Conditions We Treat
At ProHealth Podiatry we treat a large range of conditions.
Our podiatrists are doctors to who specialise in diagnosing and treating pain, discomfort and abnormal conditions in both the leg and foot – the lower extremities.
Ankle Pain
Commonly referred to as Achilles’ tendonitis/inflammation. Pain is experienced at the back of the foot or heel along the course of the tendon that attaches the calf to the heel bone.
Symptoms experienced include swelling/pain, tightness in calves, reduced range of motion when the foot is flexing or increase in temperature at the area of pain.
Arthritis
The feet can be affected by different types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis.
Usually, treatment involves medication through the GP, footwear assessment and recommendations, perhaps weight loss, movement/strengthening/stretching exercises, heat/ice, shoe inserts, physiotherapy, alternative nutritional supplementation, steroid therapy or prolotherapy, regular foot maintenance.
Arch Pain
This is a common and broad condition that could affect even the balls and heels of the foot. It can even be felt on the tops of your feet and in your knees, hips and the lower back.
The cause of arch pain needs to be investigated. Some common conditions could be plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, overpronation, a high arched foot or incorrect footwear or gait pattern.
Plantar Fasciitis
Rather than an inflammation of the fascia this is a degeneration of the tissue that is quite commonly seen in clinic. The fascia is kind of like the clingwrap of your feet, helping to keep everything secure and extends from your heel to the base of your toes. Patients usually complain of pain first thing in the morning or when rising from a seated position.
Treatment options include: prolotherapy, shockwave, dry needling, ultrasound, exercise prescription, insoles/orthoses, footwear analysis and education.
Shin Splints
This pain can be felt anywhere along the shin bone from the ankle to the knee. Pain could be a result of inflammation of the bone/muscle or a fracture. Shin splints could be caused by sudden increases in activity levels, tightness in surrounding musculature, footwear, biomechanics or high impact from ground reactive forces.
Knee Pain
This is also common and affects people of all ages, and activity levels. This could be caused by wear and tear, injury, weak musculature or even arthritis. Contributing factors could be trauma, tightness or weakness in muscles, patella tracking, exercise technique, weight, foot biomechanics.
Neuromas and Bursitis
Both of these conditions affect the balls of the feet. Bursitis refers to inflammation to a fluid filled sack and a neuroma is an irritation of a nerve fibre found between the toes.
Risk factors could be heel height, ill-fitting footwear, high impact activities, trauma and other foot pathologies like bunions, hammer toes, high arches and flat feet.
Management includes reducing the impact on the structures involved and offloading the area that is in discomfort.
Bunions
Bunions are formed when there is a beginning if a dislocation with the bones of the big toe. This could be due to a muscle imbalance where the big toe is pulled towards the lesser toes, causing the ‘knuckle’ bone to stick out.
It is important to seek treatment when there is pain or discomfort, a change in colour to the joint, a visible bump, change in the range and quality of motion of the joint as well as difficulty in wearing footwear.
Flat Feet
This could be a normal genetic variant and could cause no pain. However, if pain is involved and your feet were not always so flat or the feet seem to be worsening in its flatness, or shoes tend to be worn or disfigured quickly, then a foot evaluation is recommended.
Toe Deformities
These are sometimes called claw, hammer or mallet toes and are caused by an imbalance in the muscles, tendons or ligaments of the foot, footwear, trauma, certain inflammatory diseases. Stiffness and pain can sometimes occur resulting in corns, calluses or even ulcers in areas of high impact.
Callus, Corns & Blisters
Corns can sometimes be soft or hard and can cause pain, blisters, bleeding or ulceration.
Callus is a build-up of hard skin usually due to friction, footwear, weight or skin abnormalities.
Blisters usually are fluid filled bubbles on a skin surface caused by rubbing or chaffing.
Treatment would involve the removal of skin build-up and deflecting pressure or friction.
Ingrown Toenails
Simply put this occurs when the edges of your nail grow into the surrounding skin. Symptoms include redness, pain, bleeding, pus, fluid and swelling.
Podiatrists can conservatively manage ingrown toenails or if this then fails, we can sometimes remove a small portion of the nail or the entire nail.
Nail and Skin Fungus
Fungal nail infections leave nails feeling brittle/ discoloured, flaky or thickened.
Skin fungus/ tinea/ athletes’ foot is an infection in the sole if the foot or between the toes causing itchiness, dryness or scaly looking skin.
Before commencing treatment, ask your podiatrist to access all your options and provide advice.
Warts
Warts themselves are harmless and are caused by a virus. However, sometimes, due to their location, some warts may cause discomfort or pain whilst walking or wearing footwear.
There are several ways to treat warts, these can be done at home by yourself or through the clinic.
Metatarsalgia
This is pain that is found in the balls of the foot, causing pain and inflammation. It is common and may result due to running, jumping, footwear and biomechanics.
Treatment involves addressing all presenting factors and modifying this resulting in normal pain free gait.
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