Dr Jared D McPhie

01/17/2025

This is crazy! These insurance companies are out of control! There has to be a fix to this insanity!

A surgeon in Austin, Texas, was in the operating room with a patient when a call came in from the patient’s insurance provider, UnitedHealthcare. She returned the call and shared the story.

12/07/2024

A ganglion cyst is a sac filled with a jellylike fluid that originates from a tendon sheath or joint capsule. Although they most often occur on the wrist, they also frequently develop on the foot—usually on the top. The exact cause of ganglion cysts is unknown, but they may arise from trauma—whether a single event or repetitive microtrauma. They can often be treated with at-home or simple medical procedures, in some cases, an out-patient surgical removal may be necessary. Talk to a foot and ankle surgeon to get the best treatment.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/ganglion-cyst

11/11/2024

10/11/2024

Haglund’s deformity is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel caused by the soft tissue near the Achilles tendon becoming irritated when the bony enlargement rubs against shoes. This often leads to painful bursitis. Nonsurgical treatment of Haglund’s deformity is aimed at reducing the inflammation of the bursa. While these approaches can resolve the pain and inflammation, they will not shrink the bony protrusion. To help prevent a recurrence of Haglund’s deformity wear appropriate shoes and avoid shoes with a rigid heel back, use arch supports or orthotic devices, perform stretching exercises to prevent the Achilles tendon from tightening and avoid running on hard surfaces and running uphill. See a foot and ankle surgeon for any lingering pain in the area.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/haglund%E2%80%99s-deformity

09/23/2024

The Chargers’ Justin Herbert, the Falcons’ Drew Dalman, the Radiers’ Maxx Crosby are just a few of pro football’s latest victims of high ankle sprains. High ankle sprains are the result of the foot being forced outward, and they can get complicated because this region has five ligaments connecting two bones in the leg, compared with three ligaments that can be affected in lateral ankle sprains. Treatment for less serious ankle sprains involves immobilization of the foot and nonweightbearing for two to four weeks. More severe high ankle sprains require surgery and a longer time to recover. Hopefully we’ll see them all back on the field soon!

For more information on ankle sprains, visit our website. If you think you’ve sprained your ankle, don’t play through the pain. See a foot and ankle surgeon for diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/article/sprained-ankles-can-be-complicated-and-misdiagnose

08/18/2024

Fall sports are kicking off as school is back in session and foot and ankle surgeons are seeing an increase in ankle injuries among young athletes. Football, soccer and basketball are the sports most likely to lead to sprains, broken bones and other problems. If your children are playing sports this fall, take steps to protect them from serious ankle injuries, including having old injuries checked out before the season starts, treating new injuries right away, buying the right shoes, checking the playing surface before practice or games and regularly stretching and warming up.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/article/6-tips-to-protect-kids-in-fall-sports

07/04/2024

Happy Independence Day!

05/22/2024

The bone healing process is the same in all broken bones, whether a bone has been cut during a surgical procedure or fractured through an injury. The bone healing process has three overlapping stages: inflammation, bone production and bone remodeling.

Inflammation starts immediately after the bone is fractured and lasts for several days. This provides the initial structural stability and framework for producing new bone.

Bone production begins when the clotted blood formed by inflammation is replaced with fibrous tissue and cartilage, which is replaced with hard bone.

Bone remodeling, bone continues to form and becomes compact, returning to its original shape. In addition, blood circulation in the area improves. Once adequate bone healing has occurred, weight-bearing activities encourages bone remodeling.​

Bone generally takes six to 12 weeks to heal to a significant degree.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/bone-healing

04/01/2024

A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton’s neuroma, which occurs between the third and fourth toes. Anything that causes compression or irritation of the nerve can lead to the development of a neuroma. One of the most common offenders is wearing shoes that have a tapered toe box or high-heeled shoes that cause the toes to be forced into the toe box. Symptoms include tingling, burning or numbness, pain and a feeling that something is inside the ball of the foot. The best time to see your foot and ankle surgeon is early in the development of symptoms. Early diagnosis of a Morton’s neuroma greatly lessens the need for more invasive treatments and may help you avoid surgery.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/morton-s-neuroma-(intermetatarsal-neuroma)

03/31/2024

Happy Easter

02/19/2024

Fallen arches are a flatfoot condition that develops during adulthood. This should not be confused with other causes of flatfoot that may develop during childhood or adolescence. Most cases of fallen arches develop when the main arch-supporting tendon (the posterior tibial tendon) becomes weakened or injured, causing the arch to gradually become lower. With time, the shape of the foot changes leading to other conditions like plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, increased fatigue and arthritis of the foot and ankle.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/fallen-arches

01/29/2024

We’re in the depths of winter. Are you caring for your feet? Dry heels are a common and painful condition that occurs more in the dry winter months. Even if you don’t have cracked heels now you might if you don’t take preventative measures. Moisturize feet twice a day. Soak feet in warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes a day. And use manual exfoliation with a scrub brush or pumice stone to remove excess dead skin. If these methods don’t work and/or you are living with diabetes, see a foot and ankle surgeon for advanced diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/cracked-heels