heel pain auckland – Perform Podiatry

Choosing The Right Expert: Why A Podiatrist Is Your Best Bet For Foot And Ankle Pain

Foot and ankle pain can not only be debilitating, but also affects both our mobility and our overall quality of life. When faced with these issues, seeking the right professional expertise is crucial for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment – and getting back to feeling and moving well, as quickly as possible. In the realm of foot and ankle health, your podiatrist is your go-to foot and ankle expert. Here’s why.

Understanding The Role Of A Podiatrist

A podiatrist is a medical professional who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions related to the feet, ankles and also the lower limbs. Their extensive training equips them to handle a broad spectrum of issues, ranging from common concerns like ingrown toenails to complex biomechanical problems influencing gait and posture including Achilles tendon pain, heel pain, shin splints, leg length differences and much more.

Why Choose A Podiatrist For Foot And Ankle Pain?

There’s a wide range of reasons that a podiatrist is the right health professional to see for your lower limb pain. These include:

They’re Experts In Foot Anatomy and Function

Podiatrists undergo extensive training focused specifically on the anatomy and function of the feet and ankles, as well as the lower limbs. Their in-depth knowledge allows for accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment plans tailored to address the unique challenges posed by this intricate area of the body.

Specialised Diagnostic Skills

Podiatrists possess specialised diagnostic skills honed through years of training and clinical experience. From identifying structural abnormalities to pinpointing the source of pain, their expertise ensures a thorough assessment of foot and ankle issues.

Comprehensive Treatment Options

Podiatrists offer a wide range of treatment options, including conservative measures, devices like braces, physical therapy, and minor surgical interventions when necessary. This comprehensive approach allows for the right, personalised care based on the nature and severity of a specific condition.

Management Of Chronic Conditions As Well As Acute Injuries

Chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes-related foot complications, and neuropathy require ongoing management. Podiatrists are well-equipped to provide continuous care, helping patients navigate the challenges associated with these persistent issues.

Biomechanical Expertise

Many cases of foot and ankle pain stem from biomechanical issues affecting gait and posture. Podiatrists specialise in assessing and addressing these concerns, utilising orthotics, exercises, and other interventions to restore proper biomechanical function.

Preventative Care

Beyond treating existing issues, podiatrists emphasise preventive care. Regular check-ups with a podiatrist can identify potential problems early on, allowing for proactive measures to prevent the development or progression of foot and ankle conditions.

Evidence-Based Practice

Podiatric medicine is grounded in evidence-based practice, with treatment approaches informed by the latest research and clinical guidelines. This commitment to evidence ensures that patients receive care based on proven methods and advancements in the field.

Podiatrists vs Physiotherapists

While physiotherapists play a crucial role in rehabilitation and overall musculoskeletal health, the specialised focus of podiatrists on the feet and ankles sets them apart in the context of foot and ankle pain.

Specifically, physiotherapists tend to have a broader focus on the entire musculoskeletal system, addressing issues related to muscles, joints, and movement patterns. Podiatrists, on the other hand, concentrate specifically on the lower extremities, making them more specialised in the intricacies of foot and ankle conditions. This enables podiatrists to provide more targeted interventions for foot and ankle pain, leveraging their focused skillset to address conditions ranging from toenail problems to complex biomechanical issues.

Podiatrists are also trained in both conservative and surgical interventions for foot and ankle conditions, where physiotherapists are not, being unable to perform procedures like permanent ingrown toenail correction surgery. This means that in cases where surgery is required, podiatrists can seamlessly transition from diagnosis to treatment.

Does Your Leg And Foot Posture At Your Desk Really Matter?

Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, a lot of our workforce spends a significant portion of their day sitting at a desk, often in front of a computer. While sitting may seem natural and harmless, poor posture has the potential to lead to various health issues, including discomfort, pain, and musculoskeletal problems that require professional care. Yes, the way you position your hips, legs, and feet when sitting on a chair can significantly impact your overall well-being. Here’s How.

The Consequences of Poor Posture

Your Hips

There are two main elements of poor posture when it comes to the hips. Sitting with a slouched hip posture, where the hips are rolled backwards, can lead to excessive pressure on the lumbar spine. This position places extra strain on the lower back muscles, potentially causing lower back pain and discomfort. Sitting with elevated hips, where your hips are higher than the knees due to an inadequate chair height can result in pressure on your hip flexors. Over time, this can lead to tightness and discomfort in these muscles.

