The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 13,500 Podiatrists Daily

October 25, 2011 #4,288 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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Heel Counter is Vital for Support: NY Podiatrist

“The way you walk affects the rest of your skeleton,” says Johanna Youner, a podiatrist at her private practice in New York. Feet have an effect on your knees, hips, back, posture and joints. As you get older, your body can wear down quicker if you do not wear shoes that have support and cushioning. 

Dr. Johanna Youner

Youner specializes in women’s foot issues along with common foot ailments. Heels and the back of the foot area need the most support because they control the foot. “If the back of the shoe is closed, you will be ahead of the game,” Youner says. This means flip-flops are bad for your feet and they fail on many levels.

Source: Kylie Nutt, The University Daily Kansan [10/13/11]

WSPM Elects New Officers

The following officers were elected at the Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Society of Podiatric Medicine: 

Dr. Alyssa Stephenson

President: Alyssa Stephenson, DPM
President-Elect: Nicholas Lombardo, DPM
1st Vice President: Jason Boudreau, DPM
2nd Vice President: Greg Graglia, DPM
Secretary: Robert Sage, DPM
Treasurer: Giuseppe Micelli, DPM
Board Members: Birute Balciunas, DPM, Mark Smith, DPM, David Hesse, DPM, Bruce Neumann, DPM, and Past President Steven Merckx, DPM.

PA Podiatrist Discusses How to Buy Running Shoes

Dr. Lynne J. Haubelt, a podiatrist with Pittsburgh-based Associates in Podiatry, said one of the most common problems she treats is stress fracture. The cause of most fractures, she said, had to do with running in shoes that are too small. "No one has ever gotten in trouble with a shoe too big, but everyone gets in trouble when their shoe is too small," she said. "Our foot uses up to 26 bones, so putting the wrong type of pressure can ultimately cost you. When in doubt, go bigger." 

Dr. Lynne J. Haubelt

Dr. Haubelt said getting the proper shoes starts with going to a specialty running store. One of the things runners should look for in shoes is the thread of the material. "The material of a shoe is critical, especially if you're running in the winter," she said. "You will definitely need some shoes that have great protection against snow." Shock absorption is also an important factor, along with making sure the sole provides great protection. Dr. Haubelt said she does not support the trend in no-sole toe shoes and rocker-sole shoes due to the lack of sole support.

Source: Edgar Ramirez, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [10/23/11]

Canadian Podiatrist Appointed to Medical School Academic Advisory Board

John Lanthier, DPM was recently elected to the Academic Advisory Board  in the Clinical Sciences Division at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. He is the first podiatrist to be appointed to a Canadian medical school. 

Dr. John Lanthier

Lanthier is in private practice in Sudbury, Ontario (Canada). He is a graduate of OCPM and completed a surgical residency at Kern Hospital in Warren, MI. He previously practiced in Wilmington, NC where he was a staff member of New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

2nd Annual Superbones West 2011 Features Legendary Podiatric Educators

The 2nd Annual Superbones West Conference took place this past weekend at the Venetian Hotel, the site of last Tuesday's Republican debate. The legacy of program founder Stan Kalish, DPM was seen everywhere at this combined surgical and limb salvage conference. 

(L-R) Drs. Stan Kalish, Guido LaPorta, Harold Schoenhaus, and Alan Sherman

Legendary podiatric educators Harold Schoenhaus, DPM, Robert Frykberg, DPM, Guido LaPorta, DPM, Allen Jacobs, DPM, and Lawrence Lavery, DPM were joined by Warren Joseph, DPM and Lawrence DiDomenico, DPM to update the large group of attendees on the most current evidence-based findings in their fields of expertise. The vibrant exhibit hall was packed with the leading medical and device companies in the country.

DLS Conference Breaks New Ground In Diabetic Limb Salvage Education

The fifth annual Georgetown University Hospital Diabetic Limb Salvage Conference, held in Washington, DC, broke new ground in diabetic limb salvage education with a dynamic mix of live surgical cases, practice-changing presentations by 60 faculty, hands-on workshops and side symposia, and topics never before covered at a limb salvage conference, said conference organizers. 

Over 1,000 Attendees at the Georgetown University Hospital Diabetic Limb Salvage Conference

More than 1,000 physicians and other diabetes and wound healing specialists attended DLS 2011, hailing from 40 U.S. states and 36 foreign countries. The conference also was broadcast live around the world on the Internet by Portal Education. The 2012 conference is set for October 11-13, 2012. 

Query: Thomson Reuters Study

How do I get a copy of the Thomson Reuters study that showed that podiatric care dramatically reduces limb amputations?

Brien Kiel, DPM, Memphis, TN

Editor's note: The study can be accessed here.

RE: Audit Request from Non-Contracted Provider (David Weiss, DPM)
From: Kurt K Kovalovich, DPM

Whether you contract with them or not, I suggest that you make THEM come to you to review the charts. I do not send my records any longer. When Med Assurance or another second-party entity requests my records for a Medicare Advantage plan, I remind them that the contract dictates "accessibility." My charts are available for review in my office. They whine, but they come, scan the requested charts, and they leave. That way, I am not stuck with expenses for copying, mailing, and staff.

Kurt K Kovalovich, DPM, Pine Grove, PA, kurt.k.kovalovich.c82@alumni.upenn.edu

RE: PAs and Podiatrists (Seema Ramcharitar-Amante, DPM, RPA)
From: Elliot Udell, DPM
 
What is most significant to this discussion is not that there are good and bad PAs. It's that private patients are often not given a choice either at a large primary care or specialty practice about who is treating them and knowledge as to what the PA's level of training is. As I mentioned, my preference when I go to my allergist is to choose the PA. He is highly trained in allergy and upper respiratory problems. Many other patients feel the same way.

On the other hand, while under anesthesia, having a delicate cardiac procedure done by a PA who is has not had that "three weeks or more  of training" in doing the procedure is perfectly legal, but morally unfair to the patient. If a patient has a poor outcome during a surgery or has to spend for another outpatient primary care visit, because a doctor or hospital is thinking more about making money rather than in rendering excellent medical or surgical care, something is wrong with the laws that allow it.
 
Elliot Udell, DPM, Hicksville, NY, Elliotu@aol.com

RE: Stay Away from Trimming Toenails (Peter Vannucchi, DPM)
From: Michael J. Schneider, DPM, Ron Werter, DPM

Kudos to Dr. Shavelson! I recently retired from practice in Vail and moved to Denver where I donate my time and needed expertise to "trim toenails" at an assisted living residence for the indigent. The appreciation of those folk is both fulfilling and humbling.

Michael J. Schneider, DPM, Denver, CO, podiatristoncall@gmail.com

I find this whole line of thought about toenails so ungracious. We shouldn't cut toenails, we shouldn't learn biomechanics. So we are now so different from the podiatrists from 20 years ago that we can buddy around with the orthopedic foot surgeons and get referrals from them since they have so much respect for podiatrists because of our 100% participation in 3-year surgical residencies.

Now besides the fact that medical doctors suture metal foil to toenails, and pedicurists have less training than chiropody's first class in 1907, who should be cutting the hypertrophic toenails of a 67 y/o diabetic with insensate feet and documented class findings? By the way, it has been documented that...

Editor's comment: Dr. Werter's extended-length letter can be read here.

RE: Outrageous Shoe of the Day

Designed by Kobi Levi

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe...

Source: Submitted by Dr. Stuart Steinberg

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PRACTICE FOR SALE - NORTHERN NJ

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