Explore Conditions
Plantar Fasciitis
Shin Splints
Children / Growing Feet
Skin and Nail Conditions
Neuromas / Numbness
Arthritis/Bunions
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At Podiatry Professionals, our foot experts manage and treat a wide range of paediatric conditions relating to the feet, knees and hips. Children’s foot health is a priority to all parents and a major priority for our podiatrists here at Podiatry Professionals.
There are an array of foot and leg issues that can affect children and early evaluation and management is very important in preventing foot problems later in life. Things to look out for include:
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Heel pain (particularly with sport and activity)
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Sever’s disease
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Knee pain
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Arch pain
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Foot pain
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Flat feet
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Hip dysplasia
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Clubfoot deformities
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Bunion (juvenile hallux valgus)
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Pigeon toes
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Knock knees
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Bow legs
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Frequent tripping
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Night pain or pain with excessive activity
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Rapid fatigue or wanting to be picked up constantly
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Excessive wear patterns on shoes
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Asymmetrical feet when walking
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Difficulty keeping up with peers
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Orthotics that are worn or the look too small
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Toe Nail problems (including nail fungus, traumatised nails and ingrown nails)
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Plantar warts
If your child experiences any of the above symptoms please contact us at Podiatry Professionals to see a podiatrist for an in detail assessment and professional advice. We treat these problems with a range of podiatry treatments on a daily basis.
‘Shin splints’ is a broad term grouping several conditions such as tibial stress fractures, medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), periostitis, compartment syndrome and calf overuse in which are commonly presenting conditions at Podiatry Professionals. The most common of these is medial tibial stress syndrome which is evident amongst active people and can present in conjunction with foot pain. Commonly foot problems and poor foot function are leading causes of shin pain in which a podiatrist can play a big part in treating. Improving your foot biomechanics with a range of treatments including orthotics, strapping and getting the right type of shoe are just some of the things that our podiatrists can assist you with. Often the key to successfully treating shin pain is to combine treatment from a foot expert or foot doctor with a physiotherapist and sports physician, we know this because we treat shin pain everyday! There is no need to allow shin pain to develop into anything nasty such as stress fractures as getting adequate foot care by a podiatrist can greatly reduce that potential.
Similar to shin pain, imbalances in the knee can be influenced by abnormal foot function. Incorrect patella movements and rotational problems can cause pain and swelling in and around the muscles and tendons of the knee and commonly people aren’t aware that feet can be the underlying cause! Correcting these biomechanical problems with a specific exercise plan, correct footwear and possibly orthotics can provide significant pain relief and improve knee function.
This is particularly evident after knee surgery or major knee injuries. In our foot clinic, our podiatrists are qualified to diagnose whether your knee pain is related to your foot function, shoes or from somewhere else such as back and hips (or a combination of all!). We are very detailed in evaluating the cause of the knee pain in order to provide the most accurate treatment plan and reduce your pain. We have good networks with many of Canberra’s physiotherapists, sports doctors and podiatric surgeon’s in order to provide extensive and holistic care for your knee pain.
Neuromas are painful nerve growths normally located between the metatarsals in the forefoot. They often cause sharp, shooting foot pain which can be debilitating, yet they are something that can be effectively treated by a podiatrist. The severity of a neuroma can vary from very mild awareness to debilitating foot pain with every step and presenting early to a foot clinic or seeing a foot expert is crucial for treatment success.
Numbness in the feet can be due to a variety of reasons such as Diabetes, underlying medical conditions, impinged nerves and poor footwear. Numbness is very common in hikers and runners and can commonly be resolved by a variety of techniques implemented by your podiatrist ranging from padding and footwear changes to orthotics.
If you are experiencing foot pain or numbness, come in talk to one of the podiatrists at Canberra’s Podiatry Professionals, who can address your symptoms and suggest appropriate treatment options.
Often very delicate and very painful, toenail problems are consistent in people of all ages ranging from toddlers to the elderly. Elongated and thickened nails can be painful due to compression in shoes and can be commonly seen in conjunction with a fungal nail infection.
Ingrown toenails are a common foot complaint seen by podiatrists and our experienced team at Podiatry Professionals are experts at treating ingrown nails effectively to give the best short and long term results, keeping your feet pain free. For persistent and non-responsive ingrown nails or toenail fungus, nail surgery is also offered and performed at our Braddon clinic, Canberra City.
Callous, corns and plantar warts can also be very uncomfortable but are very treatable as we see these issues day in day out! Whether it is a first time toenail problem or you require regular foot care, you don’t have to put up with it, call the team at Canberra’s Podiatry Professionals to book a consult today.
One of the most common condition we see here at Podiatry Professionals is heel pain and chances are that you or someone you know have or have experienced heel pain. There are a multitude of factors which can contribute to why you would get heel pain, and at Podiatry Professionals our podiatrists analyse, identify, assess and diagnose the major causes of your heel pain and manage it accordingly. An individual and tailored approach is conducted for each presenting patient to suit your individual situation. Resolving heel pain is an art which we see at our podiatry Canberra clinic everyday, you don’t have to continue to put up with heel pain as if treated early our podiatrists can often resolve your heel pain within 2-3 treatments and a lot of the time much sooner!
Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs are the most common causes of pain in this area which can develop into particularly painful conditions if left untreated.
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs (calcification under the heel bone) are common foot disorders affecting the heel and underside of the foot. It is characterised by heel pain and pain in your plantar fascia—a strong and dense connective tissue structure on the sole of your foot that supports your foot arch.
Your plantar fascia ligament is imperative to our feet as it helps the bones of your foot absorb the stresses of standing, walking and running and commonly it is most painful at the point where your plantar fascia attaches to your calcaneus, or heel bone.
It is very common for people with plantar fasciitis to experience pain during the first few steps out of bed in the morning in the heel of your foot which can improve as the foot warms up. Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury which involves inflammation, micro tears and degeneration of the arch ligament and presents most commonly in active women more so than me between the ages of 40 and 60 years old.
X-rays are a commonly used diagnostic imaging technique to evaluate the possibility of a bone spur as an indication of your heel pain. A bone spur, if it is present in this location, is probably not the cause of your pain, but it is evidence that your plantar fascia has been exerting excessive force on your heel bone and developed calcification in the area.
Causes of plantar fasciitis
A number of factors can contribute to plantar fasciitis but you’re more likely to develop plantar fasciitis if you:
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Are overweight.
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Take up a new form of exercise or suddenly increase the intensity of your exercise.
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Are on your feet for several hours each day.
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Have other underlying medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus).
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Tend to wear high-heeled shoes for long periods.
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Wear shoes that are worn with weak arch supports and thin soles.
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Have flat feet or an unusually high arch foot type.
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Have leg length differences or an abnormal gait cycle or foot position.
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Have calf muscle shortening/tightness
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Have plantar fascia contracture
Treatment for plantar fasciitis
Footwear: Wearing shoes that allow your feet to be in their natural position is the most important treatment for plantar fasciitis. Shoe characteristics that are required are low heel height, wide toe box and have adequate support are most appropriate for this foot problem
Stretching: Calf and plantar fascial stretches are imperative in treating the pain of plantar fasciitis. They are easy to do, your podiatrist will talk you through accurately how best to do these exercises.
Taping techniques: There are a range of taping techniques which can unload the stress through the plantar fascia which can be very useful at reducing pain levels and allow normal activity levels again.
Orthotics: Orthotics are very commonly used to treat persistent plantar fasciitis as they can realign flat or high arched feet and decrease pain levels long term. Orthotics have proven to be a very successful treating option for plantar fasciitis by relieving the stress and micro tears which lead to pain development throughout the ligament.
Night splints: For the most chronic cases of plantar fasciitis a night splint may be required to provide more consistent treatment to the ligament. A night splint can provide a very good night orientated treatment option that is commonly used in conjunction with other treatments to reduce the inflammation process throughout the fascia and improve the healing process.
Alternative options such as cortisone injections, anti-inflammatories, paddings, shock wave therapy, dry needling and refexology (rare) also have their place and great potential to reduce plantar fascial pain.
About 90 percent of people with plantar fasciitis improve significantly after two months of initial treatment. However, if you don’t treat plantar fasciitis, it may become a chronic condition. You may not be able to keep up your level of activity, and you may develop compensatory symptoms of the foot, knee, hip and back problems because plantar fasciitis can change the way you walk which places extra stress through these areas.
Other common forms of heel pain
Achilles tendon problems and bursitis are also common issues amongst active feet and we put a high focus on providing our patients with techniques which they can take away in order to treat themselves. As foot experts, we are very experienced at treating this type of foot pain as we see it in our foot and ankle clinic daily in elite athletes to everyday people and children.
Sever’s disease is a unique type of heel pain which can be present in children which is directly related to activity and growth spurts. This can originate as pain in itself or in conjunction with other diagnoses and the treatment options will often very due to this. It is important that this is assessed by a podiatrist as if left untreated can predispose you to permanent growth plate damage and heel pain later in life.
Arthritic joints are sometimes inevitable with age but that doesn’t mean they can’t be treated. Although we can’t reverse the arthritic process which causes painful, swollen joints in the foot and ankle, the symptoms can be managed and treated effectively by a podiatrist or foot doctor. The most common joint to become arthritic is the big toe joint (1st MPJ) as it bends every step we take. If left untreated this can cause considerable foot pain particularly with high impact movements due to increased stress on the joint which could lead to a visit with the podiatric surgeon in serious cases.
Arthritis of the big toe joint is commonly misdiagnosed as a bunion. Bunions (which sometimes require bunion surgery) can be caused by poor footwear choices, trauma or have hereditary links. It is common for foot pain to develop in the big toe joint due to a combination of arthritis and bunions which can prove a major problem with sport and daily activities.
Early recognition by a podiatrist or foot doctor can assist with treatments ranging from footwear choices, orthotics, strapping, splinting, bracing, exercises and many more by preventing further joint damage developing. So feel free to contact Podiatry Professionals for detailed foot care and advice.
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