Bunions & Bunionettes: How to stop them in their tracks!

Bunions are the primary cause of foot (and footwear!) troubles for both women and men alike. They can be unsightly, painful, and make the simple task of choosing well-fitting footwear nearly impossible. What’s worse is that bunions (and bunionettes) progressively worsen over time, meaning the frustration you feel now will only be amplified as the years go on. So what can you do about bunions & bunionettes – and how did they even come about in the first place?! The Sole Motion team talk bunions!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A BUNION AND A BUNIONETTE?

Medically known as Hallux Abducto Valgus (HAV), the term ‘bunion’ describes a bony bulge that develops on the inside of the big toe at the ball of the foot. The bump is caused by a malaligned position of the big toe joint where the long bone (metatarsal) moves out towards the other foot, and the connecting toe (phalanx) bends in on it, toward the other toes.

A bunionette is similar to a bunion but affects the little (fifth) toe at the ball of the foot. A bunionette is smaller than a bunion and is also known as a tailor’s bunion because of their historical prevalence among tailors who regularly worked sitting cross-legged with the side of the fifth toe rubbing against the ground.

WHAT CAUSES THESE BUMPS TO DEVELOP?

The causes of bunions and bunionettes, but generally come down to increased pressure on the sides of the joints that push the toe bones inwards, and the joint itself outwards. Causes may include:

·         Poorly fitting footwear, especially shoes with pointed toes

·         Abnormal foot biomechanics, such as instability at the joints at the ball of the foot

·         Regularly wearing high heels

·         Flat feet

·         Genetic predisposition

·         Increasing age

·         History of injury to the big and little toe joints

·         Arthritic conditions

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?

The biggest sign is the change in appearance (protrusion) of the big and little toe joints. You may also experience:

·         Redness

·         Swelling

·         Pain at the big and little toe joint

·         Thickened skin and/or corns around the affected joint

·         Pain on bending the toe

·         Difficulty wearing shoes, especially if they are narrow at the toes

As bunions and bunionettes progressively worsen, the affected toe may push into the neighbouring toes. Over time, the toes may begin to overlap.

HOW SHOULD THEY BE TREATED?

Early intervention is the key to stopping bunions and bunionettes in their tracks. It is much easier to manage a bunion or bunionette that is still relatively flexible and has recently begun changing shape/position, as opposed to one that is fixed in place and has been present for decades. Once they become fixed in place, the symptoms can be managed and reduced, though it is very difficult to alter the position and structure of the deformed joint.

The first thing we do here at Sole Motion Podiatry is conduct a thorough examination of your foot and determine if there are any other biomechanical factors/abnormalities in play aside from the presence of the bunion/bunionette. We want to address any contributing factors to limit any similar future changes of the joints.

Concurrent conditions such as arthritis, if present in the joint, may alter the best treatment options for your feet, and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If painful symptoms are present, resting and icing the foot can help offer relief. Depending on the severity of the changes to the joint, we may use the following tools in the treatment of your bunion:

·         Footwear assessment to ensure your shoes are helping and not hindering your bunion/bunionette

·         Orthotics to correct any abnormal foot biomechanics and relieve pressure away from the first or fifth toes

·         Splinting where appropriate

·         Padding

·         Mobilisation techniques

·         Stretching and strengthening where appropriate

·         Low-level laser to reduce any pain/swelling where present

We will run through everything you need to know to address your bunion/bunionette appropriately now and get the best long-term outcomes as we slow down and limit any future progression, where appropriate. In severe cases, where symptoms or the deformation is not reducible, surgery may be indicated. We’ll talk you through all of this and answer any questions you may have.

Here at Sole Motion Podiatry, we’re a team of experts that specialise in foot biomechanics and helping you overcome any pains, problems and obstacles so you can be on your feet and enjoying the activities you love. We understand how disheartening and frustrating foot issues can be, and are with you every step of the way. To find out more or to book in, give our friendly team a call on 1300-FX-FEET.

To see what’s happening around our clinic, check out our Facebook page here.

Pilates & Podiatry: How Pilates can help your feet!

Every day the team here at Sole Motion Podiatry have the privilege of helping patients with pain and injury in their feet and legs. Almost always, part of the treatment and prevention strategy will include components of stretching and strengthening. Often, it is actually weak or tight muscles that cause the problem to develop in the first place. Either way, it’s an important step.

