A SAN FRANCISCO HENRY, ROBERT W. AC MODESTO 

CHAU, POLLY AC MENLO PARK 

HIGGINS, ASHLEY D. AC SANTA ROSA 

CHAVEZ, ANA MAIRA C FREMONT 

HILE, MARIE GRACE AC HUNTINGTON BEACH 

CHEN, JULIE C SACRAMENTO 

HONEY, DIANE LYNN C FAIRFIELD 

CHEN, VERONICA TING C SACRAMENTO 

HORN, KIMBERLEY • AC CHICO 

CHHOEUN, LINDA • C CHINO 

HUNTER, CHRISTINA • AC CATHEDRAL CITY 

CHILDRESS, JANE AC SANTA CRUZ 

INIGUEZ, RICARDO C MORENO VALLEY 

CHINO-BARCENAS, ELIZABETH AC EL MONTE 

JACQUES, SARA AC MANTECA 

CLARE, JACQUELINE CHERI C SANTA ROSA 

JEPEWAY, TRAVIS C CHINO HILLS 

COLBERT, MARIA • C SHASTA LAKE 

JOHNSON, ASHALAEE' RENEE AC INGLEWOOD 

CONTRERAS, SANDRA • C HAYWARD 

JUAREZ, GRACIELA B.• C EL CAJON 

COSTA, MELLISA • AC HUNTINGTON BEACH KARBELING, BREANA LEIGH AC CERES 

COTE, ROBIN • AC SAN JOSE 

KAUR, BINDER AC LIVE OAK 

COVEY III, ROBERT CHANNING C FAIRFIELD 

KELLY, SARAH LAUREN AC SANTA CRUZ 

CURRYWOOD, TARA MICHELLE AC APPLE VALLEY 

KEMP, CHRISTINE L. C CLOVERDALE 

DALY, CHERYL A. AC CLOVIS 

LAI, ALISA C SAN FRANCISCO 

• RECERT ++ ADDING 2ND SPECIALTY 

continued on page 8 


C E R T I F Y I N G B O A R D U P D A T E 

– continued from page 4 – 

Certification Codes: A = Administrative C = Clinical AC = Administrative and Clinical 

NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN NAME SPECIALTY HOMETOWN 

PITTMAN, WHITNEY • AC UPPER LAKE 

POSTMA, ANDY C VISALIA 

POTOTSKAYA, LIDIYA C ROSEVILLE 

PUSCH, DEBRA AC REDDING 

RAGADIO, DALE M. C SAN JOSE 

RAMSEY, FAYTH LYNNE' A CITRUS HEIGHTS 

REYNOLDS, ANGELA D. AC KINGSBURG 

ROBISON, KIAH AC AUBURN 

RODGERS, RICHARD KELLY AC REDDING 

ROGERS, LINA MARIE A MURRIETA 

ROJAS, ROCIO C PASO ROBLES 

ROMERO, BREEANA M. C REDDING 

ROWLAND, KAREN • C RIVERBANK 

ROY, STEVEN M. C WHITTIER 

RUBALCAVA, JENNY RENEE • C WATSONVILLE 

RUDD, LINDSEY MICHELLE AC HEALDSBURG 

RUYBAL, MARIA A. • C UNION CITY 

SAFEE, RABIA ALAM • A FREMONT 

SANCHEZ, ITZEL I. C REDDING 

SAYEGH, JULIETTE A. AC HUNTINGTON BEACH 

SCHLUTER, AMI A. AC ATASCADERO 

SCORDEL, CHERI LYNN AC REDDING 

SEGURA, ELIZABETH A PALERMO 

SERRANO, CARMEN C STOCKTON 

SIDDIQUI, SEEMA C BELLROSE NY 

SMITH, AMY JO AC COTTONWOOD 

SPENCER, KIM MARIE A VENTURA 

STREET, KAREN T. AC HUNTINGTON BEACH 

SWANK, KRISTINA L. AC ANTELOPE 

THOMPSON, AMANDA • AC SANTA CRUZ 

THOMPSON, CANDACE HOLDEN AC FAIR OAKS 

THOMPSON, MARY M. AC MODESTO 

TORRES, ISABEL • A WATSONVILLE 

TREASURE, VELVET • AC KLAMATH FALLS OR 

VARALLA-GOLDSTEIN, CASSANDRA C COLFAX 

VEITH, PAMELA • A PALM SPRINGS 

VILLANUEVA, MARY LUZ A VALLEJO 

VO, JIMMY VAN • C SAN JOSE 

VOEGELE, ALEXANDRA F. C ARROYO GRANDE 

VUE, JACINTA LYNN C FRESNO 

WAITE, PATRICIA • AC PETALUMA 

WALDNER, FAITH AC HEALDSBURG 

WEBB, ASHLEY J. AC REDDING 

WILBUR, GLORIA M. AC RANCHO BELAGO 

WILCOX, WILLIAM LAWRENCE A SANTA ROSA 

WILLIAMS, TELANA ROSELLA A ALAMEDA 

YANG, GAOSENG • C OLIVEHURST 

ZOLLIECOFFER, LASHELLE R. AC LIVE OAK 

Congratulations 

to each of these medical assistants. 

