Podiatry
Our feet support tremendous daily pressure and weight, so it is vital we take care of them! With 52 bones in a pair of feet, they require special attention. A Podiatrist is a University educated health care professional who is trained to diagnose and treat specific foot and lower limb conditions.
Our registered Podiatrist can assist in managing any concerns of the foot and ankle, with the aim of providing professional and friendly service with the highest quality of care to all ages.
Painful feet can prevent you from enjoying life and doing the things you want to do, so don’t put up with pain and discomfort. Book an appointment today.
General Podiatric care
Your feet are two of the most used and abused parts of the body, with all the walking and running that you do every day. Yet when it comes to our health, feet and toenails often get neglected. General foot care involves the treatment of difficult to manage long, thick toenails, painful corns and callous, fungal skin and nail infections, cracked heels, warts, blisters and foot odour. The aim of our Podiatric care is to ensure optimal foot health and comfort is achieved and maintained. Ongoing podiatry treatment may be required by patients who are unable to administer adequate self care.
Patients who may not be able to provide adequate self care and require ongoing Podiatry treatment may be:
Elderly
Vision impaired
Have Diabetes Mellitus
Reduced mobility – spinal issues, hip/knee replacements
Fungal infected/thickened toenails
Ingrowing toenails
What is a corn? A small area of thickened skin that often forms over bony prominences on the foot, commonly on the toes, which can be painful, caused by pressure. This reaction of an increased build up of tissue on a high pressure area may result in a wound or ulcer developing underneath if it is not properly treated. This can be very dangerous for patients with Diabetes due to the decrease in feeling
and increased risk of infection.
What is a callous? A yellow thickened and hardened part of the skin, occurring in an area that has been subjected to friction. If left untreated it can build up to become quite thick and painful and can result in tissue breakdown and underlying wounds.
Our Podiatrist can provide vital foot care for the health and wellbeing of your feet. We can help painlessly remove corns and callous and assist in the management of difficult to treat toenails, as well as provide prevention strategies for it coming back. This is especially important for patients with Diabetes or arterial conditions to reduce the risk of wounds, ulcers or infections developing.
Ingrown toenail management and Ingrown toenail surgery (Onychocryptosis)
Ingrowing toenails are a very common condition seen by Podiatrists, whereby the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh resulting in pain, redness, swelling and sometimes infection.
These can occur due to:
Ill-fitting footwear
Poor nail cutting technique
Trauma
Curved nail shape
Occupation
Ingrown toenails often reoccur, so if conservative treatment fails to effectively rectify the condition then ingrown toenail surgery is recommended. Our Podiatrist is able to offer a minor surgical procedure performed under local anaesthesia that will provide a long term resolution to an ingrown toenail. The procedure involves removing the ingrown portion of the toenail and nail root, and applying a chemical to prevent that portion of the nail to regrow. The procedure is relatively painless and will leave the toe appearing normal and healthy.
Skin and nail infections including wart management
If you have a skin or nail infection of the foot book an appointment with our Podiatrist for an assessment and treatment plan.
Common skin and nail infections of the foot include:
Tinea Pedis
Onychomycosis (fungal nail infection)
Verrucae Pedis (plantar warts)
Eczema
Psoriasis
Dermatitis
Diabetes Mellitus footcare
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic condition in which the levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood are too high. A hormone produced by the pancreas called Insulin normally regulates blood glucose levels. However in people with Diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or there is a problem with how the body’s cells respond to it.
Abnormal levels of glucose in the blood can have many effects on the body and serious impacts on the feet. It is therefore necessary to undergo a Diabetes assessment by our Podiatrist at least annually and ongoing podiatry care if necessary to monitor the effects of the disease on your feet and to raise awareness to prevent complications.
Complications of Diabetes in the feet include:
Loss of protective sensation
Reduced blood flow to the feet
Increased risk of infection
Delay in healing
In high risk feet – Diabetic foot ulcers, amputations and gangrene
A Diabetes foot assessment involves assessing many factors including the blood flow to the lower limbs using a Doppler Ultrasound and measuring nerve conduction in the feet by assessing pressure felt from a 10g monofilament and vibration tuning fork.
