The warm sunshine of summer is near and feet everywhere are happily stepping out into a variety of sandals and flip-flops. However, in Florida these types of footwear are a wardrobe staple year-round. Though they may seem carefree and harmless, the wrong pair of flip-flops can lead to a variety of issues including, but not limited to: blisters, tendinitis, sprained ankles, ligament injuries, plantar fasciitis, cuts, scrapes, and stubbed toes.

Despite their fun or trendy appearance, flip-flops are typically not healthy for your feet. Generally speaking, most flip-flops should not be worn exclusively throughout the day. Like most things in life, moderation is key!

The following American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) flip-flop “do’s” and “don’ts” can help keep you from falling victim to flip-flop related foot problems this summer:

• Do gently bend a flip-flop at the ends, ensuring it bends at the ball of the foot. Flip-flops of any kind should never fold completely in half.
• Do look for the APMA’s Seal of Acceptance on flip-flops. Many companies, such as FitFlop, Chaco, and Orthaheel, have certain flip-flops or sandals that have been awarded the APMA’s Seal of Acceptance for demonstrating proper support.
• Don't re-wear flip-flops year after year. Inspect older pairs for wear. If severe signs of wear are found, discard them.
• Don't wear flip-flops if you have diabetes, as the footwear leaves feet susceptible to cuts and scrapes that may lead to serious injury. Instead, opt for lightweight footwear that covers and protects the toes.

If you have questions regarding making healthy shoe decisions, request an appointmentwith the First Coast Foot & Ankle Clinicin Jacksonville today.

By Vimal A. Reddy DPM

Snow may only very rarely be in the weather forecast during winter in Jacksonville FL, but that doesn't mean it doesn’t get a bit chilly. Runners, who frequently hit the pavement or trails early in the morning, often experience the coldest part of a day. As such, it's recommended that runners have two different types of training regimes- one for warmer days (thankfully plentiful in Florida!) and one for cooler days to help keep you going.

Whether you’re a casual recreational jogger or a competitive athlete considering participation in the upcoming “26.2 With Donna – National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer” consider the following for your “winter running regime”:

1.     Not too much:Do not plan to make any increases in mileage or speed during colder weather. Pushing oneself harder in the cold could lead to injury (and a visit to the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic!) 

2.    Warm up indoors:at least briefly before running and be especially vigilant if conditions are wet or perhaps even icy.

3.    Wear clothing appropriate for running in colder weather: Running shoes in good condition are a must. Try thick, absorbent, dry socks and make sure you have adequate space in your running shoes to accommodate these thicker socks; consider buying a half-size larger running shoe for your winter regime. Also, wear a warm hat. A significant amount of body heat is lost directly from the head, which affects the whole body's circulation.

4.    Be mindful of the wind-chill factor! Some runners prefer to run into the wind to start off and then return with the wind at their backs. The return run is easier since you have perspired and your body is warmer.

5.    Protect your skin!Use a moisturizer, protective lip balm, and sun block to prevent blister formation and redness in the face area.

6.    Stay Hydrated:Drink PLENTY of water before and after running to ensure your muscles recover after running in cold weather.

7.    Most Importantly:Be safe, stay warm, and HAVE FUN!

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

With the Holiday Season officially under way, ski trips are a great way to make the most of your time off during the wintery weather. While a snowy mountain may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Jacksonville, FL, getting away from the grey skies and misty rain to pristine white ski slopes can be a pleasant change of pace. For those of you who make regular trips, or if you just want to try skiing, Dr. Vimal Reddy offers these tips to make the most of your ski vacation.

1.     Keep your feet warm: Being out with ice cold feet can ruin your day. Make sure not to store boots outdoors overnight, making them frigid the next day.  Also, Invest in thermal socks they are worth the expense. By keeping your feet warm, not only will it be more comfortable, you lessen your risk for cold injuries such as chilblains or  frostbite.

