Get Rid of Foot Cramps

Foot cramps can be at the least annoying and at the most quite painful. It can be caused due to various factors like foot exertion, improper blood circulation, substance abuse, malnutrition etc. Foot cramps may also be caused when your feet don't get enough oxygen due to poor blood circulation to the feet. The best relief for foot cramps is stretching exercises. Though annoying, they are not a cause for concern by themselves but sometimes may lead to serious problems. So it is a good idea to see a podiatrist if you have severe foot cramps often.

You can lessen the chances of developing foot cramps by wearing right-fitting shoes. Do some simple stretching before you do any kind of exercise program to loosen the muscles. It is very important to loosen the leg muscles before you take a swim as you may get foot cramps in the water. When you have a cramping sensation, place your feet under running water alternating between cool water and warm water. Follow this with a good foot massage for five to ten minutes.

Do you have peripheral vascular disease?
You may have peripheral vascular disease when there is poor blood circulation to the feet and legs. The walls of the arteries get thickened and this may lead to this foot problem. It could occur due to diabetes. Some of the common symptoms of Peripheral vascular disease are a dull cramping pain in the calf muscle or numbness or tingling in the foot or toes. There may also be changes in the color of the skin.

This problem can be treated though it may take a while and you have to be extra careful with your foot hygiene while it is healing. It is also important to wear right fitting footwear that does not cause too much pressure. If you have any corns or calluses, get it treated immediately because if you don't, the skin may break down and may be difficult to heal later on.

Treating children's foot problems
Proper foot care and foot treatment should begin in childhood. Some common foot disorders that affect children are flat feet, ingrown toenails and knock knees. Preventive foot treatment is important to your child. Many children walk in an awkward way which is termed pigeon toed, flat footed, or bowlegged. This may not cause pain at present but may get worse and cause pain as they get older. It is important for parents to get these foot disorders treated early. Curved feet and tendon contractures are other childhood foot problems. A podiatric doctor will be able to diagnose the problem and treat the child.

Some complaints from children could be because of what is called growing pains. The bones grow faster than tissues, tendons and ligaments and so may take several months to catch up to the length of the bones. This causes pain but it will pass. But do not ignore any complaint of pain from your child.

Treat your tendonitis
The tendon is found at the end of the muscle and attaches the muscle to the bone. Athletes overwork their tendons during rigorous practice and this may stress the area and cause tendonitis. Tendonitis is usually found in the foot as we use it the most and this is true for every one of us, not just athletes. The muscle gets tired and weakens, which may cause pain and swelling. Podiatrists or foot doctors may ask you to wear a support to restrict movement and help it heal. Your podiatrist may also want you to take an ultrasound to check the damage. If the pain persists, an MRI Scan may need to be taken in case there is a tear in the tendon or a rupture where the tendon meets the bone.

Athletes need to see a good foot doctor who understands sports injuries and can help, as severe tendonitis can hamper their sports career. They should go back for follow up visits after they are better, especially when they get back to their normal training and participation in competitions. Sometimes corrective surgery may be needed to realign the tendon.

Knee Joint Care

Knee joint the largest and the most complicated joint of the human body that ferries the weight of whole body and hence is most susceptible to acute (Ex. ligament or menisci injury) and chronic (Ex. osteoarthritis) knee conditions. Knee joint is not only prone to UNUSED (osteoarthritis etc) injury but it also suffers from conditions of misuse or OVERUSE (Sprain, strain of ligament or cartilages etc). Knee joint is crucial role player in as simple as normal walking.

What you should do to maintain a healthy Knee?

- Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle
- Indulge in some kind of physical activity at least 30 minutes daily
- Swimming is stated to be the best exercise, if possible go for it.
- Have a healthy diet including whole grains, nuts and fresh fruits in your daily diet.

Perform these simple exercises:

1) Sit comfortably on a chair with proper support on the back. Now perform simple leg raise and try pulling the ankle towards you to feel the stretch and hold it for the count of 10 and repeat it twice a day and during this maintain your normal breathing pattern.

2) Lie flat on a firm surface and place a towel roll below your heal and try to press it in a downward direction and hold the position till the count of 10 and repeat it thrice a day.

3) If no underlying condition persists one can also try simple squats and hold them for a count of 10 and repeat it twice with a normal breathing pattern.

4) Sit on a bed with back supported and legs spread forward. Place a towel role below your knee and put pressure over the towel with your knee and hold it till the count of 10 and repeat it thrice.

5) Cycling is recommended to be the best exercise for the knee joint if not possible to go for it then lie flat on a firm surface and raise up your legs and bend your knees and move them simultaneously.
What you should not do?

Avoid prolonged squatting and sitting.

Avoid any twisting or sudden jerks at knee.

Avoid any undue stress over the knee joint.

Avoid overuse by excessive exercise.

Learn About Osgood Schlatter Disease

No matter what their age, there is not a single person in the world who is immune to knee pain. It can be from any number of injuries or from certain conditions, including arthritis, osteo and rheumatoid. When younger children experience knee pain, it is often due to a condition known as Osgood Schlatter Disease. This is a condition that causes swelling, tenderness and pain, usually just over the shin bone or tibia, a little bit below the knee. Osgood Schlatter Disease can often be found in children who are athletic, and it tends to affects boys more than girls, although it is common in both males and females.

What is Osgood Schlatter Disease?

Osgood Schlatter Disease, which is also known as tibial tubercle apophyseal traction injury, is basically when the growth plate ruptures, at the tibial tuberosity. It is most commonly seen in active children, particularly boys, and it can occur either with or without an injury. Osgood Schlatter Disease causes stress to the patellar tendon, and it is usually during growth spurts that the condition arises. The condition can lead to bone growth in the tuberosity, and a lump that is tender to the touch can often be seen. Scientists aren't completely sure what causes Osgood Schlatter Disease, but some think that it is from the pulling of the quadriceps muscles in the thighs, as they pull on the tendons, which can sometimes pull away. In order to properly diagnose Osgood Schlatter Disease, a doctor will listen to the symptoms, and probably take an x-ray to find out for sure if this is actually the problem and not something else.

How to Treat Osgood Schlatter Disease

This is one of the few conditions that affects the knees that actually goes away on its own most of the time, which is great. Often, if there are exercises and other boring therapies involved, young people will slack off and not do the proper therapy, which can cause things to heal improperly. This is not usually a worry with Osgood Schlatter Disease. This is a condition that is associated with growth, so once a child is finished growing, they should have no more problems with it. There are occasions where it is recommended that the child not play as many sports until the knee or knees have healed, and avoid bending deeply at the knees.

Another method of treatment for Osgood Schlatter Disease is the RICE treatment method: Rest, Ice, Compression and Extension.

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  Rest: The child should refrain from any activity that is likely to cause pain and irritate the condition further, sometimes for as long as three or four months.


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  Ice: Ice should be applied for 20 minutes at a time, three to four times daily.


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  Compression: This can be done simply with an elastic bandage or with a comfortable neoprene sleeve.


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  Elevation: It is important that the leg be elevated to alleviate any swelling.

Osgood Schlatter Disease is not usually a permanent condition, and it is easily treated without surgery. If your child is experiencing knee pain and in need of relief, have your physician check to see if this is the cause, so you can go about treating it and getting your kid back out on the playing field.