Foot Health Information

Many parents are concerned when they look at their child’s foot and it seems excessively flat. They are even more disturbed if one or more have a flat painful foot. They ask if the pain they experienced as a child can be avoided.

Unfortunately many pediatricians tell everyone that they will “grow out” of flat feet. This is a terrible misjustice to the millions of children who have symptomatic, structural flat feet that they will not “grow out of” and often leads to many years of pain and disability when treatment can signifiacntly decrease their suffering.

Flat foot is common in children and actually stands for several types of inherited foot types. Although these foot types differ in many of their characteristics, they all share a common flattening or collapsing of the arch. Many children with flat foot have no symptoms, but some can have serious aches and pains.

Signs and symptoms of pediatric flat foot include:

- pain and tenderness in the foot, leg and knees

- outward tilting of the heel

- difficulty running and walking or just “funny looking” running

- excessive shoe wear and difficulty fitting shoes

- constant complaining when running or participating in sports

What are the different kinds of flat foot?

- symptomatic or asymptomatic

- flexible (meaning they look like they have an arch when non-weightbearing but it fully collapses on weight bearing); this is the most common and associated with many overuse injuries in child athletes.

- rigid (arch is always stiff and flat); less common and usually due to abnormal bone structure or bone growth during development.

How is flat foot diagnosed?

In pediatric flat foot, the podiatric foot and ankle surgeon will look at your child and do a complete biomechanical exam to see how the foot, knees and hips function. X-rays are taken to evaluate the growth plates and bone growth. Often, an MRI or CT scan are needed to fully evaluate this complex deformity.

How is flat foot treated?

In asymptomatic flat foot, no treatment is needed except sturdy appropriate shoe gear to relieve stress. Secondary symptoms of “Charlie horses” or leg cramps, tired feet, and knee and hip pain should be discussed with parents.

In painful flat feet, treatment is required. No child should be in pain from their feet. Activity modification, shoe gear, stretching exercises, anti-inflammatories and arch supports are the mainstay of therapy. Mant times, significant flat feet require custom functional orthotics and physical therapy for more aggressive symptomatic relief. Obesity increase pain in flat feet. Weight loss is always recommended prior to surgery due to the high incidence of painful flat feet in the obese child.

Surgery should only be an option for pediatric flat foot if the child is having severe difficulty walking or running, has undergone at least 6 months of aggressive therapy and has a significant deformity.

Contact your podiatric foot and ankle surgeon for a biomechanical exam if your child is experiencing fatigue, cramping or pain associated with flat feet.

Our feet are complicated little tools for our body. Because the foot is such a large combination of bones and joints, many things can be set out of place and cause pain. We use our feet every day and the impact we put on them can be very taxing. In proportion to the rest of our body size, our feet are quite small. The pressure being put on each square inch of our feet is equal to 50% more than our own body weight. It’s no wonder they hurt so often!

Aside from the obvious things we do to hurt our feet, such as dropping things on them, running barefoot, or even twisting them the wrong way while walking, several other factors can cause injury to them. Poorly fitting shoes are a very common cause of foot injury. Shoes that do not fit accurately in the width, or that are tied too loosely or tightly can affect our feet as well. There are many Orthotic inserts or specialty shoes available to help alleviate pain and in some cases treat and reverse the damage done to the foot. You no longer have to leave your home to shop for specialty shoes. You can shop for specialty shoes online at OddShoe.

Here is a list of specialty shoes, shoe types and insert ideas for specific foot injuries or injury related pain.

Injury/foot issue Specialty shoe

type/recommended inserts

Achilles tendonitis Heel cups, insoles, or tendon straps

Corns/calluses Wide or box toed shoes, customized gel insoles, heel and ball cushions, donut pads for corns

Bunions Soft, wide toed shoes,

sandals, bunion shields or splints, custom made orthotics, thick donut shaped mole skin pads

Bursitis of the heel Heel cup

Flat feet Custom made insoles

Haglund’s deformity Soft shoes, orthotic heel support, heel pads

Planning a Spa Themed Shower at home will save you money and the options on what to do are endless! A spa themed shower at home gives you a lot of flexibility and you can plan the day exactly as you please, keeping the bride and her wishes in mind of course!

