It's one week and the pundits are still talking about who's better between Eli and Peyton, whether or not Tom Brady's legacy is tarnished and if the New England Patriots dynasty is over? While both the doctor and I have opinions on each the above, we can debate those points with you in the office. However, one thing we do know is that a Town Center Foot and Ankle dynasty has just begun! Dr. Wilusz and I put our heads together and successfully crafted a championship of our own, by winningAdvanced Physical Therapy Center's Super Bowl contest.

In short, there were 20 questions and prop bets pertaining to the Super Bowl ranging from answering who would win the game to what color Gatorade would be dumped on the winning coach. And for the record, we picked the color of the Gatorade correctly. Thank you to Linda Clay for putting the contest together, and for our prize for winning! We were presented with an awesome Coleman Grill on Friday and are excited to put it to use as soon as the weather breaks. We had a lot of fun and hope to defend our championship next year!

Now that we're all well on our way to a more healthy and fit 2012, I felt this was a good time to include a blog post about Achilles tendonitis. Because many of us are so busy in our daily lives, when we workout, we are so eager to get in and out of the gym we often forget - or choose not to - properly warm up and stretch. With increased physical activity it is imperative we do proper warm ups and stretches to prevent injury. One of these injuries I see a lot is "Achilles tendonitis".

I've taken the time to put together some information about what "Achilles tendonitis" is, how it can happen and what a podiatrist can do for it. While I hope you aren't experiencing any of these symptoms, if you are, I strongly advise you schedule an appointment so we can diagnose and treat the problem.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, the structure that connects a muscle to its bone.  There are several tendons in the foot and ankle that are commonly affected.  The inflammation can occur after trauma, from overuse, or as a result of another medical problem such as arthritis or collagen vascular diseases.   The inflammation puts pressure on the surrounding nerves, causing pain and releases certain chemicals that damage the tendon, causing further pain and sometimes altering the structure of the tendon.

HOW DOES IT FEEL?
Most patients feel an aching pain in the area of the inflammation.  There may also be swelling and/or weakness of the involved tendon.  The pain usually increases with an increase in activity.

LET’S DO A TEST!
Your doctor will examine your foot, moving it through various motions to evaluate more specifically where the pain is originating.  You may be asked to stand or walk so your doctor can determine if your foot structure or walking pattern are affected by or causing the problem.  If tendon damage is suspected, you may be sent for a special test such as an x-ray, MRI, or ultrasound.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
There are a number of ways that tendonitis may develop.  A common cause is overuse, usually occurring after an increase in your activity level, or from improper or inadequate stretching before a work out.  Improper or excess motion in the tendon around the joint may create tiny tears in the tendon, which triggers the inflammation that causes the pain.  Tendonitis may follow trauma, such as ankle sprains, or may be the result of a medical problem such as arthritis.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR IT?
In most cases, applying ice and taking Tylenol, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication will relieve the pain.  Keeping the foot elevated, decreasing your activity level for a couple of days, and wearing a compressive dressing such as an ace wrap will also help a great deal.

WHAT WILL MY DOCTOR DO FOR IT?
If the pain continues, your doctor may send you for physical therapy, such as contrast baths, ultrasound, massage, electrical stimulation, and/or stretching and strengthening exercises.  You may need to start wearing orthotics.  In more severe cases, the tendon may need to be surgically repaired.

CAN I PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?
The best way to prevent tendonitis is to stretch properly before any work out or athletic event.  Wear high quality, supportive shoes that are made for your specific foot type.  If you have been prescribed orthotics, wear them as directed.  Finally, keep in good communication with your doctor so that if a problem arises, it can be treated quickly and accurately.

Because we often indulge in all the goodies available to us during the holiday season, there is often a spike in the occurrence of gout cases doctor sees. While gout is not caused by our diet, gout can be triggered by one's diet. The type of foods most associated with triggering gout are: beef, pork, lamb, beer, mushrooms, spinach cod, scallops, haddock, asparagus, oatmeal and dried beans - to name a few. Continue reading below to gain a better understanding of what gout is, how it happened and some things we can do to resolve this issue.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Gout is a systematic disease (i.e. condition that occurs throughout the body) caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints.  An elevated blood level of uric acid (called hyperuricemia) occurs when the liver produces more uric acid than the body can excrete in the urine, or when a diet high in rich foods (e.g. red meat, cream sauces, red wine) produces more uric acid than the kidneys can filter from the blood.

Over time, uric acid in the blood crystallizes and settles in the joint spaces, causing swelling, inflammation, stiffness, and pain.  Gout usually affects the first metatarsal phalangeal joint of the big toe (hallux) or the ankle joints.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
Gout is caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints.  Approximately 18% of people who develop gout have a family history of the condition, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease.  Diseases and conditions that increase the risk include diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, and sickle cell anemia.

Regularly drinking alcohol interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body and can increase the risk of developing gout.

HOW DOES IT FEEL?
Gout usually develops in the joint of the first toe (i.e. the big toe, or hallux).  Common symptoms included the following: inflammation, pain, redness, stiffness and swelling.  Touching or moving the toe may be intensely painful and patients often say that having as a bed sheet over the toe increases joint pain.

WHAT WILL MY DOCTOR DO FOR IT?
The goal of treatment is to decrease the amount of uric acid in the joints, which helps to reduce symptoms and prevent further attacks.  If left untreated, affected joints may be damaged, causing disability.

Treatment may involve nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication.  Due to potentially severe gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects, NSAIDs should only be used as instructed.  Corticosteroids may be taken orally or injected into the affected joint.  These medications usually resolve symptoms in about a week.

CAN I PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?
Prevention is the best defense against gout.  Medication may prevent continued accumulation of uric acid in the joints and further attacks.  Avoiding alcohol and rich foods that are high in purine (i.e. scallops, sardines, red meat, sweetbreads, gravy, cream sauces) also may help to prevent the condition.

Other preventative measures include the following:

·        Drink plenty of fluids (especially water)

·        Exercise regularly

·        Maintain a healthy diet and healthy body weight

·        See a physician regularly

·        Acute Flare-ups should be treated immediately!

This past Friday and Saturday, Dr. Wilusz and staff set up shop at the "Brooksie Way - Half Marathon Fitness Expo". This year the expo was located in the beautiful Oakland University Rec Center. The theme of this year's event was Body Mind Soul  "to reflect the vast array of vendors from different areas of health, fitness and wellness."

A former marathon runner, Dr. Wilusz was able to meet with people Friday evening and all day Saturday. He was able to educate many of the runners on causes of foot pain, as well as general foot and ankle health - especially geared towards runners. While in attendance, we were also able to raffle off 3 pair of free orthotics. If for whatever reason you missed this year's event, please be sure to mark your calendar next year as this event supports a great cause. And best of all, it's FREE!

Finally, we'd like to thank the event organizers! Brooksie Way is always one of our top expos as it is well attended and very well put together.