When the first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss). Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain and is an overuse injury affecting the sole (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) that connects your heel bone (calcaneus) to the base of your toes.

Healthcare providers across Massachusetts including Atrius Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lahey Health Systems, Tufts Medical Center and other hospitals and physician groups have formed a coalition calling for a public process around the recently proposed settlement between Partners HealthCare and the Attorney General.

“Although we are competitors, we have joined together to draw attention to the threats posed to the Massachusetts healthcare system by the proposed deal between the Attorney General and Partners HealthCare,” said Howard Grant,

Many woman look for a way to relax and stay fit during pregnancy. The age-old practice of yoga can keep you limber, tone your muscles, and improve your balance and circulation with little, if any, impact on your joints.

A typical prenatal yoga class focuses on practicing different breathing techniques as well as gentle stretching of different areas of your body such as the neck and arms.

Below are five benefits that a woman can receive from taking prenatal yoga classes.

The SMArt Kids at Burlington are SMART! They can answer the following questions correctly – can you?

Question #1: How many hours of screen time per day is recommended?
(Answer: Less than 1-2 hours per day and no screen time for children under age 2 years)

Question #2: What room should you make TV-free?
(Answer: The Bedroom! And also consider making the kitchen TV-free so you aren’t tempted to watch during meal time.)

The SMArt kids were not only correct but quick to answer these questions.

A few years ago, my mother-in-law had a significant heart attack early one morning at home. She was transported to the emergency room near our town then helicoptered to a larger hospital for an emergency catheterization and treatment.  She ultimately made it out of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, graduated to a regular floor and was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital for a short stay.  Unfortunately, a week after being there, we got a middle-of-the-night call and were told she had experienced some bleeding and was being sent back to the hospital.