Archive for the ‘Knee Pain’ Category

We know how tough it is to have an injury and have to sit on the sidelines. If you need help for a sports injury, we can help you get back in the game. We treat all types of athletes at our Seattle foot and ankle clinic—serious athletes, weekend warriors, and beginners. Make an appointment here before your next workout.

Foot pain and athletics should not go hand in hand, especially if you want to stay active for the long haul. However, the reality is that playing sports and exercise expose the feet and ankles to additional pressure and significant forces. Simply engaging in activity can result in injury. Many people experience pain due to uneven foot distribution, lack of support, and feet that are out of alignment. This can also cause lower body injuries, including knee and back pain.

If you are considering starting an exercise or training program, or are a serious athlete who has developed an injury, come see us right away. Some of the sports medicine injuries treated at our Seattle podiatry clinic include:

• Team sports: Soccer, Basketball, Football, and Baseball
• Individual sports: Running, Hiking, Bicycling, Dance, and Boot Camp
• Summer sports: Golf, Ultimate Frisbee, and Tennis
• Winter sports: Skiing / Snowboarding

We are conveniently located on First Hill near downtown Seattle and can help you maximize your performance and get back on track.  Make an appointment with Dr. Huppin or Dr. Hale.

If you have bad knees, it’s important to wear running shoes that keep the feet, knees, and ankles stable at all times. Since running puts a great deal of force on the knees, the right shoes not only allow you to run longer, but also reduce your chance of pain and injury.

Runners who have bad knees have a few challenges. These include problems with excessive pronation and runners knee. Overpronation causes the foot to pronate (flatten) and the leg to rotate in toward the other knee. Runners knee occurs when there is excess stress on the knee area due to overpronation, misalignment, and overtraining. Runners can prevent these conditions by wearing stability shoes that encourage the knees to stay in proper alignment and support the arches.

For the best running shoes for bad knees, check out the shoes from our free recommended shoe list. We’ve picked only running and exercise shoes that are designed to keep knees, feet, and ankles healthy.

If you have knee pain and are a runner, it’s also helpful to vary your running surfaces, such as running on soft dirt trails or grass. Also, if you are new to running and have bad knees, visit a running shoe store to get fitted by a shoe specialist.

Be sure to download our recommended shoe list before you buy a new pair of shoes. The Spring 2011 shoe list is available for download here.

Did you know that knee pain is often related to foot dysfunction? This means that proper footwear could have dramatic effects on bad knees.

We have extensive experience with orthotic therapy and have found that a supportive shoe or sandal should have a custom orthotic or built-in orthotic to cushion the foot. A good custom-made orthotic can address the underlying cause of knee problems. In fact, several studies have shown that orthotics reduce can greatly reduce knee pain.

Many of our patients do not want to wear shoes with orthotics in the warmer weather, so we recommend a few choices for bad knees:

• Naot sandal for Men and Women
• Orthaheel Kiwi Slide sandals for Men and Women
• Orthaheel Malibu sandals for Women
• Orthaheel Malibu sandals for Men

All of these casual summer sandals provide arch support and help for bad knees. They come with a build-in orthotic footbed that is designed to conform closely to the arch. This helps keep the knees, feet, and ankles stay in alignment.

There are also sandals for bad knees that are dressier that allow the insertion of a custom or doctor-prescribed orthotic. This is a prescription medical device that is designed to fit the arch of your foot perfectly. If you have bad knees and want to wear sandals or clogs, be sure to purchase a sandal with a removable insole, such as the Women’s and Men’s Naot Sandal. These are stylish, comfortable and supportive.

If you have bad knees and want summertime footwear, try our orthotic sandal suggestions, and make an appointment with a local podiatrist to get evaluated. If you live in the Seattle area and want to visit with Dr. Huppin or Dr. Hale, click here for an appointment.

If you would rather wear flips-flops rather than sandals, check out these Orthaheel flip-flops.

