We Answer Your Top Questions About Podiatry and Physical Therapy

Some of our patients elect to have laser therapy performed to address a variety of medical issues like treating skin cancer, moles and birthmarks. In these cases, it is normal to wonder how long it will take to see cold laser therapy results. Unfortunately, it is difficult to provide an estimate without taking into consideration the condition being treated, whether or not we are using it with other therapies, and even the individual patient. Additionally, some conditions will require multiple treatment sessions.

The best practice for understanding when you will be able to see the results from laser treatment is to discuss the matter with one of the doctors at any of our three Colorado podiatrist offices.

Cold laser therapy is a medical procedure that comes with an array of benefits for patients who suffer from different conditions. Find out if laser treatment is right for you by calling Podiatry Associates, P.C. at (303) 805-5156. You can also request your appointment at our Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, or Parker, CO offices online today.

Recovering from a broken ankle can take quite a while. Typically the break itself can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks or so to heal. Recovering your full strength and range of motion through rehabilitation can take even longer, however. Your specific healing timeline will really depend on the severity of the break and what your joint needs to make sure the bones knit together correctly. A small, simple crack through an ankle bone that you have immediately immobilized will heal faster than a break that goes through multiple bones or isn’t aligned properly. Some breaks need surgery, too, which can extend healing time even longer.

The key is to get x-rays and begin treatment as soon as possible. Your foot will need to be immobilized in a cast, and most likely you’ll be on crutches for a little while to keep weight off the vulnerable joint. You’ll need rehabilitation to rebuild strength and stability in the muscles around you joint so your ankle can support you again. Our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. can help you with every step along the way. Make an appointment online, or call our offices in Castle Pines, Parker, and Cherry Creek at (303) 805-5156.

Although fractures and sprains can both be painful and debilitating, they are two different injuries that affect totally different structures in your limbs. A fracture is a break in bone tissue. A sprain is a severe overstretching or possibly tearing in the ligaments that support a joint. Sometimes these injuries can happen at the same time, depending on how you hurt your foot or ankle. Even so, they are not the same thing.

The most accurate way to tell if you have a fracture or a sprain is to have your foot examined. A fracture will show up on an x-ray. Experts like our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. will be able to test your ligaments for a sprain, though our specialists may still use diagnostic images as well. Whether you have a fracture or a sprain, though, you need immediate care to get the best healing. Contact our offices in Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, and Parker, CO, for an appointment to take care of your lower limbs today. You can reach us online, or by calling (303) 805-5156.

Exactly how long a knee takes to rehabilitate after an injury or surgery entirely depends on the damage done to your tissues and the procedures required to repair them. Typically knee rehab lasts for several weeks to months, if the injury was severe or the surgery extensive. Your physical therapy exercises will seek to reestablish strength, flexibility, stability, and range of motion in your knee.

This will involve stretches to keep your muscles and connective tissues form becoming too tight. Quad and hamstring stretches are common. It will also feature exercises that gradually work your muscle strength and limb stability. Leg lifts, squats, and stair-stepping are frequently used for strengthening. Many rehabilitation programs will work the muscles on the inside and outside of your thigh, too, since they help with limb stability.

If you’d like to know more about the recovery time for a particular knee problem, contact Castle Pines Physical Therapy or Cherry Creek Physical Therapy for more information or an appointment. You can reach our Castle Pines and Denver, CO, offices online or by calling (303) 805-5156.

Manual therapy is a useful branch of physical therapy and it can be immensely helpful for treating injuries. In some cases it can be the primary method to relax tightened tissues, relieve pain, and increase your flexibility. Whether or not it’s the only treatment you need will entirely depend on your unique body and what caused your injury in the first place. Many people will need additional treatments, such as orthotics to better stabilize limbs and even pain medication. If you have swelling and inflammation, you might need RICE treatments to ease your pain and speed up healing.

Whether or not manual therapy is the only treatment you use to treat your injury, the key is to seek care for your pain as soon as possible. The quicker an injury is treated, the easier it is to manage and to heal with conservative treatments. Our team of physical therapists will be happy to help you with every step of your recovery. Contact Castle Pines Physical Therapy or Cherry Creek Physical therapy in Castle Pines and Denver, CO, for an appointment today. You can reach us online or by calling (303) 805-5156.

Custom orthotics are used to help many different foot and ankle conditions. They are prescribed to alleviate limb discomfort and improve foot function overall. Some of the most common conditions they help include heel pain, flatfoot pain, tendonitis, bursitis, and diabetic complications, especially ulcers.