Your Legs

Sitting with your legs crossed can restrict blood flow and lead to numbness and tingling in the legs. It may also place uneven pressure on the knees, potentially contributing to knee pain and long-term joint issues. Similarly, keeping your legs extended straight under the desk can hinder blood circulation, causing discomfort and potentially contributing to varicose veins over time.

Your Feet

Allowing your feet to dangle without proper support can result in lower back pain and poor circulation in the legs. This posture may also lead to the development of varicose veins. Tucking your feet under the chair can also create unnecessary pressure on the knees and lead to discomfort over time.

So How Should You Be Sitting?

Aim to:

Sit with your hips in a neutral position, where the natural curve of the lower spine is maintained. This minimises the stress on the lower back and helps prevent pain and discomfort.
Use a chair with lumbar support, as it can help maintain the natural curve of your lower back and provide additional comfort.
Ideally, keep your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle to one another when sitting. Adjust the chair height so that your feet are flat on the floor, promoting proper circulation and reducing stress on the knees.
Avoid crossing your legs, instead keep both feet flat on the ground or on a footrest to prevent pressure on the knees and ensure optimal blood flow.
Use a footrest, as it can help support your feet and maintain proper posture while reducing the risk of lower back pain.
Ensure that your feet are not tucked under the chair. Instead, keep them flat on the ground or on a footrest.

Experiencing Pain In Your Feet Or Legs?

If you’re experiencing pain in your feet or legs, whether that’s related to your lower limb posture or from something else – we’d love to help. Give our podiatry team a call. We’re based in Remuera, in the One Health medical building, close to Newmarket. Call us on 09 523 2333 or book online here.

Causes Of Foot Pain At Work

When you’re busy at work with a seemingly never-ending task list, foot pain slowing you down and holding you back is the last thing you need. Foot pain can have a wide range of causes that require very different care at home, and treatment to get fixed, which is why it’s important to know the cause of your pain. Here are some of the common causes of work-related foot pain that our podiatrists see and treat in our clinic, based on the location you’re experiencing the pain. If your foot pain is extending over multiple areas, remember that injuries are not always isolated and can involve many structures.

Causes Of Heel Pain

If you’re getting pain at the bottom of the heel that feels worst first thing in the morning when you take your first few steps, then eases, and may radiate through your arch, then you may have plantar fasciitis. If the entire pad around the bottom of your heel is sore, your fat pad may be damaged. If the pain is affecting the very back of your heel, your Achilles tendon may be injured. You may also have developed a ‘pump bump’ – otherwise known as a Haglund’s deformity – that can occur if you regularly wear tight work shoes that rub against the back of your heel. General heel pain from tired, used muscles can also develop as a result of long periods of standing on your feet – especially when you’re regularly walking over hard surfaces, in unsupportive footwear, or you have poor foot biomechanics – like flat feet.

Causes Of Pain At The Ball Of Your Feet

Pain at the balls of your feet can indicate that you’re putting more pressure on the joints in the area. Often we see this being a result of the footwear worn at work, particularly if they’re heeled or have a firm base without much cushioning. It can also be related to repetitive movements performed as part of your work duties, like standing on the balls of your feet to reach files or moving over uneven ground where your toes are gripping the shoe at the front of the foot to try to gain stability. Your foot biomechanics and the tendency to naturally place more pressure on the balls of your feet can also play a big role. Having pain at the ball of a foot can indicate that you’ve damaged, or at least irritated, a joint, muscle or tissue. This can look like a plantar plate injury, bursitis, or capsulitis. If the pain is felt more in the middle of the foot, along one of the long bones, it may be metatarsalgia. If squeezing the foot from the sides elicits pain, you may have a Morton’s neuroma – the inflammation of the lining around one of the nerves in your foot.

Causes Of Ankle Pain

Pain on either the inside or outside of the ankle that makes it difficult and painful to walk can indicate damage to one of the ankle ligaments. This is usually the result of an ankle sprain or suddenly twisting or rolling your ankle, which can occur when working on an uneven or slippery surface. If you haven’t noticeably suddenly twisted the ankle, you may have an impingement where a tendon or nerve is getting trapped in the space between bones in the ankle. It may also be a tendon injury, where the tendon runs down the leg and crosses over the ankle and causes pain in this area, or the pain may be arthritic in nature.