Here is a list of ideas on how to plan a spa themed shower. From the invitation to food, games, activities and favors, this list will help you get started on planning the perfect spa themed bridal shower.

Invitations: Once you have the location, the guest list and the date set, it’s time to get those invitations out! You can choose to either buy a pack of invitation or make them and print them, you can even send an e-vite for the most affordable option and have it customized to reflect your theme. A few suggestions on what to include:

-Obviously date, time and location!

-Who the shower is for–come up with a cute phrase for this

-Include something fun like a printed gift certificate that you can make at home. Have it say, “this certificate entitles you to a day of relaxation and fun–services inlcude, a mani-pedi, massage and facial!

-Be sure to include where the bride has registered

-You may also have special instructions, such as dress code- for example, tell them to wear their favorite robe and slippers or be sure to bring a towel, in case these are things the host will not be able to provide.

Food: The food for a spa theme shower should be simple and on the healthier side. Choose bite size finger sandwiches, fruit salad, salad, cheese and cracker, deli meat, and dips like hummus with pita chips for a really nice and colorful spread.

Drinks: Again, opt for healthy drinks and juices–make them look prettier with cut up fruit like apple and orange slices in a nice clear jug of colorful fruit juice. Also, be sure to have plenty of water with sliced cucumber and lemon to make it feel like a real spa.

Activities: This is the best part of a spa theme bridal shower! For the spa activities, I would recommend setting up stations and appointing one or two people to work each station. The best people to run each station would probably be the bridesmaids, but if you know someone who specializes in any of these areas and is willing to work one of the stations, even better!!

-Station 1: Massage Center- Be sure to have plenty of massage oils and relaxing music playing for this, having more than 1 massage table set-up will move things along quicker, especially if there are a lot of guests. Perhaps draping this area off would be a good idea and limit the massage to no more than 20-30 minutes.

-Station 2:Facial Center-Hopefully you can set this station up somewhere close to a sink. There are many ways to do an at home facial. Start with cleansing your guests face, than steam to open up the pores, apply the mask–one of my favorite and most simple face masks that is typically safe for most skin types is pure honey mixed with the juice of a lemon, apply cucumber slices on the eyes and let the honey mask harden a bit over a period of 10-15 minutes, remove with a warm damp washcloth. Lastly, exfoliate with basic sugar–an excellent exfoliator, which is typically safe for all skin types, but should probably be avoided on sensitive skin or skin that is broken out with acne. Remove the sugar scrub with your fingers by using water and gentle circular motions.

-Station 3:Mani-Pedi Center-For the manicures-set up a couple of tables with a variety of nail polish colors, nail grooming tools, such as files and clippers, nail polish remover and hand lotion. Assign a member of the bridal court to perform the manicures. For the pedicures, start with removing any polish off the guest’s feet. Have them soak their feet in the pedicure bubbles. You can either purchase a spa pedicure from a local drug store or beauty supply store or to save money, set up a couple of large basins and fill with hot water and vibrating bubbles. Next use exfoliator to exfoliate the feet and a foot file to remove dead skin. Rinse off the exfoliator and wash feet, now finish the pedicure by grooming the toes.

There is so much more you can do–imagination and creativity are key when planning a spa theme bridal shower. Send your guests home with spa theme bridal shower favors.

You can’t go wrong buying a swim spa as long as the reasons are right and blend in perfectly with your intentions.

Are you keen on doing aquatic exercises?

Do you want a pool that is not very large and easy to manage?

Do you want a recreational facility that is cost-efficient?

Do you still want a pool even if you don’t have much space?

If you answer “yes” to all the questions, then a swim spa may be waiting for you! It’s the “latest and the greatest” as marketing geeks like to say, and we’ll provide you with some information to help you make that decision.

