Blogs
Effective Technique for Getting Rid of Warts – Available Only from a Podiatrist
How long does it take for a wart on your foot to go away? It depends on how you treat it. In our experience here at Fairfax County’s Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, there are five main ways to approach wart treatment. Spoiler alert! — board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM currently recommends the fifth…
Socks Make Great Gifts for Your Family and for Our Community
What’s happening on December 4 in Fairfax County? All kinds of holiday activities, like the Winter Wonderland at Burke Lake Park. There’s also an opportunity for children to buy gifts with the help of a secret shopper at Colvin Run Mill General Store in Great Falls. Maybe they could pick up some socks for their…
Does Your Foot or Ankle Pain Mean You Need Surgery?
Pain is one of the most compelling reasons people decide to have foot or ankle surgery. There are so many kinds of pain! Board-certified podiatric surgeon Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm has heard his patients describe their foot and ankle pain for more than two decades. They use words like “aching,” “burning,” “stiff,” “tingling,” and “throbbing”…
3 Nutrition Tips to Help Manage Diabetes
This Diabetes Awareness Month, our thoughts turn to various ways our patients with diabetes can improve their diabetes management. Managing your blood sugar levels can be stressful. You have to do it every day. And you know that if you don’t, you increase your risk of heart disease, eye problems, and neuropathy in your feet,…
Learn More about Diabetes
Diabetes has become such a danger to public health that the World Health Organization established “World Diabetes Day” on November 14, 2006. Every year since, doctors everywhere have used this mid-November day to educate their patients about diabetes. What is diabetes? Understanding diabetes begins with understanding insulin. Insulin is a hormone, made by the pancreas,…
How to Treat a Bruised Toenail
You know what a bruised toenail looks like – but you may not realize that it’s not the nail that’s bruised at all. When you drop something on your toe or have some other type of incident that puts a massive force on your toenail, the nail may turn black, or black and blue, perhaps…
Questions & Answers about Physical Therapy
Doctors everywhere, including board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, often prescribe physical therapy to their patients. But how do you know if physical therapy really will help you? Well, that’s a very smart question – and what better time to answer it than National Physical Therapy Month? Why go to physical therapy? If Dr. Wilhelm…
As Pickleball Surges in Popularity, So Do Pickleball Injuries
Fifty-eight years ago, in 1965, a congressman from Washington state picked up some ping-pong paddles and handed them to his family. Using a perforated plastic ball, they began volleying around on an old badminton court. It was just something to do in the moment, a boredom-buster. But they soon found themselves formulating rules and perfecting…
High Ankle Sprain: An Interview with a Ligament
We’re here today at Fairfax County’s Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, where Joe Patient has just arrived for his appointment with board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm. Dr. Wilhelm has obtained an exclusive interview with the source of Mr. Patient’s problem, a torn ligament high atop his ankle joint. Dr. Wilhelm: Good morning, Ms. Ligament….
The Top 10 Health Consequences of Childhood Obesity and How to Reverse Them
As a parent, you’re undoubtedly hopeful your children will enjoy healthy childhoods and flourish as adults. One thing that can dash your hopes is childhood obesity. Unfortunately, a child can face hefty health consequences when severely overweight. Out of 10 adverse consequences, here’s what podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm puts in the number #1 position:…
7 Ways to Relieve Tired Feet
When you’re on your feet all day, it’s normal to have some aches and pains. Board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm offers these seven ways to soothe your weary feet: Rest. Just put your feet up and give them a break! Ice and massage. Applying ice will help reduce any muscle or tissue inflammation. When…
7 Conditions You Can Fix to Prevent Dangerous Falls
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re always glad when September comes around because it’s time to remind our Fairfax County patients about Falls Prevention Awareness Month. Falling is a huge issue for senior citizens. Just one fall can quickly rob a senior of his independence. Each year 800,000 older Americans fall and sustain a…
What is a Lisfranc Injury?
Can you imagine being Chet Holmgren right now? The newest player on the Oklahoma City Thunder team won’t play a single game of his rookie season because of a foot injury. You’re probably thinking, “To knock a basketball player off the court for 41 games has to be some wicked type of injury!” And you wouldn’t…
How PRP/Prolotherapy Can Relieve Your Foot Pain
Board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm uses best practices and has advanced treatment methods at his disposal – including PRP injections and prolotherapy treatment for foot pain.
How to Avoid Injury Regret: Lessons from a Real Housewife
Regrettable decisions. We all make them — DIY regret: you decide to make some minor house repairs while barefoot. It’s only when the hammer falls on your toe that you regret your lack of protective footwear. I-should-know-better regret: You make the conscious decision to wear fashionable shoes rather than practical ones when you know perfectly…
How to Make Back-to-School Shoe Shopping Enjoyable and Productive
Here’s how to get through the shoe-buying process with grace so both you and your child are happy.
9 Ways to Observe National “I Love My Feet” Day
This “National I Love My Feet Day,” which we celebrate on August 17, make a promise to love your feet. Here are nine ways you can fulfill that promise.
5 Things You Should and Shouldn’t Do Concerning Shoes
Shoes can be the last thing on your mind, or they can be the fashion statement that puts the final polish on your outfit every day. And let’s face it – women are more likely to be in the latter category. Men’s shoes haven’t changed much over the last 80 years. It turns out that’s a good thing. Let’s take a look at why and then examine some other shoe should/shouldn’t facts.
How to Treat Toenail Fungus
Fungal toenails look – there’s only one way to say it – bad. They’re thick, yellowed, jagged, crumbling, and sometimes smelly. Fungi thrive in moist, humid areas such as public pool decks and locker rooms. If you’ve walked barefoot in areas like these, you may have picked up the fungus there. You may have picked…
Manage Your Foot Pain with the Right Shoes
Your shoe choices may be contributing to your toe, arch, or heel pain. Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, our board-certified podiatrist, can help you figure out if your foot pain derives from improper, inappropriate, or worn-out shoes.
3 Summer Foot Hazards and How to Avoid Them
When the weather turns warm, podiatrists like Fairfax County’s Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm see more patients with foot and ankle problems. Summertime presents more opportunities for outdoor activity, some of which can threaten your foot health if you’re not careful! Here are three reasons you might run into some foot or ankle trouble during the…
Keep Your Skin Safe from Harmful UV Rays
Think again if you feel a summer tan gives skin nothing but a healthy glow. Skin that’s darkened from the sun’s rays or a tanning bed is damaged at the cellular level. That’s just as true for black and brown skin as it is for white skin. Prolonged exposure to the sun causes wrinkles, premature aging, and skin cancer.
Is Ankle Replacement Surgery Right for You?
Several ways to treat ankle arthritis don’t involve surgery, including custom orthotics, pain medications, and physical therapy. However, sometimes, these conservative treatment methods aren’t enough to help, or they stop working after a time. If that sounds like you, it may be time to have a conversation with board-certified podiatric surgeon Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm about ankle replacement surgery.
5 Ways Men Can Take Better Care of Their Feet
June is Men’s Health Awareness Month: four weeks dedicated to the idea that if men were to know more about their health, they’d recognize problems earlier. They’d go to the doctor without fear. And they wouldn’t let a small problem become a big one.
How to Recognize Skin Cancer on Your Feet
Are you planning to spend time in the sun this summer? Dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 on any exposed skin. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, urges you to remember your feet when slathering that SPF on the rest of your body. It’s the easiest way we know to help prevent skin cancer on your feet.
Summer Foot Care Essentials to Pack in Your Vacation Bag
Some people prepare for their summer vacation the night before they leave, tossing stuff into a suitcase with a somewhat frenzied abandon. Others work from a detailed, computerized spreadsheet of must-haves they’ve kept track of since their last vacation. No matter you’re packing style, board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM, has a suggestion: pack a…
Global Running Day: A Launching Pad for a Healthier Lifestyle
It’s celebrated all over the world – from Chiapas, Mexico to Florence, Italy, and from Southern California to our backyard here in Fairfax County. It’s Global Running Day! On June 1, 2022, we encourage people of all ages, sizes, ethnicities, and backgrounds to lace up their running shoes and get moving. Run a 5K with…
5 Tips for Better Bone Health
May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, so today we’re focusing on ways to keep your bones strong and healthy. First, stop and think about all the amazing structures that make up your two feet. Along with 52 individual bones, there are more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons. They’re all attached in ways that…
Why Your Heels are Cracked and Why You Should Fix Them
We’ve finally welcomed springtime temperatures here in Fairfax County, Virginia. In comes the warmth, and out come the sandals! It’s time to get your feet summer-ready and fix your cracked heels. Heel cracks look frightful and can be uncomfortable. But hold on – vanity isn’t the only reason to fix callused, cracked heels. They provide…
Arthritis Awareness Month: How Does Arthritis Affect the Feet and Ankles?
Arthritis is a general term for the joint pain millions of people experience every day. Some people have rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints. Lupus can also cause joint pain and inflammation. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, our patients are more likely to suffer…
Do’s and Don’ts of a Successful Salon Pedicure
In Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm’s eyes, a successful salon pedicure improves the look of your feet without causing any harm. Do pedicures ever end in failure? Well, yes. If you or your technician aren’t careful, you could easily end up with an infection. Follow these do’s and don’ts when you go to the nail salon…
At-Home Treatments May Help Neuroma Pain
If you feel a sharp pain on the bottom of your foot, stop and take some notes. What else do you feel? Is the pain stinging? Shooting? Burning? All these words describe the type of pain our clients at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center feel when they have Morton’s neuroma. Neuroma pain originates from a…
Understanding Pediatric Foot Problems
Young children are known for speaking the truth, but in general, that only lasts until a certain age. Pre-teens and teenagers aren’t exactly known for their openness! If they’re having a problem with their feet, they may not think to tell you. This Foot Health Awareness Month, all of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center want…
What Kind of Doctor Treats Peripheral Neuropathy?
There are many types of “neuro” doctors. For example, a neurosurgeon specializes in surgery on the delicate and complex brain and spinal cord. A neuropsychologist tries to determine the relationship between the physical makeup of your brain and your behavior. And a specialist in peripheral neuropathy has a particular name: a podiatrist. Podiatrists are medical…
The Problem with Wearing High Heels
Lily Collins, star of the Netflix hit TV comedy Emily in Paris, recently admitted that wearing high heels on the show has sent her scrambling to the podologue for weekly checkups (that’s French for “podiatrist.”) That’s not too surprising to our board-certified podiatrist here in Fairfax County, USA, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm. Watching the show,…
Questions & Answers about Swift Technology for Plantar Warts
What is Swift technology?Swift technology is a non-invasive, safe, effective, new way to treat plantar warts. Swift uses a special probe that delivers a controlled dose of microwave energy to the skin. Microwave energy, used for decades in various branches of medicine, targets the root of the problem – the HPV virus. This targeted dose…
Heal Your Heel Pain at Home with Stretching and Massage
In last week’s blog, we explored how heel pain can cause debilitating pain that can get worse if you don’t treat it promptly. That thick ligament is causing your pain because it’s inflamed and may even have small tears. One of the most effective treatments for plantar fasciitis is to perform targeted exercises to repair your damaged…
There’s Good and Bad News About Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is better known as heel pain – sometimes debilitating heel pain. Patients often tell us similar stories: They have stabbing pain in their heels and arches when they wake up and take their first steps of the day. The pain eases after they walk a bit. Wearing shoes makes the heel feel better….
