WHATEVER YOUR FOOT PROBLEM WE CAN HELP!

Whether you’re 1 or 100 or somewhere in between, foot and leg problems can come out of no where… it’s nice to know that liberation is not too far away!

Injuries and Pain:

An ankle sprain is arguably one of the most common acute ankle injuries that occurs typically while participating in sport. An ankle sprain refers to when the ligaments supporting the ankle are stretched beyond their limits or are torn. This can cause anything from mild to severe symptoms. Sporting activities, inappropriate footwear, or walking on an uneven surface can all cause this injury.

Most sprains are minor and heal with home treatments such as rest and ice, but in a more severe sprain, no treatment or rehabilitation and significantly weaken your ankle – making it more likely the injury will reoccur. Repeated ankle sprains can lead to long-term complications including ankle instability, chronic ankle pain and arthritis. If you would like to know more click here to see our blog article about weak ankles. Otherwise, if you are concerned about your ankle pain or weak ankles, BOOK NOW or phone us on 02 4323 9100 to discuss your options.

Each foot and ankle is made up of 26 bones to provide structural support and carry the weight of our body. On occasion, the forces places on the bones in our foot may be significant enough to cause a fracture, or break, in one of the bones. Such fractures can be a result of sudden injury, or due to repeated stress as in the case of stress fractures.

Some common types of fractures include:

  • Ankle fracture (fibula or tibia)
  • Toe fractures
  • Lis Franc fracture
  • Stress fracture (including Jones and Navicular fracture).

Given the nature of fractures, it is important they are evaluated by a health professional and an appropriate treatment plan is put into action as soon as possible. Treatment often includes a period of rest and immobilisation, followed by a rehabilitation program.

If you are worried you may have a fracture because you are experiencing please contact your doctor or present to the emergency department as soon as possible. If however, you are unsure call us on 0243239100 or BOOK NOW

Heel pain is a common problem for people of all ages. Heel pain is often used as an “umbrella” term for any condition that can occur around the heel. Heel pain causes chronic discomfort and often affects day-to-day activities.

Some specific heel pain conditions such as plantar fasciitis and heel spurs can cause significant inflammation and need to be treated as soon as possible. Heel pain can cause a range of symptoms which include, but are not limited to, pain at the base of the heel, pain upon standing after an extended period of rest (like when you first get out of bed), or burning and tightness along the arch of the foot.

Specific types of heel pain include:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Heel spurs
  • Achilles tendinopathy
  • Bursitis
  • Sever’s disease
  • Nerve impingement
  • Haglund’s deformity.

Heel pain, depending on the exact diagnosis, and what is required, may be resolved through treatment options such as icing, exercises, orthotic prescription, steroid injections or surgery.

If you are someone you know is experiencing heel pain, don’t hesitate! Call us today on 02 4323 9100 or BOOK NOW!

There are a wide number of reasons why people may experience pain in their muscles. This can range from delayed onset muscle soreness that stems from working the muscle throughout exercise, to growing pains in children, to complex conditions associated with chronic disease. Naturally the treatment needs to be aimed at which type of pain you are experiencing specifically.

To tell the difference between which type of pain you may be experiencing a podiatrist will perform a detailed history, biomechanical analysis and examination. Sometimes other diagnostic tests may be used.

If you have muscle pain that you are unsure about BOOK NOW for an assessment! otherwise you can find out more information in our blog article here

Tendon are the parts of the body that connect our muscles to our bones – they enable us to move body parts when muscle contract. Pain in these areas can develop from chronic disease associated with connective tissues, from incidental direct trauma such as being hit in that part of your body or from ongoing stress to the area from excessive workloads being placed on them. These excessive loads can come through rapid increases in exercise intensity in a short time for example or through our body being out of alignment and causing ongoing micro-stress to those body parts that have to work harder than others to compensate.

Tendon pains can be complex and usually require professional intervention to manage. Sometimes the problem only requires some simple but focussed stretching, others times it requires more aggressive interventions like walking training or orthotic therapy. It’s also important to note that the longer tendon pains continue the more difficulty it can be to treat, so don’t delay to seek treatment if you have pain in a tendon.

If you are someone you know is experiencing tendon pain, don’t hesitate! Call us today on 02 4323 9100 or BOOK NOW.

Bunions (hallux-abducto-valgus deformities) are a common foot deformity of the joint that connects the big toe (hallux) to the main bones of the foot (metatarsals). They appear as bony prominences which protrude towards the midline of the body. They can be painful or not, and this is not directly related to the size of them. They have been shown to be related to people’s genetics but also to abnormal / inefficient styles of walking and alignment. They usually develop over long periods of time but can sometimes develop quickly and worsen with certain types of footwear and activities.

