Outreach Podiatry: Dunedoo

Michael Duggan
B. Pod, Mem APODA

Michael enjoys all aspects of podiatry but especially biomechanics of the feet and lower limbs and helping people to stay pain free. Michael worked with an orthotic manufacturer during his training and is able to prescribe and adjust orthotics as necessary.

Common biochemical injuries include plantar fasciitis, adult acquired flat foot deformity or tibialis posterior dysfunction, Achilles tendonitis, stress fractures, ankle sprains and shin or knee pain. These can be treated with correct footwear, stretching and orthotics as necessary.

Nicole Wright
B. Pod, Mem APODA

As a podiatrist Nicole is passionate about all aspects of the feet and lower limbs. She especially likes treating and being involved with the ongoing care of chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis.

Nicole enjoys working with children and the different foot conditions that can arise as they grow. If parents have any concerns about the way their children are walking or if the child is complaining of foot pain or ingrown toenails please don’t hesitate to make an appointment, as a mum herself Nicole knows that peace of mind is very important when it comes to your children

Resources

Plantar Fasciitis
The most misunderstood foot ailment in history

Symptoms

Common symptoms for patients are:

• Pain first thing in the morning


• Aching, throbbing and burning by the end of the day


• Pain on immediate weight bearing after periods of sitting or lying down


• Moderate to severe pain after sport or exercise

Modern Day Ailment

The Clinic sees Plantar Fasciitis as a modern ailment brought about by the changes in lifestyle over the last 50-60 years. Daily surfaces are much harder, the workplace, home, shopping centres, footpaths, hospitals, schools and even some sporting venues, are concrete. To accommodate, footwear is generally softer with increased cushioning, lacking support and stability. Add to this the fact that we now live longer, are heavier and perform more intermittent activity. The foot structure cannot evolve quickly enough, hence Plantar Fasciitis is just one manifestation of these changes.

Sever's Disease
Children's heel pain & other kid's sports injuries

In general a child's foot tends to be more elastic and resilient than an adult's foot and thus less prone to injury, except for the heel growth plate. During foot growth spurts a child's foot bones tend to grow faster than the underlying muscle and tendon structure causing tension and tightness in a child's foot.

Since the heel is one of the last parts of a kid's foot to fully ossify, very active children in particular are at risk of developing severe heel pain. This kind of children's heel pain is called Sever's disease. Sever's disease is most common in children who play soccer and basketball, but any child who runs and jumps a lot during play can develop the disorder.

Diabetes and your feet

When you have diabetes you need to take very good care of your feet every day. If you do this then you can prevent serious complications.

Your feet are at risk because diabetes can cause damage to the nerves and the blood supply. This damage is more likely if:

• You have had diabetes for a long time


• Your blood glucose levels have been too high for an extended period


• You smoke


• You are inactive.

There are two types of risk to feet, high risk and low risk. Knowing the risk and taking care of your feet can prevent serious problems even amputation.

A doctor, podiatrist or Credentialed Diabetes Educator can carry out an easy and painless check on your feet to determine whether your feet have a low or high risk of developing more serious problems.

Bunion
Hallux abducto valgus

What is a bunion?

When your big toe is angled towards the second toe, the deformity is called a bunion (hallux valgus). This causes a bump on the side at the base of the big toe. In addition there is often thickening of the skin and tissues next to the affected joint. The thickened skin and tissues may become inflamed, swollen and painful.

Sometimes a fluid-filled sac (bursa) develops over the joint.

What symptoms and problems are caused by bunions?

• Pain. You may then have difficulty walking due to pain.


• Inflammation and swelling at the base of the toe. This sometimes becomes infected.


• The foot may become so wide that it can be difficult to find wide enough shoes.


• You may get arthritis in the big toe.


• The second toe can become deformed.


• In severe cases, the big toe can push your second toe up out of place.