Podiatry
Biomechanics is the science of how
bones
and muscles enable the body to move,
these principles are
used by podiatrists to help improve the alignment of the body.
Good alignment helps the body move efficiently,
reducing the potential for muscles and joints to become injured.
Poor
foot posture such as over
pronation may compromise how you walk or run. The alignment problem may
be very subtle and the foot itself may not be painful but a slight
fault repeated with every step can become very debilitating. Foot
function can be improved very
effectively using custom made
'orthotics'.
When
is there a problem?
Pain and injury can arise when structures of the
lower limb are not quite in line with each other when you are walking
or running. This is referred to as ‘malalignment’.
The slightest individual variation in alignment can be the cause of the
pain. Orthotic shoe inserts prevent pain and further problems by
re-aligning the limb.
Lower
limb problems are surprisingly common in all
ages, yet many go untreated or are treated unsuccessfully because the
cause of the symptoms is not treated, and so pain may reoccur.
The
lower limb
Do your children suffer from:
Knee
pain? Osgood Schlatters Disease
Heel pain? Severs Disease
Arch pain? Kohlers Disease
Forefoot pain? Freibergs Infarction
Do you suffer from?
Knee
pain? Chondromalacia patellae, Patellofemoral
syndrome, Pes anserinus, ITB bursitis
Shin pain? Shin splints front, back, side, Medial tibial stress
syndrome, Compartment syndrome
Heel pain? Plantar fascitis/heel spur
Back of heel pain? Achilles tendonitis
Foot ‘in rolling’? Pronation
Fallen arches/Flat feet? Pes planus
Are you starting to develop bunions? Hallux Abducto Valgus
There
are many other conditions in the lower limb,
including hip and low back, which are caused by poor foot mechanics.
Just because the feet do not hurt, does not mean they are not at fault.
The
bones of the foot
The
way that you walk affects the function of the
26 bones in each foot. This may effect the function of the joints
further up the limb and in the back. Very slight individual variations,
which are only visual to the trained eye, will determine the cause of
individual problems.
What
can be done?
The
Podiatrist will undertake a biomechanical
examination which involves assessing joint range of motion, gait and
muscle tests. Then the cause of the condition can be established, and
the Podiatrist will be able to formulate an appropriate treatment plan
to suit the individual case.
In
most cases of malalignment, ORTHOTICS are the
treatment of choice.
Orthotics
are custom-made functional insoles that
fit inside most shoes, made from a plaster impression of the feet, held
in the correct position. They are a non invasive method of
‘realigning’ the foot and lower limb to an optimal
position and help improve posture. They effectively relieve pain and
prevent further joint damage in the long term.
Temporary
orthotic devices will often be
prescribed prior to the issue of a custom made orthotic so that the
foot is slowly re-aligned and changes are gradually introduced to the
body.
Practitioner
Tracy
Hopes has a podiatry clinic on Tuesday morning and evening. Tracy specialises in biomechanics and orthotics.
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