IPFH and Wound Healing Center at Davis Regional Medical Center Promote Diabetic Foot Care Awareness
On November 2, 2017 Jason Faulkner, Director of the Wound Healing Center at Davis Regional Hospital, and Dr. Rachel Rader, also of the Wound Healing Center and member of the IPFH Scientific Advisory Board, teamed with Rick Mende, Research Director of IPFH, to visit medical practitioners in the Lake Norman, NC area. The visits were made to foot health practitioners, internal medicine and endocrinology specialists to promote awareness of diabetic foot conditions during American Diabetes Month. Those who received visits were very receptive to the message of preventive foot health and specialty wound healing practices, and plans are already in process for more visits in 2018.
The cool weather and the changing leaves signal the fall hiking season! We have the resources to help you take care of your feet while hiking, and to help you plan backpacking trips:
March 27 is American Diabetes Association® Alert Day®. IPFH encourages and supports diabetes awareness as a foundational aspect of preventive foot health because diabetes can have profound effects on the feet. Find out more:
Step It Up! Walk for Health, Fitness and your Favorite Cause
In 2015, the US Surgeon General issued a call to action to promote walking and walkable communities. Since then, the movement has grown, thanks in part to the National Recreation and Park Association, whose website offers an array of tools to promote walking, a motivational infographic and information on trails and programs.
IPFH also wants to help you get started, or if you’re already a walker, safely up your pace or even move into running or jogging. Check out our article, “Cause Walking: How to Protect Your Feet Before, During and After the Event,” by IPFH scientific advisory board member Dr. Rock Positano, Director and Founder of the Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery. It can help you get ready for Breast Cancer Awareness month (October), for example. Walking is one of the many ways to support the cause, and the Susan G. Komen site can help you find an event.
Walking benefits everyone, even those with health conditions such as arthritis or diabetes. Ready to go? Take a few minutes to learn how to protect your feet, avoid painful foot conditions and make your walking activities comfortable and fun!
IPFH Gives Presentation at Amputee Coalition National Conference
Bob Thompson, IPFH's Executive Director, and Rachel Rader, DPM, a member of IPFH's Scientific Advisory Board presented at the Amputee Coalition's National Conference in Greensboro, NC on June 11, 2016. The topic of the presentation was preservation of the sound limb for lower extremity amputees. Thompson focused on taking measures to prevent the development of conditions and wounds that can compromise the sound foot and leg in unilateral lower limb amputees, while Dr. Rader focused on effective and innovative wound care on an interventional basis. The presentation was very well received, and followed by a number of questions and requests for specific information. It was a privilege for IPFH to be invited to speak to this incredible group of people.
The National Institute on Aging at NIH, in collaboration with the White House Conference on Aging, invites you to participate in Go4Life Month, an opportunity to focus attention on the health benefits of exercise and physical activity for older adults. The overarching goal of Go4Life Month is to entice, encourage, and enable older adults to incorporate physical activity into their everyday lives. The theme of the Month is "Be Active Every Day!"
IPFH reminds you that the ability to be physically active is dependent on healthy feet.
Learn how to get properly fitted with new footwear using the integrated approach.
SoHealthy Releases Research Agenda for European Footcare Industry
IPFH educational partner SoHealthy (www.sohealthyproject.eu) has developed an ambitious "research roadmap" that identifies key priorities for the footcare industry for 2015-2020. According to SoHealthy, "the objective of this agenda is to develop a global strategy that transforms the footcare industry effectively and efficiently towards a patient/user-oriented approach by means of a coherent R&D strategy on a global scale." Highlights include identifying diabetes, obesity and overweight, and aging as major risks for foot conditions that adversely affect quality of life. SoHealthy calls for new concepts and technologies to reduce foot infections and improve the design, materials and protective qualities of footwear.
IPFH is helping to spread the word about this initiative and identify organizations that are committed to similar research objectives in North America.
Welcome to the IPFH Blog. Here you will find opinions, experiences and insights from IPFH scientific advisory board members, staff, partner organizations and others who are committed to raising awareness about the importance of preventive foot health.
