Arthritis in your feet can be debilitating – But what is it, who does it affect and most importantly, what can we do for you to alleviate your pain?

Arthritis simply means inflammation of the joints and, unfortunately for everyone, it does not discriminate against its victim. Symptoms of Arthritis are generally pain and stiffness in the small joints in the foot and ankle and although there is no cure for it, there are treatment options available. 

There are over 100 types of Arthritis however we more commonly see these 3 types:

• Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is essentially the “wear and tear” type of arthritis which progresses in its severity as you age and eventuates to bone rubbing against bone within your joints and can be extremely painful. Symptoms include pain with vigorous exercise, tenders when pressure is applied, joint swelling and redness and increased main in the morning or after long periods of resting. 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis occurs when the body's immune system begins to attack the cartilage. Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the joints and persistent aching usually after long periods of walking or standing. Rheumatoid Arthritis is more commonly a symmetric condition and will affect both sides of the feet at the same time. 
• Gout. Gout occurs when your body is unable to remove any excess uric acid. This usually results in pain and swelling, more commonly in the big toe. 

Thankfully, your feet will give you warning signs, so it is important to note any changes such as calluses on your big toe, shoes not fitting comfortably anymore, heel pain, hammertoes and swelling of your joints and toes. If you notice any of these symptoms on your own feet, book an appointment with us immediately. 

So how can we help alleviate your painful Arthritis symptoms? During your initial consultation, our Podiatrists will observe the way you walk and ask you a range of questions to determine the severity of your symptoms. As stated earlier, there is no cure for Arthritis, but a Podiatrist can offer a wide range of advice such as switching from high impact to low impact exercises, losing weight if necessary, physical therapy treatments such as shockwave therapy and or customised orthotics for your shoes. 
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So in light of Arthritis Awareness week, if you notice any questionable symptoms, please contact us today! 

Pregnancy can be such an exciting time for all, waiting patiently for that little bundle of joy to arrive but with pregnancy of course comes many changes to a woman’s body including the feet. One of the most common complaints from pregnant woman that we hear is foot pain.
Naturally with added weight gain this consequently changes a woman’s stance and gait and contributes to increased load on the knees and feet.  Also with pregnancy comes an increase and release in several hormones to prepare the body for childbirth. This increase in particular hormones contribute to laxity or loosening of the ligaments. Therefore what we very often hear and see is pregnant women coming to us concerned that their feet have got bigger and they can no longer fit into their particular shoe size.
This perception that the feet have grown, is consequently due to flattening of the arches and odema (swelling), which are both common issues, experienced by pregnant woman.
 
Odema in the feet generally happens in the later stages of pregnancy and is caused by excess fluid and blood in the body and the positioning of the growing baby, causing compression of the blood vessels. Resulting in returning circulation to slow down. This in turn all results in a pooling of fluid to the extremities known as swelling or odema of the feet.
 
Flattening of the arches is generally as a result of increased pressure on the feet due to natural weight gain during pregnancy and contributing laxity/loosening of ligaments due to particular increase and release of hormones. This flattening of the arches can make walking painful due to the increased strain and stress placed on the feet, ankles, knees and lower back.
 
 
It is important to take good care of your feet during this exciting time to aid in the reduction of foot pain that can be experienced by several women during pregnancy. It is vital to ensure appropriate, supportive footwear with the correct fit. If necessary added support can be added to footwear through the means of an orthotic device that can help to distribute the weight more evenly and reduce overstrain or stress to particular areas of the body.  Maintaining exercise during this time is important, along with sufficient fluid intake of water. Elevating feet regularly will help to decrease swelling to the feet and wearing compression socks if necessary or seamless socks that do not restrict blood flow.
 
If you require any further information or need an assessment of your feet during pregnancy please do not hesitate to contact our Podiatrists for further information.
 
The Foot & Ankle Clinic
11 Gray Street
Ipswich
(07) 3281 3186
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As the mid-school year nearly approaches, it is important to start thinking about reassessing those school shoes that were purchased at the start of the year, reassessing the comfort and fit for your children. Even though it feels like it was only a couple of months ago that you were paying out hundreds for new school shoes, it is important they are reassessed regularly and according to our Podiatrists vital that children are properly fitted into their school shoes by an expert.  When you think about and take into account the number of hours those little feet are spent crammed in shoes all day, it is no wonder comfort and correct fit are key.
 