4 Essential Steps to Manage Neuropathy
Nerves permeate your entire body. They send messages of all kinds to your brain, such as, “It’s cold, put a sweater on,” or “Hey, our bladder’s full, get thee to a bathroom pronto.” But many things can happen to prevent important messages like these from getting to the brain – like an injury, toxic substances,…
Is Your Ankle Broken or Just Sprained?
What should you do when you injure your ankle? It’ll be obvious when you need emergency care. If you’re screaming in pain or you can see a bone outside when it should be inside, get to the hospital as soon as possible. But what if it’s not so obvious? Should you see a doctor? Yes…
Feel Like You’re Walking on a Pebble? It Could be a Neuroma
A neuroma is a nerve that’s irritated so much it grows thicker. A common neuroma we see here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is called Morton’s neuroma – a thickening of a nerve, usually between the third and fourth toes (the two located next to your pinky). Irritation from where?Neuroma’s form when the toes…
Heart Disease is Linked to Foot Health
It might seem odd that Clifton Foot & Ankle Center – a medical office devoted to foot health in Fairfax County – would blog about heart disease. But it’s not odd at all! There are some surprising connections between good heart health and good foot health – and what better time to make them than…
What are Overuse Injuries of the Feet and Ankles?
Board-certified podiatrists like Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM use the word “overuse” when describing certain injuries to the feet and ankles. Overuse injuries bring patients to our podiatry office all the time. But what exactly is an overuse injury?As the name implies, an overuse injury occurs when you injure a body part by using it too…
4 Ways Diabetes Affects Your Overall Health
Diabetes is a progressive disease that requires daily attention, so it doesn’t spiral out of control. That kind of vigilance can often be exhausting. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we provide expert diabetic foot care to our patients who need it. Unfortunately, people with Type 1 diabetes had no say about getting their disease…
Winter Walking Tips
Slipping on snow and ice is no joke, despite all the memes and gifs out there that try to make you laugh. Foot and ankle injuries are common among people who fall when winter brings icy conditions to Fairfax County. Fortunately, there are several precautions you can take to minimize your risk of slipping and…
Celebrate National Measure Your Feet Day in Style
If you don’t have “National Measure Your Feet Day” marked on your calendar, you’re missing out on an important event! Okay, it may not be a mainstream holiday, but it’s still worth noting and maybe even having some fun with. National Measure Your Feet Day is an opportunity to demonstrate to your whole family that…
How to Deal with Painful Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails are a vexing problem for many people. For some, they’re hereditary. When your parents got together and made you, your DNA lined up in such a way to make your toenails naturally curve downward. Preventing them from growing toward the skin instead of straight out may be a struggle you’re up against all…
For Healthy Feet, Follow Through on These 3 Popular New Year’s Resolutions
It’s that time of year again! The resolutions you make on January 1 signal your desire to make a change. Go ahead and resolve to eat better, exercise more, and quit smoking. Then, follow through – because taking these actions contributes to healthy feet! Eat better. Good nutrition is, by association, good nutrition for your…
A Quarterback’s Foot Injury: Just a Sprain, or Something More?
Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills football team, was sidelined in mid-December due to a foot sprain. But if you had read past the headlines and initial paragraphs, you would have learned that Allen was also suffering from turf toe. What’s the difference?A foot sprain is a general term for damage to one…
Where To Go for Creative Last-Minute Holiday Gifts
Don’t sweat it if you still have holiday shopping to do. With Christmas just a few days away, Clifton Foot & Ankle Center has several easy gift-giving suggestions that focus on healthy feet. Here’s where to go and what to look for: Big-box store – Go to the sports section to find gifts that keep your loved ones…
You Can Be Free of Plantar Fasciitis Pain
What brings a pretty large percentage of patients to our podiatry office in Centreville, Virginia? Heel pain. Very often, the pain is due to a condition called plantar fasciitis. What is plantar fasciitis?Any word ending in “-itis” indicates something is inflamed. In this case, that “something” is the plantar fascia – the thick band of…
Are Changes to Your Feet Normal?
The human body changes over time, and that includes the feet. Some changes aren’t surprising: soft tissues lose their elasticity, limiting how much you can stretch or move your feet and ankles arches can fall a little or a lot (flat feet) protective fat pads thin out arthritis may affect joints you injured earlier in…
An Exciting New Way to Treat Plantar Warts
Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, is proud to offer Swift: a game-changing treatment for annoying plantar warts. For decades, podiatrists have approached wart treatment from the outside: applying salicylic acid to peel the wart away layer by layer, freezing the wart using cryotherapy, or removing the wart with surgery. One of…
Small Steps, Big Difference: Preventing Diabetes is Within Your Reach
As we prepare to close out Diabetes Awareness Month, the focus at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is on the theme for this year’s awareness campaign: Small Steps, Big Difference. The campaign targets people with prediabetes. Who has prediabetes?It turns out there are 88 million with prediabetes in this country alone. Many have no symptoms at all, so they’re not…
What to Do About Stinky, Sweaty Feet
One of our recent blogs explored what it might mean if your feet are cold all the time. But what if you have the opposite problem – feet that are always hot and sweaty? Primary hyperhidrosis – the medical term for too much sweat – is genetic. It’s more common in men than women, and it’s also more common in…
5 Foot Care Myths You Can Dismiss Forever
When it comes to the health of our feet, the daily details we remember are cleanliness, wearing shoes and exercising. Still, there’s so much misinformation out there about these amazing body parts! Common myths about basic foot care abound, so let’s put some of them to rest: Myth #1: Foot pain is inevitable as we…
Choose Both Classic and New Methods to Manage Your Blood Sugar
We have many patients with diabetes at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. If we took a poll, they might agree that they hear this piece of advice from us above all others: Never give up keeping your blood sugar under control. It’s also an important message of the American Diabetes Association, which sponsors Diabetes Awareness Month every November….
Bothered by Corns on Your Feet? Here’s What to Do
Corns on your feet have several names. In medical circles, we call them “hyperkeratoses.” In Great Britain, they’re referred to as “rooster’s eye,” although we haven’t had an opportunity to consult any citizens there to find out exactly why! By any name, a corn refers to a patch of thickened skin on your foot. Corns are commonly found…
Questions & Answers about Raynaud’s Disease
October is Raynaud’s Awareness Month. All of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center want to make our Fairfax County patients and friends more aware of how Raynaud’s disease could negatively affect your fingers and toes. Q: What is Raynaud’s disease?A: Raynaud’s is named after the 19th-century French doctor Maurice Raynaud, who first noted that the fingers and toes of…
Solutions for Foot and Ankle Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world and one of the most debilitating. Another way to express “arthritis” is “joint pain.” Painful joints can occur anywhere in the body – shoulders, fingers, hips, knees, ankles, and feet, to name a few. Joints ache, especially among the 50 and older crowd, because of…
Podiatrists Fix Foot and Ankle Problems from A to Z
In recognition of International Podiatry Day (October 8), we’d like to answer the three most common questions about podiatrists: What exactly is podiatry?It’s the medical specialty that deals exclusively with ailments of the feet, ankles, and lower legs. Who needs a podiatrist?People of all ages and from all walks of life experience problems with their…
How to Fix Chronic Heel Pain
Plantar fasciitis, or heel pain, hurts the most when you step out of bed in the morning. The pain eases up as you walk around but comes back when you stop moving again. It seems a little odd, doesn’t it? Why would you have more heel pain when you’re not using your feet? The answer lies within the thick ligament…
7 Surprising Reasons Seniors Take a Fall
If you know a person who has NOT at some point or other taken a nasty fall, tell us about them the next time you visit Fairfax County’s Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. That person deserves special recognition because, well, pretty much everyone’s fallen at one time or another. However, when an older adult falls, it can…
Autumn Foot Care Tips
The changing of the season from summer to fall transforms many people’s daily routines. Vacation days fade away into long days of attending classes. Outdoor dining moves inside as the wind kicks up and temperatures drop. Mom’s Carpooling Service is back in business. With all these changes happening, why not use this time as an…
6 Steps to Maintain Healthy Feet as You Age
September is Healthy Aging Month – but it may not mean what you think. It’s not your typical “awareness month” when people are encouraged to learn more about specific illnesses and conditions. Healthy Aging Month is less about knowing what can go wrong and more about making things right. It’s about the positive steps older Americans can…
Bunion Basics
Along with green eyes, olive-toned skin, or a muscular build, you inherited the tendency for joint problems in your big toe. What becomes of this tendency varies from person to person. Bunions run in families. One individual may slowly develop a bunion that causes no problems at all. Another may have a painful joint deformity before age…
Custom Orthotics Treat a Wide Range of Foot Problems
Not everybody has perfect feet. It’s pretty rare to find feet whose muscles, tendons, bones, and ligaments always move perfectly well together. Many people are born with a biomechanical imbalance in their lower limbs. That is, something doesn’t line up quite right when they walk or run. Imperfect anatomy can also result in high arches, low or no arches,…
Tips for Successful Back-to-School Shoe Shopping
When Fairfax County schools open up again next week, be ready with shoes that’ll help your kids succeed. Back-to-school shoe shopping can be a breeze when you follow these tips from board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM : Measure your child’s feet. The younger your child is, the faster his feet grow, so measure them each time you buy shoes….
Fun Facts About Feet
When August 17th rolls around, podiatrists rejoice – because it’s National I Love My Feet Day. Celebrate with Clifton Foot & Ankle Center by reading these fun and interesting facts about your two feet. Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. 25% of all your bones are located in your feet….
Learn to Recognize the Signs of Type 2 Diabetes in Children
Two new studies from the American Diabetes Association warn of a “staggering” increase in the number of children with Type 2 diabetes. Doctors have reported twice as many cases as usual since the height of the pandemic. Why are more children getting diabetes? Children have suffered from the long months of quarantine. Increased screen time for…
6 Things Athletes Should Know About Good Foot and Ankle Care
All eyes are on Tokyo for the next several weeks as the best athletes in the world compete at the Olympic games. There’s no doubt about it – bodies take a beating during this elite competition. But the bodies of us “regular people” are also open to injury when we exercise. Whenever you jog, go for…
Flip-Flops: Good or Bad for Your Feet?