Unfortunately, because a majority of foot problems make it difficult to walk and bear weight on the feet, it can make following a stretching and strengthening plan difficult. So today, we thought we’d focus on an activity that can help you regain your strength and flexibility while you recover from your injury: Pilates!


Pilates is great for both stretching and strengthening
It doesn’t need to be said that Pilates is great for both stretching and strengthening. Depending on the class you take, a large component of pilates typically involves static stretching – the kind that moves your joints and muscles through their full range of motion and pushes them past that to improve long-term flexibility. Pilates can also have an element of repeated movements, or dynamic stretches, which work to warm up and loosen joints. These get you ready for the day ahead and reduce the risk of injury throughout your day.


Pilates doesn’t require standing on injured feet
Pilates exercises are often done in a non-weight bearing (off your feet) or with not a great deal of pressure on your feet, so are ideal when you want to avoid pressure away from injured bones and structures. Exercises that may aggravate your injury are relatively easily adjusted to conduct the same movement but without the pressure. This means you recover faster while gaining the strength and flexibility you need.


Pilates allows you to focus in on your muscles and technique
Usually, when we carry out movements and activities, there is so much going on at the same time and we’re having input from so many senses that it can be difficult to focus in on the goal. The relaxed nature of pilates allows our brain to really hone in on the muscle or joints that we are working, and allow us to really feel any weakness or tightness present. This gives us a greater opportunity to focus on our technique and get our alignment right, so we get the most out of these exercises.


Your feet aren’t affected by shoes
Shoes have a great influence on the alignment of our feet and legs when we’re on our feet, and may make it more difficult for us to perform certain target movements. Stretching and strengthening without our shoes means we can carry out more precise movements, such as the curling of our toes and the inwards/outwards movement of our feet without being restricted by the tops of our shoes around our ankles.


Pilates is great for your whole body
As an added benefit we’ll add that while pilates is great for the feet and legs, you’re also working your whole body at the same time. When we treat your feet and legs, we always think of your whole body and the impact from your feet up. Maintaining good overall body conditioning and strength will help reduce your risk of injury in the future and will generally help you to feel better!

After years of treating foot and leg pain, we understand how difficult it can be to follow your rehab plan when you’re in pain, and we believe this is a great solution. To find out more about what strengthening and stretching exercises are best for your injury, give our expert podiatry team a call on 1300 – FIX – FEET. You’ll be able to take the exercises we prescribe to your pilates session and we can show you the most effective ways of integrating them in.

For a recommendation on a great pilates instructor in the area, we highly recommend Julie Ojeda from Pilates Nation. You can also check out her Facebook and Instagram! And while you’re there – don’t forget to have fun and say hi from us!

Justin & the team at Sole Motion Podiatry
Source: 

Podiatry Clinic Point Cook

Laser therapy or cortisone – which is better?

If you’ve ever damaged a muscle, tendon, ligament or joint, you’ll know how incredibly painful and frustrating it can be. When the injury is in the area of your feet or legs, you feel it with every step you take. It can stop you from carrying out even the simplest daily activities and household chores. It can interfere with your ability to work, and importantly, your ability to spend time with your family and those you care about.

In that moment, you just want something – anything – to ease the pain. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) and cortisone injections are two of the main options you may consider. But what’s the real difference between the two and which is better? Here are five facts that you need to consider.

1. Cortisone inhibits healing, laser promotes it

Cortisone impairs the healing process, meaning it’ll take longer for your injury to heal. This is because cortisone works by reducing inflammation at an injured area. Inflammation is our body’s response to injury and a cause of pain. It is also the process by which the body heals and repairs itself. Inflammation directs blood flow to the injured area which carries the materials our cells need for regeneration and repair. Because cortisone limits the inflammatory process, it impacts the rate at which the body repairs the injured area.

Laser, on the other hand, promotes healing and repair. It works by a photochemical process which affects the tissues at a cellular level. This results in:

Faster wound healing
Rapid cell growth
Less scar tissue formation
Improved circulation
Reduced swelling
Stimulated nerve function

2. Cortisone puts you at risk of causing further injury, laser doesn’t

The pain-relieving effects that cortisone is most used for can be effective, but do nothing to repair the injury, instead merely masking the symptoms. During this pain-free time, you begin to use the injured tendon or area as you normally would if it was uninjured. It’s easy to do when you don’t feel any pain and so don’t know that a particular action is actually causing further strain and damage to the injured site. This means you are left off with more damage than when you started, which you’ll then feel once the cortisone wears off.

