Podiatry helps with more than just your feet
Why would you see a Podiatrist? And what does a podiatrist do? Although concerned primarily with the treatment of the feet the benefits to the body are above and beyond just this area.
Many of us will have a fall in our arches as we age due to the unnatural stress that footwear places on our feet, a type of stress we would not have had prior to wearing shoes many centuries ago. As the longitudinal or transverse arch of our foot drops it has an effect on the normally uniform stress that is placed on our body.
For example, a typical arch deformity which is a “flat foot” or over pronated foot results in an increase in pressure on the inside of your knees, this in turn can lead to degeneration on the inside of our knees – something we typically see in those of us that age. Had that stress not been there – with a correction of this abnormal foot position we would reduce the increased pressure over many years and not necessarily had the same outcome.
As the knees are pushed together, in turn there is an increase on the outside of your hips – this leads to aches and tightness and likewise can lead to degneration as pressure amounts over decades of life. A common pattern that we notice as chiropractors is flat feet as we age, inside knee pain and degeneration and outside hip pain and degeneration. As your Doctor of Chiropractic, Sam had referred to a Podiatrist for many years it made perfect sense to us to have one in Avalon Beach.
While this foot abnormality can effect the pattern described above, an anatomically short leg can result in a tilt of the pelvis and an increase in stress on the body down one side. This is something Sam as a Chiropractor has found tremendously beneficial when working with a Podiatrist. If this leg length discrepancy is corrected there is decreased stress on the pelvis and less long term aches and pains – a correction of the underlying cause so to say.
Outside of these observations made by your Chiropractor, Podiatry is also very helpful in the treatment of long term diabetic conditions of the feet, calluses and corns, athletes foot, plantar warts, pressure ulcers, dermatitis, blistering, ingrown toenails and toe issues, plantar fasciitis, bunions, tendonitis, stress fractures and the list goes on.
If you are ever hesitant to find out if a Podiatrist can help, feel free to call the clinic on 0299180070 and we will schedule a free of charge phone conversation to ascertain if it is something Podiatrist, Evan Johnstone can help with,
For more information take a look at Avalon Beach Podiatry’s website:
http://www.avalonbeachpodiatry.com.au
Yours in health,
Sam Garner,
Chiropractor, Director
Avalon Beach Chiropractic & Wellness