The Foot Search engine
Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spur or Heel Pain.Nearly
all causes of heel pain are directly or indirectly linked to a condition
called plantar fasciitis and sometimes referred to as a heel spur. Plantar
fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the
foot becomes overloaded leading to excess traction and inflammation.
When the foot is rested the fascia tightens due to the inflammation. When
the foot resumes weight bearing the band is stretched and produces a
stabbing pain that normally eases after a few minutes
Abnormal pronation, the natural motion of the foot as it roles inward after
the foot makes contact with the ground is one of the most recognised causes
of this condition.
The condition can be alleviated with custom made orthotics which provide
improved support and shock absorption, and allow the plantar fascia ligament
to rest. Other treatments include the use of more supportive footwear.
stretching the ligament and maintaining a healthy weight.
Over-pronation,
or flat feet, is a common biomechanical problem that occurs in the walking
process when a person's arch collapses when weight is applied. This motion
can cause extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, potentially
causing severe discomfort and leading to other foot problems.
One method of correcting over-pronation is treatment with orthotics. The orthotics are designed with appropriate arch support and medical rear foot posting that prevent the over-pronation.
Footwear should also be examined to ensure there is a proper fit. Footwear with a firm heel counter is often recommended for extra support and stability. Improperly fitting footwear can also lead to additional foot problems.
Biomechanics and Orthotic Therapy.
Back pain, knee pain
ankle, heel and foot pains under everyday loads are all symptoms of a
structural problem associated with your feet.
As you walk your heel swings from side to side very slightly. If, however,
your heel swings too far when you walk or run, your foot may be
over-pronating, or flattening too much. This incorrect movement stresses and
weakens parts of your foot.
Over time, you may develop symptoms in your feet ranging from a change in
shape to pain when you walk.
Custom-made orthotics are medical devices that support and gently reposition
the heel, arch, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones in the feet, enabling
these structures to work together as nature intended, to make each step you
take pain-free.
Unlike shoe inserts bought over the counter, custom-made orthotics are built
from moulds of your feet to meet your own unique needs. They're typically
made with comfortable thermoplastic materials, which are guaranteed to last
for many years, and can be designed to fit in dress shoes, athletic shoes,
boots & sandals.
We can evaluate the biomechanics of your gait, then take moulds of your
feet, still the most exacting method, and then send these moulds to
partnering orthotics lab that then create your customised devices to your
own unique prescription.
Orthotic therapy (custom made for your foot) can effectively realign the
body and alleviate these problems.
n short custom-made orthotics can relieve many different types of foot pain
including heel pain, plantar fasciitis, arch pain, pain caused by running,
walking, pain related to diabetes; and other kinds of foot pain related to
bunions, trauma, sprains etc.
Common corns and calluses
can be caused by shearing stresses from ill-fitting footwear and abnormal
weight bearing.Many people try to alleviate the pain caused by calluses by cutting or trimming them with a razor blade or knife. This is however not the way to properly treat calluses. This can actually worsen the condition resulting in unnecessary injuries. Diabetics especially should never try this type of treatment.
Corns and calluses can however be removed safely & painlessly, and prevented in the future with the appropriate advice.
Athletes Foot and Plantar Warts.
Athletes foot does not as it's name suggest
affect only athletes. It is a fungal infection (tinea) that develops just
below the skin and commonly occurs between the toes.
If athletes foot remains untreated the infection can spread to the soles of
the feet and the toenails. Athletes foot can be recognised by an initial
scaling of the skin between the toes, the skin then becomes moist or soggy.
The skin may then flake and peel and small blisters look red, sore and
inflamed. Itching and burning may increase as the infection spreads.
When the soles of the feet are involved it may just appear as dry cracked
skin without itching. For this reason many people are often unaware that
they have a fungal infection.
Plantar warts, athletes foot and fungal infections in the toenails can all
be treated with the appropriate advice and up to date treatments.
These are
one of the most common complaints that take people to the podiatrist. The
most common cause is cutting toenails incorrectly, causing them to re-grow
into the skin.
Tight hosiery or shoes with narrow ends tends to only make matters worse. If
the skin is red, painful or swollen on the sides of the nail, an infection
may be present.
This common complaint can be easily and effectively treated in the clinic.
Bunions and Various Toe Deformities.
Bunions can affect all age
groups to varying degrees. They are often painful arthritic deformities
affecting the forefoot with bony enlargements and changes in alignment of
the toes.
Sometimes the toes can overlap and distort the foot to the extent that
individuals cannot wear regular shoes. With proper evaluation they can be
corrected are often made worse by poorly fitting footwear.
They can however be effectively treated with mechanical devices and the
relevant footwear advice.
Early
detection of certain abnormalities in children is important to address, to
allow the child to grow and develop normally. Signs for consideration in an
infant include; abnormal hip, leg or foot position. As the child becomes a
toddler, the parent may notice delayed or difficulty walking, curled toes or
toes that over/underlap, one or both feet that angle inward or outward,
and/or an excessively low or high arched foot.
As the child begins to grow, certain deformities may start to become more
noticeable. Evaluation by a Podiatrist is important to determine the best
course of action for the child.
As a child masters walking the medial arch begins to appear. All toddlers
have flat feet because of a low angle of calcaneal inclination, by 5 to 6
years this angle has increased, and in most cases a medial longitudinal arch
becomes apparent.
By around 6 years of age, your child should have normal arches in both feet.
Children who appear flat-footed have a normal arch, but flatten it when they
stand. This movement is called “pronation” and may cause painful symptoms
and make the child tire easily. In this case orthotics may be useful to
improve the foot posture and also relieve painful symptoms
Although many times a parent or even the child's paediatrician feels foot
related problems are something the child will outgrow, frequently this is
not the case and even subtle deformities are most easily corrected with
early assessment and treatment.
As the Diabetes trend is on the rise in
Australia (as is in the majority western societies), so are associated foot
problems.Diabetics suffer from loss of sensation in the
feet (Neuropathy). Injury can occur and progress to infection and gangrene
before diabetic sufferers are aware of their injury. Its well understood
that Diabetics typically have a higher incidence of infections and
ulcerations in the feet.
A good program of care involves
screening, and an assessment service is available to prevent the long term
foot problems that can be caused by this condition.
Sterilisation
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Instruments are autoclaved (sterilised) to the Australian Standard AS/NZ 4815:2001.
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Instruments are individually packaged, sealed and labelled for recording purposes.
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Autoclave sterilisation cycles are logged & recorded.
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All clinical surfaces are cleaned to Australian standards.
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