To check your children’s school shoes are still fitting appropriately, ask your child initially if they are comfortable in their shoes for the whole day. Check the fit to make sure there is sufficient room between the end of the toe and the shoe – as a rule of thumb there should be approximately 1cm or a thumbs space between the end of the toe and the shoe. Check the sole of the shoes for wear patterns and make sure the sole is not overly worn and still providing sufficient cushioning and support.
If new shoes are needed here are a couple of key points to help the purchasing of new school shoes be as stress free as possible:
 
Come Prepared:
 
Make sure you bring along the type of socks your child would normally wear to school, to ensure the fit is accurate, don’t rely on the try on socks the store has as these can be different thickness and alter the fit to what is normally worn by your child at school.
If your child wears foot orthoses, make sure you bring these along and these are correctly fitted into the shoes during the fitting process.
 
Don’t rush it:
 
Due to the large investment involved in school shoes, make sure you set sufficient time aside to go school shoe shopping, do not rush it. Involve your child in the decision-making, as it is them who have to wear the shoes and try to make it a relaxed, positive experience for them. Allow the sales consultant the time to correctly measure and fit your child into their chosen pair shoes and allow them time to walk around the shop to gather the comfort of the shoe, without feeling pushed or rushed into a decision.
 
Forget the old myth of “wearing a shoe in”
 
The comfort factor is one of the most important for school shoes for a child, remembering how long they are in their shoes for during the day and remembering kids don’t walk but run most of the time. Forget the old myth that you will wear them in and they will be comfortable. A high quality, well fitted shoe should be comfortable straight away and there should be no suffering through blisters or sore heels when new shoes are purchased, your child should be able to notice the comfort of a shoe on the initial fitting to aid in their decisions. 
 
 
Get the right fit!
 
Try to avoid the age old idea of if we get you a couple of sizes up, you will grow into them by the end of the year. Little Johnny does not want to be walking around in new school shoes that resembles clowns and further to that they can be detrimental to your child’s foot health.
A shoe that is too big can cause the foot to move around and create friction and movement contributing to blisters and callous formation.
Stick to the shoe that is the right size and comfort for your child at the time and reassess the fit, wear and tear and size on regular basis, to reduce the risk of foot deformities later on in life.
Talking to one of our Podiatrists a father of two young school age children he says it is important to have his children correctly fitted into their school shoes and to look for school shoes that are made of the highest quality material as he knows it helps aid in comfort fit and longevity to optimise foot health in growing children.
 
Our Podiatrists are more than happy to help you out with any advice you may need in regards to school shoes for your children.
 
The Foot & Ankle Clinic
11 Gray St, Ipswich QLD 4305
(07) 3281 3186
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Access to quality healthcare services and staying healthy, are directly linked to our overall happiness and our ability to live a fulfilled life. 
So we are making it easier of you to make your appointments, and you can now book online at our Greenslopes clinic. In addition to after hours appointments, online appointments will make accessing your healthcare simpler and more effective. 
Check it out now, and book online today. 

As we approach the festive season, our thoughts turn to the inevitable gift buying and grocery shopping that has become synonymous with Christmas now days. But as we all know, these days will fade as quickly as they have come around and the new year resolutions will start. And hopefully the new year will be full of health and happiness for you all. 

However over the festive season these are 5 things that you can do to take care of your feet. Remember Healthy feet can lead to a Healthy Life. 

For our older family members remember ! 

1. Mobility and Social Interactions - Whats a healthy life without getting out and enjoying our loved ones, and Christmas is a great time for our loved ones. But make sure that you plan ahead. Plan where to park the car and what mobility aids you will use if any. Often using a walking stick or a wheelie walker can make the user feel some degree of burden - you know moving presents around in the boot to make way for the walking frame! Appropriate use of these and the planning will reduce the likelihood of a nasty fall.  
2. HOT WEATHER - We don’t have chestnuts roasting on open fires - we have backyard cricket and BBQ’s. So stay hydrated (with water as well) - this is good for our general health but also helps with skin health and keeping us active - Not as much weight on over festive season and the new years resolutions won’t seem so Difficult. 
3. Moisturise your skin - We all know that for most of us (and this doesn’t include our HIGH RISK PATIENTS) Thongs and open footwear are the required footwear in Australia for backyard cricket. So moisturise the skin and keep it healthy, after all it is the largest organ in our body and needs a little T.L.C.
4. Appropriate footwear - See while we joke about thongs and backyard cricket, the injuries that we see to feet and ankles can be life altering for a significant period of time. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. SO wear appropriate footwear for the activity you are about to perform. Like cooking lunch for 25 people and carving large roasts with even larger knives. Wear closed in footwear and avoid those inevitable Christmas injuries. 
5. Here come the thongs - Wear them at the Pool and the Motels - Wherever you are entering a communal area, especially humid wet surfaces are great for harbouring Wart Viruses and Bacteria - so wear your thongs in the shower and be careful of slip risks on some surfaces. 

Follow these simple steps and enjoy this wonderful time with your family have a safe and Merry Christmas. For more information on these points; follow the link to our blog. 

Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. 
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