Flip-flops go with summertime like hotdogs and hamburgers, badminton and beach trips. From plain rubber basics to bejeweled platforms, you’ll find them on feet everywhere throughout Fairfax County and our greater DC area. However, podiatrists like Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, warn our patients against spending too much time in flip-flops. The good There…
Innovative Therapies Target Foot Pain and Skin Problems
Fairfax County athletes and other active individuals have another great reason to consult with board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. We offer several unique therapies and some of the latest technologies to treat foot problems quickly, safely, and effectively. Prolotherapy/ PRP Injections: this therapy uses the patient’s blood to promote healing. “PRP”…
Travel Tips for People with Diabetes
Visit the podiatrist before you go. If it’s been a year or more since your last diabetic foot exam, consider making an appointment with board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm before you travel this summer. Diabetes affects the nerves and blood vessels of the feet, making it difficult for many people with diabetes to detect a foot problem. We recommend a…
Keep Your Feet Comfortable During Pregnancy
Carrying a baby in your womb means a lot of changes to your body. It’s common for your feet to become swollen, especially in the last few months of your pregnancy. Your feet swell due to edema – the fluid that builds up from hormonal changes in the body. You may lose some arch height as you gain…
4 Foot Problems Men Shouldn’t Ignore
Nobody should ignore a foot problem, but we’re focusing on men today for two reasons: first, June is International Men’s Health Month, so it makes sense to single out our male patients. Second, it’s fair to say that, in general, men are more reluctant than women to seek medical care. So, at Clifton Foot & Ankle…
6 Ways to Prepare Your Feet for Summer
It’s nearly summer in Fairfax County – are your feet ready? They’ve been quarantined along with the rest of you, cooped up in socks and slippers, and they probably need some extra attention. Board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm offers six ways to get your feet geared up to, once again, see the light of day: Heels,…
What’s Causing Your Chronic Heel Pain?
Heel pain, or plantar fasciitis, is prevalent in adults and not unheard of in active children. The cause of this pain is when the large band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot becomes inflamed. Inflammation occurs for several reasons: Some examples of overuse include walking a lot on the same hard…
Preventing and Treating Running Injuries to Your Feet and Ankles
Ever hear of the “runner’s high?” It’s one of the reasons running is such a popular sport. After a run, athletes report a feeling of exuberance, an energy that can’t be squashed. It’s partly because of the joy of accomplishment – setting a goal to run a couple of miles and getting it done. But it’s also…
Use the ABCDEFG Method to Detect Melanoma
May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. It’s fast-growing. It’s more likely than other types of skin cancer to metastasize – that is, to invade other parts of your body. Feet are no strangers to skin cancer, including melanoma. Fairfax County board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm wants to remind our patients…
Dos and Don’ts of Mowing the Lawn
The statistics are grim: each year in the United States, about 85,000 people seek treatment in the emergency room for lawnmower-related injuries. 16.2% of them involve the lower limbs. Yes, accidents happen; they always will. But you can help prevent a loved one from losing a toe, foot, or lower leg by following some specific dos…
Use Exercise to Improve Your Arthritis Symptoms
Picture this: a 66-year-old athlete goes to the doctor complaining of ankle pain. This woman runs considerable distances every week and says she’s participated in 14 triathlons in the last few months. The doctor takes some x-rays and finds severe ankle osteoarthritis. He cannot believe the x-rays he took correspond to this person who can still…
Should You Worry About a Lump in Your Foot?
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we see a fair number of lumps and bumps on people’s feet. A lump or bump that hurts, swells up, or oozes pus needs our attention. Visit our Fairfax County podiatry office so the doctor can help with further attention. But what of other bulges, skin lesions, or bony knobs that aren’t…
Bunion Treatment Doesn’t Have to Mean Surgery
A bunion is a deformity of the joint at the base of your big toe. It looks like a bony bump jutting outward. There can be redness, swelling, tenderness, and difficulty bending the joint. The tendency to form a bunion is usually inherited. Still you can inadvertently speed up the process by wearing shoes that are too…
The Smart Way to Treat a Blister
Foot blisters rarely take us by surprise. You’re out for a hike, and pressure from your new boots turns the back of your heel a troublesome shade of red. You know you’re close to getting a blister. Or you pull off your running shoes at the end of a race and find the source of that aching…
Foot and Ankle Bones Can Grow Spurs
Every action has a reaction. If you ask your mom 117 times a day if you can get a new iPhone, the chances are good she’ll lash out at you at #118 – or sooner. And just as you can rub your mom the wrong way, you can unintentionally rub the bones of your feet…
Good Foot Care Makes Sense!
We’re realists here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. We realize most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about their foot health. Luckily, we’re here to remind our Fairfax County patients that April is Foot Health Awareness Month! It’s easy to increase your awareness of your feet and learn how to keep them healthy. Just…
Protect Your Child from Basketball Injuries to the Feet and Ankles
With March Madness coming to another exciting end, you may have a child who’s expressed an interest in playing basketball. Good for them. Basketball gets the heart and muscles pumping, helping to keep kids in good shape. Unfortunately, the game also has a pretty high incidence of injuries to the feet and ankles. We usually see…
Seniors Don’t Have to Put Up with Foot Pain
Most senior citizens experience some foot pain. It’s no wonder: by the time you turn 80, you’ve walked about 110,000 miles. You’d have to walk from our podiatry office in Centreville, Virginia, to Lower Manhattan and back 183 times to go 110,000 miles. And that’s just the average person. If you’re regularly active, you see a lot more…
Get Relief From Flatfoot Pain
Everybody emerges from the womb with flat feet. If we’re lucky – and most of us are – we’re blessed with arches sometime before our third birthday or so. Arches in your feet serve an important purpose: they help keep your weight evenly balanced. Each time you take a step, the muscles, bones and soft tissues…
Overcoming the Challenges of Wearing High Heels
Many women choose to wear high heels – and that’s okay. As a board-certified podiatrist, however, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm cautions women to be smart about it. Wearing high heels comes with many challenges. Interestingly, “Choose to Challenge” was the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated earlier this week on March 8. “A challenged world is an…
How’s Your Diet Going? – Your Feet and Ankles Want to Know
We’re already more than two months into the New Year. That’s 8+ weeks—approximately 60 days since you resolved to eat better and lose weight in 2021. Losing weight is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions there is, and all of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center applaud anyone who strives to attain a healthy…
What to Do About a Broken Toe
Our nation has been riding the corona coaster for close to a year now. And over this tumultuous year, podiatrists have seen a mysterious increase in the number of broken toes. There are two parts to this mystery: first, why is it happening? Second, what should you do if it happens to you? Part 1: Why…
Fix Your Cracked Heels
Dry, calloused, or cracked heels are not just unsightly and uncomfortable. They can also be dangerous. If you neglect the skin on your heels, it will likely continue to dry out. Cracks can eventually form and grow deeper. Bacteria can enter these deep cracks, also called heel fissures, and cause an infection. Cracked heels are common, especially in the…
The Importance of a Good Pair of Socks
What do socks do? They keep your feet toasty warm, right? That’s what most people would say, especially during these cold winter months. Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, our board-certified podiatrist at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, absolutely agrees. But we also want you to know that, besides warmth, there are other things to keep in mind when you’re choosing…
4 Steps to Help Prevent Heart Attacks in Women
What’s the #1 killer of women? Not cancer. Not COVID-19. It’s heart disease. Heart disease and its complications account for about 20% of all female deaths in the United States. To get people thinking and talking about this, the American Heart Association has named February 5 National Wear Red for Women’s Heart Health Day. But it…
Thyroid Disease Can Affect Your Feet
Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center would like our patients in Fairfax County and northern Virginia to know that January is Thyroid Awareness Month. The thyroid gland is in your neck, but it can have a great deal to do with your feet. The thyroid gland and the pituitary gland (located in the brain) are…
Achilles Tendon Injuries
Where’s the thickest, most powerful tendon in your body? Perhaps in your neck, to hold up your head? Good guess but look lower. At the back of your heel, you can feel the Achilles tendon, the largest, strongest tendon in the body. The Achilles tendon connects the muscles in your calf to the calcaneus or heel…
Resolve to Get Rid of Warts for Good with Swift
Some plantar warts come and go, disappearing after they’ve had their fill of annoying you for several months. Others think they deserve to irritate you and your foot for what seems like forever. It’s not unusual for a wart on the sole of your foot to resist treatment and stick around for years. Treatments for warts have traditionally included…
Why Are Your Toes Numb?
