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Showing posts from February, 2020

Pediatric Flatfoot

At Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey, Drs. Killian and Chandrani diagnose and treat a wide range of foot problems. Flatfoot is a condition that is seen in both adults and children, though it is referred to as “pediatric flatfoot” in children. When the arch of the foot begins to shrink and ultimately disappears, your child is experiencing pediatric flatfoot. This condition is especially apparent when the child is standing. Don’t wait to have your child’s feet evaluated, as this could cause a whole other host of problems as they grow. The podiatrists at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC have the expertise to help. Other symptoms of pediatric flatfoot include heels that jut outward, pain or discomfort while walking, a change in gait, and cramping in the feet or legs. There are also two variations of pediatric flatfoot: flexible and rigid. Flexible pediatric flatfoot is where the foot arch reappears when the child sits or tiptoes. Rigid pediatric flatfoot is quite the opposite, where the arc

Jumper’s Knee Prevention

Patellar tendonitis, also known as “Jumper’s Knee,” is often seen in volleyball or tennis players. As the nickname suggests, sports that involve a lot of jumping can cause microscopic tears and degeneration of a player’s knees. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC take pride in educating our athletic patients about the many ways they can prevent injury. Your New Jersey podiatrist will help those afflicted by Jumper’s Knee by first assessing the severity and then starting the patient on an effective treatment plan. It’s best, however, to practice prevention now so that you can keep playing the sport you love! An athlete can prevent Jumper’s Knee by wearing a knee brace during practices and games. A knee brace assists in stabilizing the joint, supporting the kneecap, and offers the knee added strength. This all decreases the amount of strain the knee goes through to withstand a player’s weight as they land on their feet from a serving position. You can also prevent Jumper’s Knee by: - Taking

Prevent Hammertoes with the Right Shoes

Hammertoes aren’t pleasant and the name for this foot condition doesn’t help its cause. Without initially knowing what hammertoes are, one might picture a literal hammer smooshing the toes back into the foot. This isn’t too far off. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey want our patients to know that they do not have to live with this pain. There are ways to find pain relief and prevent this common foot condition! Hammertoe is a deformity that occurs in the middle joint of one or more of your little toes. It develops when there is an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that normally hold the toes straight. The structure of your feet, trauma, certain diseases, and the type of shoes you wear can all bring on hammertoes. Surgery may be required to correct hammertoes if they are severe enough. Left untreated, the toes affected can become permanently bent and cause painful corns or calluses.  Preventing hammertoes is quite easy since a lot of it has to do with the shoes

Athletes Should Wear Shin Guards

Have you ever been kicked in the shin before? It is by no means fun, which is why athletes in high-impact sports are required to wear shin guards. Soccer and football players wear special padding on their shins to protect themselves from scrapes, breaks, and tears. We at Mercer-Ocean Podiatry, PC in New Jersey believe in safety over anything else when it comes to playing a sport. Of course, everyone wants to win their game, but it doesn’t do your team any good if you need to be taken out of the game due to an injury! Shin guards are especially important in youth sports. Since the kids are still learning the ropes of their favorite sport, accidents happen. It’s better to be prepared for a player to miss the soccer ball and kick an opposing player in the shin. With protected shins, it’s not really something a player has to worry about or feel guilty for if they accidentally kick someone. In truth, shin guards take away the fear of possibly hurting another player, or getting hurt themselv