Christmas is coming!

It's the week after Thanksgiving and Santa Claus is busy at the North Pole! He's making his lists and checking them twice! Santa is working with the elves to get things ready for the BIG NIGHT! Santa has been practicing to come down a chimney with care when he has noticed when landing his feet and heels are hurting more each time.

Santa decided it is time to have his feet checked out before things get busier at the North Pole - He makes a call to Advanced Foot Care Clinic in Findlay, Ohio. He remembers Dr. Thomas F. Vail when he was a little boy and delivered Christmas presents under his tree on Christmas Eve. An appointment Santa did make - Dr. Vail examined Santa's feet with diagnostic digital x-rays and bilateral heel spurs were found - Dr. Vail explained to Santa Claus that Plantar Fasciitis was his diagnosis.

Plantar Fasciitis (heel-spur syndrome) is a common problem among people who are active in sports, particularly runners, and coming down chimneys with care. It all starts with a dull intermittent pain in the heel which may progress to a sharp persistent pain. Classically, it is worse in the morning with the first few steps, after sitting for a period of time and then standing or walking, and at the beginning of sporting activity. The plantar fascia is composed of a thick, fibrous material on the bottom of the foot. It is attached to the heel bone (calcaneus), fans forward toward the toes, and acts like a bowstring to maintain the arch of the foot.

A problem may occur when part of this inflexible fascia is repeatedly placed under tension as in running, or up and down chimneys on Christmas Eve carrying heaving gifts in a large red sack. Tension causes an overload that produces an inflammation usually at the point where the fascia is attached to the heel bone. The result is PAIN!

Plantar fascia injury may also occur at the mid sole or near the toes. Since it is difficult to rest the foot, the problem gradually becomes worse because the condition is aggravated with every step. In severe cases, the heel is visibly swollen. The problem may progress rapidly and treatment must be started as soon as possible.

The Inflammatory reaction at the heel bone may produce spike like projections of new bone called heel spurs. These sometimes show on X-rays, as Santa's did. They do not cause the initial pain , nor do they cause the initial problem: they are the result of the problem. But later, having to walk on spurs may cause sharp pain and in Santa's case up and down chimineys and in and out of the sleigh on Christmas Eve will cause PAIN!

Contributing Factors: Flat(Pronated) Feet / High arched, rigid feet / Poor shoe support / Toe running, hill running / Soft terrain (i.e. , running on sand or snow) / Increasing age / Sudden weight increase / Sudden increase in activity level / Family tendency

Improvement may take longer than expected, especially if the condition has existed for a long time. During recovery, loss of excess weight, good shoes &or Santa Boots, and sedentary activities all help the injury to heal. You should return to full activity gradually.

Dr. Vail directed Santa to rest his feet and heels as much as he could during this busy time - Use pain as your guide. If your feet are too painful, then rest

Ice - Use our Theraband roller that comes in our Heel pain kit when your are checking those little boys and girls lists to see who is naughty or nice - roll the Theraband roller under your heels for at least 15 minutes a few times a day to reduce inflammation - make sure to put in your freezer or snow bank to get frozen again

Dr. Vail also prescribed Santa an Anti Inflammatory for the inflammation and pain in bilateral heels - this prescription was Escribed to the pharmacy at the North Pole so Santa could just pick up on his way home

Dr. Vail has recommended to Santa that he has custom orthotics for his Santa Boots to help control his feet and cushion the heels especially for the BIG NIGHT with all those Chiminey drops / Dr. Vail had one of his back staff digitally scan Santa's feet on the Tom Cat 3 D Scanner for his custom orthotics that will fit into his Santa Boots.

Dr. Vail and his staff advised Santa to take it easy for the next couple of weeks - his custom orthotics arrive by RUSH order so that he has time to get used to them before the BIG NIGHT!