Posts

Posted on

Samaritan’s Feet Receives $5 Million Commitment From Sanford Health

Press release:

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Sanford Health has committed to donating $5 million to Samaritan’s Feet as the non-profit organization launches a capital campaign to expand its global efforts. This gift from Sanford Health will allow Samaritan’s Feet to begin planning the core strategies of their growth initiatives: increase operational capacity in the United States, maximize efficiency in global delivery, expand experiential education, and ensure sustainability. Sanford Health’s donation will help address the global pandemic of the 1.5 billion people being infected with diseases that are transmitted through contaminated soil (World Health Organization, 2020).

“Samaritan’s Feet serves and inspires children by providing shoes across the world. Theirs is an inspiring mission that fits with the kind of impact Sanford Health strives to have in the world. Manny and his team have an ambitious plan for the future, and it’s a project we’re proud to support,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft, President and CEO, Sanford Health.

In addition to seed funding to expand Samaritan’s Feet’s capacity domestically and internationally, this partnership will foster further collaboration and engagement with Sanford Health and its associates and have the following impact on Samaritan’s Feet programs globally:

  • World Shoe Development: Lead necessary research of the World Shoe 2.0, a second-generation anti-microbial and biodegradable shoe for distribution in resource-constrained countries and vulnerable populations in the U.S.
  • Medical Advisory Champion: Serve on the Samaritan’s Feet Medical Advisory Committee, providing expertise in infectious diseases, podiatry, global health, and psychology.
  • International Programs: Provide shoes of hope in Ghana and Costa Rica, two strategic locations of the Sanford World Clinic, with their insight to determine in-country partners and distribution locations.
  • Domestic Programs: Develop Sanford Health Shoes for Seniors program to serve vulnerable senior citizens with fall-resistant shoes and foot-care information.
  • Shoezeum: Named recognition as the sponsor of Samaritan’s Feet’s Shoezeum, a mobile and permanent experiential learning center with opportunities for visitors to become immersed in cultures and conditions of those Samaritan’s Feet serves globally.

“Sanford Health’s generous gift and partnership play a crucial role in the expansion of Samaritan’s Feet’s programs. Together, we can provide more opportunities to give hope and healing to individuals around the world. We’re grateful for their support and share their commitment to improving the health and well-being of those we serve,” said Manny Ohonme, President and CEO, Samaritan’s Feet. “This donation allows us to kick-off our capital campaign to build our global headquarters in the Carolinas, housing our worldwide volunteer center and creating the Global Servant Leadership Institute.”

Sanford Health has supported Samaritan’s Feet through various fundraising events and shoe distributions in the U.S. and internationally. Through past financial gifts in excess of $1 million, Sanford Health has co-sponsored MLK Day of Service events and inspired barefoot coaches through their annual Barefoot Classic tournament. Additionally, Manny serves as Vice Chair of Sanford Health’s International Board. On Monday, August 24, executives from Samaritan’s Feet will be in Sioux Falls, S.D. meeting with leaders and doctors from Sanford Health.

“The work accomplished to date by Samaritan’s Feet is truly inspiring,” said Micah Aberson, Executive Vice President, Sanford Health. “Knowing what its efforts mean to kids and families across the world, makes this a natural fit for Sanford Health to support. To be part of an organization that can help Samaritan’s Feet take this next step is something all 50,000 Sanford Health employees can be proud to be part of.”

About Sanford Health

Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States, is dedicated to the integrated delivery of health care, genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, S.D., the organization includes 44 hospitals, 1,400 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and nine countries. Nearly $1 billion in gifts from philanthropist Denny Sanford have transformed how Sanford Health improves the human condition. For information, visit sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.

Posted on

Study challenges widely held belief that gout is primarily caused by diet

Press release:

The widely held belief that gout is primarily caused by diet is not backed up by new evidence published in The BMJ today, which suggests that diet is substantially less important than genes in the development of high serum (blood) urate levels, that often precede gout.

Gout is a joint disease which causes extreme pain and swelling. It is most common in men aged 40 and older and is caused by excess uric acid in the blood (known as hyperuricaemia) which forms crystals that collect around the joints.

For centuries, diet has been seen as a risk factor for the development of gout. Recent studies suggest that certain foods (eg. meat, shellfish, alcohol and sugary soft drinks) are associated with a higher risk of gout, while others (eg. fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and coffee) have a protective effect. Studies also show that genetic factors play an important role.

