What Parents Need to Know About Heelys

 

Heelys are shoes with one or more wheels built into the sole.

Heelys are popular with children (the average Heely wearer is 9 years old) and more than an astonishing 4.5 million have been sold worldwide.

Common sense says putting a wheel on a shoe may not be the safest thing, but now a report ithe the May/June 2009 Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association reports that wearing Heelys can actually cause changes in the way one walks – even if the wearer is not using the wheel to move.

In the case presented in the report, Heelys caused the body position to shift and change. The researchers concluded: The changes in the way the child walks in Heelys may have implications for long-term use with potential foot deformities and gait abnormalities.

 The researchers recommend limiting the use of Heelys and removing the wheel when the child is walking.

Please post your experiences with Heelys – good or bad.

Dr. Nirenberg Publishes Article: Is that blister really a blister?

IS THAT BLISTER REALLY A BLISTER?

Published in the Fixing Your Feet Ezine – http://vonhof.typepad.com/fixingyourfeet/
By Michael Nirenberg, DPM

Having treated thousands of feet, I often see patients complaining of a blister that is actually a type of cyst called a mucoid cyst. Recognizing you have a mucoid cyst and not a blister is important because mucoid cysts are treated differently. The key differences between blisters and mucoid cysts are:

•    Blisters can occur anywhere on the foot. Common places for blisters are the ball of the foot, the back of the heel, or on or between the toes. Mucoid cysts only occur on the top of the toes or fingers beside the nail or about a centimeter from the nail.
•    Blisters often develop from friction. We don’t know why mucoid cysts develop, however, scientists believe they are the result of minor trauma to the toe or finger. In runners, this could be due to the repetitive jamming of the toe against the shoe. 
•    Blisters contain a clear watery-like fluid sometimes tinged with blood, whereas mucoid cysts have a thick, jelly-like substance.
•    Blisters come in various shapes and sizes; mucoid cysts are dome shaped and round.

There are two types of mucoid cysts: those connected to a joint inside the finger or toe and those that are isolated or not connected to a joint. Most mucoid cysts are painless, though tight-fitting shoes can cause them to become painful. 
     Mucoid cysts tend to occur more often in females and usually during the fifth to seventh decades of life, but I have seen them occur in people of all ages, including teenagers.

The treatment for a blister is usually to drain it. Mucoid cysts will usually recur if simply drained; they require surgery. The doctor will need to excise the entire cyst, often dissecting down to the bone. However, if the mucoid cyst is not painful, you can ignore it or if it only causes minimal discomfort, your doctor may recommend padding it with moleskin or felt.
     Whenever any mass or lesion occurs on your foot, have it checked by a podiatrist; for lesions or masses elsewhere on your body, see a dermatologist. Even though you may believe it’s nothing serious, in some cases, an abnormal lesion or mass could be cancer.

Dr. Michael Nirenberg, “America’s PodiatristSM,” is a podiatric physician, surgeon and forensic podiatrist. 

Photos are used with permission: Dockery GL: Cutaneous Disorders of the Lower Extremity, WB Saunders, 1997.