2.     Wear properly fitting boots: Dr. Reddy recommends this for running shoes as well, but it is twice as important in skiing.  Due to the trauma that affects your feet on the bottoms, sides, tips of the toes and ankles, boots should be tight enough to cushion your feet, but not too tight as to bruise your toes or cut off circulation.

3.     Stretch out…Just like any other sport: If you limber up before skiing, you can improve your performance and lessen the chances of developing cramps. This article features some easy stretches to do before hitting the slopes.

4.     Know your skills and know your limits: While a ski vacation is enjoyable and unforgettable, don’t attempt a run that is beyond your level. An inexperienced skier might not be able to react to the twisting forces of the ground against the skis.  This could potentially lead to severe ankle sprains or worse. Enjoy the beauty of a crisp winter day while you relax on a run you can manage… don’t try and overdo it.

If you or anyone you know has more questions about winter and their feet, please contact the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic to make an appointment

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

Bad news for those strutting their stuff around Jacksonville, FL in Reebok EasyTone shoes: Reebok recently agreed to settle a $25 million lawsuit filed by the FTC. The international shoe company claimed their EasyTone shoes strengthen:

• Buttock muscles (gluteals) by 28 percent
• Calves and hamstrings by 11 percent.

Although these are very powerful muscles (the gluteals lift the body up stairs and calves propel the body forward) the FTC alleges this to be false advertisement. For a shoe to boast these kinds of strength gains is amazing—and hard to believe.

Supposedly the shoe works because the unstable sole forces the individual to use other muscles in the lower leg to stabilize the body. At best, Dr. Reddy believes the unstable shoe could help to improve balance and strengthen some of the stabilizing muscles of the lower leg—possibly leading to improvement in athletic performance. On the flip side, feet like a flat surface and will bend side to side until they are leveled out. These unstable soles may actually force the foot into bending in ways that are harmful to the wearer. It may even damage the very muscles you are trying to strengthen!

Despite advanced technology and flashy marketing, it’s still best to wear stable and sturdy walking shoes. If you want to tone your calves and glutes you’ll get better results the old fashioned way—diet and exercise… Sorry.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

After nine years with the Houston Rockets Yao Ming announced his retirement. Affecting his decision to retire was a stress fracture in his left foot. While it is not stated which bone he fractured, it is probably his heel bone (calcaneus), or his second metatarsal—one of the bones of the front of the foot where the toes attach.

Stress fractures are a consequence of repeated weight on a bone without enough periods of rest. It is especially common in sports such as basketball, tennis, dance, and gymnastics, because an athlete will need to literally stay on their toes during play and training.

Whether you are the star center of the Houston Rockets, or a weekend warrior in a local league around Jacksonville, FL The First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic has these recommendations to help prevent stress fractures:

• Avoid doing too much too soon: Instead, build your way up, setting incremental goals, so your body can become accustomed to your level of activity.
• Diet: include foods rich in calcium and vitamin D to strengthen your bones.
• Rest your feet! This will give your bones a chance to recover from the stress you put them through.
• If it hurts, stop! Stress fractures are tiny, but painful. In fact, they are often not detectable on X-ray. The good news is that fractures are small enough to recover quickly, and, with adequate preventative measures, you’ll be back in the game!

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

“Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek recently made headlines after injuring his Achilles tendon.  When his hotel room was broken into, Trebek chased the burglar down his hallway until he heard a loud pop from his heel.  This is the attachment point for the Achilles tendon, a thick, rope-like structure that connects the powerful calf muscles to the heal bone. A ruptured Achilles tendon is one of the most severe injuries that can occur in the leg, and it must be repaired surgically. Fortunately for the game show host, it looks like he will have a speedy recovery.

While this took place on the West Coast, Dr. Vimal Reddy has some lessons for us here in Jacksonville, FL about what we can do to prevent this devastating injury from happening.