If you’re unsure about what to do about your bunion or there is pain associated with it be sure to call us on 02 4323 9100 or BOOK NOW! Or take a look at this blog article which goes into more detail

Hammer and clawed toes are lesser toe deformities related to either pressure, friction or instability. Friction and pressure from footwear can cause crunching of the digits inside the footwear for example. Science tells us that muscles and ligaments will change shape in accordance with long term pressure placed upon them. Basically, if a digit or its ligaments are held in a certain position for a long enough period of time it will eventually begin to act as if that position is the normal and will have difficulty changing.

Hammer and claw toes develop from the same mechanisms. If there is pressure from footwear that is perhaps too small or that has a heel that increases the toe pressure into the end of the shoes, the digits will eventually stay in that position and have difficulty changing. Furthermore, if there is instability in the feet or lower legs the muscles of the toes can help compensate for that instability, overtime however if that becomes an ongoing requirement from them, they will likely set in that position and appear hammer or claw shaped.

Treatment involves reversing the causative factors that lead to the change in shape and position and helping the digits realise that normal is not the current position. Treatment also can involve reducing any thickened skin overlying (see corns / callouses) to reduce any pain associated with pressure they may be having inside footwear or when walking.

If you have pain associated with hammer toes or are concerned about something in your feet be sure to call us on 02 4323 9100 or BOOK NOW!

Biomechanical:

Foot orthotics are specialised shoe inserts designed to support the natural shape of the foot, align the ankle and improve posture and overall foot function. Orthotics are suitable for people of all ages (infants to the elderly) with a variety of foot or lower limb problems. It’s important to speak to a qualified professional to determine if orthotics are needed in your case or not and which particular type.

If you think you might need orthotics give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW to find out or you can go to this article to read more about what orthotics are and why people use them. If you know what orthotics are and you’re interested in the process we use here to prescribe them click here.

Sports podiatry involves the mechanical assessment of the lower limb (hip-to-toe) in normal function and activity. It then treats problems associated with any abnormalities by restoring normal functions and alignment. Sports podiatry utilizes tools, massage, exercises (assisted in clinic and at home prescriptions), splints, braces or orthoses to re-establish mechanical alignment.

If you think you might need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW to find out!

Children are not little adults. Children’s feet differ significantly from those of adults as they are not fully formed yet. In fact, of the 26 bones in each foot, the last bone doesn’t begin to form until children are about 3 years old. It is not until the age of 18 that most of the bones of the foot are fully developed. In addition to this, the hips, femur, knees and lower limbs go through a range of rotational and positional changes until a child is 12 years old.

Through these developmental changes, children may express concern of some aches and pains. Whether these are growing pains, sporting injuries or poor biomechanics resulting in unequal distribution of load and forces through the body, your podiatrist can help. Healthy feet enable us to walk more efficiently and perform our daily tasks more effectively. It is crucial a child has their biomechanics checked and monitored at an early age to prevent any long-term problems.

If you think your child may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

As children go through their developmental changes, not everything will be aligned as we may perceive as “normal”. We see many children walking through the doors of our clinic whose parents are concerned about their feet turning in or out when they walk. In-toeing, also known as being “pigeon toed”, is the more common presentation. At some stages of a child’s growth, in-toeing can be seen as a normal developmental stage, however depending on its severity or what stage of development this is seen, it may create additional problem that warrant intervention.

There are four common causes for in-toeing which include metatarsus adductus, internal tibial torsion, internal femoral torsion and tight internal hip rotator muscles. More information can be read about these in our “In-toe (pigeon toed) walking” blog. Treatment for in-toeing and out-toeing varies greatly depending on severity. Treatment can be as simple as changing a child’s sitting and sleeping positions and exercises, to splinting and surgical intervention, although this is uncommon and usually identified within a child’s first 6 months.

If you think your child may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Toe walking describes walking on the balls of the feet, without the heel making contact with the ground. While it is considered normal for toddlers to begin walking on their toes as they experiment with different walking styles, it should not persist for long periods or past the age of three. There are a range of causes for tip-toe walking including:

  • Habitual or idiopathic (unknown cause)
  • Sever’s disease
  • Short or contracted Achilles tendon
  • Muscle spasticity
  • Global Developmental Delay
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Autism.

Many children walk through the doors of Riverside Podiatry presenting with tip toe walking. Our podiatrists will perform a thorough paediatric-specific assessment to determine the cause of the toe walking. There are many treatment options but the sooner it is addressed, often means the better the outcome.