The foot is also inspected and treated accordingly in an attempt to minimize the formation of corns, callous and pressure ulcers, which are commonly associated with diabetic feet.
Our aim is to educate our patients in ways to monitor and administer appropriate daily diabetic foot care and prevent complications that commonly occur with Diabetes.
Sports Podiatry
Foot pain and injuries can occur in athletes, at work or during daily activity. Many of these acute or chronic injuries can be the result of poor movement patterns (biomechanics), which can lead to overuse and strain to the involved muscles, bones or ligaments.
Addressing these problems may be as simple as correcting alignment with pre-fabricated or custom orthotics, or advice on the most suitable shoes for you and your activity. Further treatment may include.
Foot Mobilisation and Manipulation, dry needling, strapping, therapeutic ultrasound or investigations
such as x-rays and scans to determine level of injury. Don't let foot pain limit your active lifestyle. Speak with us today.
Orthotic Therapy
Prefabricated and Prescription (custom) Orthotic Therapy
Orthotics are devices that fit inside your shoes designed to support, stabilise and biomechanically correct poor foot posture, improving the efficient function of your foot and lower limb. They are used to distribute pressure/force evenly across the soles of the feet to relieve pain and prevent overuse injuries.
Orthotics are widely used by Podiatrists to treat a range of foot and lower limb problems in conjunction
with alternative treatments such as stretching and strengthening excerises. There are a range of devices available to suit patients, taking into consideration the foot problem and structure, current footwear, patient lifestyle and budget. The orthotics prescribed by Podiatrists are quite different to the standard ‘arch supports’ purchased from pharmacies and shoe shops. Whilst these prefabricated devices have their place and use, they are not comparable to the devices prescribed by a Podiatrist in terms of function, fit and longevity.
Customised foot orthotics are cast moulded to your feet. At Spine, Health and Stability, the Podiatrist will use a 3D scanner to take an accurate 3D image of your foot to which the orthotics will be made to fit. They have specific modifications prescribed by your Podiatrist to apply direct forces to certain aspects of the foot to improve postural stability, decrease certain tissue stresses and improve foot function. There are also different types of materials and densities orthotics can be manufactured in; the firmer/rigid devices are made from Polypropylene and the softer devices are made from EVA (Ethylvinylacetate, a type of foam). Both materials differ in properties and will be prescribed according to symptoms, foot type, lifestyle and needs.
Suitable footwear is imperative in the adequate functioning of orthotics. Orthotic assessment and treatment also involves a comprehensive evaluation of your footwear and education/referral to appropriate footwear suppliers.
Children’s orthotics
There are orthotics also available for children. The age at which they wear them is debatable and very much patient based. At Spine, Health and Stability we strongly believe in prevention and education. If you are a parent who is concerned over the appearance of your children’s feet or their walking pattern it is advised you have them assessed as young as possible to ensure normal development and to prevent future problems, as their feet carry them for a life time. A simple in-shoe wedge, exercises and
monitoring may be all that is necessary.
Children's foot care
A developing human foot is significantly different to an adult’s foot. Through their growing years, children’s feet are much more soft and pliable, making them more prone to damage from external stress and force. Therefore appropriate footwear and fit is vital to allow for normal development.
If your family has a history of foot issues, would like advice on footwear selection or you have any concerns with the way your child’s feet/walking is developing, see our Podiatrist. Although many children grow out of these problems, there may be some children who require an intervention to prevent complications later on in life.
Common children’s foot issues include:
In-toeing
Out-toeing
Flat feet
Knock knees
Bow legs
Growing pains
Severs disease (heel pain)
Osgood-Schlatter disease (knee pain)
Children’s sporting injuries
Footwear advice
Shoes play a vital role in protecting your feet from external dangers. The potential for foot and ankle injuries can be reduced by wearing properly fitted shoes to adhere to the natural shape of your foot, rather than your feet being forced to conform to the shape of shoes. Even if your shoes still feel comfortable and look relatively new, they may not be providing enough support or shock absorption. The correct fitting footwear will not only prevent discomfort and injury minimising the development of corns, callous, hammertoes, bunions and other crippling foot problems, they may also encourage you to maintain an active lifestyle contributing to your long term health and well-being.
