Welcome to the personal website of

Dr. Michael A. Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM

Thank you for visiting the web site of Dr. Michael Zapf. He is a member of the Agoura-Los Robles Podiatry Centers

The "real" practice web site, the one that contains registration forms, doctor information for all the office and directions to the office is located at:

www.conejofeet.com   ç Click here

I am Dr. Michael Zapf. I have been offering a full range of podiatric medical services, from ingrown nails to heel pain and foot surgery, to my friends and neighbors in the Las Virgenes, Conejo and Simi Valleys since 1985. This is my personal web site. It has been up since 1990 and has received more than 2 million visits. The entire site is my responsibility only and nearly everything on the site was written by me. You are welcome to peruse this site and learn what you can about me, your feet and the problems your feet can develop. Things happen fast in medicine so whatever you read could well be outdated, especially if it was written many years ago. On this site you will read historic articles that I wrote for a lay audience as long as 25 years ago, so please do not take anything on this site as definitive or as applying directly to your condition. You may wonder why I have my own site even though there is also an official practice site. Well, my partners are of a younger generation raised on tweets, e-mails and iPhones. They want a professional site that they believe better represents the professional nature of our practice. They also believe that people no longer take the time to read anything of length. I, on the other foot, think there is still a world out there full of people who still read lengthy descriptions of problems and solutions. if you are one of those old fashioned readers, then this site if for you. Let me know what you think. Let me know you are out there.

Please note that all information and photographs on this site are copyrighted by me, Michael Zapf, DPM, and cannot be used for any private or commercial purposes. I work with two other podiatrists in my practice who may or may not share any of my ideas and philosophy. Do not expect them to practice the way I do or even believe in any of the speculation I present here. If you appreciate what I have written and want me to be your treating doctor, you will have to ask for me specifically. Even if my office says at first, " He is booked until next month",  I still want to see you as long as you are a little flexible with your schedule. If your visit is an emergency, I know that  you will be happy with either of my associates, Dr. Darren Payne or Dr. Steve Benson. They are exceedingly well trained and capable in any foot emergency.

Michael Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM     (If you want to know what all those initials mean, click here   è  

Our office phone number is (818) 707-3668 and my e-mail address is zfootdoc [at] doctor [dot] com

Agoura Hills Office: 28240 Agoura Road, Suite 101, Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Thousand Oaks Office: 555 Marin Street, Suite 290, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

For the address, hours and registration forms please see the practice web site: www.conejofeet.com

07/24/2010

To Order Foot Supplies è ç click

For Information about Laser Treatment for Fungal Nails Click hereè
 

For information about Shockwave Therapy for heel pain          click here è

Exciting news!!! New Thousand Oaks Location  è

This article appeared in an Agoura magazine, Canyon and Country Times about 1997. there is still quite a bit of relevance for today.

Walk Your Way to Fitness!

Dr. Michael Zapf, of Agoura Hills, is among a growing number of doctors who recommend walking for fitness. “Walking keeps your heart strong, weight down, energy up, muscles toned, and spirits lifted!”, says Dr. Zapf. “But what really sets walking apart from other aerobic exercises is its inherent safeness and simplicity. Just about anyone -anywhere can walk!”

Walking offers you more freedom than you can imagine! You can walk around a track, through your neighborhood, down a wooded path, or in a shopping mall. You can roam the halls of your hotel, explore the nearest park, or simply wander through a city or town. It can be done in the morning or in the moonlight. You can go it alone, bring a friend along, or join a club! And you can do all this while giving your body a workout that rivals running, swimming, or biking.

Before you step out your front door, though, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, check with your doctor if you have any questions about your health. Are you overweight? Have you been sedentary for a long time? Do you have heart trouble, diabetes, or emphysema? Although walking is often used as a treatment for many ailments it is still wise to discuss your walking program with your physician. He or she can give you specific pointers about what’s best for your body.