LANE, BRENDA • AC HEMET 

LARIOS AVILA, VERONICA AC EAST PALO ALTO 

LEACHTY, KRISTEN AC SACRAMENTO 

LEE, JENNIFER C MANTECA 

LEEPER, WENDY KAY C PERRIS 

LILES, CHELSEA G. AC SANTA CRUZ 

LILLIEBERG, MARIAM • C UNION CITY 

LOPEZ, ZULMA VERONICA AC LYNWOOD 

LOTT, LAKEISHA AC MARYSVILLE 

LUCK, LUCY E. C SACRAMENTO 

MACARAEG, ANDREA V. C VALLEJO 

MADERA, ALFREDO MUNOZ AC LODI 

MAGANA, SYLVIA • AC OAKLAND 

MAHER, JONATHAN C. C MARTINEZ 

MAJD, CAROLYN D. C IRVINE 

MALEY, NANCY LOUISE C APTOS 

MAPHIS, MIRAFLOR D. C EL CAJON 

MARINEZ, MARISELA AC WATSONVILLE 

MARTIN, BERTHA AC HANFORD 

MARTINEZ, GEORGIA PAULETTE AC AUBURN 

MARTINEZ, MARY T. • C BAKERSFIELD 

MARTINEZ, NICOLE R. AC HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE 

MAST, LESLIE M. • C MONTEREY 

MC CURRY, LASHELL AC SUTTER 

MC GEHEE, CARRIE JO AC SHINGLE SPRINGS 

MC INTOSH, SUZANNE M. • AC SANTA ROSA 

MC MENAMIN, KATELYN A LIVERMORE 

McBRIDE, REBECCA JOY C LAGUNA NIGUEL 

McPEAK, MAREN KATHLEEN C VACAVILLE 

MERRINER, JULIE ANN • AC EL DORADO HILLS 

MICHAEL, JORDANNE ELECE C FOSTER CITY 

MILEY, TORIE AC LEMOORE 

MONTEON, ANGELICA V. AC SEBASTOPOL 

MONTIEL, RUTH Q. AC RIALTO 

MOURAD, MARIA CELIA C FREMONT 

MOYA, MELISSA IBARRA AC OAKLAND 

MULLEN-STANIEC, RAYONA • AC SANTA CRUZ 

MUNOZ, TANYA AC ROHNERT PARK 

MYERS-SANTOS, HANNAH AC ROHNERT PARK 

NASH, BEVERLY • C MILPITAS 

NELSON, BENJAMIN J. C LA MIRADA 

OLIVAS, PATRICIA • C WINDSOR 

OREJEL, JESSICA DEHLILA AC GLENDALE 

OROZCO, LIZBETH AC COLTON 

PANJABI, AMITA C CORONA 

PAREDES, LAURA E. C RENO NV 

PARKER, RACHEL M. C UKIAH 

PARKER, TERRI K. AC SAN RAMON 

PATEL, ABHILASHA A. C FAIRFIELD 

PAUL, LYNN AC MINNETONKA MN 

PAZ, BONNIE • C PRESCOTT AZ 

PEREZ, KARINA M. C LA QUINTA 

PETERESON, MARILYN • C LAKESIDE 

From the California Certifying Board for Medical Assistants 

• RECERT ++ ADDING 2ND SPECIALTY 


CONTINUING EDUCATION 

PLANTAR FASCIITIS 

“The human foot is a masterpiece of 

“engineering and a work of art.” — Leonardo daVinci 

Your feet are your foundation. A foot is 

a combination of 26 bones, 33 joints, 

more than 100 muscles, tendons and 

ligaments along with nerves, blood vessels 

and 250,000 sweat glands. The 

foot has 3 sections: 

• the midfoot consists of a pyramid 

collection of bones (cuneiform, 

cuboid and the navicular) forming 

the arch of the foot. 

• the forefoot contains five (5) toes 

(phalanges) and five (5) longer 

bones (metatarsals) 

• the hindfoot forms the heel 

(calcaneus) and the ankle (talus) 

With all those many parts, along with 

the fact that a foot endures a cumulative 

force of several tons with each 

step; (the average person walks 

approximately four (4) miles every day 

or about 115,000 miles in a lifetime) 

it’s no surprise that a lot of patients 

develop problems with their feet. 

