I saw an 83 y/o patient yesterday with a very angry tibial sesamoid. Although he's not on his feet too much these days he still was able to develop a very painful, inflamed bursa beneath the tibial sesamoid. Two contributing factors included fat pad atrophy (thinning of the fat pad) and improper shoes. A week ago I had applied a dancer's pad in the office that made a big difference in how he felt, improving his sesamoiditis. Now the question was how we were going to keep him comfortable while at home and perhaps modify his shoes.
The first consideration we discussed was his activities. He said he spent a fair amount of time in his slippers while at home. Slippers are usually just that - they slip on and are flimsy. Not a great foundation in which we can place a supportive pad. In this case, the best solution was to teach him how to use a Reusable Dancer's Pad. The Reusable Dancer's Pad is applied directly to the skin and a sock and slipper could be used over it while at home. The neat thing about the Reusable Dancer's Pad is that you wash it with a little soap and water and it becomes sticky again. Brilliant, right?
But stepping out in a pair of dress shoes is a bit different. Although he could continue to use the Reusable Dancer's Pad, it's always easier if you can place the dancer's pad in the shoe. In that way, the pad is there when you're ready to go. I showed him the video on our Premium Dancer's Pad product page and placed it in the shoe for him. Teach a man to fish, right?
So what's the best dancer's pad? It all depends. If you need help with the best choice for your needs, be sure to connect with us on Facebook or in chat.
Jeff
Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM
Medical Advisor
Myfootshop.com
Updated 12/27/19
