Gait Analysis, Podiatrist Melbourne, Orthotics Melbourne, Sports Podiatrist

Finding Clinical Gold

By Samuel Brown, created May 11th 2012

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Australian Podiatry Association of Victoria’s 2012 State Conference.

The conference held in Creswick, Victoria was attended by over 120 podiatrists across the state and helps podiatrists stay up to date with the latest research and technology. It also helps fulfill the Australian Podiatry Board’s requirement for podiatrists to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing professional development each year.

Highlights of the 2 day program included:

Footy and Feet: Podiatry in the AFL

Daniel Bonanno

Daniel shared his experiences of working as a podiatrist for an AFL club. The importance of podiatry at the elite level has increased dramatically over the years with rule changes, advances in sport science, progressive coaching methods and the ever evolving game of AFL.

At Camberwell Road Podiatry we can treat lower leg sports injuries associated with AFL and provide advice on the best choice of football boots for your biomechanics.

Paediatric Footwear Choices: Why is it important and what are the influences?

Dr Stefania Penkala

Recent research has found 28% of children aged 4 to 12 years, experienced foot problems, with over a quarter ceasing physical activity which was significantly associated with problems attributed to footwear. Despite consistent recommendations about the importance of well-fitted and designed footwear, research over the last 70 years continues to report the majority of children wear inappropriate shoes.

At Camberwell Road Podiatry we treat all children’s foot problems and our podiatrists can advise you on the appropriate footwear for your child.

Treatment Options for Adult-Acquired Flatfoot: Moving beyond the foot

Kent Sweeting

Adult-acquired flatfoot is a common disorder seen by podiatrists. Tailoring non-surgical interventions to the condition depending on the stage of progression is critical to patient outcome and avoidance of surgery. A treatment regime consisting of a low articulating ankle foot orthoses (AFO) can be effective in relieving symptoms even in the most advanced cases. The Richie Brace AFO has become the gold standard of conservative, non-operative treatment for adult-acquired flatfoot in the United States. The Richie Brace is now available in Australia and Kent discussed its application when treating this challenging pathology.

At Camberwell Road Podiatry we can diagnose and treat adult-acquired flatfoot. Whether your case requires conservative treatment (custom-made orthotics) or more advanced treatment (AFO) our podiatrists can help.
 

Plantar fasciitis strikes again in AFL

By Katrina Challis, created 15th March 2012

Geelong AFL premiership defender David Wojcinski has suffered a nightmare start to his pre-season with a series of foot injuries that first began in the lead up to Christmas last year.

The Cats assistant coach Nigel Lappin revealed the extent of the injury in a recent Herald-Sun article. "He's got a couple of different things compacting on top of each other and he's been going a lot better the last two or three weeks, (but) he's a work in progress at the moment," Lappin said.

It is believed the main part of his problem is Plantar Fasciitis, a common foot condition causing pain under the heel and sometimes through the arch of the foot when weight bearing. It is caused by excessive strain of the plantar fascia tendon which can be caused by an acute injury, overuse, poor foot function and other associated problems.

Without appropriate and prompt multifactorial treatment it is a condition that can worsen and become chronic. The article reports that Wojcinski is now back running but a definite return to the game cannot be confirmed. Reports say no earlier than round 6 at this stage.

Plantar Fasciitis has affected a number of elite AFL footballers including Essendon’s James Hird. In 2008 Geelong's Brad Ottens missed the first 9 rounds of the season with the condition. Most recently West Coast key forward Josh Kennedy is another current AFL player who has been battling the condition during the pre-season.

At Camberwell Road Podiatry we have great experience in treating Plantar Fasciitis so call and make an appointment if you think this may be affecting you.
 

Tennis and your feet:
Putting your best foot forward

By Katrina Challis, created 23rd February 2012

Tennis is a popular summer sport amongst all ages and nations. It is a game that at an elite level requires great fitness, strength and agility, not to mention skill of course. Tennis players, particularly at the elite level are highly susceptible to foot and ankle injuries due to the high levels of stress that they put their feet under.

What contributes to tennis foot injuries?

The continuous side to side motion and quick stop starting as well as the different court surfaces that all players face contribute to the high level of foot related injuries amongst tennis players. Tennis foot injuries range from minor injuries such as blisters, blackened toenails, corns and calluses to more serious sprains, stress fractures and tendon injuries such as plantar fasciitis.