• Stay in shape. At age 72, Mr. Trebek probably leads a less active lifestyle.  For those of us who are able however, staying in reasonably good shape is the best way to prevent injuries in general.
• Warm up before exercising.  Of course, if you need to chase a burglar down a hallway, you may not have a chance to warm up. However, if you do some brisk walking to get your calf muscles warmed up, you lessen the chance of injuring your Achilles.
• Strengthen your calf muscles. A good way to do this is to stand up on your toes and then slowly lower yourself down. Lowering oneself down in a slow, controlled manner will really build up strength.
• Wear the proper shoe gear. Dr. Reddy may sound like a broken record saying this, but wearing the right shoes goes a long way to preventing injury!

As a podiatric surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the First Coast Foot & Ankle Clinic, Dr. Reddy is qualified to perform Achilles tendon repair surgery. Consult with Dr. Reddy for a detailed assessment of your foot structure and recommendations for exercising your legs to prevent such injuries.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

When is the last time you showed off or took a good look at your legs?  Celebrities like Heidi Klum have made a career out of showing off her legs.  Even going as far as having them insured! 

One of the body’s amazing adaptations is the network of vessels carrying blood from the heart to the feet and back again. Arteries transport blood away from the heart to the feet, and our veins are equipped with valves and muscular pumps to move the blood against gravity back to the heart. 

As we age some will find that the veins of the lower leg have a harder time carrying the blood back up, causing blood can to pool in the lower leg. This will result in swelling (edema)and veins that pop out—varicosities.  Unfortunately, there is not much we can do to prevent varicose veins. The most important factor is genetics, so look to your parents to see what may be in store for your legs. Also, women are particularly at risk.

If you have swollen legs, ankles and varicose veins, Dr. Vimal Reddy recommends:

•  Elevating your legs above the level of your chest: This way, your veins can work with gravity instead of against it! So sit back, kick your feet and chill.
• Compression stockings: available at the First Coast Foot & Ankle Clinic, over the counter or as a prescription. These will compress the feet and legs, preventing blood from pooling in them. To get the most out of your compression stockings, make sure you put them on the moment you get out of bed in the morning and wear them all day.  This may mean you will need to start showering at night.
• In severe cases, more advanced treatment may be necessary. Consult with Dr. Reddy to determine the best strategy for dealing with your varicose veins.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

After watching the USA and Japan duke it out in over time at the FIFA 2011 Women’s World Cup, one may think to themselves, “Do their feet hurt after all that running around?” The calcaneus, or the heel bone, is the largest bone in the foot and the first part of the foot to hit the ground.  This makes the heel bone more vulnerable to injury and something seen often at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.

Heel pain is an issue many people on the First Cost deal with and it is commonly attributed to plantar fasciitis. Dr. Vimal Reddy believes it is best to X-ray the heel in order to check for a stress fracture, which can occur in any bone of the foot as a result of overuse. As we age and our bones become weaker, we are more at risk for stress fractures, and the calcaneus is one of the most common places for it to happen.  Utilizing a digital X-ray to quickly and efficiently examine and diagnose, Dr. Reddy can even tell you about osteoporosis, since he is able to use X-rays of the calcaneus as a measure of how strong the bones are.

Of course, people will have accidents and have been known to break the calcaneus, like any other bone in the body. This happens most when individuals fall from great heights and land on their feet.  Sadly, they usually break both, and fractured heel bones are a very serious injury due to the difficulty of healing.  The individual may never function the same way again.  As a podiatric surgeon, Dr. Reddy is qualified to surgically correct these injuries to line up the bony fragments and work towards the best possible recovery.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

As Cindy Crawford, Enrique Iglesias and Julia Roberts so prominently demonstrate, a mole is an area of the skin with an abundance of pigment producing cells—melanocytes. These can occur anywhere on the body, even on your feet! However, it is important not to confuse these type of moles with the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma.  So before you go out under the Jacksonville summer sun, consider this advice from Dr. Vimal Reddy.

Melanoma occurs when the same pigment producing cells found in moles start to grow and multiply without control. Skin cancer usually occurs on body parts exposed most to the sun: backs, shoulders and legs. Another area of concern and important to examine are our feet.  Early detection of melanoma is critical for successful treatment, so when examining moles on your body don’t forget your feet.