Causes Of Pain At The Toes

Pain at your toes may be the result of an ingrown toenail, a corn or callus from your work shoes, or often, the direct result of work shoes rubbing against the feet. If the pain is at the big toe and towards the ball of the foot, it may also be sesamoiditis – which we often see in runners or those very active on their feet. If you have arthritis or gout, the big toe joint is also a common place to be affected.

Generally Sore And Tired Feet

If you’re struggling to pinpoint a specific location for your feet, and are feeling like you just generally have sore feet and legs, it may just be general muscular overuse as a result of your foot type, your footwear or your work conditions. A classic example is flat feet, where various muscles of the feet and legs must work much harder to move the foot through every step compared to a regularly arched foot. Unsupportive work shoes can also add to the problem by not helping to stabilise your foot within the shoe, meaning that your feet and legs will have to work even harder to maintain good stability and adapt to the uneven ground throughout your workday, tiring your muscles more. Hard surfaces and higher arched feet can also contribute to foot fatigue, and we often see tradies and those working on concrete that have high arched feet come in with sore feet and legs as their foot type means they may not absorb shock efficiently and the hard surfaces increase the forces that their feet are exposed to.

Need Help With Sore Feet?

Wherever your foot pain is located, it’s important to get to the cause of your pain and address it before it worsens. As we are on our feet all day every day, putting force and pressure through the feet, issues and injuries are highly likely to worsen if left untreated. Our experienced podiatrists are here to help and will not only treat your current pain but get to the root of the problem to help prevent the problem from coming back. Book your appointment by calling 09 523 2333 or book online

Why Do My Feet Hurt In The Morning?

If you’ve been waking up with sore feet, heels or arches in the morning, this is for you. There’s a very specific kind of heel pain with the following three symptoms that you may relate to:

Pain at the bottom of the heel that radiates into the arch
Pain when standing up first thing in the morning, which tends to ease or go away as you take those first steps in the morning and stay walking
Pain in the heel or arch when you stand up after having a rest or sitting down during the day

The name of this heel pain is plantar fasciitis, and it’s the #1 most common cause of heel pain that we see here in Auckland. Today, our podiatrists have shared all about this heel pain, why it happens, and how you can get rid of it today.

Morning foot pain: Plantar fasciitis

We know – terms like plantar fasciitis can sound confusing, but this one isn’t. Simply put, you have a connective tissue at the bottom of your foot called a fascia. Because of its location, it’s called the plantar fascia, meaning the fascia at the sole of the foot. As there is some damage or inflammation to the tissue, it is called plantar fasciitis. What the plantar fascia actually is, is a thick band that runs from the bottom of your heel (where you’ll be feeling your pain) and spans out like a fan to connect into your toes. It supports your arch and works every time you take a step.

Why am I getting foot pain in the morning?

When this tissue is overloaded or strained, damage and pain occur. Specifically, the plantar fascia gets very small tears through its fibres. If the strain is high, it may even partially or completely tear. The reason behind the overloading and subsequent damage can vary greatly, and for our patients here in Auckland, tends to include:

Taking on more physical activity or training – like a fitness challenge or doing a very big day of physical activity like a hike
Foot biomechanics – the way the feet and legs function overloads the fascia when combined with other factors like a long day on the feet or poor footwear choices
Unsupportive footwear, especially ones that have a flat, firm base – this is often pronounced when you move from regularly wearing supportive shoes to wearing less supportive shoes
Hard surfaces – which affect many tradies at work
Specific activities that overuse the fascia like climbing stairs
Injury to the heel – like jumping down from a high surface, which injuries the fascia

I have been getting pain in the morning for a while. Will it last forever?

Absolutely not. Don’t worry – you will only continue to get pain while there is still damage to the fascia. Once we can help repair and heal the fascia, reducing the daily strain on it, the pain will also go and you can have your pain-free mornings back.

Will my morning foot pain go away on its own?

Not easily. The foot is a tricky area – unlike other parts of the body where you can immobilise it and just not use it for little while, you activate the fascia with every step you take, which may result in more damage occurring – or at least prevent it from getting better as it keeps getting irritated day after day. This is why plantar fasciitis should be professionally treated with the help of a podiatry team that have a strong focus on musculoskeletal injuries – like we do here.

How is plantar fasciitis heel pain treated?

