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Encouraging foot health in your children

8/8/2022

Want a hot tip for life?

It’s never too early to make good choices!

Learning good foot health hygiene habits early on can help save them from problems later on.

Here are a few to encourage:

• Your child’s shoes are theirs alone.
There can be dreadful surprises when you share shoes such as fungal toenails, warts and athlete’s foot. Teach your child to only wear their shoes, and never let someone else use theirs.

• Warm-up before high activity.
Warming up with stretches and light jogging before sports and running is a good way for everyone to help prevent overuse injuries.
Making warm-ups a habit will be valuable in the future (and any sports coaches your child may have will likely love their discipline).

• Wash well.
Daily foot hygiene is important!
A routine foot wash should include washing between the toes with warm water and soap.
It does not count to just run soapy water over the feet (yes, we are looking at you, adults).

• Be open about foot or ankle problems.
A common problem with children is that something may hurt, but they are scared to talk about it due to fear of missing out on activities or fear of enduring a treatment that feels even worse.

Always be open, honest, and empathetic with your children about potential treatments and problems, and they will be more open to talking with you about them.
Don’t be reluctant to ask us if you have any questions about your child’s foot or ankle care.

We will be happy to help!

How did I get flat feet as an adult?

8/3/2022

When you were growing up, you might have known of a child who had flat feet. You might have even had flat feet yourself but grew out of it.

But now you’re an adult and feeling foot pain, and you’ve been told you have flat feet.

What gives?
You didn’t have them earlier!

Adult-acquired flatfoot is different from childhood flatfoot.

The “acquired” part is the key.

While flatfoot in children is something they tend to be born with and often grow out of once their foot structure firms up with time, adult-acquired flatfoot is the result degradation or failure of a "solidified" structure.

This condition is often caused by the posterior tibial tendon in adults.

As you walk, this tendon supports the arch of your foot. Any sort of damage or vulnerability in the tendon can cause this support to be lost and the arch to collapse.

Athletes commonly damage their posterior tibial tendons, but excess weight (either from overweight or pregnancy) and rheumatoid arthritis can also be damaging factors.

Adult-acquired flatfoot can have a variety of causes, but one thing is certain;

If you experience foot or arch pain, talk to us right away!

To help you move more comfortably, we will find the root cause of your injury and recommend the best treatment options.
Click here to read more on how we can help you with your flat feet.

Custom orthotics for different circumstances

8/1/2022

Custom orthotics correct foot, ankle, lower leg, knee, and hip alignment deficiencies just as prescription eyeglasses correct vision deficiencies.

You may be thinking, what are orthotics, and what purpose do they serve?

Foot orthotics or orthoses are shoe inserts that 'support abnormal foot movement'. It is important to note that not all orthotics are made from the same materials or of the same quality.

Using orthotics, you can relieve pain and pressure by repositioning structures of the lower extremities, which will allow them to move more freely and prevent injuries.

A pair of orthotics helps rebalance pressure or to float a part of the foot that is taking too much pressure while walking.

Many people can benefit from custom orthotics. For example:

Persons who have arthritic conditions in their ankles or feet.
A child or adult with a foot deformity, such as flat feet, or a child who has an in-toeing or out-toeing gait disorder.
Athletes who have ‘imbalances’ that under normal conditions are not harmful and might not even be noticeable, but in high-stress athletic activity can cause muscle, ligament, tendon, and joint fatigue; reduce efficiency; and elevate vulnerability to injury.
Diabetics, with or trying to avert foot ulcers.

Custom orthotics fall into three broad categories:

Soft orthotic devices can improve balance, take pressure off uncomfortable or sore spots, and absorb shock.
They are constructed of soft, compressible materials for improved cushioning. People with arthritis, a lack of protective fatty tissue, or diabetes benefit most.

Rigid orthotics are made of firm materials such as carbon fibre, polypropylene plastic or EVA. They are designed to control foot function in two major foot joints just below the ankle joint to alleviate discomfort in the feet, ankles, knees, and lower back.

Semi-rigid orthotics are often used to reduce soreness, fatigue, and perform more efficiently. They consist of a layer of soft material reinforced with more rigid material.
If your foot alignment is out of whack, it can have far-reaching ramifications.

A thorough podiatric exam at our office can help you straighten things out. Click here to find out more about our orthotics.

Greg Robinson Podiatry

Encouraging foot health in your children

How did I get flat feet as an adult?

Custom orthotics for different circumstances

Greg Robinson Podiatrist

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