Tread very carefully because this is an investment decision and you’ll want that investment to work for you. In other words, you want some ROI (return on investment) that will provide many years of enjoyment.

Needless to say you’ll have to do the due diligence when looking for a Houston spa builder to undertake the project for you. You’ll find out as you begin your shopping spree that traditional pool builders have added swim spas into their product catalog, introducing innovative technologies and unique accessories that will make you say oh wow!

This should clue you into the idea that swim spas are widely available and are not super luxury commodities that are hard to find.

Exercise benefits of a swim spa:

A swim spa offers a whole spectrum of water aerobic activities like swimming, weight resistance training, jogging, walking, rowing and stretching. For hardworking athletes who are nursing sports injuries, a swim spa is an excellent rehabilitation and therapy tool, although this particular activity must be supervised by a sports fitness professional.

Given the aerobic features of aquatic exercises, you can get your heart pumping efficiently. There are exercise accessories that Houston spa builders offer to complement your exercise routine.

For those who prefer not to use a swim spa for exercise, they can socialize and laze around and carry a conversation while in the water. It’s a great meeting place for friends and families.

Swim spa: ideally sized, easy to manage, cost-effective

Because of its smaller size, owning a swim spa is generally cost-effective.

It allows you to conserve your resources – water, chemicals and electricity. It is also easier to maintain because you don’t have to scrub and vacuum for hours on end. They require minimum effort, so care and maintenance expenses do not significantly erode your budget.

Remember, however, that adding spa accessories can jack up the price. These accessories range from underwater treadmills and aquatic rowers to weights. There are also accessories that measure speed and distance and heart monitors for those athletes who are keen on monitoring their progress.

Swim spa: space efficient

Esthetic considerations must be included when deciding where to install your swim spa. Think of an area in the house that can accommodate the spa itself along with its technical specifications.

They’re compact-sized and range from six to eight feet wide and 17 to 19 feet long. They go from 3 to 5 feet deep. If you have a reasonably-sized house, a swim spa can snuggle almost anywhere in the house. Ideal spots would be a side yard or a basement that’s also used as a workout room.

The area must be able to support at least 200 pounds per square foot. If the swim spa is manufactured with fiberglass, you’ll need to make room for more weight.

What Motors a Swim Spa?

There are three types of propulsion systems that drive a swim spa, the idea being to direct the water against you, not with you. These systems spew out average speeds from 2.5 to 8 miles per hour.

The first type is the jet propulsion model. Pumps direct water through jets that users adjust for speed, direction and position for flotation purposes. Then you have the propeller-powered types which are located at the front of the spa and covered safely behind a fence.

The propellers manipulate the water towards the center of the spa and to the back. Given the center movement, water along the fringes of the spa flows undisturbed. The third type is the paddlewheel system which is installed behind the spa and it draws water through. It goes at a circulation speed that uses 80% of the spa’s water so that it generates a wide and deep wave.

If you go for the portable swim spas, you’re in luck because they are manufactured to be over-the-wall units that can be plugged into a swimming pool or to an electrical outlet.

You may not think of your next spa cover purchase as critical to the environment, but you should.

Think of it this way… Depending on who you get your information from there are around Ten Million households that own spas in the USA. If each of those uses a typical rigid foam spa cover, two inches thick it would equal approximately 10.666 cubic feet of foam per spa cover. We’ll say 10.5 cubic feet per cover. If each cover on every spa becomes saturated within two years and needs to be replaced that would mean that we would be adding 52.5 million cubic feet of waste to our landfills in just spa covers every year. If there are two and a half covers worth of foam to make up one cubic yard that translates to 4 million cubic yards of waste added to our land fills every two years just in spa covers.