 Who is at risk?

• Individuals with fair skin
• Individuals with numerous moles
• People who spend a lot of time in the sun

The Skin Cancer Foundation has created a list of preventionguidelines.  Here are a few extra tips Dr. Reddy suggestsfor your feet:

• When applying sunscreen, be sure to include the tops of your feet and toes
• Inspect your feet for moles that are changing in shape, size, or color
• Don’t forget to check for moles in between your toes!

When it comes to your skin you should consult with your primary care physician or dermatologist for most questions about any of your moles.  But as a podiatrist, Dr. Reddy is well trained to assess changes to the skin occurring on the feet. Looking over the skin for changes is part of every foot examination at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.  Please feel free to consult with Dr. Reddy for your questions about melanoma and other skin cancers.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

With things heating up in Jacksonville, FL, from wildfires to the summer heat, many of us will be sliding into our favorite flip-flops and showing off our toes.  The American Podiatric Medical Association has released a set of Do’s and Don’ts for pedicures. Dr. Vimal Reddy has found that the common theme in all of these tips is to watch out for infectious germs, from bacteria or fungi. Here are the highlights Dr. Reddy at the First Coast Foot & Ankle Clinic picked out:

1.     Trim your toenails straight across, not tapered: Nails want to grow straight out. If your toenails are rounded, they can start to grow sideways into your skin, which hurts! This is also an open invitation for a bacterial infection and the pain level will only increase from there.

2.     Use clean tools: If the salon is not properly sterilizing their tools, bring your own. Also, never share emery boards, because they are porous and can trap germs. Finally, don’t use the same tools for a manicure as for a pedicure, because that can transfer germs from your feet to your hands….Yuck!

3.     Not too dry, not too wet: Moisturizing creams will help dry feet.  Just be careful not to keep your feet confined in a damp environment (especially between the toes!) since this creates an ideal breeding ground for fungi.

4.     Thick discolored nails?: You might have a fungus. If this sounds like you, check in with Dr. Reddy to come up with a treatment regimen to eradicate the unwelcome guest living in your toenail!

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

According to this article, there are new shoes out to help you make the most of your springtime walks and summertime strolls. Some of them are quite fancy but also expensive. Dr. Vimal Reddy has these tips for figuring out what is best as you explore scenic Jacksonville on foot!

Tip 1: Spend some money: Cheap shoes will wear out quickly.  You want something that will last you throughout the season.

Tip 2: But don’t spend too much money: Beyond a certain price, high-end shoes are more about fashion than about protecting your feet. Also to keep in mind, this is a shoe you will be replacing after 300-600 miles of walking, or 6-10 months. Take a look at the different models offered by each brand and you might decide the fancy shoe is too much for you!

Tip 3: You can walk in running shoes:  If you are more of a runner, your money will be better spent on a pair of running shoes. No need to dedicate a pair of shoes just for your walks. However, if you are training intensely, it might pay off to have a pair of backup shoes for your ordinary activities. In that case, see tip #2.

Tip 4: Choose a shoe that fits:  Yes, you knew this already, but it bears repeating. Dr. Reddy has written previously on this topic here. You should make sure you have extra room for the tips of your toes (about half an inch).  Make sure the point where the sole of the shoe flexes lines up with the ball of your foot.

To help find the best shoe for you stop by the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.  Dr. Reddy can help recommend what to look for in a shoe that will accommodate your unique foot structure. And remember, every foot is different, so there is no such thing as the “best” shoe.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

With summer on our heals, you might be thinking about adding miles to your runs along A1A or joining a summer sports league here on the First Coast. Whichever activity you choose, you may be worried about Achilles Tendonitis; a condition where the Achilles tendon becomes sore after over use.