Medicaid - The official U.S. government web site of Medicaid, with information about eligibility, enrollment, and the Affordable Care Act: http://medicaid.gov/
National Library of Medicine (NLM) - A comprehensive library of medical information, including research, diseases, drugs and articles of general interest: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - The official web site of the Department of HHS: http://www.hhs.gov/
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) - OrthoInfo, the consumer web site for the AAOS, has comprehensive information on all aspects of orthopaedics: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) - a medical society of more than 6,000 foot and ankle surgeons that promotes the art and science of foot, ankle and related lower extremity surgery: http://www.acfas.org/
American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) - a medical society of more than 2,000 orthopaedic surgeons from the US and abroad who specialize in the care of patients with injuries, diseases, and other conditions of the foot and ankle: http://www.aofas.org/Pages/Home.aspx
American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) - a society of podiatric medical practitioners. The site includes a search function to find a podiatrist, and extensive information about foot conditions and the feet in general: https://www.apma.org/
Other Organizations and Resources Related to Mobility, Quality of Life and General Well Being
We Connect Now - A site for people with disabilities, with particular emphasis on college students and access to higher education and employment issues: http://weconnectnow.wordpress.com/
Welcome to our Features section! Here you will find news stories, articles on unusual practices related to the feet, blog posts and survey questions. Read on, and learn something you might not have known!
Welcome to our Seasonal Articles section! Here you will find information on preventive foot health for every season, as well as our take on special "themes" such as Breast Cancer Month and Foot Health Awareness Month.
Benefits of Regular Exercise for Women with Breast Cancer
A body of research supports the benefits of exercise during treatment (e.g., radiation) for breast cancer, following treatment (e.g., reduces risk of recurrence, improves quality of life) and in reducing breast cancer risk more generally. However, as the IPFH / NPD 2012 Foot Health Assessment survey revealed, foot pain is highly prevalent and is a deterrent to regular exercise for everyone.
Practicing good foot hygiene and wearing properly sized padded socks, shoes and any insert or orthotic can help decrease foot pain and other foot conditions. Taking these preventive foot health steps will make it easier for women with breast cancer, those in remission and those at risk to become more active and reap the benefits of regular physical activity.
Following are links to press releases of some peer-reviewed, published studies supporting a role for regular exercise in breast cancer. All relevant studies can be found by searching on “breast cancer exercise” at the US National Library of Medicine’s PubMed website.
Highlights of Press-Released Peer-Reviewed Studies:
“Telephone-based counseling, when combined with physician advice, can help breast cancer survivors become more physically active, which can improve quality of life and lessen the side effects of cancer treatment”…. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/l-tcp061113.php
“Two studies report that exercise and yoga can help maintain and in some cases improve quality of life in women with early-stage breast cancer. The first study found that resistance and aerobic exercise improved physical fitness, self-esteem and body composition, and that resistance exercise improved chemotherapy completion rates. The second study demonstrated that yoga was particularly beneficial for women who were not receiving chemotherapy during the study period”…. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-09/asoc-eay090407.php
Summer is the time for outdoor activities. Whether you enjoy hiking and backpacking, beach and water sports, or tennis, baseball or softball, it's important to take care of your feet.
IPFH has multiple resources for information and practical use for people with diabetes and those who care for them. Learn more about diabetes and the feet, and find out about available resources for people with diabetes, for caregivers, and for practitioners whose patients have diabetes...
Join IPFH in Supporting Healthy Aging Month and ICAA’s Active Aging Week
IPFH recognizes the importance of Healthy Aging month and the International Council on Active Aging's Active Aging Week, both in September. Be aware that healthy feet will help you stay active at every age. For optimal foot health, follow these tips and view videos on this website.
Healthy Aging Month
Healthy Aging Month is an annual observance to help focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older. The main objective is to encourage local Healthy Aging events that promote taking personal responsibility for one's health... physical, social, mental and financial health. Find out more by clicking here.