Considering there are eleven million cubic yards of stone in the Great Pyramid at Giza, we are putting that much foam in our landfills every six years. There are four and a half million cubic yards of concrete in Hoover Dam. Consider Hoover Dam, seven hundred twenty six feet tall, over twelve hundred feet wide, six hundred sixty thick at the bottom and forty five thick at the top. We could build a two lane highway of discarded foam filled spa covers from Seattle Washington to Miami Florida every two years. If we used four inch thick covers we could make that a four lane Highway. And it would accumulate again every two years. For the sake of demonstration lets use two inches thick. If we ripped the covers in half and laid those pieces end to end we could circle the earth at the equator on used spa covers every two years. Remember we are using two inch foam covers, if you use a four inch foam cover these numbers double. Heck with parking lots, in a few years we could pave the entire planet with foam just from saturated foam spa covers from the USA alone. In the words of Homer Simpson, “Doh!”!” Is there any hope out there?

Well yes there is actually, and you don’t have to quit using your spa to save us. You just need to get an air filled spa cover and tell every other spa owner you know to buy one instead of a rigid foam filled spa cover. The air filled spa cover does a better job than any rigid foam cover and it lasts years longer on average. But at the end of that long and useful life, discarding of an old air filled spa cover is considerably less impact on the environment. A typical air filled spa cover for an eight foot by eight foot spa can be compacted into one cubic foot of space. That’s one tenth the size required for a foam cover. So then if an air filled cover were on every spa in America and it lasted seven years (some out there that are still in use after ten) we would be creating one point four million cubic feet of waste per year. That’s about fifty three thousand cubic yards per year. Still significant but it would take seventy five years to make a pile as big as the Great Pyramid.

This doesn’t address the environmental cost of transportation. If a good size semi truck trailer can haul 2000 cubic feet and you could stuff every nook and cranny with a foam filled spa cover the best you could get would be about 188 covers per semi trailer (Again, these numbers are based on two inch foam. If every spa owner in America is using a tapered cover, or a three or four inch cover these figures could easily double). That means transporting the before mentioned foam filled covers would take around fifty five thousand semi truck trailers. Compare this to a mere five thousand to haul the same amount of inflatable spa covers. Imagine fifty thousand fewer truck trailers on the road. Talk about a savings in transportation cost. You should double that number of truck trailers because they would also be hauling more covers to dealers so you could replace your old one. That would be about one hundred ten thousand semi trailers on the road verses ten thousand total to haul the inflatable spa cover to market and land fill. Of course if the air cover lasts longer that would mean about 714 semi truck trailers per year compared to 55,000 loaded trailers per year of foam covers to cover the same number of spas. Imagine the savings in fuel for those trucks.

So a stack of wasted foam covers as large as the Great Pyramid every two years or a pile of inflatable spa covers the same size in seventy five years. 54,286 fewer semi truck trailers on the road per year. Using a spa cover that requires one tenth the energy to keep the spa water warm… Personally I would prefer air cover pile that big. I’d have my picture taken in front of it. I’ll only be in my mid one hundred twenties in seventy five years so I may require a few replacement parts myself by then. Ten Million spas and hot tubs using ninety percent less energy to maintain the water temperature. If it cost $50 per year (I wish) to heat those 10,000,000 spas and the air filled cover saved 90 percent of that by being ten times better than a foam filled cover that would be an energy savings of 450,000,000 dollars per year. Your actual saving may vary.

ty should always be put first. Never put your life second to your house painting project. Are you physically fit enough to undertake such a project? Are your ladders the right lengths to safely reach all areas of your house? Review the following tips.

1. Ladder levelers will increase safety. Over 70% of all ladder accidents are caused by make shift props for ladders. Levelers bolt onto the legs of your ladder providing a very secure fit. Most professional painting companies use them. You can greatly reduce your risk of injury by simply stabilizing your ladder through the use of ladder levelers. Once you have them installed they will last for a long time. They will provide safety for all your outdoor painting projects. They are well worth the money.

One more thing you will want to consider. Ladder levelers will save you a lot of time. You will not be constantly trying to fit something under the leg of the ladder. This alone is well worth the investment.

