Let’s talk about the positive aspects of running. As a sport, running offers a ton of benefits: improves cardiovascular fitness strengthens bones and muscles helps with managing your weight provides social connections if you choose to run with a friend or join a running club reduces stress and may even help symptoms of depression At the…

Diabetic foot care is a part of each day for board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. Many of our diabetic patients are well-educated about how to care for their feet, but misunderstandings still surround every aspect of this disease. So in honor of National Diabetes Month, we’re focusing this November’s blog entry on…

Patients who visit the Fairfax County podiatry office of Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm with heel pain are not alone. Heel pain, often caused by plantar fasciitis, affects about 10% of all Americans at some point in their lifetime. Here’s what you need to know about this foot problem that affects millions. Q: Who gets plantar fasciitis? A: People with…

Some people are born with a specific foot problem like club foot, which affects about 1 in 1,000 newborns. Others come into the world carrying the genes that Papa gave them – so they’ll probably inherit his bunions sometime in the future. Still, others may be blessed with excellent foot anatomy, but their choice of shoes puts them…

We like to think we’re a little bit like detectives here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. When you come into our Fairfax County podiatry office complaining of big toe pain, for example, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm does as any good detective would do: He asks about the events leading up to the “crime:” when did the pain…

What do shoes that pinch, socks that rub, and running a marathon have in common? They’re all examples of things that can irritate the skin on your feet and form visible lesions such as blisters, rashes, corns, and calluses. But there are times when irritation isn’t just skin deep. Pressure or irritation can also affect…

The first step to managing foot pain is to acknowledge that it’s become a problem. The second step is to commit to doing something about it. Look pain in the proverbial eye and say, “I see you aren’t going away. I know from everything Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm has taught me that I must deal with you sooner than…

World Heart Day is September 29. It’s a great time to stop and think about our body’s amazing heart. Why would Clifton Foot & Ankle Center’s board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm be interested in his patients’ hearts?  Because when you have heart disease, you often have big problems in your feet as well. 3 ways to honor…

No senior citizen wakes up in the morning and says, “I think maybe I’d like to fall and hurt myself today.” And yet, every year a full 25% of people aged 65+ do just that. Falling is costly, not only in terms of dollars, but in a person’s quality of life. Older adults who sustain…

Bunions are largely hereditary We often blame tight, narrow-toed shoes for causing bunions. Can shoes that pinch your toes together cause that bony bump at the base of your big toe? Absolutely. But chances are you were going to get them anyway. If your parents and grandparents are living, take a peek at their big toes….