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)’s Active Aging Week
September 23 – 29, 2012
During the last week of September, in seniors centers and retirement communities, parks and health clubs, nature preserves and dance halls, there will be many opportunities to choose an active life. These include healthy lifestyle presentations for diabetes, arthritis, and other conditions; nutrition and lifestyles presentations; brain fitness presentations; group exercise and strength training; and lots of other opportunities to get active and healthy.
IPFH is a partner of ICAA.
Click here to learn more about Active Aging Week activities and scheduled events.
Click here to go to ICAA’s web site and find resources on how to create an Active Aging Week Event.
In this section, you will find the first comprehensive study of foot health in the United States and an updated study which were sponsored by IPFH and conducted by the NPD Group, a respected market-research firm. We will be posting other surveys and studies in the future.
In this section, you will find white papers that explain the theory and practice of preventive foot health, and why such an approach is critical now. In addition, the original hypothesis that inspired the concept of skin / soft tissue management is detailed. More white papers will be posted in the future.
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Welcome to the Professionals section of our site. In this section, IPFH provides detailed articles on the rationale for Preventive Foot Health: What it Means for Patients; key concepts related to preventive foot health, including skin/soft tissue management; and an integrated approachto selecting shoes and padded socks that fit and other articles related to the foot and its vital role in mobility and function.
In this section, you will find videos on all aspects of preventive foot health and on specific foot conditions. Use the Filter by Category section to see certain types of videos, such as those related to preventive foot health, or select All to see the entire gallery.
Welcome to the Media section of our site. Here you will find the IPFH press kit and press releases, as well as links to news related to feet. To learn more about IPFH and/or arrange interviews, please contact:
The generous support from following Sponsoring Partners allows IPFH to extend its reach, participate in research, and develop additional educational materials.
Welcome to the Partners section of our site. Here you will find information on our Educational Partners, who are helping to raise awareness about the importance of preventive foot health. We also acknowledge our Sponsoring Partners, whose generous support allows IPFH to extend its reach, participate in research, and develop additional educational materials.
In 1989, the first study using a specific type of padded sock was published. That study documented the benefits of those padded socks in reducing pressure in the insensitive diabetic foot. This research was followed by seven other key studies that confirmed the benefits of these particular padded socks for preventing blisters, reducing pressure and pain, and enhancing circulation. These studies are summarized below.
IPFH now refers to the padded socks, donated by Thorlo that were used in these pivotal studies, as clinically-tested padded socks. The Institute continues to fund and sponsor research that enables us to learn more about the feet and footwear for both preventive and therapeutic purposes.
Following is a list of the types of practitioners who care for the feet and manage foot problems and their key areas of expertise:
Podiatrist (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, or DPM) – A doctor who diagnoses, treats and helps prevent foot diseases and conditions. May also provide toenail care and maintenance and works with people with diabetes and other medical conditions who have foot issues. May perform surgery and often prescribes special footwear.
Orthopaedic Surgeon(Orthopedist, Orthopaedic Physician) – A medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and correcting issues with the musculoskeletal system. Corrective measures may involve surgery. Many specialize in the foot and ankle.
General Practitioner, Family Physician or Primary Care Physician – A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats a variety of medical problems in patients of all ages. May not have specialized knowledge of the feet, but can make referrals to an appropriate foot specialist.
Foot Care Nurse – A registered or certified nurse who specializes in the care of the feet, and often provides general foot care, nail care and basic diabetic foot care.
Certified Pedorthist (C.Ped) - Trained in the manufacturing, fitting and modification of foot appliances and footwear. Does not diagnose, but often takes prescriptions or recommendations from medical practitioners to develop footwear solutions for specific problems.
Certified Orthotist (CO) – Specializes in providing mechanical devices to support or supplement weakened or abnormal joints or limbs.
Certified Prosthetist (CP) – Specializes in the replacement of missing limbs and other body structures with manufactured substitutes.
Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist (CPO) – Combines the two disciplines of the orthotist and prosthetist.