2. Having the proper range of ladders reduces risk. Professional painting contractors usually have the following size ladders as standard equipment. The size ladders needed for your home will depend of course on how tall your house is, but coming from a professional painting perspective, I recommend a 6 foot step ladder , a 20 ft extension, a 28 ft extension, and a 36 ft extension ladder if your house is needs a ladder this size. This rage will allow you to comfortably reach all areas of your house that are accessible with ladders.

Extended ladders do not reach the advertised length due to the 3 or 4 foot lap so plan accordingly. For instance, a 28 foot rated ladder will only extend about 24 or 25 feet. Another thing to consider is you are going to lose a couple more feet when you kick the base of the ladder out from the side of your house to allow for proper navigation. Realistically, a 28 foot ladder will only give you about 20 to 22 feet access.

3. Be sure and use the right drop cloths. The weight of canvas drop cloths will not damage most shrubs, bushes, or hard surface areas; however they can crush smaller plants and totally destroy flowers. The best thing to use on small plants or flowers is old bed sheets. They are light weight and will allow the plants to breath. I do not recommend using plastic over plants or shrubs. The plastic can permanently damage your shrubs or flowers. The plastic will not allow your plants to breath and the temperature can reach damaging levels. It only takes an hour or two to ruin them. Plastic can cause the tops of your plants and shrubs to die. Extension ladders placed on plastic drop cloths can be dangerous due to slippage.

4. Make sure you stay properly hydrated. Drink plenty of cold Gatorade. I can’t emphasize this enough. Painting outdoors in the sunlight will dehydrate you quickly, especially if you aren’t use to this type of work.

The onset of dehydration can catch you by surprise. You can suddenly become light headed and lose your balance and fall. Staying properly hydrated is very important for your health in another crucial way. Dehydration can cause a stroke. Always play it safe and use lots Gatorade.

5. Take periods of rest in the shade. Painting the exterior of your house is very time consuming and the tendency for most homeowners is to pack as much painting into one day as possible. This can be a huge mistake, especially if your body is not accustom to this kind of work. You can get yourself into trouble physically if you try and stretch your physical limitations on hot sunny days.

6. Do you have the physical endurance to handle a project this size? Climbing up and down a ladder all day can cause your legs to severely cramp if your muscles are not physically prepared for it. Your risk of falling from a ladder greatly increases if your legs become suddenly weak and shaky due to muscle fatigue.

It is important to evaluate your condition before putting yourself at risk. Play it smart and consult your doctor about any physical preconditions before attempting the exterior painting of your home. It’s important to remember that painters working with a professional painting company are used to their work. You may not be used to it and that can cause you problems.

7. Check for wasp nests before attempting to paint. If you are standing on the end of an extension ladder, you do not want to be fighting wasp. It is dangerous to be fighting wasp with your hands when your hands should be gripped to the ladder. You can easily be distracted to the point of losing your balance and falling. You should remove all wasp nests before attempting to paint.

8. Always use a roof ladder where soffit joins rooflines. If your home has areas that need to be painted above a roof line then rent a roof ladder for a day. Don’t take the chance of sliding of a roof and killing yourself. A roof ladder hooks over the peak of the roof and lays flat on the shingles allowing you to safely walk up the ladder to service the wall and soffit areas above the roof line. They are inexpensive to rent.

9. Never place your ladder on a slope that falls backwards and away from the house. It is extremely important to always notch the ground using a shovel and pick. Carve out a flat spot in the soil to give a level, firm footing for your ladder levelers. You have to lean your latter against the house, sloped enough to allow for you to properly navigate up. This slope combined with the land slopping backward and away from your ladder, can make an extremely dangerous situation. Notch the ground and reseed the area latter. It is always best to play it safe. This is a very important safety tip that professional painting companies teach their workers. Carefully planning your painting project can go a long way in preventing accidents.

Make sure you are properly equipped to maximize safety. Properly plan the time needed to paint your house and decide if you have enough time to safely complete the project. Don’t rush it. If you really find you don’t have the time or are physically unable to safely tackle the project, then hire a professional painting company. They can do the project in a fraction of the time it will take you.