Newsletter 2022
This year, in spite of the Covid pandemic, the Practice saw continued growth in the number of patients who want to seek out a solution to their foot and leg problems.
There is an increase in the incidence of plantar fasciitis, or arch strain and heel spur syndrome. Likelihood is, that one of the main factors for this, is the increase in awareness of an active lifestyle, particularly in the mature population.
Foot instabilities that may have been present before, are often brought to front-and-centre when we add the influence of increased physical activity.
Chronic achilles tendon pain is another condition that continues to present regularly and in many cases it hasn't responded well enough to other treatments before presenting to us.
Joint degeneration, through the influence of osteoarthritis and sometimes prior injury often gives rise to significant discomfort during activity. Unfortunately, we can't cure the condition, but we can very often lessen the pain, by getting the feet to perform more properly.
Knee pain, particularly around the knee cap, is now one of the most significant problems presenting at our clinic, in all age groups.
Children are commonly presenting (most often at ages between about 9 and 15 with knee pain, and this is almost always activity related. The foot is a MAJOR influence on the necessary, smooth, travel of the patella and there is a very strong correlation between foot instability and this debilitating, anatomical condition.
Many parents present their children to us and believe that their child is suffering from, "growing pains". This is not a medical condition[breathing] merely a generalised term for those who suffer pain or discomfort in various foot and leg regions[breathing] and they are still growing. Very often these patterns of discomfort can be traced back to poor functional foot and leg alignment.
Children also present regularly with heel pain that is particularly bad with activity. A simple test for its origin is to squeeze the sides of the heel. There is a cartilage growth plate in this bone and it is often irritated by excessive traction on it from the achilles tendon at the back, and ligament attachments underneath.
Referrals continue to come in for patients who are suffering with discomfort in areas such as the side of the hip, yet not the ball-and-socket joint. This is, like so many of the conditions that we see, one of essentially, mechanical, origin. That is, the pain associated with the problem can very often be traced back to anatomical malalignment. This is something that can be altered, for the better[breathing] especially when there is complimentary management being offered by other health Professionals, who specialise in alleviating such conditions.
We have been perfecting all the variations in prescription, made-to-measure foot orthotics for several decades now. That work continues to interest us and we are updating the techniques used, as well as the best available materials, to get a great result for our patients. Big advancements have been made in material science, three dee imaging and modelling of the foot and, more recently, 3D scanning of corrected-position foot contours. There is now more choice for us than ever before in the methods of manufacture for orthotics. Computer-controlled machining and 3D printing are two of the most innovative technologies that we have in our arsenal.
In the nearly FORTY years that we have been managing clients we have seen many fads and gimmicks come and go.
We continue to deliver what works. And, only that.