Walking a mile in another person’s shoes in Alabama could land you anywhere from Forrest Gump’s sneakers to Mark Ingram’s cleats. At Outpatient Service East, we can fix all your aches and pains, from sports injuries to corrective surgery. Whether you were born with foot difficulties, or developed problems from years of exercise, it’s important to get the problem taken care of as soon as possible to get you back on your feet, so to speak. Your hands and feet account for most of the bones in your body (26 in each foot, 27 in each hand). Because of the high volume and fragility of the bones in the feet, it can cause tremendous pain and numerous complications if an injury goes untreated. And not all injuries will require a surgical procedure to heal, but leaving an injury unchecked can lead to table time.
Heading into a consultation or even surgery with the proper preparation can make all the difference your ease of mind and the beginning of your recovery. If the injury does get to the point of needing surgery, we have a few pieces of advice for your time propping your feet up:
• Wear shoes and pants that can account for the coverage and mobility of your post-surgery wound dressing. Your mobile foot should sport a shoe that has good traction and support, and your pants should be loose enough to fit around a cast or brace.
• Bring your homework; If you’ve visited other specialists and have notes or x-rays from them, or if you’ve completed your medical questionnaire and insurance forms beforehand to save you time in the waiting room, be sure to bring them the day of surgery. Also helpful would be a brief timeline of your injury–when you noticed it, when you began treatments, etc. And be sure to write down any questions you might have for us!
• Don’t stop moving! Give yourself some serious recovery days post-surgery, but don’t stop working the other muscles of your body, and eating well. This can make such a difference in preventing muscle loss, cabin fever, and other health concerns that can stem from developing bad habits from immobility after an injury.
An elderly patient came in one day, and when asked if he sustained his injury through sports, promptly shook his head and informed us: “God only gave my knees, so many steps – why would I use ‘em up early on by running?”
With modern medicine, we can fix most aches and injuries through surgery and physical therapy, especially if you happen to run out of steps in those knees and feet. But the complications in foot injuries stem from the high volume of bones and the innate desire to keep moving. Although we like to mosey down South, life has become a bit faster paced in the technology age, so it can be difficult to find the time or desire to sit down. Let us help you recover that spring in your step: visit OSE for consultation today.