To better understand how both diet and genes might influence the development of gout, a team of researchers based in New Zealand analysed dietary survey data for 8,414 men and 8,346 women of European ancestry from five US cohort studies.

Participants were aged over 18 without kidney disease or gout, and were not taking urate-lowering or diuretic drugs.

Blood urate measurements and genetic profiles were recorded. Factors that could have affected the results, such as sex, age, body mass index, daily calorie intake, education, exercise levels, and smoking status, were also taken into account.

Dietary analysis revealed seven foods associated with raised urate levels (beer, liquor, wine, potato, poultry, soft drinks, and meat) and eight foods associated with reduced urate levels (eggs, peanuts, cold cereal, skimmed milk, cheese, brown bread, margarine, and non-citrus fruits).

However, each of these foods explained less than 1% of variation in urate levels.

Similarly, three diet scores, based on healthy diet guidelines, were also associated with lowered urate levels, while a fourth, based on a diet high in unhealthy foods, was associated with increased urate levels. Again, however, each of these diet scores explained very little (less than 0.3%) variance in urate levels.

In contrast, genetic analysis revealed that common genetic factors explained almost a quarter (23.9%) of variation in urate levels.

The researchers point to some limitations, such as the use of different food questionnaires between studies, and the fact that the study was limited to individuals of European ancestry without gout, so the findings may not be generalisable to other populations or to people with gout.

Nevertheless, they say their data “are important in showing the relative contributions of overall diet and inherited genetic factors to the population variance of serum urate levels.”

They conclude: “Our data challenge widely held community perceptions that hyperuricaemia is primarily caused by diet, showing for the first time that genetic variants have a much greater contribution to hyperuricaemia than dietary exposure.”

In a linked editorial, researchers at Keel University point out that people with gout often experience stigma from the misconception that it is a self-inflicted condition caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits and, as a result, are often reluctant to seek medical help.

This study, they say, “provides important evidence that much of patients’ preponderance to hyperuricaemia and gout is non-modifiable, countering these harmful but well-established views and practices and providing an opportunity to address these serious barriers to reducing the burden of this common and easily treatable condition.”

Posted on

Treating Foot and Ankle Conditions During the COVID-19 Crisis

Press release:

During this unprecedented time, it’s still important to take care of your overall wellness, and your feet are no exception. Healthy feet and ankles are crucial for balance, mobility and a healthy body. 

However, it’s important to identify which issues can be taken care of via telemedicine and which should be done in person. It’s also important to take steps on your own to keep feet healthy. 

“Foot and ankle surgeons are here to help keep you healthy via telemedicine visits for non-urgent care and in the office for urgent or serious issues,” says Dr. Brett Sachs, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon and Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. 

Not sure whether your condition requires an in-person appointment? According to Dr. Sachs and the experts at the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the following conditions can be seen by foot and ankle surgeons via telemedicine:

  • Heel and arch pain, generalized foot pain
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Metatarsalgia
  • Skin rashes and athlete’s foot
  • Planter warts
  • Big toe pain
  • Arthritis
  • Gout

However, Dr. Sachs notes that you should visit your doctor for the following conditions and situations:

  • Post-operative care
  • Injuries (sprains or trauma, anything that requires an x-ray for suspected bone fractures)
  • Infections
  • Ingrown toenails
  • Wounds
  • Foot ulcers
  • Calf pain with warmth, redness, or swelling, which could possibly be a blood clot

It’s important to know that if you do have to make an in-person appointment, foot and ankle surgeons are taking many steps to protect patients. These measures include taking patients temperatures and performing a comprehensive screening process, having patients and staff wear masks or face coverings, limiting patients and family in the waiting room, limiting patient appointments to prevent overlap, practicing social distancing where possible, and performing extensive deep cleaning of all patient rooms and common areas throughout the day.

A bit of preventive care can also support healthy feet. Here are a few tips from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons you can follow while at home:

  • Stay active. Do sit-ups, pushups, planks, squats and leg lifts or check out virtual fitness classes online. You can still get outside for fresh air without putting yourself at risk. Go for a walk, run or hike while practicing social distancing. If you feel better staying inside, take scheduled breaks to get up and walk around your home.
  • If you suffer from foot pain, such as a neuroma, avoid wearing narrow shoes and also avoid walking on hard surfaces barefoot, even in the house.
  • Do eccentric strengthening exercises like calf raises on a step to prevent or treat Achilles tendinitis.
  • Examine your feet regularly for bumps, lumps or other changes.
  • Wear comfortable, sensible shoes, especially for exercise.
  • Continue using padding, insoles or whatever special footwear you’ve been prescribed.

