At Dulwich Podiatry we see a huge range of conditions. Among those, we see conditions and symptoms that are related to the musculoskeletal system. What is the musculoskeletal system? It is a system within our bodies that includes bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and muscles. When it is functioning as it should, the musculoskeletal system supports our daily movement and stability.
Everyday movement like walking can often be taken for granted, and we can forget how much pressure our feet endure on a day-to-day basis. There are 26 bones in the foot and if there is a misalignment between any one of these bones then there is a chance for pains to become apparent.
One of the tools we use to help correct musculoskeletal problems are orthoses. Orthoses are a very useful method for relieving and distributing pressure around the feet in a conservative way.
Quite a lot of the issues that we see are related to excessive pronation in the feet, whether it be more noticeable on one foot or on both feet. This is commonly called flat feet and although it can be symptomless, some people will get pain from this.
When feet pronate (collapse down) they put extra pressure on specific areas which are not designed to take so much pressure. For example, pronation can cause the Tibialis Posterior tendon on the inside of the ankle to get extremely stretched, which can cause small tears and can be very painful. Orthotic devices help to support the arch and take the pressure off these areas and correctly redistribute the pressure on the feet.
At Dulwich Podiatry we have a range of off the shelf orthoses in addition to custom made orthoses. We have a device called the Phits™ pressure pad which is used to analyse your gait and help create an individual prescription which gets 3-D printed to create a fully customised orthotic device for your feet.
If you are concerned about pains in the ankle or foot then orthoses may be for you.
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