A New York Times article interviewed Jim Courier, a former world No. 1 who reported to go through as many as five pairs of shoes in a tournament. “It was painful in the ’90s; now, nearly 20 years later, the amount of sliding on hardcourts that these players do is something that’s foreign to me. Players these days are moving faster, they’re stopping faster, and that’s putting more pressure on their feet."

Australian tennis player Lleyton Hewitt has also suffered with a chronic toe injury which has forced him to undergo surgery multiple times and sidelined him on numerous occasions to pain. It is believed he has received pain injections into the toe to get through some of his matches.

Avoiding tennis foot injuries

So how can you avoid tennis injuries? Proper fitting sport shoes are important in any sport. Tennis shoes provide more stability for side to side movement and they are stiffer through the soles to allow for stop-starting pressures on the court. Make sure the shoes are comfortable and properly fitting. Cushioned and moisture wicking socks can also be helpful to prevent blisters and minor injuries. For more serious injuries sometimes braces and orthotics are necessary to control the mechanics and alignment in your feet. A podiatrist can assist in treatment and prevention of all types of tennis foot injuries.
 

A fast way to a foot injury

by Samuel Brown, created 18th December 2011

As we head into another Australian summer one sport that dominates the news is cricket.

Cricketers, in particular fast bowlers are very susceptible to foot injuries. This is due to the huge forces placed on a fast bowlers legs. The largest forces are at front foot strike because of the high acceleration when the foot first hits the ground.

Some common cricket foot injuries include ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, achilles tendonitis, bruised heel, and ingrown toenails.

Young gun bowler injured

The latest Australian fast bowler to be sidelined by a foot injury is the highly promising 18 year old Patrick Cummins. On debut in South Africa in November Cummins collected a 6 wicket haul and man of the match honours. His final figures of 6-79 made him the second youngest player ever to take 6 wickets in an innings.

According to a recent report in the Age, Cummins sustained his foot injury early into the second test against South Africa. By the end of the match Cummins was quite sore and post match scans confirmed heel “fat pad” injury, also known as a bruised heel. A bruised heel is a very disabling condition caused by either an acute incident or repetitive pounding on the heel.

Unfortunately for Cummins his injury woes did not stop there and after consulting a foot specialist further scans also revealed a bone stress injury in the heel. Cummins is not likely to resume bowling until early to mid January 2012.
 

October is Foot Health Month

by Katrina Challis, created 14th October 2011

October 2011 is Foot Health Month. The theme this year is ‘’Diabetes: Counting the Costs’’ and is centered around educating the public on the importance of podiatry and its role in preventing foot health complications in patients with diabetes.

The Australian Podiatry Association has launched a political campaign which focuses on the need for additional (minimum of 12) Medicare funded visits to podiatrists for people with chronic disease-related foot complications such as diabetes. Currently the maximum number of visits is 5 per calendar year and this is shared amongst other allied health services.

Diabetes: Counting the Costs

In 2011, close to 4300 Australians with Diabetes will suffer from a lower limb amputation, contributing to the over $612 million in Australian healthcare costs due to diabetes foot complications. With properly funded podiatry care 3000 amputations could be avoided and over $300 million saved. (Source: Australian Podiatry Association)

The association has put together a number of television and radio announcements to highlight the importance of podiatry in preventing foot complications in patients with diabetes to create awareness about the disease.

It is estimated that currently 1.8 million Australians are living with Diabetes. (Source: Diabetes Australia) The president of the association Andrew Schox reported that ‘’85 Australians lose a lower limb to diabetes related health issues every week. Some people even lose their lives. We know that regular visits to a podiatrist are the best way to keep these problems under control’ Mr Schox said. So if you or anyone you know has diabetes encourage them to visit a podiatrist.

For more information on foot health month visit www.apodc.com.au
 

How many toes do you have?

by Samuel Brown, created 29th July 2011

Most people normally only have 10 toes but a young boy in India has recently broken a world record after being born with 34 fingers and toes !

According to a recent Herald-Sun report one year old Akshet Saxena was born with an astonishing 10 toes on each foot. He has since had a series of surgeries to amputate the excess digits. The condition is known as polydactyly.

What is polydactyly?

Polydactyly is a congenital condition resulting in excess digits on the hand or feet. The condition has an incidinece of approximately 1 in every 500 live births (Dr.Greene).

Normally the extra digit is just soft tissue but sometimes it can contain bones and joints. In the feet the extra digit is most common on the outside of the foot next to the little toe. One extra digit normally doesn't cause much of a problem for the foot and is commonly left untreated. Many excess digits however may result in amputations to help with shoe fit and foot function.