Laser doesn’t mask the symptoms like cortisone, so your body still ‘guards’ against movements and positions that’ll cause further injury and pain. Paired with the enhanced healing effects of laser, you don’t have that same risk (or any risk if you’re careful) of worsening your injury.

3. Cortisone will wear off, the effects of laser are long-term
The effects of cortisone are short-lived and temporary. Various researchers have unanimously described cortisone as “a short-term treatment of a chronic problem”. Many studies and physicians agree that the duration of pain relief cannot be guaranteed above two months. The length of time can vary greatly between patients and are influenced by the overall health, the amount of inflammation and its cause. Generally speaking, the effects of cortisone can last from several days to several months. It is the hope that in this time, the body will have repaired enough to relieve symptoms once the cortisone has worn off. However, for many of our patients, this is not the case, and their pain persists.

Laser, on the other hand, works by stimulating healing and repair to deliver the best long-term results. Its focus is on getting the body to efficiently repair the injury and get the affected tissues back to full strength and function. Therefore, while it may not deliver the same numbing effects as cortisone initially, it delivers the better long-term results by a mile and keeps your overall strength and health as a priority.

4. Cortisone has many potentially harmful side effects, laser has none
Cold laser therapy has no harmful side effects, with the FDA finding no red flags or adverse effects, other than just needing to avert your eyes from the infrared light of the laser. This makes it the perfect option for those that are health conscious.

Unfortunately, cortisone does come with a long list of harmful side effects. These range from weakening the tendons and cartilage in the injected area, to “cortisone flares” in 2% of patients, to infections at the injection site. Cortisone also impairs healing, encourages more scar tissue formation, inhibits growth hormone release, impairs calcium uptake in bone, to name a few.

5. Laser has shown superior results to cortisone in clinical studies
Research into various tendinopathies and conditions conclude that while cortisone provides pain-relief in the short-term, their effectiveness has not been demonstrated long-term. Laser has repeatedly shown positive clinical results and efficacy in the short, medium and long-term. It is described as a “promising and consistent treatment for tendinopathies”. It has shown to boost the effectiveness of strengthening exercises and other treatment modalities.

In our clinical experience at Sole Motion Podiatry, we find laser therapy to be superior to cortisone in producing the best long-term outcomes for our patients. Our focus is on delivering the most effective, safe and pain-free results for our patients, and laser therapy achieves all of this and more. We love the results that laser therapy achieves and have seen countless patients back on their feet and out of pain much faster than expected. We successfully manage a range of conditions including tendinopathies, ligament strains and even arthritic pain.

For more information about the laser or to book an appointment, give us a call on 1300-FX-FEET!
References:
Clin Orthop Relat Res 2008 Jul 466(7) 1539-54
Photomed Laser Surg 2014 May 15
J Pain Res 2015 8 247-52
J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2013 Sep 9 29C 272-285

Get Best Services Offered by Sole Motion Podiatry

We provide a complete range of podiatry services, just like inquiries related to sports such as shoe advice, custom orthotics, stretching advice or common podiatry problems like related to skin and toenails. Our clinics are established along with multi-disciplinary medical centers that offer proper analysis of your problem if it requires more than podiatric intervention.

Being premier Podiatric Clinic Point Cook, we usually deal with each aspect of Podiatry, especially in Biomechanical Assessment as well as Orthotic Prescription. We also offer professional management and advice as well for types of injuries in the foot and lower limb. We have a membership of Sports Medicine Australia, Australian Association of Podiatric Sports Medicine, Diabetes Australia and Australian Podiatry Association. As best Podiatry Clinic Point Cook, we focus to build up long-term relationships with customer and provide quality care with the latest technology available.

Services Offered by Sole Motion Podiatry

Podiatrist Point Cook offers following services for people-

• Ø  Sports podiatry
• Ø  Sports massage
• Ø  Laser podiatry
• Ø  Occupational podiatry
• Ø  Children podiatry
• Ø  Functional orthotics

Sports Podiatry- Podiatry Clinic Point Cook is specialized in the management as well as diagnosis of the lower part of legs and foot disorders along with sports injuries linked with lower limb and foot function. Podiatrist Point Cook performs a function via biomechanics assessment along with the inclusion of implementing the underpinning biomechanics for the specific sports of athletes. Sports Podiatry usually involve following things-

·         Joint Mobilisation or Taping of Sports

·         Evaluating past as well as current athletic footwear

·         Video Gait analysis for assessing lower limb functional patterns

·         Movement assessments to determine potential risk factors and reduce future injury.