When a body part goes numb, how exactly do you describe it? Pins and needles? Sure, sometimes you call it that. Other times you might say you can’t quite feel that part of your body, or when you touch it if you can’t sense the touch. However you express it, numbness that lasts a long…
The Benefits of Mind-Body Exercises
Imagine having the tools to get through each day with less pain, increased strength and flexibility, decreased anxiety, and a general sense of well-being. Well, studies show those tools exist in the form of exercise – in particular, mind-body exercises like yoga and tai-chi. Mind-body exercises combine slow and controlled body movements with mental focus…
Turf Toe: A Painful Sprain of the Big Toe
Monday Night Football on December 7th became Monday Nightmare Football for Antonio Gibson. The rookie running back for the Washington Football Team suffered a turf toe injury early in the game against the Steelers. Turf toe is common in football. If you were to open your favorite search bar and type in “turf toe football,” you’d get way more…
Ankle Reconstruction Surgery: Not Just the Stuff of Science Fiction
Star Trek has always been famous for its futuristic scenarios, including medical treatments that blew our 20th-century minds. Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy might place a probe on a patient’s broken ankle and – poof, instant repair of the bones. Today, ankle surgery isn’t quite as instantaneous as that. However, our real-life podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm can take what’s broken and…
Play it Safe: Have Your Foot Injury Checked Out by an Expert Podiatrist
In case you missed it, Joe Biden suffered a foot injury a few days after Thanksgiving. Here’s what happened: he slipped, fell, and twisted his ankle he went for x-rays out of “an abundance of caution.” doctors diagnosed a sprained ankle, meaning damage to the soft tissues noting his actual symptoms, the doctors decided to confirm the diagnosis…
Holiday Gifts That Improve Foot Health
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Foot Hero! Do you know someone whose feet hurt all the time? Step in like a superhero with holiday gifts that improve their foot health! Nobody wants to put up with tired, achy feet. You can solve problems in a single bound, doling out justice for the person who works…
5 Thanksgiving Tips for the Diabetic
Navigating the Thanksgiving table has always been a challenge for people with diabetes. Many will find it more challenging this year because of the pandemic. They’re more stressed – and fighting the urge to stress-eat! They haven’t been exercising as much because the gym is closed or too crowded for comfort. Maybe they’ve put on a…
The Great American Smokeout: Another Chance to Kick the Habit
Smoking is an addiction. But it’s much more than, say, being addicted to the news after Election Day 2020. You might not have been able to rip yourself away from the TV earlier this month, but there was probably nothing directly physiological going on. In contrast, breathing in nicotine and other chemicals affects the brain. Smoking…
Reflecting on the Importance of World Diabetes Day
November 14 is a day we reserve to consider a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. No, it’s not COVID-19, but rather diabetes – also a worldwide epidemic. World Diabetes Day is the perfect time for Fairfax County’s Clifton Foot & Ankle Center to talk about what diabetes is, why it’s important for our patients to…
COVID-19 Hits People with Diabetes Especially Hard
Two stories are in the news this month: Diabetes. November is Diabetes Awareness Month when the American Diabetes Association encourages everyone to learn more about the disease. COVID-19. Yes, it’s still very much in the news, especially in Fairfax County, where the infection rate is rising faster than in any other county in Virginia. There’s a troubling…
New Swift Wart Treatment Kicks Out Annoying Plantar Warts
Word is getting around about a new, highly effective way to get rid of plantar warts. Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is excited to announce we’re now treating warts with Swift. Swift uses microwave technology that hones in on the root problem area below the skin, zapping out warts quickly, safely, and effectively. What makes Swift technology so…
5 Ways to Make Your Shoes More Comfortable
If your feet suffer from corns and blisters or if they’re sore and tired at the end of every day, take a look at your shoes. The shoes you wear play an enormous role in keeping your feet happy, healthy, and functional. Stylish shoes are fun, but they shouldn’t make your feet hurt. Shoes should be…
Types of Ankle Sprains and How They Heal
If you want to see a serious ankle sprain in progress, search the internet for “Michael Thomas ankle injury.” Thomas is a star wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints. Recently, another player landed forcefully onto a moving Thomas’s left ankle. When you see a photo of that moment, it’s hard to see Thomas’s foot because it’s…
Causes and Treatment of Shin Splints
“Shin splints” is a term podiatrists use to refer to pain anywhere between your knee and ankle. Deep within that area – the shin – is your tibia, better known as your shin bone. Numerous muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues surround the tibia. When those tissues become irritated or inflamed, you get pain, tenderness,…
Fast Facts about Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral Arterial Disease, or PAD, is narrowing of the blood vessels that lead to the outermost parts of the body, such as the lower legs. Blame it on atherosclerosis – the buildup of excess cholesterol in the peripheral arteries. That buildup of cholesterol, or plaque, makes it hard for blood to flow freely to the…
The Foot Fungus Among Us
Take a look at your calendar. Have you penciled in “Fungal Disease Awareness Week” (September 21-25), or has your online calendar already noted it for you? Well, it may not be the trendiest observance, but it’s something we mark in pen every year on the Clifton Foot & Ankle Center calendar. We want our patients to…
5 Fixes that Reduce Your Risk of Falling
We’ve all read about exceptional senior citizens – the “Iron Nun” who competes in triathlons well into her 80s, for example. Maybe your grandfather was feisty and active until his final days. But they are indeed the exception! The unfortunate truth is many older Americans are at a considerable risk of falling. An older adult is…
Sail Through Fall 2020 in the Right Kind of Chair
These days, people are flocking to Google for answers to questions like “What are the best chairs for sitting all day?” and “What’s the best home office chair?” What’s behind all the interest in where to plant one’s behind? –COVID-19, of course. Volatile infection rates here in the D.C. area continue to increase the number…
Put an End to Foot Pain
Few things put a damper in your day like constant pain, including foot pain. You can’t walk. You can’t exercise. You may even have to depend on others to help you get out the sourdough starter (and other tasks of daily living). Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm always counsels our patients to act quickly when they’ve got foot pain….
5 Great Exercise Options to Help Manage Diabetes
If you’ve got diabetes, you’re well aware of what you need to do to control your blood sugar. Or are you? Many people with diabetes focus on what they should and shouldn’t eat. That’s really important. However, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. To manage blood sugar, you’ve also got to take your medications faithfully. Physical…
Psoriasis Can Cause Trouble for Your Toenails
If you have psoriasis, be on the lookout for a troubling development. Those scaly, bumpy, red patches on your skin can spread to your fingernails and toenails. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re taking the month of August, Psoriasis Awareness Month, to help our patients understand this toenail complication is more common than you might think….
The Wrong Shoes Can be Hazardous When Working In the Yard
One of the joys of warmer weather is spending time outside. It seems that we’re finding even more joy this summer after being cooped up for months during the coronavirus pandemic. So what brings you outside? For many people, it’s taking care of the lawn and garden. They see it as a fun, therapeutic hobby….
The Dangers of Going Barefoot
There are many reasons why board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, might suggest you avoid going barefoot. Omitting shoes from your daily outfit put your feet at risk for these classic dangers: Injuries like burns from hot pavement, puncture wounds from sharp rocks, or a twisted ankle. Infections with the virus that causes plantar warts, or the fungus that causes…
Protect Yourself and Others by Wearing a Mask
The Virginia Department of Health has presented us with clear guidelines for wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You don’t need to wear a mask if you: go out for a walk work in the garden mow the lawn have pre-existing breathing problems are under the age of 2. However, you must wear a mask…
Foot Pain: Is it Inevitable?
The persistent belief that foot pain is just an inevitable part of life, just one of the certainties of growing older – well, it’s just not true. Foot pain is common, yes. You probably know a bunch of people who’ve got it. But nobody should accept foot pain as something they simply must put up…
Juvenile Arthritis May Affect Feet and Ankles
You may be surprised to learn that arthritis is not exclusively an ailment of the aged. In the United States, there are about 300,000 kids diagnosed with some form of juvenile arthritis. Since July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, we’re putting the spotlight on kids with joint inflammation. What does juvenile arthritis look like? Symptoms of JA…
Safe, Scaled-Down Parties in 2020 Call for Some Creativity
Anyone who has planned for a celebration this year has had a lot of decisions to make. Some have chosen to cancel their plans outright for fear of spreading COVID-19 infections. Others have taken a different tack: what if the celebration were just scaled down in size and scope? What if you could still have…
4 Tips to Help Prevent Skin Cancer of the Feet
The warmer weather has helped us all feel better as we slowly, cautiously crawl out of our COVID-19 hibernation. Health experts agree that enjoying outdoor activities is a good thing when it comes to slowing the spread of the virus. But board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm warns that spring and summer fun in the sun is…
Quarantine Can Be a Pain in the Heel
The challenges of staying home for weeks and months on end have taken their toll on people everywhere. Even our feet are feeling the pain. Heel pain, to be specific. Heel pain is on the rise Since the coronavirus pandemic forced us all inside, we’ve never spent so many hours without shoes on. You may think…
Avoiding the Salon? Here’s How to Pamper Your Feet at Home
Fairfax County is slowly opening up, but at the beginning of June, the 14-day trend of coronavirus cases was showing an upward curve. That’s disturbing to all of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, and to so many of our patients throughout the greater D.C. area. We want desperately for our patients to feel confident…
COVID-19: Another Reason to Watch Your Weight
If you’ve experienced weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reasons aren’t too hard to find: you’ve slacked off your regular exercise routine (the gym’s been closed) you haven’t been going out, and you’re just not moving around as much there’s been an increase in baking (note the flour and yeast shortages at the grocery…
4 Ways to Stay Connected with Loved Ones
The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for those who thrive on human contact. Are you one of those people for whom isolation has ratcheted up your anxiety a few notches? You’re not alone. But we’re all in this together. And it seems like a good time for Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm to offer some suggestions for anyone…
10 Quick, Healthy Lunch Ideas You Need Right Now
Does a healthy lunch take a back seat in your new, quarantined life? Do you tend to grab what’s available instead of what’ll fuel you through the rest of your day? We understand. These days of social isolation, constant Zooming, and guiding kids through distance learning are stressful. The last thing you need is pressure…
A New Glossary in Time of Pandemic
Have you been scratching your head at all the new vocabulary being tossed around during the current pandemic? For example, what is “herd immunity”? At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re aware that we sometimes toss out podiatric medical terms that we need to explain to our patients. Likewise, we hope to take the mystery out of some…
4 Simple Ways to Stay Active While Social Distancing
We’re seeing signs that social distancing in the U.S. is doing its job of slowing down the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, it’s also slowed down many people’s commitment to being physically active. Even if you were never a big exerciser, you probably moved around a lot more before the shutdown. But there is good news…
Doctors Reveal a Suspected New Symptom of COVID-19
Doctors have recently learned that a person’s feet may offer valuable clues about who is infected with the novel coronavirus. COVID-19 tests have come back positive for people with red, purple, or bluish lesions on their feet or toes. These are some facts about “COVID toes” as we understand them right now: Patches of red, purple, or…
Life Skills to Teach Your Kids During the Quarantine
As we ride out the coronavirus pandemic, we hear more and more jokes about people trying to get away from their spouses and kids. It’s true that our family members, who we know and love so much, might be starting to feel a little too present. And the stress of trying to balance working from…
Learn to Cook at Home
Social distancing is a good thing for flattening the curve and helping to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. But it can also be a good thing to learn a new skill, such as cooking. Cooking is a fantastic skill to have for many reasons: Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper than eating at…
Does Your Foot Pain Need Treatment or Can it Wait?
During this troubling COVID-19 pandemic, we at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center suspect that many of our patients have had to grapple with a unique question: what is non-essential medical care? Should you keep that appointment for your annual physical? Must you go to this month’s post-operative checkup or can you put it off? Now that we’re…
All About Toenail Fungus
Well, if you cringed just a little bit reading that headline, you’re not alone. People don’t love talking about their fungal nail infections. Even more, they prefer to keep them completely hidden, even from doctors. We get it; infected nails aren’t pretty. But they’re not going away anytime soon if you do nothing about them. Enter Dr….
