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WatermanWellness | Spring 2016
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immobilization
is unsuccessful,
then an MRI is
ordered. In most
cases, results will
show a tendon tear
or dysfunction,
identifying the
reason for the
patient’s pain.”
Proper steps
There are steps you can take to take care of
your feet. “If you are flat-footed or if you
have a high arch, you will need to support
the arches in your feet with the proper
shoes, especially if you are very active,” says
Dr. Balkaran.
To help protect your feet and ankles
while engaging in physical activity, she
recommends that you identify your arch
type, then determine your activity. “One
shoe will not work for everything,” she
says. “Make sure the arch is supported
Your
feet are an important part of your
overall health. But they are usually taken
for granted...until they begin to hurt.
Ella Finlayson, of Eustis, led a very
active life. Her favorite places to be were
the golf course and tennis court. Then
an injury to her ankle caused pain and
disability that progressively worsened.
She experienced trouble walking, and
standing was painful. After working with a
physical therapist, with no relief, and then
following the advice of her husband, who
is a physician, she knew she needed to see
a specialist.
The right diagnosis
She scheduled an appointment with Joanne
N. Balkaran, DPM, who diagnosed her
with a ruptured tibial tendon, which was
confirmed with an MRI. Dr. Balkaran
began with a conservative approach of
rest, ice, compression and elevation. When
an ankle/foot orthosis, which is used to
keep the foot and ankle immobilized,
didn’t help, Dr. Balkaran scheduled her for
surgery.
“Unless you isolate the motion of the
tendon, it can often be misdiagnosed as a
fracture,” says Dr. Balkaran. “If strength
testing of the tendon reveals pain and
Walking
pain-free
DON'T LET PAIN SLOW YOU DOWN
Podiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of foot, ankle and leg
problems. Visit
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Joanne N. Balkaran,
DPM
with proper insoles or inserts. Your foot
should fit comfortably without constraint.
Watch the wear on your shoes over time. If
they begin to show wear on the soles, they
should be replaced, especially every 400 to
600 miles. And stretch your feet.”
Keeping her eye on the ball
After an outpatient surgery to repair the
tendon and six weeks of non-weight-bearing
rest, Finlayson was able to get back on her
feet and back to her life.
“My ultimate goal was being able to
dance at my daughter Allison’s wedding,
and I did,” Finlayson says. She and her
husband recently celebrated their 35th
wedding anniversary on an
action-filled cruise. She is now
back to doing what she loves
on the golf course again,
even running in small
spurts, and hopes to
be back to playing
tennis soon.
HEALTHY FEET
Ella Finlayson, of Eustis, is happy to be
back on the golf course, pain-free.