·         Diagnosis of injury and formulation of a treatment management plan.

·         Assessing foot orthoses for reduction of the external forces to create injured tissues.

·         Referral systems to other Allied Health Specialists for further investigations.

There are following types of sports injury-

·         Forefoot metatarsal injuries

·         Hip, knee or shin pain

·         Achilles tendon and calf issues

·         Toe Joint symptoms/injuries

Sports Massage- The main purpose of sports massage in Podiatry Clinic Point Cook is helping alleviation of stress as well as the tension that builds up in soft tissues of the body while having physical activities. Minor injuries, as well as lesions, happens because of overexertion, massage can easily breakdown them by an effective method. It can also help to prevent irritating injuries and thus enhances performances of athletes. This treatment is not restricted to sportsperson only; sports massage can also benefit people who are in physically demanding jobs. Sports massage helps people to enhance their physical performance. It reduces the chances of occurring injuries during exercises. Sports massage also helps in the sooner recovery process after injury. It ensures complete joint movement and also increases the flexibility of muscles.

Laser Podiatry- Lower Level Laser Therapy is an application of red light over injuries for improvement of soft tissues and to heal them. It is usually used for treating a range of persistent conditions that are difficult to treat. Treatment is for all kinds of joint and muscle pains, sprains and strains that include back and neck pain and arthritis. This type of treatment has no side effects. It is because lasers are not strong enough to damage the cells. LLLT makes use of light energy for stimulating cells and helps to function optimally and thus enhances the healing process. After the photons find the injured tissue, they stimulate as well as energize the cells for its repair and strengthening at higher speed.

Occupational Podiatry- Podiatrist Point Cook truly understands the occupational health as well as safety issues and assessment of workplace injuries. Usually due to poor fat structure, knee, hip and back pain occurs that affects the posture of a person. Due to common issues such as corns, callus or nail disorders, systematic diseases usually affect the feet of the person. There may also occur functional or structural disorders. Employees, who need to spend a large period of time on their feet during work are more susceptible to foot as well as ankle injuries.  There are several kinds of professions that require a person to put pressure on their lower limbs and feet by standing, walking, kneeling or squatting. For such people, we assist to ensure regarding which shoes to wear, offer advice from where to buy the shoes and insert padding on shoes.

Children Podiatry- There are few things which are slightly more important for parents is the task of parenting that includes childcare regarding their interests, education, activities, and health. At our company, we will provide a compassionate professional service for the care of your little ones. In case, ankle or foot of your child get injured, our Podiatrists can help you in this regard. Our Podiatrists performs assessments, evaluations and diagnostic testing for determining a specific as well as accurate diagnosis for bringing out best remedy for the problem. We also work collectively for educating parents regarding diagnosis and discuss with them the treatment plan best suited for their child. Few parents think that children will attain growth because of the foot or leg problem, but in reality, they should not take a chance with the health of their child. In case your children suffer from a foot problem, early detection of the problem along with proper care and feet treatment is essential. It will prevent children from a multitude of mechanical and orthopedic issues as occurs in adults. Compromised posture, pain, and abnormal walking patterns may be the reasons to visit the clinic. Determination of exact problem is essential before it gets extended. Several children have walk pigeon-toed, tip-toeing, flat-footed etc that gives no symptoms.

Functional Orthotics- A foot orthotic is a kind of device that is used for reducing abnormal motion or abnormal position of the foot. It is also used for controlling abnormal motion or abnormal position of the lower extremity which gets affected by the position or motion of the foot. Custom functional foot orthotics is necessary for shoe inserts which can be prescribed as by Podiatrist or other kinds of health professionals. These devices are specifically designed and are worn inside the shoe for controlling the abnormal functioning of foot and benefit in painful areas of the foot. These devices can provide stability for the foot of the person and can correct the imbalances caused by injuries.

Comprehensive Treatment for Foot Pain in Point Cook

One of the most important parts of the human body is the foot itself as it takes the whole weight of the body on it. You take a lot of pride in your limbs because without them you will surely not be able to operate and do your jobs with the efficiency that you usually do.

Hands and legs are arguably the most important part of the body because without hands and legs a person will not be able to do anything or go anywhere. Hands stay very much protected because the strain and pressure that you put in your hands is comparatively less than what you put on our legs. Your legs bear the most pressure because the weight of the whole body falls on the legs and the force that you use to carry out most of your work is extracted from the leg because that is where you put our pressure on to release force and energy.

