Protech Sports Medicine offers Rx for stilettos Sculptra ® injections creates pillows for the feet

November 26, 2007 (PRLEAP.COM) Lifestyle News
/Miami, FL/— Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, and Stuart Weitzman. All are high-end, high heel designer shoes. And while these luxury brands are sexy and gorgeous, they make women around the world scream, “My feet are killing me!” after a few hours of wear. Regardless, the fact remains; women love their shoes and will subject themselves to the pain. But now, there is a way for women to wear their high heels and be pain free.

Podiatric Physician Dr. Cynthia Marzouka-Losito at Miami’s Protech Sports Medicine is now offering a procedure that will create a pillow-like cushion on the ball of the foot. By injecting Sculptra®, a safe, synthetic, and biocompatible material (a material that does not harm the body) below the surface of the skin, it "puff ups" areas that have atrophied over the years due to wear and tear.

Sculptra®, also known as Poly-L-Lactic Acid has been widely used for many years in dissolvable stitches, and soft tissue implants. Now, it is being used in the feet to eliminate pain.

Trained by noted podiatric surgeon Dr. Suzanne M. Levine of Manhattan's Institute Beaute who pioneered this procedure, Dr. Marzouka-Losito is currently the only South Florida podiatric physician trained by Dr. Levine to use Sculptra® on the feet.

The Sculptra® injections start at $800 per foot. Results are immediate and can last up to a year. The procedure is ideal for people who are on their feet all day like hairdressers, professors, salespeople, plastic surgeons and women who refuse to give up their high heels. Professional dancers and runners have also used Sculptra®.

“We are now utilizing this material to supplement areas such as the balls of the feet and other bony areas where there is atrophy of the fat pad, often caused by wearing high heels,” said Dr. Marzouka-Losito. “Sculptra® fills those flattened areas and provides internal cushioning in the feet, creating padding between the skin and the bones of the foot. Loss of fat on the bottom of the foot is common, especially in women. This can result in pain and burning on the ball of the foot. Sculptra ® allows women to wear their 4” heels without the pain.”

The foot is a complex structure of 26 bones and 33 joints, layered with an intertwining web of more than 120 muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Since the feet are very small compared with the rest of the body, the impact of each step exerts tremendous force upon them — about 50% greater than the person's body weight. During a typical day, people spend about 4 hours on their feet and take 8,000 - 10,000 steps. This means that the feet support a combined force equivalent to several hundred tons every day.

High heels slant the foot forward and down while bending the toes up. The more often the feet are forced into this position, a much greater weight is transferred to the ball of the foot, increasing the likelihood of damage to the underlying soft tissue which supports the foot, causing pain.


“I love my high heels and I refuse to give them up,” said professional model Valentina Hubsch of Miami. “But after a few hours, my feet always start to hurt. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on my designer shoes and always end up kicking them off before the night is over. I tried inner soles or shoe pads but they never fit right, never stayed in place, and they made my shoes too tight. Sculptra® injectable implants replaced the padding on the ball of my foot after the first treatment. Now I feel like I have pillows on my feet. I can’t wait for New Year’s Eve!”

“This procedure is wildly popular in New York City,” said Melissa Leeds, Protech’s Vice President. “Some credit Sex and the City with making it okay for women to admit to having a love affair with their designer shoes. Now, women can still be slaves to fashion, but they no longer need to be a slave to foot pain.”

Protech Sports Medicine is a full service facility staffed by leading podiatrists in South Florida. In addition to aesthetic medicine, they offer high quality therapeutic treatment for the foot and ankle, including plantar fasciitis (heel pain), heel spurs, Morton's Neuroma, arch pain, tarsal tunnel syndrome, section bunions, any foot, ankle or leg problems, fractures, and nail and skin problems. Through the use of such techniques as biomechanics, surgery and custom made Orthotics, Protech has helped patients since 1999.

Serving all of South Florida, Protech Sports Medicine is the official podiatry center for the Miami Heat Basketball Team, the referees for the National Basketball Association, the Florida State University Basketball Team, professional athletes and celebrities.

For more information, contact Protech Sports Medicine at 305-668-2860 or visit http://www.protechmiami.com/index.html.

Protech Sports Medicine
6280 Sunset Drive Suite 403
Miami, FL

To schedule an interview, please contact Jennifer Cohen, JLC Consulting, at 954 326 2067 or jcohen520@aol.com.

Contact: Jennifer Cohen, JLC Consulting
Phone: 954 326 2067
Email: Jcohen520@aol.com



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