21/2/2022 Can you fix a bunion?According to estimates, bunions affect between 10 and 23% of the population – and women suffer more often than men. There are many factors which predispose you to this unwanted deviation of the toes. The most common are: an inherited family tendency; wearing high heels; and either a very high arched foot or a very flat one.
The clinical name your podiatrist uses for bunions is Hallux Abducto Valgus. In Latin this describes, the big toe (hallux) deviates away from (abducto) and valgus - the slight rotation seen in the toe as it drifts away from its anchoring ligaments. Never mind the linguistics, I hear you say – what matters is can you fix it? The unfortunate truth is that a bunion can only be “fixed” back in place by a surgeon. But there is lots your podiatrist can do to help make it more comfortable to live with this annoying condition. Firstly, we can advise on cushioning and padding products – bunion guards, sleeves and socks work well for some, but not all. Hammer toes often accompany a bunion, and we can advise you on how best to look after these comfortably too. Most importantly we can help you to find bunion-friendly footwear; often the key to living with pain-free bunions. This doesn’t always have to mean frumpy wide fit shoes – although a good pair of properly fitted walking boots and trainers with a flexible upper should be in every bunion sufferers' shoe closet. Many people learn to love their bunions in sparkly strappy sandals and arch support flip flops with a cushioned sole - although easier in the summer, I grant you. UK based specialist companies such as Sole Bliss and Calla Shoes offer a fantastic range of glamorous shoes and boots which have been specially adapted to accommodate those knobbly big toe joints and whilst at the luxury end of the market, pain-free walking may well be worth the price. Finally, the secret weapon in our fight against the bunion is a pair of functional orthotics. These inserts fit into your shoes and are tailored to your own individual foot shape and bunion problem by means of a biomechanical assessment and a 3D scan. The right design of orthotic can help the big toe joint move less painfully and easily, can cushion the painful corns which form under the foot as a result of the bunion and support the arch to lessen the aching of overworked foot muscles. The best part ? They can be worn in a range of shoes. So why not talk to us first, before exploring the surgical option. Call us on 01529 701415 or book a new patient appointment online. 30/1/2022 Foot Pain? The role of UltrasoundBook your When you’re suffering from foot pain , it can be really frustrating not to know exactly what’s wrong. You may be surprised to know that’s sometimes true for your podiatrist too! We can take a careful history of the problem; (when it occurs, what it feels like, if it fades or gets worse etc). We can do a range of clinical tests to “stress” the area to see which bit hurts with certain movements. But we still can’t SEE inside and there are so many different elements in the foot. Starting with 26 bones (28 if you count sesamoids, 30 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which work together to provide support, balance and mobility. Add to that the knowledge that tendons are encased in sheaths (which can themselves be problematic) and the possibility that a bone spur or accessory bone can be causing the problem and it’s no wonder that many patients are left with that befuddled feeling as they try to understand what is wrong and why it happens!
So, enter the cavalry…diagnostic ultrasound! This clever technology when put in the hands of a skilled and trained operator can show a “live” scan picture of soft tissue (tendons, muscles) and bone which can be interpreted to give valuable extra information to diagnose your foot pain accurately. When reported to your podiatrist, who adds it to their own clinical history and tests, significant advantages can be gained in designing your treatment programme to work effectively. This can be in the form of advice on continuing, or temporarily pausing sporting activity; prescribing an orthotic to relieve the painful structures or a programme of exercises to rehabilitate the damaged areas. Occasionally , it can highlight more serious conditions which can then be referred in to your primary health provider. Interested in finding out more? Greensteps Podiatry has a pop up Ultrasound clinic specially for foot pain on Thursday morning 3rd March 2022 run by experienced sonographer Spencer Laver of LCL Ultrasound. Spencer will scan your foot and report findings back to us so that we can really get to the root of the problem. Single scan with report £79 - special offer price. Why not follow up with a Sports Injury/Foot Pain New Patient appointment with Lara Cartwright, Podiatrist, for a comprehensive treatment plan to tackle the problem. BOOK now - call Greensteps Podiatry on 01529 701415 or email us at hello@greenstepspodiatry.co.uk. STRICTLY LIMITED TIME ONLY. Hi there
My name is Steve Proctor and I’m a retired road safety engineer who likes to cycle and walk for leisure and exercise. Over the past few years I’ve suffered from an acute pain across the balls of my feet once I’ve cycled over 25 miles or walked for 5 or so. The pain feels like a very harsh cramp and can only be relieved by stopping, removing my shoes and flexing my feet for several minutes. The pain would then return later in the walk / ride. This was quite debilitating and a massive disincentive to doing exercise, and certainly robbed me of much of the enjoyment to be gained from cycling and walking. Around 2 years ago I started to visit a local podiatry practice and initially had some foot massage together with an exercise routine to try to tackle the problem. Whilst this may have had some marginal benefit, it was to be honest difficult to discern, so ultimately I was referred to Lara who suggested that I should try orthotics – robust shoe insoles specifically designed for the individual shape of my feet. Lara explained that over time these insoles (together with exercises) should help to relieve the pain. The process was very meticulous – lots of measurements, photos, and videos of me walking, so that the insoles could be precisely constructed to my unique requirements. Lara advised that I should wear them all the time where possible, and I do that for all normal daily use. I don’t wear them in my walking boots, and only occasionally use them in my cycling shoes. The initial sensation when I put them in my shoes felt odd – like walking on an uneven surface, and also gave me minor aches in my calves/ ankles (Lara advised that this could happen and not to be unduly concerned). However those sensations soon disappeared and after a couple of weeks I didn’t notice I had them. The objective was that I could cycle and walk long distance pain free. I have now had the orthotic insoles for around 6 months and in the past 3 months I can honestly say that the improvement is fantastic. I occasionally have the odd twinge –this might be at night before sleeping – very rarely when exercising. This is a tremendous difference form a year ago and makes cycling and walking a pleasure again when it had become so painful that I occasionally wondered whether I would have to quit. What I would say though is that I needed to persist – the improvement wasn’t instant, and in the first couple of months of use I had to trust that things would come good – and they did! Finally I would like to say a big thank you to Lara for her friendly and thoroughly professional approach. She was very good both in terms of diagnosis and prescribing a solution that worked for me. On that basis I would have no hesitation in recommending Lara to potential clients who want to see an improvement in any painful and debilitating foot condition. |
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