***Just so you know: The Achilles tendon is the thick rope-like structure on the back of your lower leg and one of many tendons we have connecting our calf muscles to our feet. ***

Another important tendon is the posterior tibial muscle. Located behind your shin-bone (the tibia), the posterior tibial (PT) muscle is used for flexing your foot inwards at the ankle joint. This is an important muscle for stabilizing your foot when your heel hits the ground and when your foot pushes off.  Like your Achilles, the PT tendon will become sore if it is overused.

According to Dr. Vimal Reddy, PT tendonitis is characterized by pain that gets worse with running. You will feel the pain in your inner leg, next to the heel cord.  You are particularly at risk if you tend to flatten your feet out, or pronate when you run. Doing this stretches and irritates the PT tendon even more.

Tips for prevention and treatment:

• Arch supports—to minimize the amount you pronate your foot
• Protective taping—again, to restrict movement of your ankle
• Aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication
• Brace, walking boot or cast—to immobilize the tendon and give it some rest

In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary to give you some relief. If you pronate when you run or if you have pain, consult with Dr. Reddy at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic to find out what is the best treatment option for your case.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

With summer on our heels in Jacksonville, FL, many will be slipping into a pair of their favorite flip-flops.  Flip-flops are perfect at the pool or beach. However, if you plan on going for a long walk or know you’ll be standing for several hours, you will need a shoe with a thicker sole for more support.

Problems that arise from wearing flip-flops at the wrong time:

• Tendonitis: Irritation of your Achilles tendon, due to poor arch support
• Heel Fissures: Cracking of the skin on the heels due to the additional friction on your heels
• Toe stub injuries and fractures: due to lack of protection.

Of course, flip-flops aren’t all bad. Some instances                   when flip-flops are beneficial:

• If you sweat excessively: Open-toed shoes will ensure your feet stay dry, particularly between the toes. This is important for preventing fungal infection and maintaining skin strength.
• Public Showers: Always wear flip-flops when using a public shower like you would find at pool or gym locker room.
• If the back of your heel is sore, flip-flops can reduce irritation to the area.
• They’re fun and stylish!

If you are planning on wearing flip-flops, make sure you get a pair with a thick, rigid sole. This will strengthen your foot’s ability to absorb shock. Also, while you’re wearing them, make sure you take it easy on your feet to minimize injury. If you have questions on where to find a more rigid, yet stylish sandal, you can inquire at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

Do you have burning, tingling pain in the ball of your foot? If so, it is possible you have neuroma.  Neuroma is when nerves on the bottom of the foot become overgrown. When you step down on the foot, the bones press on the swollen nerve, causing the waves of burning, tingling, pain.  Neuromas occur commonly in the ball of the foot between the third and fourth toes. This special case is referred to as Morton’s neuroma.

Dr. Reddy at First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic has many different treatment options available for this problem:

• Fabricate and apply padding to the foot to prevent the bones from squeezing the nerve.
• Orthotics
• Cortisone injections - this will reduce the inflammation.
• Alcohol injections - if the above measures don’t work, this will destroy the bothersome nerve (neurolysis). Not 100% effective, though.
• Surgery - to cut out the nerve manually, in severe cases.
• Cryogenic neuroablation - a relatively new procedure with similar results to surgery but fewer complications and high patient satisfaction. Instead of destroying the nerve with chemicals, it is frozen.

High-heeled shoes aggravate neuromas. The toe box of a high-heeled shoe is usually tight, forcing all your weight down onto the ball of your foot. These two factors contribute to the swelling and irritation.  So ladies the next time you’re running aorund your office or in downtown Jacksonville with your girlfriends for a night out, if you start to feel a burning, tingling pain in your feeet you may want to consider different footwear.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

Last night you may have been entertained by the fancy footwork of wrestlers such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H and The Undertaker while watching WWE Wrestlemania 27.  Or perhaps you were engaged in the Country Music Awards admiring the couture of your favorite country music stars and taking pleasure in Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood’s performance of “Walk This Way”.  When it comes to walking into a wrestling ring or strutting your stuff on a stage, many problems can arise in the foot as a result of not wearing the right shoes.  Today I would like to dispel a few myths about shoe sizing to help you find the right fit for your foot.