If you think your child may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

If you are someone you know is experiencing tendon pain, don’t hesitate! Call us today on 02 4323 9100 or BOOK NOW.

Growing pains are aching pains that take occur in children usually aged between 2-12 in their lower limbs mostly. They affect both sides usually and occur towards the end of the day, particularly days of increased activity or days of frustration for the child.

Theories have been previously proposed that these pains are associated with bones growing faster than tendons causing pain as they stretch. While that theory has been proven incorrect, science is yet to discover the cause for growing pains in children. With that said, growing pains are real and can range from 10-30min with pain levels from mild to severe. Children will often wake from sleep with the pain and not be able to sleep for some time thereafter.

It can be helpful for a parent or guardian to rub or massage the area during the incident and reassure the child that it is a common and non-dangerous condition. If this is insufficient to relieve the pains, it is worth seeing a podiatrist to assess any further requirements.

If you think your child may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Club foot (medically known as Talipes Equinovarus) is birth defect that affects the muscles and bones in the feet. In NSW, the deformity occurs in less than 0.5% of births and, interestingly, is more common in boys than girls. Instead of being straight, a club foot points down and turns in. This twisting causes the toes to point toward the opposite leg. In half of the babies with club foot, both feet are affected.

A club foot isn’t painful and won’t cause health problems until a child begins to stand or walk. Unfortunately, a club foot will not self-resolve. If left untreated, it can lead to serious problems and even prevent a child from learning to walk – its therefore essential to start treatment straight away, ideally a week or two after birth.

If you think your child may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Skin:

Blisters are fluid filled sac’s that form in the outer layers of the skin. The most common form of blister is related to direct skin contact injuries, burns or friction. With that said, blisters can also form from a number of medical conditions that are more chronic and require medical attention for resolution. If you are unsure of the origin of your blister – consult with your podiatrist or a medical professional as soon as possible. For more information take a look at this blog which covers it in more detail.

If you have blisters you would like assessed or treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Callouses are hardened skin plaques that form on areas of high pressure. This can be noticed when someone that regularly uses landscaping implements that cause pressure / friction in the knuckles of the hands and the callouses form on the knuckles that grip. Very similarly are those callouses formed that develop on the feet. Usually a person has a high-pressure area under the foot which is actuated every step the person takes. This can often be worsened by flexible footwear that increases the movement in the foot and the friction against the ground.

Callouses have been theorised to develop from repetitive pressure increasing and decreasing the blood flow to and from an area of skin with on/off pressure. This is thought to increase the processing and replicating of cells in the skin and reducing the taken to add extra layers. The skin therefore becomes thicker quicker and ideally, effectively reduces the risk for injury. With that said, the process can become excessive on the feet and the callouses that form can become a pressure point all on their own. This then causes pain similar to that of walking on a rock in your shoe.

Treatment involves a process called debridement in which a qualified professional carefully shaves the dead skin away and relieves the pressure. Treatment can be performed best by a registered podiatrist who will also provide advice on how to prevent the problem from coming back or what can be done to reduce the impact on your daily life.

If you have callouses you would like treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Warts are viral infections of the skin that position themselves in such a way as to avoid detection by the body’s normal immune response. Instead of developing only on pressure areas like corns (although a lot of them do form on pressure areas) they can develop anywhere on the foot. Often times they are undetected by the person until they form excessive callus over them from ongoing micro-friction in footwear or walking. Hence, they very much resemble and can be confused with corns. Take a look at this article to find out more…

If you have a wart you would like treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Corns are effectively focal callouses that build up on the skin as a means of protecting the skin from injury. They usually form on the pressure areas for example under the foot on the ball or the heel where our body weight rests against the ground. Otherwise they develop on bony prominences – especially those that rub on shoes – such as the tops of the toes. Sometimes they can even develop between the toes! Be warned though! Sometimes they can easily be mistaken for a wart (verruca)! Take a look at this article to find out more

If you have a corn you would like treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Tinea, more commonly known as Athlete’s foot, is a common fungal skin infection that affects the feet. It is caused by a fungus that thrives in warm, moist environments such as showers. Change rooms, around public pools, and in your shoes. The fungus commonly infects the skin between the toes where there is too much moisture and is often red, itchy and can results in fissuring. If the fungus is left untreated, it can spread to other areas of the foot where symptoms will include dryness and peeling skin, itchiness and small blisters.

