Ankle Pain Treatment in Fair Lawn, Riverdale & Englewood, NJ

Ankle pain may occur due to a number of different reasons, including obesity. Patients who are obese may experience ankle pain more commonly than others because of the additional weight being carried by their feet. Athletes are also common patients who will likely experience some form of ankle pain. Since athletes are often involved in sporting activities that may result in them falling awkwardly and rolling their ankle or tearing the ligaments in their ankle, it’s important that they take certain precautions before beginning said activity.

Symptoms of Ankle Pain

Ankle pain can often be accompanied by symptoms such as redness, swelling, stiffness and warm in the affected area. Pain can be described differently depending on the condition; short, stabbing pain and a dull ache are some examples. If such symptoms are persistent and do not improve after time, be sure to schedule an appointment with your local podiatrist.

Wearing proper footwear and athletic guards, as well as stretching before a sporting event, are great ways to help prevent injury to the ankle. If by chance you do sustain ankle injury, there are certain practices you can perform to help alleviate the discomfort. Icing the affected area, compressing the ankle, keeping the ankle elevated, and getting plenty of rest are all methods that may help lessen the pain that can come with having an ankle injury.

If you believe you’re experiencing an ankle injury, it’s highly recommended that you consult with a podiatrist for professional care and an advised treatment plan.

MLS Laser Therapy Fair Lawn, Riverdale and Englewood, NJ

MLS Laser Therapy stands for Multiwave Locked System Laser Therapy. This is a minimally invasive procedure that targets pain points and reduces inflammation through the use of laser light. The laser is used to penetrate the soft tissues, stimulate mitochondria at the cellular level, targeted at the areas that are causing the most discomfort. It then works towards healing wounds and repairing soft tissue.

Some conditions MLS Laser Therapy can help treat include Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, bursitis, neuroma, diabetic neuropathy, and different forms of arthritic conditions. Those who are experiencing pain due to sports injuries or after surgery may also find relief with this kind of therapy.

MLS Laser Therapy is a painless treatment that typically requires a short amount of time to complete. Sessions are typically twice a week for three to five weeks depending on the condition. Dr. Braver and associates use the laser to help improve blood flow, increase the speed of recovery, and alleviate pain. Improved immune function, as well as improved vascular and metabolic activity, are just some of the benefits of choosing MLS Laser Therapy as a treatment option.

If you’d like more information about MLS Laser Therapy, consult with Dr. Braver's office to determine if you’d be a good candidate.

Summary: Final Rule Implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the Final Rule implementing the prohibition of discrimination under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. The Final Rule, Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities, will help to advance equity and reduce health disparities by protecting some of the populations that have been most vulnerable to discrimination in the health care context. The final rule explains consumers’ rights under the law and provides covered entities important guidance about their obligations.

Section 1557 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in certain health programs and activities.

Section 1557 builds on long-standing and familiar Federal civil rights laws: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (Age Act). Most notably, Section 1557 is the first Federal civil rights law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all health programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.

Section 1557 has been in effect since enactment of the ACA in 2010 and the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been enforcing the provision since it was enacted.

Coverage of the Rule

The rule covers:

− Any health program or activity, any part of which receives funding from HHS (such as hospitals that accept Medicare or doctors who accept Medicaid);

− Any health program that HHS itself administers;

− Health Insurance Marketplaces and issuers that participate in those Marketplaces.

Attention: If you speak any of the listed below languages – language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you.

Please call:   State Health Insurance Assistance Program Language Line 800-792-8820

Big Toe Joint Implant Fair Lawn, Riverdale and Englewood, NJ

Often times, patients present to our office with an enlarged bone on top of their big toe joint causing pain and limitation of motion. This is a “dorsal bunion” and is different than the typical bunion that protrudes from the medial side of the foot. This “bunion bump” on top of the big toe causes jamming of the joint leading to stiffness and pain. Typically, this problem develops from one’s genetic foot structure and over time causes the first metatarsal/ big toe joint to become elevated. This leads to excessive rubbing of the big toe against the first metatarsal head with resultant wear and tear of the cartilage. As the body tries to heal this injury, hypertrophic or excessive bone is formed on top of the joint. Unfortunately, this bump often rubs against one’s shoe causing pain. And, as a consequence of the limited motion, the foot must rotate to the outside (supinate) at the push-off phase of walking or running, which causes detrimental damage and pain to other joints in the foot and body above. Depending on the severity of pain, conservative treatments including wearing specially designed orthotics, or wearing a Rockerbottom soled shoe which are included within many of the newly designed athletic shoes. There are different stages of hallux rigidus and for those with more severe pain, a corticosteroid injection and/or homeopathic injection under fluoroscopic guidance may be performed in our office. Weightbearing X-rays, MRI, and/or CT scan help to determine the severity of the arthritic changes. It is not uncommon for x-rays to show broken pieces of bone or distortion of the joint in longstanding cases.

For those patients with moderate hallux rigidus with enlargement of bone on top of the joint, our office excels in performing these procedures by using a European side incision approach instead of a dorsal (top) incision. This helps to reduce potential scar tissue over the joint allowing for improved range of motion. Our athletic patient population has been able to return to exercise walking, running, and jumping activities rather quickly without problems.

For those who have painful advanced hallux rigidus, our office rarely fuses the big toe joint. It is our philosophy that fusion causes one to walk in an abnormal manner (just like the hallux rigidus problem) causing compensatory problems to occur in other foot and leg joints. Having performed hundreds of toe joint replacement surgeries, it is imperative that one starts progressive walking within a few days of surgery. This helps to prevent scar tissue and preserve joint range of motion.

There are many manufacturers of big toe joint implants. We have specifically shied away from hemi-implants and prefer to use the full length Silastic type flexible implant with grommets. These implants require minimal joint resection, and act as a spacer to prevent boneon-bone or bone-on-joint compression thereby allowing for pain free anatomical motion. Patients with the total joint implant have returned to exercise activities. It is often stated that implants may last 15 to 20 years. In our experience, it is rare that the total joint implant has had to be removed but if there is a problem, a new implant may always be swapped out an older one. Likewise, we have removed many of the hemi-implants and cartilage implants, which have failed to provide adequate range of motion and have swapped them out for a new total joint Silastic hinged type implant. Should you have any concerns for hallux rigidus type pains and if coming from outside of New York metropolitan area, please contact our office to help arrange for travel arrangements.

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Written by Richard T. Braver, DPM, FACFAS