To find a foot and ankle surgeon near you or to find more foot and ankle health tips, visit FootHealthFacts.org, the patient education website of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

“While the COVID-19 crisis is understandably top-of-mind for many right now, taking steps to protect your overall health is vital,” says Dr. Sachs. “Because so many health problems stem from the feet, paying attention to them is essential for your comfort, safety and overall wellness.”

Posted on

Foot and Ankle Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Press release:

Timely tips from foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons

Rosemont, Ill. (April 13, 2020) – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it may be difficult to determine if your foot or ankle condition requires immediate attention. Follow these guidelines from foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons to take charge of your foot health, prevent injuries and stay active during this challenging time.

“Most foot and ankle surgical procedures will not occur during the current healthcare crisis in efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but let’s not forget your orthopaedic surgeon is still available,” said foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon, Jeffrey S. Feinblatt, MD, from Regenerative Orthopedic Center (ROC) in Portland, Oregon.

Your foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon likely set up telemedicine or limited office hours to ensure continuity of care and answer specific question regarding your condition. Although there is no substitute to consultation, Dr. Feinblatt offers these tips to manage foot and ankle conditions non-operatively during this time:

  • To limit the amount of force put on your foot or ankle, use offloading devices such as a controlled ankle motion (CAM) boot, a cane, crutches, or a walker
  • Manage pain with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), topical pain creams, and Tylenol
  • Wear shoes that fit properly and keep your feet flexible to prevent injuries
  • Remain as active as possible to maintain strength and avoid weight gain

“Staying active may seem like a challenge in states with shelter-in-place orders, but keep in mind there are many online exercise classes that involve stretching, bodyweight lifting, yoga, and other simple exercises that can be done at home,” says Dr. Feinblatt. “Depending on your foot or ankle condition, this may not be feasible, but try to keep your uninjured muscles and joints moving.”

Posted on

What to do about cracked heels?

Cracked heels develop when the dried skin of the heels split. While it is often the hard, thicker callused outer skin layer (epidermis) that cracks, it can also occur to softer, non-callused (and often dry) skin that is repetitively placed under high pressure when walking. If heel cracks are not, they can progress into fissures, which split the skin at a deeper level and can be very painful.

WHAT CAUSES THE CRACKED HEELS?
Dry skin is the reason most people assume they have cracking heels, but there are other factors involved as well such as increased weight, diabetes, neuropathy, poor circulation and poor nutrition can also cause poor foot health.

Symptoms of heel cracks and fissures vary from none to mild to severe. The most apparent sign is the actual cracks in the epidermis of the heels. Other symptoms may include:

Dry, itchy heels
Hard skin on the heels
Pain when standing or walking
Bleeding or infection


HOW ARE CRACKED HEELS TREATED?
With proper treatment, cracked heels should not evolve into the more serious fissures. Moisturizing with cream applied to the feet two times a day will help the cracks in most cases. If the outer skin layer is thick, it will need to be reduced by a Podiatrist.

Posted on

Anything new on Chilblains?

Chilblains are a painful lesion that commonly occurs due to a vasospastic response of the small blood vessels to the colder weather. They start out at reddish painful lesions that may also be itchy. If they become chronic they tend to take on a dark blue color and the skin may break down.

There really have been no advances recently in our understanding and treatment or if you follow all the research on them. Still the best way to manage them is to prevent them with avoiding cold and using good socks and footwear and then if one occurs to use creams to stimulate the circulation. Good wound care is needed if the skin is broken.

Having said that, during the COVID-19 pandemic there have been lots of reports on Chilblains and Covid-19 (Covid Toes). For some reason chilblains are occurring with an increased frequency in those who are infected with the novel coronavirus. A lot of research has gone in to trying to find out why. PodChatLive did a deep dive into those reason: Chilblains and ‘COVID Toes’. There are a number of effective creams that can be used to treat chilblains.

