Diabetic limb amputation

The President mentioned the costs associated with it long before the healthcare bill was passed.  For anyone living with diabetes or struggling with ulcerations that won’t heal, it is a scary thought.  Amputation is the last resort option to save an individual’s life, but at a cost that can only be understood by someone who has experienced it.  According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) diabetic complications are the main cause for amputations of the leg not due to trauma.

Earlier this summer members of the American Podiatric Medical Association gathered for their yearly seminar to teach, learn, and share knowledge with one another.  One of the studies that were presented at that meeting dealt with the issue of amputation.  The researchers examined 32,000 patients with diabetes and compared their risk factors to their ultimate outcomes.  Their findings were that diabetic patients who visited a podiatrist had a significantly lower number of amputations than those who did not.  If you are already a patient at AFAS, you should receive a yearly letter to remind you to schedule your annual diabetic foot exam.

We try to take our weekly blog space to educate you on keeping in good health and preventing problems with your feet.  Inspecting your feet for changes and maintaining your blood glucose within the recommended ranges are your daily priority if you have diabetes.  Living with diabetes can mean changing habits you may have had your whole life, but anything you can do to live healthier can add years to your life.  Regular visits with Dr. Thomajan can detect problems early.   By assessing where an ulcer might occur, proper off loading and changes to your shoes can stop the issue before it even happens.  Don’t become an NIH statistic and make sure a podiatrist is involved in your healthcare.

Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

NFL Week 2 Injuries

Tonight’s game aside, the second week of NFL football is complete and along with it some players season.  Only two weeks into the season the injury list for the NFL is quite long.  With the hard hits on the run, it is no surprise that most of these injuries occur in the knees, ankle and feet.  

Dallas Cowboys’ fullback Deon Anderson is reported to be out for two to four weeks after having surgery on his left knee. This is not too surprising as during his time here in Texas there have been several injuries.  Last year’s knee injury may be coming back to haunt him as this surgery is to repair a torn meniscus.  The menisci are very important to knee function and can be quite debilitating if not treated properly.

Yesterday surely added a few injuries that won’t be fully assessed until later this week.  Cornerback for the Denver Bronco’s, Champ Bailey, suffered a left ankle injury in their win over the Seahawks.  A good lesson for all of us, he was using crutches to off load the ankle after the game.  Until the extent of the injury can be properly assessed, it is important not to aggravate the injury or cause any further damage.

While we could spend the entire football season discussing foot and ankle injuries, we’ll try to limit it to the more significant problems.  One such injury occurred in the season opener for the Green Bay Packers.  Their running back Ryan Grant is out for the rest of season due to the injury that occurred. If similar to the picture, it is is not a common injury. The ligaments that are on the inside of your ankle are some of the strongest in your body.  These ligaments are so strong that injury to them often includes bone being broken where they insert.  This injury will require surgical repair and sideline him for the rest of the season.  While the Packers were still able to pull off a win this week, the effects of losing their starting running back, who contributed over 1,200 yards each of the last two years, remains to be seen.

Until next time, keep happy and healthy Austin!

Barefoot Running

There is so much media attention paid to the ‘barefoot running trend’ that it seems necessary we visit this topic once more as the summer comes to an end. Lack of footwear obviously opens your foot up to injury from random objects. The development of shoes like the Nike Free and Vibram Five Fingers may help to keep you out of Dr. Thomajan’s office for removal of glass shards or other objects stuck in your foot. These new types of footwear offer some protection but still lack the support of ‘traditional’ footwear. If you haven’t taken the time to slowly allow your body to adapt to this footwear or have not been devoted to the proper training regime, you may need to schedule an appointment for a completely different reason.


While you may be able to avoid getting objects stuck in your feet, the position of your foot may prove to be more problematic. Each one of us has a different variation in foot structure. Some feet will function fine without the support of footwear. Unfortunately, it is much more likely that your foot structure requires some type of support from shoes. The body will attempt to compensate for any lack of support but often the results can be painful or with changes in the way you walk or run. A visit with Dr. Thomajan can help you decide if barefoot running is for you. Part a visit to AFAS may include GAITSCAN computerized assessment in addition to physical examination of your feet.

Our goal here at Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists is to educate you about keeping your feet healthy. There are two books that Dr. Thomajan has written to help do that. Both deal with special issues concerning foot health. ‘Keep Running!’ is most relevant to our discussion of barefoot running. Request your free copy today and learn the best things you can do to avoid injury while running. Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!