Rehabilitation Physician (also called “physiatrist”) - A medical doctor who specializes in treating injuries or illnesses that affect how people move, with particular expertise related to the nerves, muscles, and bones. A rehabilitation physician is a medical doctor who has completed training in the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Specifically, a rehabilitation physician diagnoses and treats pain; helps restore maximum function lost through injury, illness or disabling conditions; and provides non-surgical treatments. A rehabilitation physician can also treat disabilities resulting from disease or injury, focusing on the development of a comprehensive program that does not include surgery for rehabilitation after disease or injury. Typically a rehabilitation physician focuses on treating the whole person, not just the specific problem area.
Tips for choosing the right foot health practitioner:
If you have unidentified foot pain, or foot pain that you suspect is coming from a particular location, see a podiatrist or orthopaedic surgeon, especially if the pain is particularly severe or persistent. You may have to get a referral from your primary care physician.
If your feet have patches of red, or streaks of redness and swelling, see your doctor and/or a podiatrist.
If you have an ingrown toenail, especially if the area around the toenail is swollen and appears to be infected, see a podiatrist or a foot care nurse.
If you have any severe trauma to the foot due to a fall or other accident, and you suspect you may have a broken bone, strain or sprain, see an orthopaedic surgeon. If the injury is severe, go to a hospital emergency room.
If you get a cut, laceration or puncture wound in your foot, see your doctor. If the injury is severe, go to a hospital emergency room.
If you have been given a prescription for special accommodative or corrective footwear—for example, inserts or orthotics—by a podiatrist, orthopaedic surgeon or physician, see a certified pedorthist, orthotist or prosthetist.
If you need gait analysis, help with proper sizing, fitting and selection of footwear—including activity-specific shoes and padded socks--or custom modifications to inserts/orthotics or shoes, see a podiatrist, pedorthist, or orthotist.
If you have an amputation and need assistance choosing, fitting or adjusting a prosthesis, see a prosthetist or an orthotist/prosthetist.
If you have had an amputation and need assistance in re-developing a walking gait (either with or without a prosthetic limb), if you have had surgery and need to rehabilitate a foot injury, or if you have persistent pain and physical limitations related to a foot or leg condition or injury, see a rehabilitation physician.
If you have diabetes, and especially if you have neuropathy (loss of sensation) in your feet, see a podiatrist regularly in addition to your regular medical professionals. Team or collaborative care has proven to be a highly effective approach for managing diabetes.
If you’re not sure which type of foot health practitioner to consult, talk to your doctor and get a recommendation or referral.
Welcome to the Resources section of our site. Here you will find examples of ground-breaking studies that prompted the formation of IPFH; results of surveys documenting the scope of foot problems in the United States; IPFH white papers and links to other reliable websites that provide information on foot conditions and treatment.
Welcome to the Caregivers section of our site. The number of people caring for family members with chronic conditions has risen dramatically in recent years. Much of this “informal” caregiving centers on ensuring that aging parents take their medicines as prescribed, follow special diets if needed, and see their doctors regularly. However, it increasingly includes encouraging older family members to stay as active as possible to help maintain mobility and function and prevent further deterioration—and this means making sure that their feet are as healthy and pain-free as possible.
In this section, IPFH provides family members with information on how to care for someone else’s feet—the basics, what to do and not do, and signs and symptoms that may require a visit to a doctor or foot-health professional. For information on specific foot conditions—including those especially relevant for people with diabetes and/or arthritis—visit our Foot Conditions section. Tips on caring for children’s feet are included in the Foot Care Essentials section.
Welcome. In this section, you will find articles written specifically for people with arthritis whose feet are at risk for various foot conditions. You will learn why and how arthritis may affect your feet—and overall health and wellbeing—and what you can do to prevent and manage foot-related issues, maintain your ability to function and enjoy the best possible quality of life. Recent research has demonstrated the benefits of physical activity for people with arthritis. Untreated foot problems can prevent you from gaining the full benefits of such activity.
Key to preventive foot health for people with arthritis isdaily foot care. If a family member or friend is helping you, refer him/her to Caring for Someone Else's Feet in our Caregiver section.