Posted on

Causes of Higher Risk of Stress Fractures in Female Runners

Press Release:

PHILADELPHIA – Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, enjoyed by a broad range of age groups and skill levels.  More women are running recreationally compared to men; specifically 54% of runners are female as indicated by a 2018 National Runner Survey. Women, however, are at least twice as likely as men to develop stress fractures, an injury that impacts around 20% of runners. However, information is still lacking on how to best prevent and treat stress fractures in women. New pilot research from Jefferson suggests physiological factors that could be included in routine screening for stress fracture risk, as well as changes in training approach to aid in prevention.

The researchers examined physiological differences that might contribute to increased risk of stress fractures in a study published in Sports Healthand also surveyed women’s perception of risk and behaviors that contribute to stress fractures in a separate study published in Physical Therapy in Sport. 

“Most of the literature focuses on elite runners or athletes,” says Therese Johnston, PT, PhD, MBA, Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and first author of both studies. “It was important for us to capture the regular or average female runner in these studies, and the main goal was to see how we can prevent a first or subsequent fracture.”

Both studies surveyed the same group of 40 female recreational runners, age 18-65 years. 20 women had a history of running-related stress fractures, and they were matched according to age and running abilities with 20 women with no history of stress fractures. The two studies aimed to assess what contributed to risk of stress fractures, from the physiological, such as – bone structure and density, muscle mass, hormonal status, to ones influenced by training routine, such as training intensity, nutrition, insufficient strengthening, and ignoring pain.

“This mixed methods approach provides a richer context and a more detailed picture of the practices and risks that contribute to stress fractures in every-day women runners,” says Jeremy Close, MD, associate professor in family and sports medicine and one of the lead authors on the research. “It also tells us how perceived risk informs physiological risk.”

For the study focused on physiological factors, the subjects underwent a comprehensive blood panel that examined levels of hormones like estradiol and testosterone, vitamins and minerals important for bone health such as vitamin D and calcium, and bone markers. They also underwent dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to test for bone mineral density. The researchers found that while there was no difference in estradiol hormone levels between the two groups, women who had a stress fracture history reported menstrual changes or irregular periods as a result of their training, or during peak training times. The blood panel also examined markers for bone formation and resorption, and pointed to increased bone turnover in the group of women with stress fractures. They also found through the DXA testing that women with a history of stress fractures had lower hip bone mineral density compared to women with no history of stress fractures, indicating decreased bone strength that could increase risk of injury.

“DXA for bone density and blood testing for bone markers are not routinely performed in this population – they are usually reserved for post-menopausal women – so we may be missing important clinical indicators for stress fractures in these women,” says Dr. Johnston. “While the link between menstrual changes and bone strength is unclear, our findings also indicate that asking female runners about any menstrual irregularities during heavier training times is important during routine screening.”

For the study investigating women’s self-perception of risk, interviews were conducted with the goals of finding out which factors women thought were associated with stress fractures or maintaining bone health while running. Several themes emerged from these interviews. Specifically, compared to women without stress fractures, women with histories of stress fractures had increased their training load more quickly. Also, while they knew of the importance of nutrition and strengthening exercises, women with a history of stress fracture more often reported not having or making the time for a balanced diet and proper cross-training to complement their running regimen.

Finally, women in this group reported pushing through the pain and running despite an injury more often than those without stress fracture. “In the interviews, it sounded like these women had trouble knowing which pain was normal, and which pain was abnormal. They also reported not always receiving appropriate guidance from healthcare providers on how to progress running safely,” says Dr. Johnston.

“It is clear that there needs to be more guidance from healthcare providers for woman runners on how to prevent stress fractures” says Dr. Close. “It can be very frustrating for these women who are on a path to wellness, but are impeded by an injury that can take several months to heal. If they don’t have the proper guidance on how to return to running safely, they risk a second injury.”

“We hope that our findings will encourage more thorough and routine screening in women runners for bone density and strength,” says Dr. Johnston, “as well as a comprehensive education plan on how to balance running with cross-training, and how to interpret pain cues from the body, to help women differentiate between normal aches and pains and indicators of a serious injury.”

Dr. Johnston plans to continue this research by studying women with acute stress fractures as they start running again, in order to identify factors related to successful or unsuccessful return to running following a stress fracture. The study will include Dr. Close as well as Marc Harwood, MD, service chief in the department of non-operative sports medicine at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.

The work was funded by the Thomas Jefferson University Office of the Provost. The authors report no conflict of interest