Prediabetes…Diabetes…Foot Problems: A Progression You Want to Avoid
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we want our patients to be alert to the effects of diabetes on their feet. They are significant and potentially very damaging. Fortunately, the American Diabetes Association gives us Diabetes Alert Day, an annual “wake-up call” and an opportunity for us to talk about your risk of developing diabetes. Take a look at…
What to Do When Feet Go Snap, Crackle, Pop
A few weeks ago, Britney Spears brought new meaning to the phrase “pop star” when she broke a metatarsal bone in her foot while practicing a dance routine. The incident was caught on tape, and you can hear the bone make a loud popping noise. You can google it if you’re not squeamish about hearing…
Questions and Answers About Bone Spurs
What is a bone spur? A bone spur is simply extra bone that grows out of existing bone. In your feet, bone spurs are most common in the heel but can also form in toe joints and the ankle joints. The word “spur” conjures up images of cowboy boots with sharp metal teeth attached to them, but bone spurs…
4 Positive Ways to Celebrate National Snack Day
Is snacking the healthiest nutrition for your feet? Let’s take a look at the negatives and positives. Negatives First, we don’t always make good snacking choices; we grab what’s handy – cookies, candy, chips, or other processed foods. Also, we may snack too much, which adds extra calories to your diet that can easily lead to…
How to Recognize and Treat Athlete’s Foot
Fungal infections can affect various parts of the body that provide a moist environment such as your underarms and groin. Your feet sweat a lot and are therefore prone to a particular fungal infection called tinea pedis, or athlete’s foot. We typically see this type of infection in athletes and other active individuals who spend a…
10 Causes of Swollen Feet or Ankles
Sometimes there’s an obvious, no-big-deal reason for swollen feet or ankles. But sometimes, swelling in your lower limbs can signal serious problems that have nothing to do with your lower limbs! At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we encourage our patients not to ignore their swollen feet and to understand the difference between predictable swelling and unexpected…
Think Quickly to Minimize Injuries on Ice
Black ice is tricky and sly. It doesn’t announce its presence. It’s virtually invisible, masquerading as regular black tar. Ice can also sneak up on you by hiding under a layer of snow. When you slip and fall on ice, foot and ankle injuries happen in a flash. Victims of falls on ice hobble into Clifton Foot & Ankle Center every…
Is It A Sprain Or A Fracture?
When you injure your foot or ankle and you’re in pain, we at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center advise you to have it examined by our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm. Some of the most common injuries to the feet and ankles fall into two categories: sprains and fractures. The symptoms of these two types of injuries overlap, so it…
Don’t Panic if Your Toes Turn White in the Cold
Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition that strikes certain people when they’re cold. It’s a disorder of the tiny blood vessels located in your fingers and toes. For reasons that are not altogether clear to doctors and researchers, these vessels respond to the cold by going into spasms and restricting blood flow. Fingers and toes turn ghostly…
What Hockey Parents Need to Know About Their Child’s Feet and Ankles
You’ve no doubt heard of the “Hockey Mom” or the “Hockey Dad” – those dedicated parents who get up at 5:00 a.m. and schlep their kid(s) to the rink in the dark because, well, that’s when the team can get on the ice. So what’s on a hockey parent’s mind as they sit in the…
6 Tips to Prevent Ingrown Toenails
An ingrown toenail isn’t the worst thing that can go wrong with your feet (think broken bones or diabetic neuropathy). But it sure can cause a lot of pain and agony. Ingrown toenails are fairly common, but it’s also fairly easy to avoid getting them, with one exception: if they run in the family, you may be…
6 Tips to Help You Stick With a New Exercise Plan
If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more, good for you! At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we believe that regular exercise is one of the keys to living a healthy, happy life. “I will exercise more,” however, is kind of a vague declaration. You’re more likely to stick with a resolution if you…
10 Ways to Avoid Foot Problems in the New Year
Replace old shoes. Chances are that the supportive material in your old shoes has worn down to the point where it no longer provides adequate support. Upgrade your shoes to keep your feet fit and healthy. Wear bigger shoes. Wider toe boxes give your toes the room that pointy tips don’t. Narrow, pointy shoes pinch your toes and contribute…
Diagnosis: Hammertoe
Some problems benefit from a wait-and-see attitude. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re not convinced that’s a great idea when it comes to foot problems. First of all, when you’ve got a problem with your foot, you’re generally in pain. Also, when you wait too long to see a doctor, your problem can become much…
8 Last-Minute Gift Ideas for the Athlete on Your List
If you’re still shopping for holiday gifts, try surprising an athlete with something that adds to the enjoyment of their sport. Board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm offers these ideas to help you finish your 2019 holiday shopping. As an added bonus, many of these gifts support great foot health, which is our raison d’être here at Clifton…
Don’t Let Cold Weather Damage Your Foot Health
Now that the snowflakes have begun to fly here in Fairfax County, you’ve no doubt tucked your feet into warm socks, heavy shoes and boots, and fuzzy slippers for inside. Well, board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center encourages you not to forget about good foot care during the colder months. Your feet may…
For Feet’s Sake, Stay Away from Nicotine
It’s been several decades since smoking was proven to cause lung cancer and chronic upper respiratory infections. Even smokers are well aware of all the health risks they’re taking when they light up. Or are they? Fairfax County podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center has some news that may be surprising to some smokers:…
What’s Your Risk of Diabetes?
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The World Health Organization tells us that there are 422 million people on Earth with this blood sugar disease. Today, about 1 in 10 U.S. citizens are afflicted. But the news gets even grimmer: scientists predict that the number of Americans with diabetes will…
Diabetes Awareness: What Does it Mean?
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, which we’re pleased to observe every year at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. But what exactly does it mean to be diabetes-aware? What does the medical profession hope to impart to all people during this “awareness” month? Board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm hopes that bringing awareness of the many aspects of this…
Is Running Bad for Your Feet?
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…
Diabetes Myths
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…
Questions & Answers about Plantar Fasciitis
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…
Your Choice of Shoes Can Have a Major Effect on Your Feet
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…
Having Big Toe Pain Isn’t a Crime
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 Happens When Irritation Hits a Nerve?
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…
Pain Management Methods That Work
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…
Honoring World Heart Day is Honoring Your Feet, Too
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…
Senior Citizens: Are You at Risk of Falling?
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…
Interesting Facts about Bunions and Bunion Surgery
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….
10 Health Problems Your Feet Can Reveal
Just as your eyes provide “windows to the soul,” your feet are windows to bodily diseases. Podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is well qualified to recognize the warning signs of these 10 general health problems that your feet may provide. Diabetes. If you come to our Fairfax County podiatry office complaining of numb feet…
4 Back-to-School Habits for Healthy Feet
Foot health is important to overall health, even for children. We at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Fairfax County, Virginia encourage parents to teach children a healthy respect for their feet. During this exciting time of new classrooms, teachers, and friends, encourage your child to establish some new habits for maintaining healthy feet: Keep them clean….
High Blood Pressure and Foot Health: Make the Connection
You might not think that high blood pressure would be one of our concerns here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. After all, isn’t foot doctor Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM only concerned about the health of your feet and ankles? Not at all! First of all, Dr. Wilhelm cares about your overall health. And second, there is more…
3 Ways to Celebrate I Love My Feet Day
Every year on August 17, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center joins other podiatrists in Fairfax County in celebrating National I Love My Feet Day. Feet work hard every day, but most people don’t think about them a whole lot until they hurt. Part of our job as foot doctors is to get people to…
How to Test Yourself for Flat Feet
Flat feet have a very little arch or no arch at all. If you’re not sure if your feet are flat, here’s a simple test you can do at home: Find a smooth, flat surface such as a concrete sidewalk or a paved driveway. You can also use a plain piece of cardboard or colored paper….
Add These Superfoods to Your Diet
For the last few weeks, we’ve been celebrating National Blueberry Month here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. Even though we’re saying goodbye to July, we encourage our patients to carry the celebration into the rest of the summer and beyond. Blueberries, one of nature’s superfoods, can inspire us to keep eating healthy foods all year…
10 Ways to Keep Your Feet at Their Best
Moving around when your feet hurt quickly becomes a drag. Just walking across the living room to grab a book is a chore; never mind going for a run or spending an afternoon with the grandchildren. Whatever it is that keeps you busy, it’s so much harder to accomplish it through the pain of a…
The Pros and Cons of Wearing Flip-Flops
It’s hard to imagine a summer without flip-flops. But the truth is if you don’t choose them carefully and limit your time wearing them, your feet and ankles can suffer. Board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center invites you to take a look at these pros and cons: Pros Flip-flops protect your feet in places…
4 Tips to Prevent Tennis Injuries to the Feet
When flipping TV channels, are you skipping past the drama unfolding at the 2019 Wimbledon tennis championships? If so, you missed your chance to witness 15-year old newcomer Cori Gauff neatly oust five-time champion, Venus Williams. That’s crazy, right?! Well, the sport of tennis may not rouse the same kind of public passion here in the U.S….
Treat Blisters with Care
Who hasn’t had a blister at some point in their life? If you’ve got a blister on your foot, you’ll know it pretty quickly. However, knowing what to do with that painful, fluid-filled bump is another story. Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, the board-certified podiatrist at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, is here to help you make sense of the…
A Message for Men Who Delay Medical Care
Admittedly, some men are good about keeping doctor appointments. However, they appear to be the exception to the rule. Studies show that women are 100% more likely to go to their doctor for an annual physical. A study by the Cleveland Clinic proved that 60% of men would not go to the doctor even if they suspect…
13 Ways Your Feet are Crying Uncle
There are so many ways people put their feet to the test, perhaps without even knowing it. If feet could speak, they would sometimes cry out for mercy, begging you to stop doing things that make them hurt. Here are 13 things we imagine feet might say to get you to change your ways: “Give…
Heel Pain: What if it’s Not Plantar Fasciitis?