If you have tinea or are unsure and you’d like it treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Dry, cracked heels are often seen as not only painful, but also embarrassing. The thick and dry skin that can develop under the heels can also crack and split under pressure as the skin losing its natural elasticity. Cracked heel can be caused by some lifestyle factors including being barefoot, prolonged standing on firm surfaces or increased weight. Some medical factors include diabetes, fungal infection or circulation issues.

Thankfully, cracked heels can be resolved through seeing your podiatrist so the dead skin can be painlessly debrided. At home, it is a good idea to moisturise daily with a urea- or oil-based emollient, use a pumice stone, wear enclosed shoes and stay well hydrated with a balance diet. For more information on cracked heels, head over to our blog “Cracked Heels… OUCH!”.

If you have cracked heels and you’d like them treated give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Chronic Conditions:

High risk feet refer to feet that have begun to lose the ability to feel and/or the ability to heal. It is most commonly related to diabetes – a lifestyle condition that effects the nerves and blood vessels. The ability to feel is related to the health of the nerves which send signals to and from your brain in order to notify you how your feet are going. When these nerves start to deteriorate feet will begin to lose their ability to sense the ground beneath them and even more importantly when an injury occurs. This becomes a problem, especially if the person continues to walk on those injury areas and make them worse. This can be compounded when a person has a chronic condition and has lost their ability to heal very easily after injury.

Podiatrists are experts at testing and assisting in managing these types of conditions and so if you have chronic conditions that could affect your feet its strongly advised that you get your feet assessed regularly.

If you have diabetes or any other condition that may increase the risk to your feet, it is vitally important to have them assessed – give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Numbness and tingling usually come from injured or irritated nerves or from diseases that affect the nerves. The injuries can happen when our body is out of alignment and pressure is placed on the nerve so it cannot send its usually signals. It can also occur when a part of the body is injured through a traumatic incident.

Whether by trauma, irritation or a disease process the nerve may begin to send odd sensations such as tingling or burning or pins and needles or the signal may be completely blocked and cause numbness.

It’s important to have any of these sensations checked by a professional as they are often associated with other problems and need to be managed all together to prevent things becoming worse. Diabetes is one of those conditions that affects the nerves over time, take a look at this blog article for further information.

If you have diabetes or any other condition that may increase the risk to your feet, it is vitally important to have them assessed – give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Poor circulation usually stems from a disease that affects the blood vessels (arteries). The blood vessels act like pipes to get the blood to the different parts of the body. Usually circulation deteriorates when these pipes get damaged or blocked.  This often comes from disease that cause fat to be deposited into the walls of these pipes which narrows the pipeline making it more difficult for the blood to pass through freely. This poor circulation can often result in reduced ability to heal. If the condition progresses without treatment it can lead to amputation. Therefore, it is very important to have your feet assessed by a podiatrist if you have any condition that may affect your blood flow. Some examples include diabetes, high cholesterol or heart problems. 

If you have conditions that may affect your circulation, it is vitally important to have it assessed –  BOOK NOW! or give us a call (02 43239100)

 

Poor circulation can also come from reductions in flow of the blood back to the heart from the feet (Veins). Chronic diseases can lead to an inability of the blood to feed into the larger veins and get back to the heart. The blood then sits in the one spot and leaks excess fluid into the space around the ankle causing pressure related swelling. If not managed, this can lead to reduced healing of the ankles and surrounding areas and increased risk of infection. If you have swelling of your ankles for any reason it’s worth getting them assessed to prevent further problems.

If you have conditions that may affect your circulation, it is vitally important to have them assessed – give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Arthritis is defined most simply as inflammation of the joint. This either relates to a collection of diseases associated with increases in joint pressure or to chronic disease that causes degeneration of specific joints because of complex chemical processes. Either way arthritis is often a painful condition that needs to be attended by an allied health professional especially if it is impacting on your normal daily function. Arthritis usually deteriorates over time, especially if it is not managed appropriately. If you have pain in the joints of your lower limbs and are unsure if it’s arthritis or would like to talk to someone about management of your already diagnosed arthritis.

If you have arthritis or joint pain, it is important to have it assessed and treated to minimize the long term effects – give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Toenails:

Ingrown toenails (onychocryptosis) is a condition caused by a piece of nail protruding from the side of the nail into the adjacent skin. This provides an entry point for bacteria which can cause an infection in the toe. Symptoms range from mild to moderate and can progress to severe if left untreated.

There are multiple causes for ingrown toenails including ill-fitting footwear, poor cutting techniques, trauma to the toenail or sporting activities such as soccer, football or netball. Ingrown toenails can be resolved through conservative treatment by your podiatrist or a minor surgery. The earlier the problem is addressed, the better the outcome! If you’d like further information take a look at our article on ingrown toenails.

