Childrens Foot & Leg Problems
Common childrens foot problems include flatfoot, intoeing and outtoeing. Sever's Disease (heel pain) and Patellofemoral Joint (knee) problems are also commonly seen in children . These are most often treated conservatively with orthoses management and muscle strengthening regimes.
Heel/ Arch Pain
Plantar fasciitis/ heel spur is one of the most common causes of heel/ arch pain. It involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, which runs across the bottom of your foot connecting your heel bone to your toes. The tissue helps to maintain the arch of the foot. The condition is often an inhereted mechanical problem that can be treated using orthoses, or can be treated with medication, physical therapy and injection therapy.
Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail occurs when the corners of a nail curl downward and grow into the skin on the edge of the toe, causing pain and swelling.
Treatment may be as simple as oral antibiotics, or may inolve a minor surgical procedure that can be performed in the clinic under local anaesthetic for permanent correction if it is recurrent.
Morton's Neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is an enlarged nerve that most often develops between the long bones of the third and fourth toes. Treatment regimes include orthoses or corticosteroid injections.
Plantar Warts
This condition occurs when a virus enters the body through cuts or breaks in the skin and causes non-cancerous growths to build up on the soles of the feet. Plantar warts are not dangerous, but they can be painful. Treatment such as topical pastes, cryotherapy and surgical excisions.
Diabetic Foot & Neurovascular Assessments
Diabetic foot is a loss of sensation in the feet caused by damage to peripheral nerves. This loss of sensation can lead to a diabetic foot sufferer not noticing wounds or injuries in the foot, which can lead to additional damage or infection. Neurovascular tests assess sensation and blood supply in your feet. Often diabetic foot may feel numb/ pins and and needles in the early stages. This risk is something that can be monitored to minimise future foot complications related to diabetes.
Shin Pain
Shin pain is a common injury in many running based sports, e.g. basketball, netball, football.
It is characterised by pain in and around the tibia (shin bone) in the lower leg and usually occurs as a result of a sudden increase in the frequency, duration and/or intensity of activity. Causes include training methods, abnormal foot biomechanics, footwear and muscle imbalance. Treatments include correcting biomechanics (foot orthoses (inserts)), stretching and muscle conditioning program.
Primary Care
Callous and corns is a very thick skin that forms on parts of the skin that are prone to chafing and pressure, such as between the toes or the soles of the feet. Corns may cause pain when pressure is applied. They are usually simply treated with debridement of the lesion with good results.
Flatfeet
Flatfeet are a common condition seen in our clinic and can occur in both children and adults. If your child develops pain either in the foot, leg or knees usually associated with activity, then flatfeet can be the reason. It is important that they are then evaluated by a Podiatrist. Adults can also have flat feet known as acquired flatfoot which arises due to the weakening of the posterior posterior muscle arising in the shin.