Many of our patients here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Centreville, Virginia come to us for treatment of plantar fasciitis. It’s the most common reason for heel pain. In fact, you may have heard people use the terms “heel pain” and “plantar fasciitis” interchangeably. But plantar fasciitis – inflammation of the thick tissue that connects your…
5 Tips for Happy Summer Feet
Your shoes should accommodate your foot problems. Don’t buy shoes based on how fashionable they look. If you’ve got an existing foot issue that makes wearing certain shoes difficult, then you simply can’t wear certain shoes. Conditions such as bunions or flat feet require shoes with enough room and support to keep you comfortable. If you’re plagued with plantar fasciitis,…
Arthritis Awareness Month: Osteoarthritis of the Feet and Ankles
If you’re part of the “me” generation, we wouldn’t be surprised to hear that you’re experiencing “de”-generation in your joints. Grown-up baby boomers, who are ages 55 and up, have been on the planet long enough that their joints may be starting to deteriorate. That deterioration is called osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis means that the cartilage that prevents…
This Unique Toe Trait Can Lead to Foot Pain
“He’s got his father’s feet.” That’s what followers of the British monarchy are saying about the newest baby in the family. A recently published picture of newborn Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor shows that his toes are of pretty even length. That means he didn’t inherit Morton’s toe from his mother. What is Morton’s toe? Photos of Meghan…
Got a Mysteriously Broken Foot? This May be Why
Pain in your feet has many causes. Sometimes the cause is (painfully) obvious. You dropped a heavy object on your toe. You fell off the sidewalk and twisted your ankle. You ran 12 miles after spending the winter in couch-potato mode and your heel is killing you. But let’s say you’ve done none of those…
Having “A Touch of Sugar” is a Sour Deal for Your Feet
Actress Viola Davis narrates a new documentary film about diabetes called “A Touch of Sugar.” We imagine the name of the film comes from the way some people express the fact that they’ve got the disease. High blood sugar is the hallmark of diabetes. Let’s look at some statistics: First of all, diabetes affects over 30 million…
What to Do about Foot Odor
Many foot problems are painful (think arthritis or plantar fasciitis). Some of them, like athlete’s foot, are contagious. Foot odor isn’t contagious or painful, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating for our patients here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. Feet smell when they’re sweaty. However, don’t blame the sweat alone. Smelly feet are actually due to…
4 Ways for “Weekend Warriors” to Avoid Injury
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we know that there’s an uptick in activities of all kinds when the weather turns warm. So now that spring is in full swing, we expect that you’ll be spending more of your weekends raking the foundation beds, sitting on your heels in the garden, playing a little ball, or…
Tips for Buying Shoes Your Feet Will Love
With the change of seasons (Welcome, spring!), you may be thinking about buying some new shoes. Start by assessing what’s currently in your closet. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, we encourage our patients to examine their shoes on a regular basis for two essential reasons: It’s a safety issue. Worn out heels…
Dos and Don’ts of Caring for Your Feet
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we recognize that most people walk, run, kick, play ball, and get through the workday without thinking too much about their feet. However, when you suddenly get a stabbing pain in your heel that won’t quit, then you realize just how much you depend on them. As children, maybe we weren’t taught…
Fast Facts about Feet
Board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center has been in practice for more than 20 years. He knows a thing or two about feet! The entire human body is made up of some amazing parts. But our two feet are the only ones that literally bear the body’s entire weight. Here are some interesting,…
6 Problems to Look Out For in Aging Feet
They say that with age comes wisdom. Anyone over the age of 50 or so knows that with age come mysterious ailments as well! At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Centreville, Virginia, we want our senior patients to know what mysteries may lie ahead in terms of foot and ankle health. After decades of literally bearing…
What You Need to Know about Athlete’s Foot
The first thing to know about athlete’s foot is that it’s not just for athletes. Anyone can get it! Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that usually crops up in between your toes. However, it can spread to other parts of the foot. What fungus are we talking about? Well, there are many different strains with very long Latin…
What’s the “Right” Diet?
National Nutrition Month comes around every year in March. What’s the point? Well, there are a lot of good reasons to stop and think about what you’re eating. You can take this opportunity to ask yourself: Is my diet contributing to my good health? Am I making the right food choices? Do I need to…
Men’s Feet vs. Women’s Feet – What’s the Difference?
The folks who publicize International Women’s Day (March 8) want to promote the idea of gender parity – that is, a healthy balance of men and women in business and community roles. Well, board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM says that when it comes to feet, there’s not always a lot of gender balance going on! Men and women…
6 Sneaky Symptoms of Diabetes
As a podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm knows all too well the dangers that diabetes poses to his patients’ feet. Even when patients manage their blood sugar levels really well, they can eventually develop debilitating foot problems. That’s why it’s so important to us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center that we try to educate you about diabetes prevention….
Best Ways to Treat a Bunion
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’ve found that many of our patients with bunions believe that they have a problem with their big toe. Well, they do – sort of. A bunion becomes visible when your big toe no longer points straight out but slants inward toward your other four toes. But the cause of that slant…
The Heart-Foot Connection
Every year, the American Heart Association names February “National Heart Month.” It’s important to us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center that our patients’ hearts are healthy. That’s because a patient with a healthy heart is much more likely to lead an active lifestyle that will also contribute to good foot health. In contrast, an unhealthy heart…
Exercises Can Improve Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms
Plantar fasciitis, or heel pain, is one of the most common foot problems we treat here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Centreville, Virginia. It’s usually caused by the same thing: inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a thick ligament on the bottom of your foot. It can become irritated and inflamed from excessive…
How to Avoid Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails are a painful problem for a lot of our patients here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. With this common condition, the edge of a toenail begins to grow downward, cutting into the soft skin of the toe itself. The toe becomes swollen, red, inflamed, and quite painful. If not treated, the area can become…
Heel Pain in Children
Do your kids tell you everything? Probably not, and that goes triple for how they’re feeling. How was school? – Fine. How’d your math exam go? -Good. Unless you dig a little, ask some pointed questions, you wouldn’t know that something happened and it’s not all fine and good. It can be the same with…
If You Have Diabetes, Do This Every Day
One of the things we believe here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is that a well-informed patient is in the best position to make decisions about their own health care. When you have the facts, it’s easier to know what to do. If you’re diabetic, there’s a lot of information that you need to digest. You need to know how…
How to Conquer Your Exercise Excuses
As the New Year begins, all of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center have “resolutions” on our minds. So many people resolve each year to lose weight and get in better shape – and that’s a fantastic goal to have. Even if you’re only slightly overweight, your feet can suffer greatly with heel pain stress fractures tendinitis swelling…
Make it a Colorful New Year!
After a few days of cloudy, drab, wintry weather, isn’t it uplifting to look up and see the sun shining yellow-orange in the sky? The mere sight of bright colors anywhere can really put a sparkle in your day. Podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM has a suggestion: start the New Year right by intentionally adding color where…
Q&A: Gout
Is gout a disease of the big toe? Yes – but not always. Gout is a painful form of arthritis. When it first appears, it’s very often in the big toe joint. But gout can also affect other joints such as those in your fingers, knees, and hips. Who gets gout and why? You’re more likely to…
The Difference between Shoe Inserts and Custom Orthotics
When you’ve got foot or ankle pain, one of the first things you might be tempted to do is treat it on your own with shoe inserts. We’re talking about the kind that you can pick up at pharmacies and big-box stores. Their packaging will tell you what they promise to fix: “heel pain;” “heavy-duty…
How to Prevent Swollen Feet When Flying
Have you got a well-deserved winter getaway coming up? Are you boarding a plane to visit faraway family for the holidays? Well, the last thing you want to worry about when you’re flying is dealing with swollen, aching feet. And yet, feet do have a tendency to swell on airplanes. So, as you head out…
Holiday Shopping Made Easy on Your Feet
You’ve got a lot on your to-do list when it comes to planning for the holidays: food for the party? Check. Greeting cards purchased? Check. Affordable gifts for all the siblings, children, and in-laws? Check. And unless you’re doing all your shopping online, you’re going to be doing a lot of running around from place…
Learn the Warning Signs of Diabetes
Throughout the month of November, we’ve been reminding our patients that it’s Diabetes Awareness Month. We’ve talked about the hidden effects of diabetes – all the ramifications beyond just managing blood sugar. We’ve written about the risk of peripheral arterial disease. And we’ve addressed something ever-present in the life of a diabetic – the constant need to make…
Food Swapping Strategies for Good Health
November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Northern Virginia podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm wants to play a part in raising awareness of this potentially devastating disease. One way we can do that is to remind you of ways you can reduce your risk. One very specific strategy you can use is to focus on food swapping. Why food…
Pain in Lower Legs and Feet Could Point to PAD
If you’ve got pain in your legs when you walk, don’t ignore it. All of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center want you to know that lower leg pain maybe a sign that you’ve got a condition called PAD – peripheral arterial disease. What is PAD? Peripheral arterial disease occurs when fatty deposits build up in the…
The “Hidden” Effects of Diabetes
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a great time to review some basic info about this disease that affects over 30,000,000 Americans: Diabetics have a problem with the hormone insulin. The body doesn’t produce it at all (Type 1 diabetes). Or, the body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects (Type 2 diabetes). Both Type 1 and Type…
Avoid These 5 Common Shoe-Shopping Mistakes
Believe it or not, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go shoe-shopping. Board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center says that if you want to give your feet the best all-around experience, you’ve got to follow some specific rules when shopping for shoes. Here are the most common mistakes you want to…
Is a Contusion a Bad Thing?
Earlier this month, running back Devonta Freeman of the Atlanta Falcons was injured in a game after having just returned to the field from a previous injury. As CBS Sports put it, “Freeman has swapped a right knee bruise with a foot contusion.” Wait, what? How can you swap a bruise for a contusion? Well,…
The Danger of Mistreating Ankle Sprains
When it comes to foot injuries, you’re going to see a lot of them among athletes. Specifically, ankle sprains. It doesn’t matter if it’s football, rugby, soccer, field hockey, or volleyball. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about professional athletic teams or high school clubs. In fact, sprained ankles make up almost 23% of all high school…
Why Do Your Feet Feel Like They’re on Fire?
If you’ve been sitting on your haunches for a while, your feet might tingle a bit as you get up. That’s because regular blood flow is being restored to the small vessels in your ankles and feet. As you walk a few steps, the “pins and needles” go away. What if the pins and needles…
When Arthritis Hits Your Big Toe
Tens of millions of adults suffer from some sort of arthritis. Arthritis is a general term for any sort of pain or stiffness in a joint. When it hits your big toe, movement can become severely limited. If you were to ask anyone with arthritis in their big toe, you’d learn that it really hurts to bend…
Reasons to Reverse Childhood Obesity
Take two kids. One is obese and one isn’t. Here’s what we can guess about their health: the child who is obese is more likely to suffer from health issues like joint pain, foot pain, sleep apnea, and even Type 2 diabetes. How is their health going to look when they become adults? That’s one of…
The Thing About Aging that You Haven’t Thought About
There’s no denying that getting older changes life in many ways. There are financial decisions to make and retirement options to consider. You’re probably seeing an increase in doctor appointments and new prescriptions as the body inevitably changes. Children of the elderly are helping their parents face all of these new issues, too! Allow us…
Turf Toe Can Take a Long Time to Heal
Pre-season football has already seen a good number of players sidelined by injuries. Here’s what recently caught our interest at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center: Greg Senat’s turf toe injury. Senat of the Baltimore Ravens will be off the field “for a while,” says his coach. It can take a long time to make a full…
Who Gets Warts and Why?
A wart on your foot is called a plantar wart – but it’s only one of several different kinds of warts. The one thing that all warts have in common is this: they’re all caused by the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. HPV has been in the news a lot in recent years because…
Best Exercises for Diabetics
Diabetes is a disease very familiar to podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM. Many of our patients here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center come in on a regular basis for diabetic foot care, such as full foot checks and nail clipping. Our patients know that even a small problem with their feet can easily and quickly turn disastrous because…
Got Questions about Psoriasis? We’ve Got Answers
If you’ve got psoriasis, you’re already aware of how difficult a disease it can be. If you’re not quite sure what psoriasis is all about, there’s no better time to learn – because August is Psoriasis Awareness Month. Let’s take a look at psoriasis by answering some frequently asked questions: What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is an autoimmune…
10 Ways Dogs Help Keep Humans Healthy
August 26 is National Dog Day! At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re honoring the many ways that a dog really is “man’s best friend,” especially for all the health benefits they offer to us humans. Numerous studies conclude – and plenty of people will tell you from experience – that dogs Reduce loneliness and fight…
Who Should You Go See for Foot Pain?