Next, look at your feet. For the casual walker any athletic shoes are fine. Says Dr. Zapf, “For my more serious walkers, say those walking more than three times a week, I recommend a shoe specifically designed for walking. I find that the most common injury of walkers is heel and arch pain. Many times a good pair of walking shoes can prevent this. For those with more serious discomfort I have to reach into my bag of tricks to get them back on the road.”

How do you choose a good shoe? With the latest walking “boom” manufacturers have been busy producing quality shoes made just for walking, but not every shoe is right for every foot. For the best fit, go to a store that specializes in athletic shoes and try on as many walking shoes as you can. It is best to go in late afternoon or early evening after your feet have expanded during the day. A good shoe should, above all, be comfortable. If it passes the comfort test, then look for the following features: a good deal of cushioning; enough room in the toe box to wiggle your toes; a ½ inch elevate heel for maximum shock absorption; no tightness around the edge of your feet, but tight enough so that your foot doesn’t slip from side to side; flexibility at the ball of the foot, but firmness in the heel counter. If you have questions, ask the salesperson for assistance.

Now, plan your workout schedule by choosing a convenient time and place to walk. To get yourself into a routine, you might want to plan three or four routes at first and stick to those. But don’t become rigid about when you walk or you might get discouraged. One rainy morning, you might want to head over to your local shopping mall and exercise with the regular mall walkers, but the next day you might feel like walking on a city street at lunch. Maximum flexibility is one of the beauties of walking.

Next, do your warm-up and stretching exercises. Without them, you could get injured and your program may suffer. A warm-up is necessary before stretching. To warm up, just walk slowly for a few minutes. Next, gently stretch the muscles in your legs. You should never stretch a muscle that hasn’t had a chance to warm up because you could run the risk of pulling it. When you stretch, move slowly and easily; never bounce. Stretching should not be painful. If it is, you’re doing more harm than good.

You are now ready to walk. Go at a pace that feels comfortable. If you can’t carry on a conversation or if you feel any discomfort, slow down. And if you feel any pain, stop. You are striving to make yourself feel good, so listen to your body!

To attain aerobic fitness, you’ll want to ultimately build up to walking at least 20 or 30 minutes three or four times per week at your target heart rate. Target heart rate is the rate at which your heart should beat while you walk. If your doctor hasn’t told you what your target heart rate is, you can figure it out yourself. Subtract your age from 220 and take 60% to 75% of that figure by multiplying by .60 and .75. Example for a 70-year old: 220- 70= 150. 150 x .60 =  90 beats per minute. 150 x .75 = 112 beats per minute. Thus, a 7O~year-old’s target heart rate range is between 90 and 112 beats per minute. If you’re over fifty and exercising for the first time, you can even gain aerobic benefit by exercising at 50% to 60% until you become more fit.

While walking, take your pulse (either at your wrist or on one side of your Adam’s apple) for 15 seconds and then multiply this number by number 4. That’s your pulse, or heart rate, for one minute. Are you walking at your target heart rate? If you’re under this range, then speed up a bit. If you’re over, then slow down.

After you finish walking, cool down for about five minutes by slowing down and stretching. Stretching is essential after exercising because your muscles will stay in a contracted position until they’re stretched. If this happens, you run a high risk of pulling or tearing a muscle.

Walking is a fun, safe way to stay fit! If you’ve been sedentary, you must build you program slowly over a period of weeks or months. On the other hand, you might surprise yourself and go farther faster than you ever expected! Slip a walking routine into your life today and reap the benefits of a strong, healthy body.

If you have any questions about the benefits of walking, Dr. Zapf suggests that you contact the American Running and Fitness Association, 9310 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 897-0197. If you have any questions about your feet, Dr. Zapf suggests that you contact your local podiatrist.

Send mail to (zfootdoc at doctor dot com) with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 Michael A. Zapf, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., F.A.C.F.AOA.M.
Last modified: July 24, 2010