“My feet are killing me” is a very common complaint heard around town. Only a few of those suffering from sore feet, seek professional help. A common misconception is that sore feet are normal; they are not.
A Podiatrist is a qualified foot health professional. They are trained to identify and treat the cause of your foot pain. Problems could arise from biomechanical abnormalities (structure of the foot), inappropriate footwear, growths (corns and calluses), disease (diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis), infection (tinea), or injury. Some foot pain can be a sign of systemic disease.
Our feet are very complex. They bear and enormous burden of daily living and house a quarter of the bones in the body. They must also twist and flex with increased impact and strain when we move around. They also consist of a network of muscles, ligaments and joints. Feet are very vulnerable to injury and disease.
Even though simple day-to-day activities, such as walking and standing, our feet can be injured if not properly supported. Shoes play a vita; role in this, as well as protecting our feet from external damage.
There is no such thing as the perfect shoe. Feet come is all shapes and sizes, and so do shoes. Men, women and children, athletes and the elderly, all have different shoe requirements, and these differ from activity to activity.
It is very important to ensure that the shoes fit properly, they are supportive for the kind of activity, and they do not cause damage to your feet in any way. Feet cannot be replaced like a pair of shoes.
Often, our feet are the most neglected and forgotten part of our bodies. Some feet have special needs- children’s feet, sporting feet, working feet, mature feet, and those feet affected by disease
Children’s feet are very fragile and still forming. Their feet differ from those of adults, as they are not yet fully formed. At six months of age, the foot is still cartilage, in fact the last bone doesn’t form until children are about 3 years of age. Children’s feet are soft and pliable making them prone to damage from socks and shoes that are too small or even too big. Early examination of children’s feet is a preventative measure. Potential problems are identified as uneven shoe wear, skin rashes, lumps or bumps, pain in the feet or legs, frequent tripping and falling and not wanting to walk at all.
The sporting foot can absorb up to 3 times your body weight. These activities place greater demands on the body than normal day-to-day activities.
10 000 steps a day is the minimum amount of stress we place on our feet each day. Working feet can also cover many kilometers in a single day. Those in the workforce suffer from foot problems because of ill-fitting footwear, inappropriate footwear and injuries related to the heavy loads associated with walking, lifting, running and jumping on and off heavy machinery, or in and out of cars.
By the time we reach 50 years of age, we would have covered about 86 000km. This makes our feet more prone to injury and disease. Arthritis is common in about 80% of people who reach 50 years of age. Toe and joint deformities are also very common after this age.
People with medical conditions, such as arthritis, are more prone to developing serious foot problems because they are more likely to experience reduced blood circulation and nerve degeneration. This leads to a decreased ability to heal wounds.
It is recommended you visit a Podiatrist if:
- You have pain in your feet
- You are on your feet all day
- You have skin or nail problems (ingrown or discoloured toenails, corns, skin rashes)
- You have foot odour
- You have a foot injury
- You have health problems such as diabetes or arthritis
- You have recurrent trips and falls
- You have problems getting shoes to fit comfortably
- You have bumps or lumps, bunions or misshapen toes.
Call us today
(09) 212 9612