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Have you been awakened in the night by excruciating pain in the foot or calf? Have you felt severe calf pain after a strenuous run? If so, then you have experienced muscle cramps. A muscle cramp, also called a charley horse, is a sudden involuntary contraction of one or more muscles. Although incredibly painful, these…

Research shows that exercise is good for us in many ways. Regular exercise can help control weight, fight disease, promote restful sleep and even boost our mood and energy. So if you’ve been a steady customer of your local gym or swimming pool – congratulations! Unfortunately, visiting public pools, gyms and showers increases the risk…

Have you seen those tiny shoes for infants that look like miniature ballet slippers, or Converse sneakers to match Dad’s? It’s tempting to grab them – but don’t do it! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies need shoes only when they begin to walk. And shoes don’t help them learn to walk faster…

Are you still enjoying fresh corn from Chicago’s many produce stands and farmer’s markets? It’s a delicious treat – but there is another kind of corn that is definitely unwelcome. Two toes rubbing against each other can form a corn, an area of thickened skin with inflamed tissue underneath. Hard corns form on the bony top…

Many of today’s seniors are defying aging by staying active long into their “golden years.” Staying active means taking good care of your body, especially legs and feet. After all, those same two feet that you were born with will take you about 115,000 miles in your lifetime – enough to loop around the world…

Do you take your feet for granted? We all do, and toenails too – unless we’re visiting a nail salon for a pedicure with the works! It’s a good idea to build into your health routine a thorough foot and toenail check. Examine your toes regularly for any signs of possible toenail problems. Ingrown Toenails…

Our feet and ankles are the foundation of our bodies and real workhorses: each day we walk an average of 7,500 steps. Over a lifetime these really add up and can total more than 100,000 miles – four times around the world! It’s easy to see that preventing harm to our feet and ankles is…

Have you or a family member fallen recently? Millions of senior citizens fall each year – and one out of every five falls results in a serious injury. Balance and gait problems can cause a fall, as can poorly-fitting footwear. Many falls can be prevented! Here are a few easy tips to reduce the chance…

Turf toe is an appropriate name for an injury that often occurs on artificial turf in football stadiums. Sometimes when an athlete is pushing off the ground with his toes during sports like soccer, football, wrestling, basketball and gymnastics, the ligaments around the big toe are sprained. Dancers can similarly injure their feet when they repeatedly jam…

Do you have pain in your heels that makes it difficult to walk? Is the pain worst when you first get out of bed in the morning? If yes, then you may have plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia. This thick band of tissue connects to your heel bone and continues along the bottom…