Welcome. In this section, you will find articles written specifically for people with diabetes whose feet are at risk for various foot conditions, as well as amputation. You will learn how diabetes puts your feet—and overall health and wellbeing—at risk and what you can do to prevent and manage foot-related issues, maintain your ability to function and enjoy the best possible quality of life.
Also try our Foot Pain Self-Assessment Tool, which can help you identify possible foot problems that you may want to discuss with your doctor.
If you have a chronic illness, such as diabetes or arthritis, you are especially vulnerable to specific foot conditions and even to limb loss. Click on these links to learn more about foot concerns related to diabetes and arthritis.
If you’re like most people, you think of your feet only when something goes wrong: your foot hurts, you get athlete’s foot, a blister or some other foot problem. But it’s important to practice good foot hygiene every day, whether you sense a foot problem or not. Our feet are the foundation of our mobility--keeping our feet in the best possible shape maximizes our ability to walk, work, do chores and engage in recreational sports and activities.
It’s especially important to take care of your feet if you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, which puts feet at risk for amputation, or arthritis. And, although many foot problems tend to surface as we age, by taking care of our feet when we’re younger, we can prevent or reduce the chances of foot problems later in life.
In this section, IPFH offers information on all aspects of caring for your feet and your family’s feet, as well as an integrated approach to selecting and fitting padded socks and shoes to ensure the best fit.
The Institute for Preventive Foot Health (IPFH) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising awareness about the importance of caring for the feet through education, research and the identification of methods demonstrated by clinical research to prevent, treat and manage painful conditions and diseases affecting the feet, mobility, functional status and quality of life.
According to the 2012 National Foot Health Assessment conducted for IPFH by The NPD Group, Inc., a respected national research organization, a staggering 78 percent of adults in the United States have experienced foot pain or foot problems in their lifetimes. These problems are serious enough to interfere with a person’s ability to work, exercise or enjoy a full, healthy lifestyle. Click here to see the original landmark assessment completed in 2009.
Foot problems often increase with age. By age 50, the average person will have walked or run 75,000 miles, primarily on hard, unnatural surfaces (for example, concrete, asphalt and hard floors). Over time, this contributes to the breakdown of the skin and protective fat pads that support the balls, heels and toes of the foot, which we refer to as skin/soft tissue(s) of the foot.
IPFH was founded to help educate and inform people about ways to reduce foot pain, or eliminate it altogether, through proper foot care, footwear and biomechanics.
About Preventive Foot Health
Preventive foot health is a proactive approach to wellness that focuses specifically on your feet as the foundation of mobility. Preventive foot health is necessary in all sports and activities, as well as in daily work and home life. It is a critically important practice if you have chronic health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and circulatory disease where small problems can turn into both limb- and life-threatening conditions.
Origin of the Institute
From 1989 through 1993, seven groundbreaking clinical studies were conducted by medical doctors and podiatrists related to major conditions that negatively affect the human foot, including diabetes (causing neuropathy and ulceration), arthritis (causing pain), and blisters. These studies used a special type of sock that we now call clinically tested padded socks, which have been shown in peer-reviewed, published clinical studies to provide preventive foot health benefits related to the skin/soft tissue(s) of the foot.
Reducing pressure and shear for people with diabetes protects against foot ulcers, thereby reducing the risk of foot infections and amputation. Reducing pressure and shear for people with arthritis helps relieve foot pain. Reducing pressure and shear for people who pursue physical exercise and sports activities protects against blisters. We call the use of clinically tested padded socks fitted properly with appropriate footwear the practice of skin/soft tissue management of the foot.
The padded socks used in the clinical studies referred to above were designed for testing and donated by the THORLO Company, makers of the Thorlos® brand athletic socks. The revelations that came from these seven clinical studies motivated Jim Throneburg, owner of THORLO, to found IPFH and foster its educational and research mission.
Founding Sponsors
IPFH was founded by James L. Throneburg, owner of THORLO, Inc., based on knowledge gained from groundbreaking clinical research conducted with novel padded sock designs donated by THORLO. Both Throneburg and THORLO, Inc. continue to provide financial support for IPFH and to initiate collaborative efforts with its educational partners.