There are a myriad of foot ailments 

ranging from osteoarthritis, gout, 

athletes foot, bunions, calluses, corns, 

ingrown toenails, nail fungus, mallet 

toes, hammer toe, heel spurs, fractures, 

and the most common affliction, 

plantar fasciitis. With common slang 

names such as “policeman’s heel,” 

“flip flop disease” or “dog’s heel,” 

plantar fasciitis affects approximately 

two (2) million patients a year. 

The plantar, meaning foot, and fascia, 

meaning band, is a ligament of thick 

fibrous flat bands of connective tissue 

on the bottom of the foot between the 

calcaneus and the base of the toes. Its 

primary function is to support the arch 

of the foot and facilitate the movements 

of the foot. It does this by absorbing the 

high stress and strains placed on the 

foot as it hits the ground; acting like a 

rubber band it creates tension to maintain 

the arch of the foot. With each 

step all of the body’s weight is shifted 

from one foot to the other foot. Walking 

is made up of two (2) essential 

actions; supination and pronation. 

Supination is the action of turning the 

foot so that the outer edge bears the 

body’s weight. Pronation is the action 

of turning the foot so the inner edge 

bears the weight. The foot should bear 

weight equally rolling naturally from 

supination to pronation. 

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the fibers 

of the fascia become strained, or when 

microscopic tears take place causing 

inflammation and pain. The pain is usually 

felt on the bottom of the heel or in 

the arch of the foot. 

Injury to the plantar fascia is more common 

in patients who 

• have high arches or flat feet 

• have feet that roll inward to much 

(excessive pronation) 

• run, walk or stand for long periods 

of time 

• are overweight or have had a rapid 

weight gain 

• have tight Achilles tendons or 

calf muscles 

• wear shoes with poor arch support 

• are middle aged or elderly men 

and women 

The classic symptom of plantar fasciitis 

is heel pain, dull or sharp with the first 

step out of bed in the morning. Patients 

may also report pain after sitting for 

an extended period of time, standing 

in one place for prolonged intervals, 

climbing stairs or other intense activities 

that can aggravate the condition. Often 

the pain may fade throughout the day 

or during activity, but will intensify 

afterwards or at the end of the day. 

With the pain, there may also be 

tenderness on the bottom of the foot, 

mild swelling or redness, stiffness or 

tightness of the arch. 

A Podiatrist is a physician/surgeon 

whose practice involves the treatment 

of the foot, ankle and lower extremity. 

A Podiatrist or physician may diagnosis 

plantar fasciitis by clinical examination, 

patient’s medical history, physical 

activity, possible x-rays, ultrasound or 

MRI to help rule out other conditions. 

continued on page 10 



PLANTAR FASCIITIS – continued from page 9 

Plantar fasciitis is sometimes confused 

with a heel spur. However, it is not the 

same. A heel spur is a bony growth 

which may occur at the point of 

attachment of the plantar fascia to the 

calcaneus. Heel spurs may be present 

with no pain at all. Plantar fasciitis 

may occur without a heel spur present. 

About 70% of patients with plantar 

fasciitis also have heel spurs. Plantar 

fasciitis can also be confused with tarsal 

tunnel syndrome. Tarsal tunnel syndrome 

involves the tibial nerve becoming 

pinched as it passes through the 

tarsal tunnel, a condition similar to 

carpal tunnel syndrome. Other less 

common conditions such as stress fractures, 

fat pad necrosis, rheumatologic 

conditions such as Reiter’s syndrome, 

and ankylosing spondylitis can also 

cause heel pain much the same as 

plantar fasciitis. 

There are varied causes for plantar 

fasciitis but there really is no one single 

cure. Helping to heal the plantar fascia 

can come from: 

Rest: decreasing or stopping 

the activities that make the pain 

worse. 

Ice: rolling the foot over a cold 

water bottle or ice for 20 minutes 

3 to 4 times a day 

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory 

medications: (NSAIDs) 

medications such as ibuprofen 

or naproxen can reduce pain 

and inflammation. 

Heel and foot exercises and 

stretches: can be the most 

effective way to relieve the 

pain. Some plantar fascia 

stretch exercise can be done in 

the morning before standing or 

walking. This stretching exercise 

is done in a seated position by 

crossing the affected foot over 

the knee of the other leg. Grasp 

the toes of the painful foot and 

slowly pull them toward the 

body. If it is difficult to reach 

the foot, use a towel or band to 

help pull the toes towards the 

body, hold for 10 seconds and 

repeat 20 times. Calf stretching 

exercises are another way to 

help strengthen the plantar 

fascia. 

Shoe inserts: Orthotics can 

significantly improve the pain 

while standing or walking. 

There are many different inserts 

or special shoes that can be 

purchased over-the-counter or 

customized orthotics may be 

prescribed by a physician. 

Night splints: Stretch the 

plantar fascia while sleeping by 

keeping the foot in a dorsiflexed 

position. There are many 

different designs available. 

