Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2016

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There is nothing more
frustrating when training for a race than
being sidelined by a foot injury. Dr.
Andrew Saffer and Dr. Adam Brown of
Carolina Foot Specialists can relate to this
frustration because, as athletes, they’ve
suffered some of the same foot conditions.
They grew up in Charleston and played high school
basketball on the same team. After
graduating from the College of
Charleston, Dr. Brown attended medical school at Barry
University School of Graduate Medical Sciences, while
Dr. Saffer attended Ohio Col-
lege of Podiatric Medicine. Join-
ing forces in 2006, they opened
offices in Charleston and Mount
Pleasant.
“We both gravitated to the
sports aspect of podiatry, as well
as the diversity that this profes-
sion provides, such as treating
children, foot reconstructive
surgery and helping the local
active community with various
foot ailments,” said Dr. Brown.
Today, they both are avid run-
ners and sports enthusiasts who understand how important
exercise is for the body.
Heel pain and plantar fasciitis are the most common
problems Dr. Brown and Dr. Saffer see. They pointed out
that many injuries are a result of overuse.
“Most runners live with aches and pains, thinking that’s
part of the normal process, and it’s not the case,” said Dr.
Brown. “We are both trained and board-certified in foot
surgery but are able to heal most foot conditions, espe-
cially chronic heel pain, with conservative treatments. We
offer state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgical options
for chronic heel pain that enables patients to get back to
their chosen activity sooner,” Dr. Saffer said.
According to Drs. Brown and Saffer, training smart is
the best way to prepare for the upcoming Cooper River
Go the Distance
Carolina Foot Specialists
Feeling Good
Bridge Run. They offered advice on some common mis-
takes to avoid:
Going too fast and too hard - Your body needs time
to adapt when you train harder and run farther. We com-
monly see overuse injuries from increasing mileage too
quickly, which can lead to foot injuries such as stress frac-
tures. The take home message is pace yourself and progress
slowly to build up over time. You can find training tips for
the Bridge Run at .
Wearing the wrong shoe - We recommend replacing
your running shoes every 300 to 400 miles or every six to
eight months.
Running through an injury
- This can lead to a chronic
injury that can take longer
to heal. Allow the body to
heal. Start with RICE (Rest,
ice, compression and eleva-
tion), mixed with a short-term
NSAID (non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drug.) If there is
no improvement after a week,
you need to be evaluated by a
specialist.
Running only - Run-
ning strengthens some muscles
but not others. It’s important to retain and improve
your flexibility with swimming, spinning, elliptical,
strength training and body flow, a mixture of tai chi,
yoga and Pilates.
Heel striking - Try landing mid-sole and shortening
your stride. A shorter stride will typically lower the force of
impact, which should reduce injuries.
Listen to your body - Simple conservative treatments
can resolve a majority of acute foot pain. We don’t tell our
patients to stop exercising; we come up with solutions for
treatment.
The two locations of Carolina Foot Specialists are 501 Bramson
Court in Mount Pleasant and 615 Wesley Drive in Charleston.
To learn more, visit .
By AMy Mercer
Photo courtesy of Carolina Foot Specialists.
Drs. Adam Brown, left, and Andrew Saffer.