The necessity of a podiatrist in Point Cook 

It is very much evident that since you use your legs so much and they are very much prone to injuries as well. And injuries that are suffered by legs can really be very fatal at times. In order to overcome and tackle Foot Pain Point Cook there are doctors that specialise in only the treatment of the legs and they are called Podiatrists.

A podiatrist is the one who looks after the injuries and problems that occur in the legs and help out the patients to overcome their problems. There are many foot clinics that have the facility that a podiatrist needs and thus look after their patients with full concentration providing them the needful and necessary Foot Pain Treatment Point Cook and also instruct them to follow a strict and prescribed medication with a diet.

A Podiatrist Point Cook looks after different parts of the leg, from upper portion of the leg to the lower portion of leg, recognizing the issue and the problem.

Children Podiatrist Werribee

 

Children in their formative years go through various stages, from their developmental growth, emotional and physical growth to intellectual one. Parents often worry about whether their growth is as per the benchmarks or is there any flaw in it. When you have a slight feeling that your child is not walking properly, consult a children podiatrist in Werribee. There are plenty of children’s podiatry clinics in Werribee which are good to consult when you need to consult a podiatrist.

Altona Meadows, Point Cook, Seabrook, Tarniet, Truganina, Werribee, Williams Landing are other places where you can find children’s podiatric clinic and few of them are also equipped with sports injury clinic. There are various reasons you must visit a children podiatry clinic in Werribee like 

• If you have a slight indication that your child is delayed in learning to walk or still isn’t showing any signs of walking when he is around fifteen months of age, it is highly recommend that you have your child assessed by a podiatrist at a kids podiatry clinic near Werribee or in Werribee.

• A flat foot is problematic especially in children and it should be assessed at a podiatric clinic nearby you. If you child complains about sore feet or legs, you should immediately consult at a kids podiatric clinic in Werribee.

• You should consult a children podiatrist in Werribee if your child is having an intoe or has Metatarsal Adductus. It is recommended to take him to a children’s podiatry clinic. In most cases, your podiatric will not recommend any treatment as it gets corrected as your child grows, still consulting a podiatry clinic and a well known podiatric is highly recommended.

• For children with turned out flat feet it is recommended you see a Podiatrist.

• Growing pains in feet, lower legs and knees are common in children especially those who are active and regularly involved in some physical activity. You should not ignore any such complaints and immediately seek the advice of a podiatrist and visit a sports podiatric clinic in and around Werribee for immediate results.

Other conditions when you should seek podiatrist assistance are: 

• When one foot looks different compared to the other foot
• Your child is walking on his toes
• Your child is limping
• Your child is already 15 months of age and still does not walk
• He suffers from feet that are turned in or turned
• When your child is reluctant to walk long distance and partake in sporting activity

Sole Motion Podiatrists in Point Cook Talk about Reducing your Injuries with Simple Changes

You might be sick of the injuries holding you back from sports training or most of you would have even dropped the idea of continuing with it. Don’t panic! Sole Motion experts, the renowned sports podiatrists in Point Cook, Werribee as well as Tarneit are here to talk about the things that you need to modify and get back on track.

Customize your Training Surface 

Repetitive injuries occur when a specific structure is frequently overloaded. The basic cause behind this is the inherent biochemical problem but it may be assisted with a little modification over the surfaces you train on. It is suggested if you run on the blend of surfaces across a week like: A tarred road to grass and sand or even trails, these surface modifications will bring a drastic change in the load pattern in your legs and feet. Doing this will not only get you rid of the overloading on a particular structure but also make the rest of the structures stronger.

You Shoe Selection for Running Matters 

Expert’s advice lays a great stress on choosing the right type of shoes. There are chances that you have been running in the same shoes may be for last 3-4 years. However, there’s not any problem with how old they are, but make sure you are not getting hurt with the footwear you are running in. Since most of the leading sports companies have a shoe fit for your sports, but still it is very important to make the right choice. The studies prove that shoes with high level of comfort come up with less injury rates.

Eventually, there is no so-called perfect technique. An encounter to foot injuries greatly depends on the speed, your surface, attire and shoes choices. Apart from this guidance is a key to stay away from foot damage. And in case you feel like you need assistance, Sole Motion Sports Injury Clinic, has a personnel of skilled Podiatrists in Tarneit, Point Cook and Werribbe to help you get out of trouble and make your sports journey a smooth one.