Although they can be very 

uncomfortable to sleep in, 

splints can be very effective in 

reducing the pain associated 

with plantar fasciitis. 

Physical therapy: Combines 

an exercise program with ice 

treatments and massage. 

All of these may take time, but with 

persistence most will find relief within 

three (3) months and 90% of patients 

will improve within 9 months to a 

year’s time. If there is no improvement 

with the above treatments the next 

option may be: 

Cortisone injections: This 

may help with the swelling and 

pain. However, there is a limit 

to how many and how often 

these steroid injections can be 

given. Excessive injections can 

cause problems such as fat pad 

atrophy and plantar fascia rupture. 

Extracorporeal shockwave 

therapy (ESWT): Is a procedure 

using high-energy shockwave 

impulses to stimulate the 

healing process in damaged tissue. 

The American Academy of 

Orthopedic Surgeons notes the 

ESWT is sometimes tried 

before surgery due to the minimal 

risk involved, but because 

of the lack of consistent results 

is not commonly performed. 

Surgical interventions: Are 

rarely needed and is an option 

only in a small number of cases 

after other treatments listed 

above have been consistently 

tried for more than one (1) 

year. One surgery would 

involve loosening the plantar 

fascia and possibly performing 

a tarsal tunnel release. This surgery 

is about 70- 80% successful 

in relieving pain in the small 

number of candidates who may 

be recommended for the surgery. 

Gastrocnemius recession 

is another surgical treatment 

used to lengthen the calf gastrocnemius 

(calf) muscles. This 

procedure is helpful for patients 

that have difficulty flexing their 

feet despite a year of calf 

stretching exercises. Some side 



effects from surgery are nerve 

injury, infection and overrelease 

of the plantar fascia. 

Plantar fascial fibromatosis, also known 

as Ledderhose’s disease, is a relatively 

uncommon non-malignant thickening 

of the fascia causing nodules or cords 

to start growing along tendons of the 

foot. Eventually the cords thicken, the 

toes stiffen and bend, and walking 

becomes painful. Although the origin 

of the disease is unknown, there is 

speculation that it is an aggressive 

healing response to small tears in the 

plantar fascia, almost as if the fascia 

over-repairs itself following an injury. 

The saying may be “where the head goes 

the body will follow,” but it is the feet that 

take you there, so take care of your feet. 

REFERENCES: 

- Orthopedics.about.com 

- Wikipedia 

- Sportsinjuryclinic.net 

- Orthoinfo.aaos.org 

- Pubmedhealth.com 

- Everydayhealth.com 

- bodyandhealth.canada.com 

Read the Continuing 

Medical Education Article 

on pages 9 – 11. 

PLANTAR 

FASCIITIS 

then complete the 

Self-Assessment Test 

on page 12 

for CME credit. 

FOOT FACTS 

BACKACHE 

• Most people have 26 bones in each foot, 

but some people have 28. These extras, 

called supernumerary sesamoids, are found 

on the bottom of the foot just behind the 

big toe. 

• Fourteen of the 26 bones are found in the toes. 

Each toe has three bones, except the big toe, which has two. 

• The skin on your feet is thicker than it is anywhere else on your body. 

• When you are stressed, you are more susceptible to the virus that causes 

warts on the foot. 

• When buying shoes, it is always a good idea to buy them late in the day, 

when your feet are tired and may be slightly swollen. In this way you are 

unlikely to buy shoes that are too small. 

• Most people have lower back 

pain. This is because the 

lower back bears the weight 

of the upper body. It also 

twists and bends more than 

the upper back. 

• Backache is second only to 

headaches as the most 

common location of pain. 

• In about 85% of acute back 

pain cases, the exact cause 

cannot be identified. 

• Prolonged use of back braces 

and supports can actually 

weaken the muscles in your 

back, thereby contributing to 

the problem. 

FALL CONFERENCE AWARD 2012 

Membership Award went to the Sonoma Region for the largest membership 

in CMAA. Does Sonoma have any competition out there? 

Theresa Henderson, CCMA-AC 

CMAA Vice-President 

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 11


PLANTAR FASCIITIS – Self-Assessment Test 

SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST 

AVAILABLE FOR 

DOWNLOAD SEPARATELY. 

12 CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSISTANT — NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012


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Wishing You A 

Happy Holiday 

Season! 

★ DATED MATERIALS 

U P C O M I N G C M A A E V E N T 

2013 

ANNUAL MEETING 

February 28 – March 3, 2013 

at the 

Sutter Gould Medical Learning Center 

MODESTO, CALIFORNIA 

Look for more details and registration forms 

in the next issue of this publication. 

On behalf of the 

California Medical Assistants 

Association our most 

sincere sympathy: 

To Carol Sanders, 

on the loss of her father. 

To Kate Logan, 

on the loss of her mother.

CMAA Newsletter 11-12-12 - California Certifying Board for Medical ...

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