If you live in or near Issaquah, WA, and have foot, ankle, leg or knee pain, podiatrists Dr. Huppin and Dr. Hale are specialists in orthotic therapy. In fact, they travel nationally to teach podiatrists throughout the country. Their vast knowledge of orthotic therapy makes the trip to Seattle worth it.

People who experience all types of foot pain, as well as leg and knee pain find that orthotics help to correct the misalignment of the foot and ankle. They are also an effective solution for ball of foot pain, bunions and plantar fasciitis.

Custom orthotics are built with superior comfort and the best biomechanical solution for your foot problems. They keep the foot healthy and aligned correctly, relieving pain and preventing future problems.  Learn why our orthotics work better.

At the Foot and Ankle Center of Washington your orthotics will not only be designed to treat the specific concerns of the foot, but will also be comfortable—plus, if you are experiencing any discomfort, we will help you fix the problem.

Traveling to our downtown Seattle clinic from Issaquah for your appointment is easy. Drive the I-90 and I-5 route, heading west and north.  We are just off of I-5 and less than 30 minutes from Issaquah. Our receptionist can help with directions by calling 206-344-3808. Click here to request an appointment today.

A number of studies indicate that specific types of foot orthotics can decrease pain in patients who have a history of arthritis affecting the medial (inside) portion of the knee.  “Laterally wedged” orthotics act to lower force through the damaged portion of the joint.  Although it sometimes can take a couple modifications to accomplish the best results, many patients do very well with these specialized foot orthotics.

However, osteoarthritis affecting the lateral compartment (outside) of the knee has not been shown to respond as well as medical compartment arthritis.  Arthritis that affects both compartments is not likely to be helped with foot orthotics.

But there are other types of knee pain that respond well to foot orthotics.  There are many causes of knee pain; some of the most common ones include patellofemoral pain syndrome, arthritis, injury to ligaments, cartilage (meniscus) tears, tendonitis and bursitis. Some problems can occur as the result of direct injury, while others are the result of wear and tear over many years.

Patients often wonder if their knee pain could be related to their feet.  In fact, abnormal foot function can cause several types of knee pain.  Indeed, problems with the function of your feet can have repercussions that are felt all the way up, including your knees, back and hips.   In studies of knee pain and foot function, excessive flattening of the feet is the foot problem most often mentioned as being associated with knee pain.  

Foot orthotics can help reduce knee pain by addressing the underlying cause of your knee dysfunction.  Several studies indicate the dramatic effect that orthotics can have on knee problems.  If you are experiencing knee or foot pain of any kind, make an appointment right away in our Seattle office so we can perform an examination to determine the best treatment option for you.

If you’ve ever dealt with knee pain running injuries while training for a marathon or taking up running as a sport, you know that problem this can be very debilitating. We bring up this topic because this time of year, many people are increasing their mileage as the weather gets cooler and preparing for winter marathons. There are winter running races in places like Las Vegas and Arizona, which both host Rock n’ Roll marathons and ½ marathons. This means that fall is the best time of year to prevent knee pain running injuries before they occur. 

Research on knee pain shoes that excessive flattening of the feet (known as over-pronation) is the most problematic condition that leads to knee injuries. Pronation of the feet causes the knees to rotate inwards, forcing them to function in an abnormal position. Overtime, this leads to increased stress on the knees. Click here to learn how to do a self-check for over-pronation.

Some resources for knee injuries that are due to feet problems include:

• Custom orthotics and shoe changes, including the use of arch support any time you are on your feet.
• Wearing flip flops for arch support to give your feet an extra cushion during rest periods.
• Wearing shoes that are recommended to keep your feet in alignment.
• Several studies that confirm that foot orthotics can dramatically improve knee pain within several weeks.

Visiting a podiatrist can help you determine if feet problems are causing you knee injuries. It is worth exploring this option if you are having knee pain running injuries problems while training for a marathon, doing casual running or doing recreational activities.

If you are in the Seattle area, call today for an appointment in our foot and ankle clinic.