Diabetes is a complex condition with far reaching side effects whether Type 1 or Type 2. Nutrition and medication will always be key factors but there are other things to think about. In the UK there are 135 foot amputations EVERY WEEK related to diabetes, that’s over 20 every day! But 4 out of 5 of these could be prevented with good foot care. Here’s how to be that 1 exception!…
One of the things I think is extremely important for any medical professional is constantly updating their skill set. My training in the RAF gave me a much wider and varied range of experience than many physios but that was, “ahem” a little while ago now and things have moved on a teeny bit! Medical Fashion Much of the way I was initially trained has come back into medical fashion…
If you want to get active just run right? We all know how to do it don’t we? But is it that simple? Do we need lessons on how to run? Currently there is a big debate about running technique – the 2 main camps being heel vs toe (or barefoot) What’s the difference? A normal step: Heel contact Outer foot, using the arch Roll onto the toes push off…
For keen athletes, in an ideal world, every time you train you would do as the professionals do and see a physiotherapist to untangle any kinks. However in the real world we rarely have the time and resources to follow every ideal. So here are my 4 top tips and tricks for keeping you going even when you haven’t got a physio at home. 1. A tennis ball – A…
Gout – first diagnosed in Ancient Egypt in 2600 BC, isn’t new. But more and more patients are receiving this diagnosis. What is Gout? Gout is a metabolic disorder which causes arthritis (arth = joint and itis = inflammation), usually of the big toe but other joints can be affected. The body stops processing uric acid properly causing it to build up in the body. These sharp uric acid crystal…
Foot pain can literally stop us in our tracks. Bunions, hammer toes, flat feet . . . all can cause discomfort, change our shoe choices and prevent us living the life we want. The complicated foot One quarter of all our bones are in our feet – 26 bones, 33 joints, more than 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons. That is a LOT of activity in a very small space. Precision…
When my daughter was little there was a ritual at this time of year – the annual trip to Clarks Shoe Shop to buy sensible shoes for school. As she grew older this inevitably turned into something of a battle but, unsurprisingly given my feelings about feet, I won for a long time! The time the assistants spent, making sure that the fit was right for the shoe, the arch…
Few things are more frustrating for a runner than shin splints. They’re painful, restrict your movement and training and seem difficult to treat. What are Shin Splints? This is a useful “catch all” term for pain in the leg below the knee. But true shin splints are painful on the inner part of the shin. Although the pain starts intermittently, running and walking may quickly become extremely painful. If you…
I love this old fashioned name for Plantar Fasciitis and heel pain. It goes well with the “flat foot” description of a policeman, as it is often associated with . . . flat feet! What is plantar fasciitis? Plantar – relating to the sole of your foot Fascia – A sheet of connective tissue around muscles and organs in the body ‘itis – inflammation So we have inflammation of the…
Airports Miles of walking, often pulling heavy luggage, juggling trollies and children and buggies . . . the endless standing in queues. Remind me at what point we thought this was going to be a good idea? If you’ve already got a bad knee, ankle, foot or arm the miles of walking, lifting and getting banged by someone’s suitcase won’t help. Wear a bandage or a sling or take a…