Your treatment starts with a comprehensive assessment that looks at characteristics of your feet and legs, your gait, your injury and symptoms, evaluates the cause of the problem, and considers your lifestyle and goals. Here at Perform Podiatry, we don’t want you wasting time (and money) trying methods that aren’t effective. We focus on getting you the best clinical outcomes as fast as possible using evidence-based medicine, with superior long-term results. We start by alleviating your current painful symptoms and creating the right conditions for your fascia to heal. Next, we look at ways we can prevent your plantar fasciitis from returning in the future. Every treatment plan is different, but may include:

Custom foot orthotics – to support the arch and reduce tension off the plantar fascia so it can heal instead of continuing being strained with every step
Footwear check – to ensure your footwear isn’t contributing to your ongoing pain and inadvertently delaying your recovery
Strapping or bracing as needed
Strengthening weak muscles that may have contributed to the development of your heel pain
Stretching tight muscles – not only to help stretch the fascia to reduce pain (where appropriate) but to also stretch other muscle groups that may have contributed to your heel pain, which often happens with tight calf muscles
Dry needling – to release or activate trigger points to relieve pain or improve range of motion. This is usually done in the calf region

There are other causes of foot pain too

While plantar fasciitis is our #1 cause of morning foot pain, other conditions can create similar symptoms. This is why having a diagnosis is important – in our assessments we rule out other causes of heel pain like Abductor hallucis tendinopathy, fat pad syndrome and calcaneal stress fractures, to name a few. Once your diagnosis is confirmed, we will proceed with your care.

Proud to be trusted by thousands of people with foot pain every year

Our podiatry team here in Remuera is proud to be trusted by thousands with their foot and leg pain every year. If you’re waking up with foot pain, or it’s going all day, we’re here to help. Book your appointment online with us here or call us on 09 523 2333.

The Top Four Pains In Runners – And How To Treat Them

We ask a lot of our bodies when we run. The force through our joints and our legs easily exceeds three times our body weight – so it’s not all too surprising that a large portion of our patients are either regular runners, or developed their symptoms when wanting to get into running. Today, we’re sharing the top four pains and problems we see and treat in runners, here in Auckland.

1. Shin Splints

Medically referred to as medial tibial stress syndrome, shin splints describe pain to the front and inside of the shins that often comes on during running and physical activity. The trick with shin splints in runners is that there are two other conditions that closely mirror the symptoms: a stress fracture to the shin bone (tibia), and compartment syndrome. Effectively treating shin splints means looking at the way the muscles that attach to the front of the shins are being used when running. Often, biomechanical factors and poor foot posture means these muscles are overused and strained – flat feet, or pronation, is often a contributing factor. We must check the runner’s shoes and how they are affecting their performance and the way the shins and the muscles are being used. It’s also important to check how a runner is warming up, recovering after running, and stretching. Tight muscles, joint limitations and improper muscle conditioning are also common culprits in the development of shin splints. To learn more about shin splints, click here.

2. Knee Pain

In any 12-month period, up to 70% of runners will sustain an injury from running – and 42% of these will be to the knee. There are two primary causes of knee pain we often see in runners – runner’s knee, medically referred to as patellofemoral pain syndrome, and iliotibial band syndrome. Runner’s knee is an overuse injury caused by the irregular movement (tracking) and rubbing of the patella over the femur, while the knee is bending and straightening. Instead of gliding smoothly through a groove at the thigh bone, the poor alignment of the knee means the patella can mistrack and instead rub against the bone itself. This causes irritation at the joint and damage to the underlying cartilage and bone. Iliotibial band syndrome is when the thick connective tissue called the iliotibial band (ITB) that runs down the outside of your thigh rubs against the outside of the knee joint, causing pain, swelling and damage to the tissue fibres. It’s common in runners as the rubbing tends to happen when you bend and straighten the knee repetitively – especially when you have a tight ITB. Treating knee pain in runners effectively must focus on not only relieving the pain and helping repair the existing damage, but also addressing the cause to help prevent it from happening again in the future. Often this involves using a combination of custom foot orthotics, ensuring adequate footwear use, a targeted strengthening and stretching program, and changes to the running technique based on findings from a video gait analysis.

3. Calf Pain

Your calves are very important when you run – working up to 25% harder than your quads when running. When you need to stop or quickly change direction, they’re the ones that help you do so safely without injury. They help to stabilise your knee and absorb a large amount of force when you run. Hence, runners with calf pain are a common occurrence. The most common cause we see for calf pain is overuse without the right preparation and conditioning, often combined with unaddressed tightness. Yep – we told you those super simple calf stretches could prevent injury! Treating calf pain involves addressing all the factors that are contributing to the overloading and strain, identified during the biomechanical assessment – which often includes a stretching program, strengthening, correcting any abnormal foot and leg biomechanics, and even looking at a little gait retraining to optimise performance and movement.

