Show YOUR FEET Thefootisa PONT HAVE TO HURTcontinued surgically However a due that relieves the pressure over the bunion may suffice Choose shoe made of leather materials and can which breathes better than man-mad- e be stretched in the big-do- e am Avoid shoes whose lay- i ers of leather are stitched together over the bunion jmiilfciHWL'IWs fungus which causes itching and cracking between the toes grows in warm dark moist environments — a damp foot inside a sock is ideal Hot spots of contagion are swimming pools and locker rooms: Avoid infection by drying between die toes cominstead of going barefoot in pletely wearing flip-flop- s socks at least ooce a day War changing damp piacesand leather shoes that breathe rather than rubber or canvas Nonpresaiption ointments and powders can help But you should see a podiatrist ifthe condition persists warns Dt Lepow: ‘Dnre the skin is cracked a painful and dangerous secondary bacterial infection can develop" In addition toa hereditary predisposition die same environmental conditions that favor athlete's foot can lead to toenail fungus infection About 18 million Americans have toenail fungus which causes unsightly yellowing and thickening of the nails phis pain that makes them difficult to trim The infection may spread to other toenails die skin or fingernails TOERAR PROBLEMS nails are caused by trimming the edges too short Skin above die edge swells up and the nail penetrates as it grows A podiatrist then may need to remove a portion of the nail using a local anesthetic KEEL AR9 ARCH PAUL Aging weight gain poorly constructed or worn-oshoes and injury during walking running or jumping all can place stress on the heel and the surrounding tissues on the bottom of die feet This can lead to a heel spur—a painful bony growth on the underside of the heel bone Another source of discomfort may be plantar fasciitis an inflammation of the plantar fascia a membrane that runs from the heel to the baU of the foot Treatment for both medication and conditions includes shoe inserts called orthotics Christine Oliveira 56 who owns a school in Woodstock NY had pain in her bed as a result of a foot injury during summer vacation with ice foot rest arid ibuprofen offered some relief but die pain returned when school resumed and she was on her feet all day It turned out the cause was plantar fasciitis Her doctor recommended special shoes and orthotics A week later the pain was gone FOREFOOT PAIR Many runners develop forefoot pmhfam tnrliirfing Made tnenaiU nr Heeding beneath the nails This is caused by shoes that are too small in the toe box and by downhiU running which forces the toes to slam into the front of the shoe Bigger shoes should help Dr Stone advises people prone to such instead of running injuries to consider Fky more information visit HWHurmmcflnngpungorg on the Web DIABETES Foot care is essential for anyone with diabetes The combination of nerve damage and poor circulation common to diabetics makes them vulnerable to foot injury and infections that may go undetected As a result 15 of diabetics develop ulcers (open sores) on the feet “The most important tiling a diabetic can do is inspect the feet daily top and bottom and in between die toes looking for signs of Dr Jensen Free booklets on diabetic foot care are available from die APMA (address below) ASIXO'Wear and tear on die feet die shock absorbers of die body is inevitable With time the foot wtwrh eaiM nicreaned joint flea the muscles and tendons work hard-e- r makes ind ibility At the same tune the fat pads that cushion the foot are lost The foot’s changing shape can cause toe deformities or plantar fasciitis and require largcr shoes Have each foot measured whenever you buy new shoes The APMA recommends a foot checkup when your feet have logged 75000 miles (around age 50) To get the free booklet How Ffr Arr four Feerf and take visit yww test call die 75000-mil- e APMA write Old 9312 or Georgetown apmaorg D Road Dept P Bethesda Md 20814 medical marvel curtaining 26 bones 33 Joints add 100 tendons muscles and ligaments "With oral prescriptions such as Lamisil and Sponnox the condition is not only treatable but also curable" says Dr Lepow Tbpical medications also may help Lepow finds that a combination of oral drugs and topical agents greatly improves success rates Cutting the toenails improperly can set you up for ingrown toenails and infections Most ingrown toe- - custom-design- --TTfi r 5 j - - Introducing Hr Assfa AnytbmT from Classiccff A freshly cooked pasta meal hght Insids your cabinet never taaian ready tom your rricrowava In Just 3 minutes firni yet lander pasta and a slcw'sinynefed sauoe each iniquely seeled h separate pouches at tie peak of perfection Lock for in your grocers pasta aisia A great tasting fraahly cooked mMLJMdy wfwn you aru t ed Self-treatme- S' 2?--- X ut - power-walkin- g MOB W MUT 9 1000 MMOB MMUZM |