Foot Movement
Our feet carry us all our lives so it’s important to keep them in good shape.
When walking, the foot has to change from a loose shock absorber on impact to a rigid force transmitter when pushing off.
The way in which your feet move can have a huge effect on how the knees, hips and back move and vice versa.
When the heel and arch of the foot aren’t controlled as well as they should be we can get flat feet. This can cause plantar fasciitis, knee and back pain or other problems in the big toe.
This can be corrected by orthotics, which all Thamesway physiotherapists are trained to measure, prescribe and fit.
Sometimes just a tight calf can cause many of the problems we see. Acupuncture, mobilisation, stretching, and exercise can all help to restore normal calf and ankle function.
If you have a foot or ankle problem it is highly likely that a Thamesway physiotherapist will be able to help you sort it out…
Feel free to contact us below with any questions you might have.
Ankle Sprains
This is the most common muscle or bone injury reported to hospital A&E departments in the world.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis (PF) occurs when the underside of the foot is overloaded leading to inflammation and pain in the arch, more commonly nearer the heal than the toes.
It can be caused by poor foot mechanics, tight calves, unsupportive footwear, wearing flat shoes or flip flops or even walking on hard ground. All these cause over loading and stretching of the underside of the foot leading to pain.
PF is often worse in the morning when taking your first few steps or after prolonged sitting. The pain can be excruciating. It will ease with some movement but returns when the body cools down and tightens up.
Treatment
Treatment includes myofascial or trigger point release of the arch and calf, more supportive footwear, orthotics (special inner soles) or in severe cases taping and night splints can be worn.
Because the problem occurs in a ligament that’s in the foot, the repeated loading from simply walking, means that recovery can be very slow.
It pays to have the problem assessed early by an expert physiotherapist who has specialist training and an interest in foot biomechanics. At least then you will know exactly what is causing the problem so you can then do what’s best to manage it.
At Thamesway we can assess you and supply the highest quality off the shelf and custom made orthotics. We source our product from Rightstride Orthotics ®, one of the UK’s leading orthotic suppliers.
If you have plantar fasciitis and would like one of our expert therapists to help get you better, feel free to contact us by phone or by email below.