Page 8 - Uncategorised

Looking after children’s feet – preventing problems in the future

Proper care and treatment of the feet, beginning in childhood and infancy, will prevent many of the mechanical and orthopaedic problems that may be seen in adults. Many children walk excessively pigeon-toed, flat footed, or bowlegged and, although they are not in pain, they are damaging their feet. As we all know, it’s important to buy the right shoes for children, but according to some recent research that has been conducted by Clarks, there are still four million children in shoes that don't fit them.
However, poorly fitting shoes are not the only cause of later foot problems in children. There are numerous other foot problems that occur quite naturally, and often much earlier in their lives, and these include as examples the ones that are listed below.

• Most babies begin life with their toes pointing slightly outwards. However, if the unborn baby lies with its feet pressed against the womb the wrong way, it can even be born with its feet pointing inward. Tripping in infants and young children may be the first sign of toeing in.

• Many babies will naturally appear flatfooted, but as the infant begins to stand and walk this will normally disappear.

• Children with flat feet, low arches, may not be able to keep up with other children because of the strain that is added to their feet and legs.

• As a child masters walking, the medial arch begins to appear. All toddlers have flat feet because of a low angle of calcaneal inclination, but by 5 to 6 years this angle has increased, and in most cases a medial longitudinal arch becomes apparent.

• By around 6 years of age, a child should have normal arches in both feet. Children who appear flat-footed appear to have a normal arch, but flatten it when they stand. This movement is called “pronation” and it may cause painful symptoms and make the child tire easily.
In many cases orthotic insoles for children’s shoes may be useful to improve the child’s foot

Maybe you shouldn't reach for those comfy old trainers after all.

What’s the one important piece of training equipment you can’t live without? Is it your iPod? Or a good water bottle? Or is it a truly supportive and comfortable sports bra? Well that’s wrong, wrong, and wrong again. The single most important piece of equipment for virtually any kind of exercise programme, whether it’s, aerobics, hiking, tennis, basketball -- is to have the right pair of shoes.

A good pair of shoes can make or break your training workout, and it’s very easy to go wrong. Here are the five biggest shoe mistakes people make.

1. Grabbing Whatever’s Handy

The biggest mistake people make when they start running, jogging, or some other exercise program is just reaching into the cupboard and pulling out an old pair of trainers. An old pair of training shoes will probably no longer have the support that you need. And even more problematic, that particular pair of shoes might be inappropriate for the activity you choose – so let’s start there with choosing the correct footwear for the workout.

2. Choosing the Right Shoe -- for the Wrong Workout

You need to choose the right type of shoe for the kind of workout you’ll be doing - it really does matter. A shoe made for running is very different in a number of ways from a shoe made for something like basketball or tennis.

To be precise, running shoes have no lateral stability built into them because you don’t move your feet laterally when you run. You’re only going forward. A running shoe is built to give you support and stability as you move your foot through the running gait cycle.

On the other hand, basketball and tennis shoes both need to be stabilized laterally because you move your feet side to side a lot when playing these sports. You can’t devise a running shoe that has lateral stability and you can’t build a shoe for basketball or tennis that doesn’t have it.

Even good specialist walking shoes differ from running shoes. Runners land much more

88% of US Women Wear the Wrong Size Shoes

A study by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society found that 88% of women in the United States wear shoes that are too small and 55% have bunions.

Bunions are nine times more common in women than men. The most common cause of bunions is the prolonged wearing of poorly fitting shoes, usually those with a narrow, pointed toe box that squeezes the toes into an unnatural position. Bunions also may be caused by arthritis or polio: a sometimes painful structural deformity of the bones and the joint between the foot and big toe.

The big toe may turn in toward the second toe and tissues around the joint may be swollen or tender, causing a bump on the side of the big toe.

Prevention: You can keep bunions from growing painful often by switching to shoes that fit properly and don't compress the toes.

Some advice from foot experts at Penn State College of Medicine: Don't select shoes by size because sizes can vary by brands and styles. Judge the shoe by how it fits on your foot. Get shoes that conform as nearly as possible to the shape of your foot. Make sure the toe box is big enough.

Dealing with bunions: Some shoes can be modified by stretching the areas that put pressure on your toes.

Splints to reposition the big toe and orthotics (special shoe inserts shaped to your feet) also may relieve pain. For bunions caused by arthritis, medications can be prescribed to reduce pain and swelling.

Surgery: If non-surgical treatment fails and you have severe foot pain, swelling or stiffness, you may want to consider surgery.

There's a six- to eight-week recovery period. Be aware that bunion surgery can reduce pain and align toes better, but it will not allow you to wear a smaller shoe size or narrow, pointed shoes.

In fact, you'll have some shoe restrictions for the rest of your life, warns the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.

Source: By Jodi Mailander Farrell, McClatchy Newspapers

Your feet and Winter Sports

In the winter months with all the rain and cold it is easy to decide to hibernate indoors.  Of course this is easily forgiven but fresh air and exercise are the best remedy for the winter blues.

More and more people now look forward to a winter break in the mountains to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, walking and all the other great outdoor pursuits available.  Skiing is a fantastic all-round exercise but it can be very hard on the feet, ankles and knees as these act as shock absorbers and brakes.  It is very important to warm up properly and protect yourself when whizzing around the mountain.

The most common foot problems include:

Sprains, twists and strains.  Skiing and winter sports place a huge demand on your knees ankles and feet.

Diabetes.  This often affects circulation and can be made worse by the cold.  Ill fitting, rented ski boots can also lead to problems.  If you are in any doubt please talk to your Podiatrist before hitting the slopes.

Blisters. Poor fitting shoes and boots can cause blisters.  Make sure you pack some blister plasters and take time selecting rented boots.

Chilblains. These are itchy blisters which often occur in cold conditions.  Keep your hands and feet warm to help prevent them.

Preventing foot problems

Wearing proper footwear, waterproof boots or shoes and thick socks are all ways to prevent foot problems. It is recommended that you visit a ski shop to buy apres ski boots with a good grip.

Muscle exercises enhance the strength! If you are skiing for a week and are not usually active then it is best to do some strengthening first!

If you have pre-existing foot problems seek professional advice from a podiatrist before engaging in winter sports activities.