Did you happen to hear about Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle’s problem with his toe? According to reports in the press, Doolittle began to feel discomfort in one of his toes in early July but continued to play ball. His pain got worse and doctors ordered an MRI, which showed a neuroma – a pinched nerve…
Stretch Your Way to Better Health
Today, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center is putting the focus on a relatively easy way to improve your overall health. Stretching your body is something that most people can do wherever they find themselves – at home, in a hotel room, in the office break room, or on the beach. And while you may…
What Parents Need to Know About Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease
Not too far west of Fairfax County, home of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, there’s recently been a rapid spread of a disease that can affect your feet. It’s called hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and it crops up every year during the late spring and summer months all over the world. What to know…
Keep Kids Safe When Mowing the Lawn
The statistics on kids getting injured during the summertime can be startling. The National Safe Kids Campaign asserts that May, June, July, and August are the most dangerous months of the year for kids, with injuries from all sorts of outdoor activities around the water like boating, swimming, tubing, and water skiing, as well as…
Easy Strategies to Drink More Water
Water. It’s not the fountain of youth, but in many ways, it’s the fountain of good health. Our bodies are made up of between 50% and 60% water, depending on your individual makeup, and we’re constantly losing it through bodily waste, through our skin, and through our breathing. If you want to keep the very…
5 Health Tips for Men
Men, women, children, senior citizens – they’ve all got feet, and Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm treats all of them here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. Since June is Men’s Health Month, we want to focus today on how men in particular can keep their whole bodies healthy. What’s good for the rest of your body is good…
Seniors, Here’s How to Stay Active and on Your Feet
The Administration for Community Living, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has designated June Older Americans Month in order to call attention to all the ways seniors can continue to live a full and purposeful life, no matter what their age is. A full and purposeful life is hard to…
Is Your Back Pain Coming from Your Feet?
When you’ve got lower back pain, it can seem like it comes out of nowhere. You haven’t bent over and felt a tweak, you didn’t take a fall, and you can’t remember a specific event that threw your back out of whack. It could be your feet. Making the foot-back pain connection Think about it:…
A Smartphone Appreciation Moment
Have you ever stopped to think about the myriad ways in which we use our smartphones? We’re willing to bet that you’ve used it in the past couple of weeks alone as a dictionary alarm clock roadmap pedometer calendar notebook library newspaper photo album stopwatch And a telephone, of course – and the list goes…
Beware the Public Shower Stall
Germs – they’re everywhere, right? How many bacteria are lurking on your phone screen right now? How about your keyboard? And just who’s been touching your computer mouse lately? There’s another common spot in which germs love to live and multiply: the shower stall. Fungi especially enjoy a warm, moist environment, so unless you’re in…
Kudos to Serena Williams for Putting Health before Fashion!
At Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding reception this month, Serena Williams changed from a pink Versace gown and matching pumps to a gorgeous gown from luxury designer Valentino — and apparently didn’t have a royal care about accessorizing Valentino with sneakers. The tennis superstar tweeted this “little-known fact:” “I often wear sneakers under my evening…
Quitting Smoking is the Life Hack Your Feet May be Starving For
Have you ever had an experience where you’re just going through your day and suddenly you hear a bit of information that just stops you in your tracks? We love those “Who knew?” moments because they make us smarter humans – humbler, too, because we realize just how much there is that we don’t know…
Diabetics: See a Podiatrist Once a Year for Preventative Care
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Centreville, VA, we provide outstanding specialized care of the lower limbs. Of all the things that can affect your feet and ankles – disease, injury, chronic inflammation, biomechanical imbalances, etc. – one of the most dangerous that we treat is diabetes. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease that has to…
Got Sugar Cravings?
Old habits die hard. Giving up the foods we love that may not be so good for us is really hard. Especially if those things contain a lot of sugar. Just a few years ago the New York Times cited a study that shows that sugar can be incredibly addictive – literally as addictive as…
A Pain in the Heel
At one time or another, most adults will experience some sort of heel pain. In our experience here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, the majority of our patients with heel pain are suffering from plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the ligament that runs from the base of your toes…
Top 4 Tips for Avoiding Injuries for Runners
The weather on Monday, April 16 was horrendous for running the Boston Marathon – cold, wet, and windy. But with the torrential rains came an end to a long drought for the United States, which hadn’t had a winner on the women’s side in 33 years. Congratulations to top woman finisher Desi Linden! To add…
10 Ridiculously Simple Ways to Keep Your Feet in Top Shape
Get better acquainted with them. The time to get to know your feet is when they feel fine. Be aware of their shape and their symmetry. How do your toenails normally look? Do you have any moles? If you spot something weird or out of place, get it checked out. Wash them. Duh? Not so…
4 Questions You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask a Podiatrist
Let’s face it: we’ve all had medical questions lurking around our heads that we’re afraid to speak out loud for fear of sounding dumb, ignorant, old-fashioned, inexperienced, late to the party — however your particular fear feels to you! Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, our board-certified podiatrist here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, says “Fear not.”…
Watch Out for This Common Overuse Injury
Last week, we wrote about the benefits of exercise – especially hoping to motivate anyone who’s spent the winter as a couch potato. This week, a specific word of warning: Don’t do too much too soon! The warmer temps of spring might make you feel like jumping off the couch and running a 5K, but you really…
Spring into Spring With Healthy Feet
Spring could not seem further away for those of us in Fairfax County, Virginia. The vernal equinox came in right on the heels of a winter storm warning, and we thought we heard people all over DC are yelling “Snow way!” or something like that. Yes – Snow just won’t leave us alone. Well, the…
6 Ways a Podiatrist Can Improve Your Sports Performance
Runners, walkers, tennis players, track and field enthusiasts, basketball and baseball players can all agree: your feet take a beating during all those workouts, games, matches, and triathlons. In order to stay healthy and competitive, you’ve got to make an effort to give your feet the care and attention they deserve. A podiatrist specializes in all injuries…
Make an Informed Decision to Have Foot or Ankle Surgery
When it comes to foot pain and suffering, there may come a time when a person must admit that what they’re doing isn’t working. That even though they’ve followed their doctor’s advice to a “T” – taken the proper medications, worn the boot for as many weeks as recommended, purchased special footwear and orthotics, performed…
Give Us a Fracture
What’s that old joke? — “A man walks into a bar…” There is, of course, a vast repertoire of endings to this classic, but we heard one the other day that had a neat, one-liner twist: A synonym strolls into a tavern. Okay, maybe it’s meant just for English majors? Well, it got us here at Clifton…
4 Rare Diseases of the Foot
Rare Disease Day rolls around at the very end of this odd month with only 28 days. One could argue that it should fall on February 29, since that’s an even rarer day; but if that were the case, we’d miss an annual opportunity to call your attention to some interesting foot conditions. It’s easy…
#MoveWithHeart
At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we specialize in keeping your feet and ankles healthy. But that’s not all we’re interested in. We want you to keep your whole body in tip-top shape, and this month, it’s all about your heart. Why the heart? Well, February is American Heart Month, so heart health is naturally on our…
Foot Disorders: Is Race a Factor?
February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on issues of historical importance and to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in the arts, academia, medicine, and more. At Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, we’re taking a moment during Black History Month to get a closer look at race as it relates to the…
Does Your Child Have Flat Feet?
If your child is an infant, he definitely has flat feet! All babies are born with extra fat even in their feet so it looks like they have no arch (that space between the ground and the inside middle of your foot when you’re standing up). By the time they’re about 5 or 6 years old,…
5 Tips for Buying Shoes
What could there possibly be to say about buying shoes – you go to the store, you pick out something you like, find your size, maybe you try them on, they look pretty good, you take a quick walk up and down the aisle, you pay and walk out. Your closet’s full of shoes, you…
8 Things That Can Go Wrong with Your Toes
What would we do without our toes?! All ten of them are there for good reason and our body balances best when it has the full cooperation of our toes. That’s not to say that we can’t stand, walk, and run with fewer than 10 – people do it. Toes must sometimes be amputated due…
Interesting Facts About Raynaud’s Disease
There’s a particular group of maladies that are named after the person who first “discovered” them. One of these is Raynaud’s disease, also called Raynaud’s phenomenon or Raynaud’s syndrome. A. G. Maurice Raynaud was the 19th-century French physician who first took a group of symptoms that affect mainly the fingers and toes, and named them after…
Foot Problems Can Require Surgery
If you have chronic pain in your toes, heel, ankle, or anywhere else on your foot, what can you do about it? One of the smartest things you can do is to get an evaluation as soon as possible by an expert in all things “feet.” You need a foot doctor and in northern Virginia that means…
New to Running? 4 Injuries to Watch Out For
It’s resolution time – again! How did we find ourselves in January, once again, resolving to act nicer, stick to a budget, eat healthier, lose weight, etc., etc.? New Year’s resolutions often revolve around ways to be healthier, and one of the best ones you can stick to is to exercise more. If you’ve resolved…
Top 3 Problems With Cold Weather and Diabetic Feet
The heat is on. People with diabetes often have problems with dry, itchy skin. So the diabetic foot can get dry as it is, but once the heat goes on indoors, your skin is even more susceptible to drying out and cracking. Keeping feet moisturized in the wintertime becomes even more essential, since cracked skin invites bacteria…
RICE Isn’t Always a Food!
Take the word rice. What does it conjure up in your mind? Images of vibrantly green rice paddies in the Far East? Maybe a healthy dinner of whole grain brown rice topped with some steamed veggies? Some Mexican rice and beans? There’s no question that rice is a staple all over the world. In the…
All About Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries of the lower leg. There are so many ways you can twist your ankle in an awkward way: running, jogging, stepping on an uneven surface, and even just standing up and putting weight on a tired ankle can cause a sprain. When it happens, the ligaments…
5 Great Gift Ideas for Feet
Strolling through the holiday gift section of a specialty grocery store the other day, we came across something kind of amazing: a beautiful 5-pound bar of dark chocolate. In case you’re having trouble picturing how big that is, it’s about 2 feet high and 1 foot wide. Twenty times bigger than the standard 4-ounce bar…
What Does a Podiatrist Do?
If you go through life never needing a doctor who specializes in feet, you’re one of the lucky ones. Many, many people experience problems with their toes, foot, or ankles – and the older you get, the greater your chances of running into foot pain. So who do you turn to when your “dogs” ache?…
How Do You Get Diabetes?
