Lapiplasty® Patient Testimonial Jennifer is a 48-year-old residing in Van Meter, IA, who works in sales. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, lifting weights, and rowing among other various physical activities. Jennifer has had bunions for as long as she can remember, and she had dealt with severe foot pain in high school while participating in track, softball, and basketball. While she was able to manage her discomfort in her teens, by the time Jennifer reached adulthood and stepped away from sports, she realized that her bunions were starting to become more severe. Bunions are a potentially ..read more

Compression sleeves have gained popularity in recent years, offering a range of benefits for individuals seeking enhanced performance, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. Among the various options available, Incrediwear compression sleeves have emerged as a popular choice. In this blog post, we will delve into the benefits of Incrediwear compression sleeves and how they can positively impact your daily activities and overall well-being. At the Foot and Ankle Center of Iowa, we regularly recommend Incrediwear boot and ankle sleeves post-injury and post-surgery.  These have been a game c ..read more

The heel counter of the shoe should be firm and not flexible when squeezed side to side Our feet interact with the rest of our body by providing the foundation for alignment of the rest of our lower extremity. The foot and ankle provides structural support from 28 bones, movement from 33 joints and power and movement from 28 muscles and their tendons. Sensation, position sense and muscle function are provided from hundreds of nerves. When we walk, foot strike occurs 30-50 times per minute or 3000 steps per hour. Forces of 2-4 times body weight are developed during each step. Walking surface ..read more

In the dynamic world we live in, it’s important to prioritize our foot health. Custom orthotics, specifically designed shoe inserts prescribed by our foot and ankle specialists at the Foot and Ankle Center of Iowa, offer a multitude of benefits that go beyond mere comfort. In this blog post, we will explore the remarkable advantages of custom orthotics and delve into how they can enhance your overall well-being. Enhanced Foot Support and Alignment: Custom orthotics are tailored to address specific foot conditions such as overpronation (excessive inward rolling), supination (inward rolling), or ..read more

Ingrown toenails, a condition that occurs when the edge of the toenail grows into the surrounding skin, can cause significant discomfort and pain. While relatively common, ingrown toenails should not be ignored, as they can lead to infections and ongoing discomfort. Our highly trained Podiatrists at the Foot and Ankle Center of Iowa understand the trouble ingrown toenails cause, and offer a variety of solutions to eliminate your pain. Causes of Ingrown Toenails and Prevention: While some individuals may be genetically predisposed to developing ingrown toenails, many other causes can be easily ..read more

Today I am 11 weeks post op from my right foot Lapiplasty® Big Toe Joint Fusion. I have been doing very well and life has pretty much been back to normal. I had thought of trying jogging as early as two weeks ago, but I have been busy (and lazy) so I hadn’t mustered the motivation, but I did it today! I haven’t done any cardio for 11 weeks and honestly, while I hate to admit it, I hadn’t been doing much for some prior to that also due to my schedule, discomfort, and laziness. I went for 20 minutes, with a 2-minute power walk/ 1 minute run interval. I was able to run between 6.5 and 7.2 and had ..read more

By: Dr. Mindi Dayton Happy to be back to report on my Lapiplasty Big Toe Joint Fusion weeks 4-7.  I am sorry I haven’t blogged for a while as it has back to business and life and usual…which has been very busy!  I kept telling myself I needed to get this done, but then…well, I’m sure you know how that goes. So, here is my last few weeks in a nutshell. I have my first plane flight post-op on December 15th, just shy of four weeks after surgery.  I wore my boot and had very little trouble navigating the airport.  Thank goodness for TSA precheck so I did not have to take my boo ..read more

Today was my 3-week post op visit with Dr. Kaldenberg.  I had my first set of post- op x-rays, and it was suture removal day! I must admit, I was a little nervous about the stitches, even though I have probably taken out tens of thousands. I have never had stitches before, and I knew I would be videotaping so I didn’t want to be a wimp! Thankfully, Dr. Kaldenberg did a stellar job (I should have had no doubts) and I honestly didn’t feel a thing. I had little not no scab along the incision which did help keep a discomfort at bay because the stitches were easy to get to. 3-week post-op pic ..read more

52-year-old Shelly loves spending time with her community. She enjoys taking walks around her neighborhood, riding dirt bikes, roller skating and spending time outdoors in her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa. When Shelly was younger and did not have a car, she walked everywhere. Even as she got older and started driving, walking remained a fundamental part of her life. About five years ago, foot pain caused by a bunion started disrupting her everyday routine and preventing her from being as active as she wanted. Bunions are a painful and progressive deformity that often run in families[1],[2]. Th ..read more

Hello! Dr. Mindi checking in. The weekend was very uneventful and a lot more of the same… sitting a lot with my right foot elevated. Monday, one week post-op, I went back to work. You can see my video here: https://youtu.be/z0JrciYdYSk, and Paul took some “back to work” pictures of me. Monday I was at the office doing admin work, so I sat around with my leg elevated most of the day. We do have stairs up to my business office, but going up slowly sideways worked really well. I did video that, but it was pretty boring, so I didn’t post. Paul and I drove to work and then decided to try the new ..read more