The
St. Joe's
Experience

Pampered Feet

Diabetes pedicures help safeguard
the health of your feet.

Need Orthopedics Care?
Come to St. Joe's

Whether you've overdone it at your
Sunday morning pickup game, exercised
a little too hard, or broken a hip or had
arthritic knees, you can count on St.
Joseph Mercy Oakland's (SJMO) cutting-
edge orthopedics program to restore your
quality of life.
Our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons provide
the highest quality care for everyone from infants to older adults. Not only
do they treat broken bones and worn out joints, but also problems with
ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and circulation, as well as
spine and related disorders.
St. Joe's world-renowned orthopedic specialists offer treatment of the
foot, ankle, hand, shoulder and elbow and most sports-related injuries.
SJMO's orthopedics program has been consistently recognized for
excellence in orthopedic surgery and joint replacement, and received
the honor of being named a Blue Distinction Center® for Knee and Hip
Replacement by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.
St. Joe's has repeatedly won top honors for patient safety and quality of care.
In recent months, we were designated as one of the best 100 hospitals in
the U.S. and a Community Value Five Star facility for the value you receive
from the care we provide. We also have been recognized with a five-star/
excellence award for hip replacement, knee replacement and hip fracture
care, and our patient satisfaction scores are in the top 10 percent in the
nation.
Our orthopedics program is the home of the Joint Care Center for joint
replacement patients. It was the first in Michigan and one of the first in the
U.S. The specialized joint replacement program benefits from our skilled,
hand-picked nurses, therapists and home care teams, making it a national
leader in orthopedic care. Our outcomes and low complication rates are
unmatched.
Our hospital was the first in Michigan to perform the custom-fit knee
procedure, which results in reduced pain and blood loss and faster recovery.
St. Joe's experienced medical staff also includes orthopedists who perform
trauma-related procedures for hip, ankle, leg and arm injuries. In the area
of outpatient treatment, our physicians diagnose and treat osteoarthritis,
osteoporosis, strains and sprains. Physical, occupational and speech therapy
also are among the many award-winning services you can receive at SJMO.
As a public service, our orthopedics department offers quarterly free
seminars here at St. Joe's where you can learn about the different treatments
we offer for ankle ailments and hip, knee shoulder and back pain. Please see
our website at stjoesoakland.org for dates and times of next year's series.
When you come to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland for treatment for an
orthopedics concern, you'll receive the safest, highest quality, compassionate
care by the most skilled medical team around. Guaranteed.

By
Jack Weiner,
President and CEO
St. Joseph Mercy
Oakland

DISCOVER REMARKABLE

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64

.ovember 29 • 2012

I

Jackie Headapohl

Managing Editor

E

levated blood sugar caused
by diabetes can often cause
nerve damage and poor cir-
culation, meaning minor cuts, scrapes
and bruises on the feet can quickly
develop into life-and-limb-threatening
infections without quick and proper
treatments.
Because of this,
many spas and
salons won't provide
pedicures to diabetic
clients, as a way to
avoid liability in
the case of an acci-
dent, but Krystyna
Ejsmont,
propri-
Krystyna
etor
of
Krystyna's
Ejsmont
European Spa in
Birmingham, felt that there was a way
to deal with the special needs of dia-
betic clients instead of depriving them
of proper foot care.
"Our feet are what carry us through
life, quite literally:' she says. "It's unfair
to these individuals to simply turn
them away. Quality care, equipment
and attention to detail are the only
requirements to both sanitarily and
attentively provide pedicures for those
who need it most:'
Ejsmont consulted with Dr. Peter
E. Schaffer, a Birmingham podiatrist
and DPM Diplomate of the American
Board of Podiatric Surgery, about the
feasibility of designing a pedicure for
diabetes patients. Schaffer provided
invaluable advice and educated her
on the subtle sensitivities of the dis-
ease, and how the condition could be
attended to in a non-medical environ-
ment.
"Minor cuts and scrapes are never
acceptable when receiving a pedicure,
but for diabetic clients such accidents
can lead to very serious complica-
tions:' she says.
Thus, she created the "diabetes
pedicure designed to specifically con-
trol for complications that can easily
arise for diabetic clients. It debuted at
Krystyna's European Spa in 2006 and
has been helping clients ever since.

The diabetes pedicure is a standard
pedicure, but with heightened atten-
tion to the specific needs of the diabet-
ic foot. State-of-the-art pedicure chairs
at Krystyna's involve a pipeless water
system that provides a more sanitary
environment by preventing water from
stagnating within the machine, which
can lead to bacterial growth. "This
mechanical advantage, combined with
rigorous cleaning in between clients,
ensures that there is no risk of dirty
water in our tubs:' she says.
Also, the water temperature is set to
accommodate diabetic feet. While usu-
ally set to 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit,
the water temperature for diabetic
clients is dialed down to 90-95 degrees
to protect more sensitive diabetic feet
from potential scalding.
Also, Krystyna's staff, as standard
procedure, disinfects their stainless
steel tools for every client.
"Additionally, we do not, under any
circumstance, use razors in our tools,
which we see as simply an invitation
for accidents:' Ejsmont says. "Instead
of cutting away dead skin, we use foot
files that gently buff off skin and are
replaced for each client:'
Nail technicians employ special
techniques that minimize discomfort
and potential damage as well. "This
means they are very gentle, and do not
apply lotion in between the toes, which
can create a warm, damp environment
where bacteria are likely to grow. They
are also instructed not to clip away
cuticles, but rather push them back,
and to pay extra attention to the nail-
clipping process:' she says.
Finally, Krystyna's uses a line of
products that cater to feet with spe-
cific needs. In particular, Laufwunder
Caring Balm is a cream designed
specifically for the diabetic foot. Using
gentle oils and disinfecting ingredi-
ents, this product is specially formu-
lated to strengthen and moisturize
at-risk skin.
Sarah Gottlieb of Birmingham is a
longtime client. "I love the pedicures.
It's a nice way to relax, and they treat
you so well there she said. "There's
nothing not to love about this spa:'

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