Fri, 02 Aug 2019 17:31:02 +1000WeeblyMon, 19 Nov 2018 01:23:18 GMThttp://www.doreenfac.com.au/blog/learn-how-to-enjoy-life-without-your-frustrating-heel-pain​Read on to find out how we've helped many other people in heel pain, just like you, to become pain free and enjoying their life again!

This is something that annoys many in the allied health field - why do we treat heel pain with just orthotic therapy? You might be wondering what I mean by this...I mean that when people come in with say, knee pain, we aim to reduce the pain, increase the movement and then gradually load the joint back up to better than pre-injury levels, or as I like to tell my patients - we calm stuff down and then build it back up.
 

 
So Why Don't We Do This With Your Heel?
 
The foot and ankle seems to be a problem area for many therapists across all disciplines. As a Podiatrist, I’ll admit that it can seem to be a complicated joint when you look at every single little thing that could go wrong. It can be overwhelming! Your foot moves in many different planes and needs to be incredibly strong, whilst incredibly mobile! Just think of the incredible feats of strength you see people can do WITHOUT injuring their feet!
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I think that this may be the reason that it typically isn’t treated effectively and if you’re reading this then I can almost guarantee that you have, or have had, frustrating heel pain. So, if you’d humour me for a few minutes, let me offer a solution to your pain...there is HOPE for you yet!
 
Pain is Pain
 
Forget muscle pain or nerve pain or joint pain, it’s all pain and it all needs to be dealt with accordingly. We have so much amazing research now, which I won’t bore you with, that gives us the tools to help you decrease and be in control of your pain. Your perceptions about your pain will be far more important than ANY structural damage!

Don’t believe me? I wouldn’t either, WHO EVEN IS THIS GUY!?
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So what is the next step?

Combining the research of WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS with a therapist who understands how to implement it and guide you through the program!
 
Your Foot is Built to Move
 
It kills me when I hear people say, “Ohh I just can’t do that anymore, my heel just never gets better - my doctor told me to lose weight and change my lifestyle to avoid certain activities.” This is a nonsense and lazy approach to treating heel pain… let alone a person!

The truth is your feet CAN and SHOULD be able to go through the full range of movement and, by avoiding movements, you will develop more stiffness, pain and decrease movement further. Avoid all movements that hurt suddenly doesn’t seem like such great advice anymore does it?
 
So What Does Fix My Plantar Fascia?
 
Manual Therapy - This is such an effective tool to reduce pain initially and to get you feeling like you can move again, BUT... manual therapy shouldn't last forever and if it does, I hate to say it but that therapist is taking you for a ride! 

Mobility - It's so ESSENTIAL that we get your foot & ankle moving, and moving well, through all planes of movement as soon as possible so prevent further issues that you may face in the future from not using it! Have you ever had your arm or leg in a cast? How incredibly hard was it to bend your elbow/knee when you got it off? It was so STIFF and PAINFUL right? It's the same with your heel, if you guard the movements, everything else around it will tighten up and then normal movements will BECOME PAINFUL!

Strength - I say it over and over, but that's because no proper heel treatment can be complete without a strengthening program. In order to FIX YOUR HEEL PAIN and prevent future issue, we need to work together to strengthen the muscles that support your arch. When your back muscles are weak, they get tired easily and that makes them spasm and, what happens when muscles are overworked and spasm? You got it! They become painful! And contribute to YOUR HEEL PAIN!

But there is hope...

​we've helped many other people with heel pain, just like you, to become pain free and enjoying their life again!

So what are you waiting for? Just fill in the contact form below & I'll contact you to explain exactly how we can help you!


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BECOME PAIN FREE TODAY!]]>Mon, 03 Sep 2018 06:53:20 GMThttp://www.doreenfac.com.au/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-a-corn-and-a-callus
I have painful corns... anytime I put on shoes it really hurts. I am struggling to run or walk home from the train.

As a podiatrist, I see and treat corns and calluses on a daily basis. Lets have a look at how and why our bodies create calluses and corns.

Calluses are hard, rough areas of skin that are often yellowish in colour. They can develop on your foot, most often around the heel area or on the skin under the ball of the foot. They can also develop on the palms of the hands and knuckles.
Calluses are larger than corns and do not have such a well defined edge. As callused skin is thick, it is often less sensitive to touch than the surrounding skin. Calluses develop when the skin rubs against something, such as a bone, a shoe or the ground. They often form over the ball of your foot because this area takes most of your weight when you walk. This is particularly the case when high heels are worn regularly. Excessive pressure on bony areas of the foot, badly fitting shoes, dry skin and reduced fatty padding are all possible causes of calluses.
Corns are small circles of thick skin that usually develop on the tops and sides of toes or on the sole of the foot. However, they can occur anywhere. Corns are often caused by wearing shoes that fit poorly or certain designs that place excessive pressure on an area of the foot. Corns often occur on bony feet as there’s a lack of natural cushioning. They can also develop as a symptom of another foot problem, such as:

· a bunion – where the joint of the big toe sticks outwards as the big toe begins to point towards the other toes on the same foot
· hammer toe – where the toe is bent at the middle joint
 
How do we treat corns and callu​ses in the clinic?
Corns on feet will not get better unless the cause of the pressure is removed. If the cause is not removed, the skin could become thicker and more painful over time. A corn is a symptom of an underlying problem. You should only treat it yourself when you know what has caused it and after you have spoken to a specialist about the best way to manage it.
Over-the-counter treatments for corns, such as corn pads, are available from pharmacists. However, they do not treat the cause of the corn and may affect the normal, thinner skin surrounding the corn. Corn pads may not be suitable for certain people, such as those with diabetes, circulation problems or fragile skin due to their mechanism of action.
As with corns, you should only treat calluses yourself after a podiatrist has identified the cause and advised you about treatment. Our Podiatrists are able to treat corns or badly callused areas using a sharp blade to remove the thickened area of skin. This is painless and should help reduce pain and discomfort. They can also provide advice on self-care and prescribe special insoles if required.

Best Advice for treating at home
·         Wear comfortable shoes and socks. When footwear fits properly, there is less opportunity for friction and rubbing to occur.
·         Soak your feet in warm, soapy water to help remove corns and calluses. Rub the thickened skin with a pumice stone to remove toughened layers more easily.
·         Keeping your feet moisturized with foot cream or lotion will help improve the quality of your skin and rid your feet from calluses or corns.

 
Recommended plan for safe and thorough removal of a corns or calluses
·         Routine 4-6 weekly visits with your podiatrist until resolved
·         Your skin (skin cells) goes through three stages of healing over 90 days
                        o   Repair/Inflammatory Phase (0-3 weeks)
                        o   Regeneration/Proliferation Phase (3-6 weeks)
                        o   Maturation/Re-Modelling Phase (6-12 weeks)
·         It is important to see and treat the corn in the Regeneration/Proliferation phase
                        o   This allows time for the skin to heal
                        o   Treats and removes the damaged skin cells before they mature
                        o   Promotes more healthy tissue growth through the skin
·         Identify the causes of the calluses/corns
                        o   Remove tight footwear
                        o   Reduce pressure through the area via offloading/padding/taping

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