1. You don’t have a shoe size! – You have a foot size. Your foot size is measured in a Brannock device (pictured above).  In a perfect world, your shoe size and foot size would be a perfect match.  Unfortunately, in reality there are differences between brands and the only way to know which shoe fits best is to try them on! 

2. Sizing shoes: Most clerks at shoe stores will measure your heel-to-toe length. While this is important for making your toes comfortable, the more important measure is your heel-to-ball length. You can measure your heel-to-ball length by using the pointer that slides along the side of your foot on the Brannock device.  Your foot size will be the larger of the heel-to-toe and heel-to-toe sizes. Dr. Reddy can give you a proper and accurate measurement at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.

The heel-to-ball measurement is important because your foot bends the most at the ball of your foot. When trying on a shoe:

• Bend the shoe as if you were pushing the toes upward
• Make sure the shoe bends around the same place as the ball bends
• Lastly, if the shoe bends in a way that your foot does not then it won’t give you the support you need!

3. Size is just a number: Some patients are self-conscious if their feet measure larger then they would like. Just remember the feet you are born with are the only ones you will have.  So if you’re running around your office in Downtown Jacksonville, or taking a stroll by the St. Johns River, be happy, be comfortable, and wear a shoe that fits!

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

With warmer weather around the corner, lots of people are ready to get out of the house, lace up their tennis shoes and get outside. With this said, I would like to take a minute to focus on one of the smallest and many times over looked, body part: the big toe. When we run, we push our foot off the ground stretching the big toe backwards. In sports like football, soccer and track, the toe can be stretched too far, causing irritation. This is known as Turf Toe. You will feel pain on the bottom of your toe joint as you are pushing your foot off the ground when running.

Turf Toe is very similar to Achilles Tendonitis. In each case, you are stretching a body part too far, causing irritation and inflammation. In each case, the treatment consists of:

• RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
• Aspirin - Dr. Reddy will advise if this is appropriate or not
• Getting to the root cause of the condition - make an appointment at Jacksonville's First Coast Foot & Ankle Clinic

If you are wearing shoes that are too flexible, you can easily over-extend your big toe. While athletic shoes should not be too stiff, they should not be too flimsy either; they need to be just right. So if you're training for the upcoming Gate River Run, hitting the gym to get ready for bathing suit season, our just outside getting rid of those winter blues, you want to be able to enjoy these activities pain free. When you make your appointment remember to bring your training shoes with you so Dr. Reddy can properly evaluate if you are getting the protection you need.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

Whether you're playing in the Super Bowl, having fun with friends or jogging down A1A in Jacksonville Beach, Achilles tendonitis can easily flare up. The Achilles tendon is the thick cord on the back of your lower leg. It connects the powerful calf muscles to the heel. When it happens, you will notice pain an inch or two above your heel. This is the watershed zone of the tendon, the spot where all the blood vessels come in to supply nutrients. Unfortunately, this is also going to be ground zero for the body's inflammatory response. This is a fancy way of saying your body detects the small problem, overreacts, and the small problem becomes bigger and bigger.

The Achilles tendon was named after the invincible Greek warrior Achilles. The only weak point for this Trojan War hero was his heel. And what a weak point it is! Injuries to the Achilles tendon are among the most serious in the lower extremity to be treated by Dr. Vimal Reddy at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic.

Long-term treatments consist of correcting the root cause of Achilles Tendonitis; either your muscles and tendons are stiff because you are doing too much too soon, or you are overpronating (flattening out your feet). In the case of stiffness, you can correct the problem by adding a regimen of stretching before and after exercise. Overpronation can be corrected with custom orthotic shoe inserts.