There are two main types of custom orthotics: functional and accommodative. Functional orthotics control abnormal motion in your foot when you walk. This allows them to help treat problems like shin splints and tendonitis. Accommodative orthotics provide extra cushioning and support in your shoes. This helps alleviate pain on calluses or corns pressing into the foot, and padding places that might be prone to diabetic ulcers.

What you need from custom orthotics will entirely depends on your lower limbs and the condition that needs to be treated. Our team of professionals at Podiatry Associates, P.C. will have to carefully examine your lower limbs, your condition, and your gait to determine what kind of orthotics you need, and what they should do for you. Make an appointment at our Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, or Parker, CO offices today to get evaluated. Use our website or call (303) 805-5156 to reach us.

Weight can definitely affect foot problems—particularly if you are overweight. Your lower limbs support the pressure of your entire body whenever you stand. More than that, they have to handle the hard impacts of your weight bearing down when your lower limbs strike the hard ground. They heavier you are, the more your feet have to support. Being overweight unfortunately puts a lot of strain on the bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles in your feet and ankles. Your feet have to work much harder to function correctly. This can contribute to overuse, soreness, and all sorts of painful problems.

On top of this, being overweight increases your risk for systemic problems that affect your lower limbs, such as diabetes, gout, and peripheral arterial disease. Diabetes and peripheral arterial disease contribute to ulcers and serious infections. Gout can lead to excruciatingly painful episodes that make using your foot very difficult. Maintaining as healthy a weight as possible is one way to avoid these issues. If you’re struggling with weight and foot problems, let our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C., help you. Call (303) 805-5156 to make an appointment at our Cherry Creek, Castle Pines, and Parker, CO, offices.

Toenails are meant to be clear and neutral-colored. The most common culprit for black toenails is actually blood under your nail. This happens when you stub your digit too hard or you drop something heavy on your foot. The damage creates mild bleeding that stains the underside of the keratin a dark color. This is particularly common with athletes and runners, since they can repeatedly bump their toes against the inside of their shoes and cause damage. In most cases, this is a mild issue and there aren’t any treatments for it.

Sometimes it is an uncomfortable issue because the blood pools under the nail and creates pressure. The only way to deal with this is to have an expert, like our team of specialists at Podiatry Associates, P.C., safely drain the fluid from under your nail. Whether the blood pools or not, though, the stain will stay dark until the keratin completely grows out. If you don’t remember injuring your toe, or the pain is intense, make an appointment to take care of the problem right away. Just call (303) 805-5156 to reach our Castle Pines, Parker, and Cherry Creek locations.

Toenail fungus is a preventable infection, so you can avoid it by taking a few simple precautions. The fungus thrives in a warm, damp, enclosed environment. By minimizing that atmosphere around your toes, you make it less likely you’ll develop a fungal infection.

Wash your feet with soap every day to eliminate old grime on your skin, then pat them completely dry. Make sure you dry around your nails and between your toes. Keep your nails trimmed appropriately, but not too short.

Wear fresh, clean socks every day. It’s best if they are made from moisture-wicking material, too. Avoid wearing the same pair of shoes daily if you can, so the perspiration trapped in the fabric can dry out between uses. Stick to styles that allow air to circulate around your feet as well. Don’t share footwear with others, particularly if they may have been exposed to the fungus.

Avoid walking barefoot in places that have a high risk for exposure, too, like pool decks and community showers. If you’re at all concerned you may have fungal nail symptoms, let Podiatry Associates, P.C. help you. Call (303) 805-5156 to reach our Parker, Castle Pines, and Cherry Creek offices.

Dry skin on the feet can be an uncomfortable problem that actually puts you at risk for infections and other secondary issues. Preventing all of this is relatively simple, though, and easy to add to your daily foot care.

Use moisturizing soap when you wash your feet every day, and avoid excessively hot water. Apply ointment or cream after you wash and dry your lower limbs to re-hydrate the skin. It’s best if you put on clean socks afterwards to help lock in the moisture. Use shoes that allow your feet to breathe, so you don’t sweat excessively. Drink plenty of water so your whole body stays hydrated, too; this helps your skin stay healthy from the inside.

If you struggle with callus build-up drying out your feet, periodically use a pumice stone to soften them up.

Our team at Podiatry Associates, P.C. will help you make sure your skin is well cared for. Connect with us for more information or an appointment at our Parker, Cherry Creek in Denver, or Castle Pines, CO, offices by calling (303) 805-5156 or by using our website.