There’s a joke that’s been shared on social media lately, and it goes something like this: Math Problem: Q: Johnny has 32 candy bars. He eats 28 of them. What does he have now? A: Diabetes. Johnny has diabetes. Okay, the joke does elicit a chuckle for cleverness (what grade would you give the sassy kid who…
A Guide to Thanksgiving for the Diabetic
For most Americans, the fourth Thursday in November is totally a food-centric day. Even though we may spend time away from the kitchen – attending a religious service to remember our blessings, volunteering at a local shelter, travelling to friends and family – let’s face it. It’s still pretty much all about the food. People…
Beware of “Dr. Google”
Searching for medical information on the internet is a risky undertaking – you can get some really unsound advice. To be sure, there are reputable sites, including hospital and accredited foundation websites and our own extensive podiatry education library that serves our patients at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. There are risks associated with consulting a computer with…
Foot Problems Can Be Scary
With Halloween upon us, the staff at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center has monsters and goblins on the brain. We know all too well that monstrous things can happen to our feet, so it’s a good time of year to think about what those things are and what to do about them. Scary things can happen… …to…
Are You Getting Enough of These 2 Nutrients?
It’s been said that true health care reform isn’t going to come from Washington; it starts in your own kitchen. That’s probably a gross oversimplification of the health care debates being bandied about our government these days! But the choices you make in your own kitchen certainly do affect your individual health, so it’s a…
Get Ready for Fall Hiking
As we creep into the latter part of October (how did that happen?!), all of us in northern Virginia look forward to enjoying peak fall foliage. The many wooded trails of Lawrence Park or any of the other beautiful parks in Fairfax County are great places to get out and enjoy a hike, replete with…
Be Sweet to Aging Feet
There once was an elderly person Whose foot pain began to worsen. His feet burned and flattened But his hatches he battened Refusing to call doc or nurse in. All right, you’re probably thinking that the good folks at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center should stick to podiatry and leave poetry alone. Except that we really want…
How Bad is Your Toe Injury?
Even before the recent controversy surrounding the playing of the national anthem and politics, the NFL has always enjoyed a lot of media coverage. News of all the injuries that happen both in pre-season and on the field during regular season could probably cover an entire 24-hour news cycle. If only we had a dollar…
What Does it Mean to Have Healthy Feet?
Is it possible to have a perfectly healthy foot? Well, that’s a tough one. Feet endure some of the toughest abuse around because we literally use them every day to: Carry our weight – sometimes way too much of it! Propel us forward, getting us from one place to the next, and Keep our balance,…
Quit Smoking – Your Feet Will Thank You
We all know that quitting smoking reduces your risk of getting lung cancer. But did you know that giving up cigarettes is beneficial for your entire body? From your head to your heart and down to your toes, pretty much every bodily system breathes a sigh of relief when you quit breathing in tar and…
What YOU Can Do to Prevent Childhood Obesity
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, something we at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center think you should take pretty seriously. Why should you worry about childhood obesity? There are so many reasons – but perhaps none more important than the overall health of your child or another child you love – a niece, nephew, student, or grandchild….
What Your Toenails Say About Your Health
Toenails have certain characteristics that can tell you about your health, no matter whose foot they adorn. When you come to our office for a foot examination, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center can pick up clues about your overall health by taking a full medical history – and by taking a good look at…
Safeguard Your Kids from Fall Sports Injuries
Kids are going back to school and soon there will be tryouts for their favorite teams. Jumping back into soccer, swimming, tennis, cheerleading, or cross-country carries with it some dangers, especially if your child hasn’t been terribly active over the summer. What happens when your kid suddenly leaps from the couch and starts practicing two or more hours…
How Do You Know if Your Child Has a Foot Problem?
Different people have different styles of walking. Every person’s body is put together slightly differently and so each person takes on a unique way of moving around. Unique is usually just fine, as long as a person isn’t experiencing any foot pain. When it comes to children, especially very young walkers, they may not be…
Clearing Up the Top 3 Psoriasis Myths
August is Psoriasis Awareness Month and all of us here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center want you to know that psoriasis is a common disease that can affect your feet. Psoriasis crops up when skin cells grow too fast, creating a buildup of thick, red, itchy patches (plaques) on your skin or nails. It’s considered an autoimmune disease,…
7 Ways to Show Love – to Your Feet!
August 17 is National I Love My Feet Day, a holiday perfectly suited for podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center! Dr. Wilhelm has been caring for feet in Northern Virginia for close to 18 years, so he knows a thing or two about all the different ways you can love your feet. There…
What Your Big Toe Wants You to Eat and Why
Summer’s such an easy time to eat well: there are farmer’s markets all around Fairfax County where you can pick up fresh blueberries, yellow corn, leafy greens, big red bell peppers or small fiery green ones, and beans plucked from their bushes just this morning. These many-colored foods are a big part of the “healthy…
Why Is Your Foot Cramping?
“Ugly! Ugly, giant bags of mostly water.” Those were the words of an alien life force when it got its first glimpse of a human in a 1988 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Isn’t that just the greatest description of the human body? Well, the “ugly” part is purely in the eye of the…
What to Do About Swollen Feet
It can be pretty alarming to look down and see that your feet are puffed up like balloons. Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center spells out some of the reasons behind swollen feet and ankles and what you can do about them. Why your feet are swollen When body tissues retain water, they swell up. You might…
5 Common Running Injuries and How to Deal with Them
If you’re a runner, no doubt you’ve become pretty familiar with having regular aches and pains in various parts of your body. Lifting yourself out of a chair after a long run? – Ouch! Climbing the stairs post-race? – Puh-lease! Muscle soreness is expected. But if pain and soreness linger in your feet or ankles,…
What is Prolotherapy/PRP Injection?
What if you could use your own blood to eliminate pain and promote healing? You can! Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center uses an innovative, non-surgical method to treat our patients’ foot and ankle injuries – using the patient’s own blood. It’s called Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. Dr. Wilhelm uses it to relieve pain and…
Flip-Flops Aren’t the Best Choice for Summer Footwear
Flip-flops: they’re easy to slip on, pretty cheap to buy, and they come in all kinds of patterns. If you want a flip-flop decorated with a selfie-stick wielding gorilla, it’s out there (yes – seriously). Plaid ones, flying pig ones, and those emblazoned on the bottoms with a personal message that you leave in the…
How to Support a Loved One with Diabetes
If someone in your family has diabetes, in many ways it’s your disease, too. Whether it’s your child dealing with the daily insulin injections that characterize Type 1 diabetes or a spouse who has to watch what they eat, you are involved with their health care in more ways than you might realize. Your loved one…
Physical Fitness and Your Child’s Feet
Parents: if there was something that you could give your children that would make them… a). improve their school attendance b). perform better in school c). improve their behavior …would it make you stand up and say “I’ll take some of that!”? Well, researchers at the Department of Health and Human Services have determined that…
Strategies for Battling Heel Pain
Heel pain is one of the most common complaints of our patients here at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center. They report that little by little, a small ache in their heel gradually gets worse, spreading to the arch of their foot, and pretty quickly making it very hard to stand or walk. Getting out of bed…
Conquering Foot Defects in Babies
Conquering Foot Defects in Babies Moms and Dads count their newborn baby’s fingers and toes for a reason: after nine months of worrying about the baby’s health, this compulsive counting is an equation of relief: 10 fingers + 10 toes = Whew! My baby’s okay. Sometimes, there’s something that doesn’t quite add up with your…
When to Consider Ankle Surgery
Rare is the person under age 40 or so who complains about their aching joints. Joints move so smoothly and effortlessly when you’re young! The risk of osteoarthritis increases greatly with age, all because the protective cartilage that surrounds them gets worn out. Thinned cartilage causes joints to become stiff and creaky. Their range of…
Skin Cancer: Don’t Overlook Your Feet
May is Melanoma Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to think about the ways skin cancer can affect our feet. Feet don’t usually come to mind when we consider the places cancer strikes – and yet, our feet are highly susceptible to melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. Types of skin cancer on the feet The…
Arthritis of the Feet and Ankles: An Overview
Arthritis is a disease that can affect any joint in your body. Wrists, fingers, knees, and shoulders are typically affected, as well as feet. Each of your feet has 33 joints and any of them can be stricken with the pain and swelling of arthritis. During this month of May, which is Arthritis Awareness Month, let’s…
5 Ways to Prevent Sports Injuries
It’s just a fact – anyone who plays a sport can get injured, no matter how cautious they are. Balls smash into heads and cause concussions. Players trip and fall or crash into each other and somebody’s arm snaps in two. Knees twist around too far and ligaments rip apart. It’s brutal out there. Feet…
The Art of the At-Home Pedicure
Going to the salon for a pedicure can be a fun and relaxing experience, as long as you know that the shop is clean. When you do visit a nail salon, make sure that they sanitize their tools and foot basins and keep their licensing up to date (check the walls for posted licenses). But…
Can You Prevent Bunions?
Foot deformities are pretty commonplace as we get older. In fact, more than 25% of adults aged 18-65 suffer from the deformity we call hallux valgus – in common terms, a bunion. When you look at the population over age 65, that percentage jumps to about 36%. Getting a bunion may not be entirely preventable. Medical experts agree…
Got Neuropathy? Choose the Right Footwear
Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that many diabetics will suffer at some point during the course of their disease. Even if you’re doing an excellent job of maintaining proper blood glucose levels, the unfortunate truth is that neuropathy is most likely going to catch up with you. The longer you’ve had diabetes, the greater your risk…
What to Expect of Your Feet When You’re Expecting
Stop what you’re doing for just a second and make a mental note of the effects of pregnancy on most women. Close your eyes aaaand….go! Okay – you probably came up with fatigue and morning sickness, maybe general nausea for the first three months. Growing belly. Good appetite. Moodiness. What else? How about foot pain?…
Preparing for Hiking
It’s spring and the temperatures in our D.C. area are steadily climbing. What a great time of year to get out and do a bit of climbing yourself. There are some beautiful hiking trails in our Centreville, Virginia area and some compelling reasons to get out and walk them. Hiking can Give you a break…
Turning Good Nutrition into Family Fun
All of us at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center are concerned about your overall health and that’s why we’re letting you know that March is National Nutrition Month. Eating well and getting the right nutrients isn’t as hard as you might think. In fact, it can be fun. If you follow these methods for eating healthily, it’ll…
Overcoming Chronic Ankle Instability
The word “chronic” refers to something that’s persistent and ongoing. Wordsmiths and other lovers of language might note that “chronic” comes from the Greek word “chronos,” meaning “time.” Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm of Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Centreville, VA notes that over time, that ankle that’s been constantly bothering you can really interfere with your daily activities….
What’s that Smell?! – Causes and Treatments for Foot Odor
It’s pretty safe to say that nobody cares too much for a smelly foot. What’s a mom to do when her teenager comes home, whips off their shoes, and the molecules of death hit the air? What can a caring spouse say when she opens the master bedroom closet and is assaulted by her beloved’s…
Conservative Treatment Comes First
If you saw a mouse scurrying across your kitchen counter, you’d probably take some steps to get rid of it. You could set a trap. You could call an exterminator. Call your neighbor for help (could be faster than the exterminator). Get a cat. These are all reasonable things to do. What you probably wouldn’t…