If you have an ingrown toenail that needs assessment and treatment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Thickened toenails more often than not start from impact trauma. This can either be macro-trauma through a single incident of dropping something heavy on your digit or through multiple tiny incidents (microtrauma) such as ill-fitted footwear or unsupportive footwear that pressurises the digits against the sides of the shoe and other digits. In both cases the sensitive nail matrix where nail cells are born become warped and misshapen from the abnormal pressures and the nail then grows abnormally.

Normally thickened toenails don’t cause any problems except for discolouration and some abnormal growth patterns and appearances but sometimes they can be uncomfortable.

With that said there are some medical conditions that lead to abnormal growth patterns other than trauma and it’s probably a good idea to get them assessed to understand the source of the thickening and get them managed appropriately.

If you have thickened toenails that bother you, it’s worth knowing that Podiatrist’s are trained professionals at reducing and maintaining thickened toenails with the use of specialized instruments. You can also find further information in our blog article here

If you think your nails need treatment or assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Fungal nail infections (onychomycosis) occur when a fungus comes into contact with and penetrates a nail. If a nail is cracked, scratched or damaged, it is easier for a fungus to penetrate through the nail and proliferate. These infections can also occur in fingernails but is more commonly seen on toenails due to the warm, moist environments inside shoes where the fungus thrives.

Fungal infections can cause the nail to become discoloured (white/yellow/brown), thickened, deformed or can cause the nail to split. Patients will often present for treatment with concern or the cosmetic appearance of their nails, to avoid spreading other toenails or to family members, or because the thickened nails are causing pain.

Due to the stubborn nature of fungal infections, treatment can be ongoing for a lengthy time. Treatments options include regular podiatry treatments and a topical medication for a localised infection. If a more serious infection is diagnosed, oral medication may be prescribed. Due to the side effects of these medications, it is important you work closely with your podiatrist and general practitioner.

If you think your nails may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

Toenails can become discoloured for a number of reasons. Sometimes it can be related to simply trauma related thickening of the nail plate (see “thickened toenails”). This will often lead to a yellow or brown discolouration as with multiple panes of glass placed one in front of the other until the imperfections become more obvious and the transparency becomes more and more opaque.

Discolouration can also be related to fungal infections (see “fungal toenails”). This is more related to the deterioration of the nail plate from the active fungus leading to white, yellow or brown blotches or streaks. This tends to present in a more disorganised distribution over the nail plate rather than the yellow and brown associated with thickening of the nail.

Discolouration is also associated with bruising (deep brown or red colour) or nail lifting (white or less pink compared with other parts of the nail in an abnormal distribution) from trauma sustained (whether micro or macro – see “thickened toenails” for details) or medical conditions that cause abnormalities.

In rare cases, discoloured toenails can be related to chronic illness and should be checked to confirm and managed professionally.

Podiatrists are toenail specialists and can treat and manage all forms of discolouration associated with trauma, infection or medical conditions.

If you think your nails may need an assessment give us a call (02 43239100) or BOOK NOW!

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General Podiatry.

General podiatry treatments include dealing with corns and calluses (hyperkeratosis), fungal toenails, tinea (also known as Athlete’s Foot), plantar warts and ingrown toenails. These assessments and treatments are appropriate for all ages, but are especially relevant when ageing prevents a person reaching or seeing their feet.

Biomechanical Assessments.

A biomechanics assessment involves checking the foot and lower limb bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, fasciae, muscles, nerves and blood vessels to make as you stand, walk and run, locomotion is occurring in as efficiently as possible. When abnormal biomechanics are present foot, ankle, knee, hip or back pain are often the result.

High Risk Feet.

Certain conditions, such as diabetes and other chronic conditions, put the lower limbs at high risk of serious and sometimes life-threatening disease. We perform a thorough assessment, carefully checking the integrity of the skin, joints, blood vessels and nerves of the feet and lower limbs to make sure that they stay as healthy as possible.

Straightforward payment options

Your private health fund may cover a portion (or all) of your consultation. If so, using your HICAPS card, you can swipe on the spot, and only pay the gap.

If you have been referred under a Chronic Disease Management Plan, register for Medicare Online Claiming to receive your rebate, on the spot.

We are able to provide Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card holders treatment with a referral from a General Practitioner.

We accept EFTPOS and credit card payments (VISA & MasterCard), as well as cash. We do not yet accept Bitcoin or the bartering of farm animals.

We’re here to help you keep your feet happy!

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CONTACT US: 02 4323 9100