4. Heel Pain

When it comes to heel pain in runners, plantar fasciitis heel pain is a biggie. You’ll often hear of people referring to this pain as ‘heel spurs’ – though this is medically and physiologically incorrect. Plantar fasciitis heel pain is characterised by sharp, shooting and stabbing pain at the bottom and inside of the heel. It tends to be most painful when you stand after rest – especially after sleeping – before easing as you continue to walk. Treatment must be specific and effective in order to prevent the tissue damage from progressing to a more severe injury – like a tear in the plantar fascia tissue – or even a rupture. We have a proven treatment that we find to be very successful, which includes temporary strapping, the use of good running shoes if you’re not wearing some already, custom-prescribed foot orthotics that address all structural and biomechanical foot and leg issues, and a stretching and strengthening program.

So, what’s stopping you from running?

If you’ve got a pain or problem during or after running, whether we’ve mentioned it above or it’s something completely different or unusual, we’d love to help. Treating foot and leg pain is what we do! And we have the best technology, skills and experience to allow us to do it excellently. Book your appointment online by clicking here or call us on 09 523 2333

5 Things That Are Causing Your Heel Pain

Heel pain sucks – and we hear this expressed with much pain and frustration daily from our patients. When your ability to walk is affected, it impacts your whole day and freedom to not just do the things you enjoy, but generally complete simple everyday tasks. Treating and relieving heel pain effectively starts with identifying the cause, then working to allow the injured structure to heel (and speeding up the process). Because there are many potential causes of heel pain, we thought we’d list the top 5 conditions/injuries that cause heel pain for our patients here at Perform Podiatry. Here we go:

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is the biggie. We treat hundreds of patients each year with plantar fasciitis, which unfortunately develops in a lot of people when they’re on their feet, running around or have decided to get fit and exercise more. It describes damage to a fan-like fibrous band that attaches from the bottom of your heel to your toes, called the plantar fascia. It’s more common in those with flat feet. You’ll experience:

Pain at the bottom of the heel
Radiating aches up into the arch
Pain that is the worst with your first few steps in the morning, which then tends to ease
Pain when standing after resting

Abductor Hallucis Tendinopathy

Abductor hallucis tendinopathy (AHT) is an injury to the abductor hallucis muscle, which runs from the bottom of your heel to the big toe. It follows a similar route to the plantar fascia (except that it doesn’t fan out), so is often misdiagnosed for plantar fasciitis. You’ll experience:

Aches or pain at the bottom or inside of your heel
Tenderness may radiate inside the arch
Pain that is the worst with your first few steps in the morning, which then tends to ease
Pain when standing after resting

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy is an injury to the Achilles tendon – a thick band that connects the calf muscles to the back of your heel bone. This tendon plays an important role in helping us walk. You’ll experience:

Pain, aches and tenderness at the back of the heel
Pain that can be worsened by physical activity, especially running
Tenderness that may radiate up the back of the leg
Stiffness at the back of the heel
Inflammation at the back of the heel

Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease is a temporary condition that occurs when kids are growing quickly, especially between the ages of 8 and 15 years. It describes the irritation of a growth plate situated at the back of the heel. Growth plates are present in all growing bones and solidify once the bone has reached full maturity. When strain and forces from surrounding muscles and tissues pull on the area around the growth plate, damage to the growth plate occurs. Kids will experience:

Pain and tenderness at the back of the heel
Pain during and after physical activity
Both sharp pains and dull aches
Tightness in the muscles at the back of the legs
Potential swelling at the back of the heel

Heel Fractures

There are two types of fractures:

Stress fractures
Regular fractures

Regular fractures involve the break or crack of a bone. A stress fracture builds up from repetitive strain over time, resulting in tiny cracks through the bone, appearing like tree roots. Regardless of the cause, they both need good care to ensure proper healing. You’ll experience:

Sharp pain at the heel (regular fractures)
Dull, aching pain that can start very mildly (stress fracture)
Tenderness in the area of the heel
Difficulty putting the heel down and bearing weight (mild to severe)

Regardless of the diagnosis, the next step is to see your podiatrist so it can be thoroughly assessed and the best course of treatment can be started. The sooner you commence treatment, the sooner you’ll get back to feeling great on your feet again! If you’ve got heel pain and need it gone, you can give us a call on 09 523 2333 or book your appointment online here.