foot Archives

18Apr 2022 by Patrick Donovan

Gait Speed as the Sixth Vital Sign

Hello everyone Dr. Donovan here and today, we will be talking about travel speed as the sixth vital sign. The 5 commonly accepted vital signs are: Blood pressure, Heart rate, Oxygen saturation, Respiration, And temperature. One of the biggest things I have observed in my work is that any adult's walking or hiking behaviors are a marker of their health. You can also find greater control over your mental health and environmental control by improving your travel speed, and measuring the speed of movement according to the predicted health condition. There is something to be gained by improving your gait speed for everyone. For example, if you have a single gait speed, which is another name for walking speed, you can potentially increase it for an overall positive impact. There…

25Mar 2020 by Brigitte B

Prevent and Treat Hammertoe: Better Shoes Are Just Part of It

foot, Health content, Pain, Prevention, Treatment

Women love shoes. Not all women and not all shoes, but many women like the way a little bit of heel and a pointy toe can take an outfit from everyday wear to nighttime splendor. Men, too, may prefer a sleek, narrow dress shoe for a professional appearance. Unfortunately, those good looks can add up over the years to form the hammertoe that many seniors experience. If this has already happened to you, is it too late to fix it? What Is Hammertoe? Hammertoe refers to an imbalance in the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding middle toe joints. When one of these parts weakens, the toe may have a hard time returning to a neutral position. When the toe is stuck in a bent position, eventually the muscles tighten so…

10May 2019 by Patrick Donovan

Denver Wellness: Tips for Reducing, Managing Plantar Fasciitis Pain

foot

Studies show about three-quarters of all Americans will experience foot pain at some point in their lives. Of them, more than 2 million people who seek treatment each year will learn they suffer from an overuse condition called plantar fasciitis. Fortunately, according to Denver physical therapist Dr. Patrick Donovan, most cases of plantar fasciitis are both manageable and treatable. “Plantar fasciitis will typically present itself as sharp pain in the heel or in the arch of the foot, most often when you’re taking the first steps of the day,” said Dr. Donovan, owner of Heather Lane Physical Therapy in Denver. “The pain is the result of your plantar fascia – the thick band of tissue connecting your heel to the ball of your foot – becoming inflamed due to overuse.” The inflammation that causes plantar fasciitis can come from a sudden…

11Apr 2018 by Patrick Donovan

It’s Not Too Late to Fix Your Bunions

ankle, foot, Treatment

What is a Bunion? A frequent cause of disability from foot pain is the bunion. A bunion typically appears as A bony bump that forms on the base of the big toe. They affect some 35% of women over the age of 65. If left untreated and allowed to progress to its eventual end stage, the deformity can impair your ability to perform every day activities like walking or stair climbing. At this end stage surgery is the recommended treatment solution to resolve the deformity. But get this - up to 15% of bunions return following surgery. The reason for this is simple. It is because the underlying muscle weaknesses that lead to your original bunion formation still remain. Weak muscles directly contribute to the formation of your bunion but…