In the short run, you should rest your sore Achilles. Aspirin may be appropriate to use depending on your situation. For more information, consult with Dr. Reddy to determine the best treatment for your painful Achilles.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

Despite the absence of our Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL playoffs, we have seen an exciting post-season filled with surprises. There are teams who have been celebrated for decades, creating new chapters in some of the most storied rivalries in NFL history. These dramatic matchups are an inspiration to us amateurs. So when we are inspired and try to play like the pros we admire, or for some strut our stuff in the highest of heels like a super model, we sometimes run the risk of injuring ourselves.

This week we focus on one of the most common injuries seen at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic... the sprained ankle. Ankle sprains are common in most sports: football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and any other activity involving running and jumping.

A sprain is a tear in the ligaments. These ligaments are cords of tissues holding bone to bone at your joints. While they are strong, a sudden overextension of the joint in the wrong direction can cause it to tear. This makes the ankle the most common site of sprains in sports, particularly in the lateral or outer side of the ankle.

The treatment options for a sprained ankle will depend on how severe it is. Usually spending a few days resting your ankle and following the RICE procedure (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) should suffice. However, in very severe cases, an MRI and surgery may be required. If you have an ankle injury and are not sure what to do, contact Dr. Reddy to determine the best treatment strategy.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

For a brief shining moment the Jacksonville Jaguars were leading their division, on the way to their first division championship since 1998. It was almost possible, but after an unfortunate loss against the Texans, players out due to injuries and another team's win, all that can be said now is: there's always next year. Nonetheless Dr. Vimal Reddy and the rest of the TEAM at the First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic will continue to support their Jaguars.

Football is a tough sport, especially on the legs. There are many injuries that can occur in the foot and ankle. These include:

• Ankle sprains
• Achilles tendonitis
• Turf toe

One common treatment regimen for such traumatic injuries, whether from football or other physical activity, is the "RICE" strategy:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

When we suffer an injury, our body responds with a process known as inflammation. This results in a major increase in blood flow to the injured area. This causes the familiar warmth, redness, swelling, and pain. While it is necessary for healing, our bodies are designed to "overcompensate". Prolonged inflammation is the reason why injuries hurt the worse the day after.

Using the RICE technique can minimize the effects of inflammation. The rest component is easy to understand, but the other techniques may not seem as obvious. By icing and compressing the area, the body is not as able to get blood flow into the injured area. Elevating the injured area allows gravity to carry blood away from the injury. Proper usage of this technique will mean a less painful recovery. However if the pain continues, the injury may be more severe, requiring the need for a professional such as Dr. Reddy to further evaluate the situation.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy

The past few weeks have Jacksonville, FL in winter's grasp, and the chills have been felt here at Dr. Reddy's First Coast Foot and Ankle Clinic. This is bad news for the feet as they are the first parts to be sacrificed when we are exposed to extreme cold. However, our bodies are marvels in terms of the various survival mechanisms we have in place.

Conditions of cold exposure can be broadly grouped into freezing and non-freezing injuries. Non-freezing injuries include pernio, or chillblains. This condition results from changing circulation in response to cold exposure. You'll notice it on the skin because it will be red, itchy, and have a burning sensation. Your skin may even form ulcers.

Of course, you are probably more familiar with frostbite, a freezing injury. Frostbite occurs when the body part becomes so cold that it actually freezes. This is a serious medical condition, and you will need to seek emergency medical treatment. Do not try to rapidly re-warm the exposed area but instead do so gradually. Dr. Reddy will be able to help you form a long-term treatment plan.

The best way to handle cold exposure is to prevent it. Here are some tips:

• Keep your feet dry! Since water will make you lose heat 25 times faster than air.
• Proper footwear! Make sure your footwear is not too tight to allow for proper circulation.
• Avoid alcohol if you will be in a cold environment. This will cause your blood vessels to expand and give off body heat
• Bundle up! This means wear a proper hat, coat, and gloves. If you keep your head and chest warm, your body will be able to maintain circulation of warm blood to the feet.

For treatment options or any questions you may have consult with Dr. Vimal Reddy.

By Dr. Vimal Reddy