Achilles tendon injuries – Your Achilles tendon is the thick, corded tissue that connects your calf muscle (in the back of your lower leg) to your heel. This is the largest tendon in your body. It’s used to help you walk. Achilles tendinitis is a common injury to the Achilles tendon. It’s common in sports that require a lot of running. It can be caused by not stretching enough before playing, not wearing the right shoes, or suddenly playing the sports more. You may have Achilles tendinitis if your heel or calf hurts when you walk or run. Other symptoms include swelling in the area or if the area is warm to the touch. These injuries can be both acute or chronic.

Jumper’s knee – This is also known as patellar tendinitis. Jumper’s knee happens when there is an injury (or inflammation) to the tissue that connects your kneecap and thigh muscles your shin bone. Sports with repetitive jumping are common triggers for this injury. Examples include basketball and volleyball. Also, people who are overweight or play sports on a hard surface are more likely to get jumper’s knee. Symptoms include knee pain, usually just below the kneecap. You may experience weakness or stiffness in the knee while jumping, kneeling, or climbing stairs. These injuries can be both acute or chronic.

Rotator cuff injuries – Your rotator cuff is an area inside your shoulder. It helps your shoulder move and keeps it stable. Injuries to this area are common when the same actions are repeated many times, such as in swimming, tennis, or baseball. Symptoms include swelling in your shoulder, pain when you lift your arm, and pain when you try to reach behind your back. This injury is chronic.

Runner’s knee – Runner’s knee is another repetitive-motion injury. It’s common to runners and anyone who does a lot of walking, biking, or general knee bending. It can also be caused by knee trauma or a hard bump to the knee. Symptoms include pain behind your kneecap, especially when you bend your knee. The area may be swollen, or you may feel a grinding sensation when your knee bends. These injuries can be both acute or chronic.

Shin splints – Your shin is the area at the front of your lower leg, below your knee. Shin splints happen when the muscles and tendons around your shin become inflamed. This injury often impacts runners and basketball players. The main symptom of shin splints is pain in the front of your lower leg while playing the sport. The pain usually goes away with rest. These injuries are acute.

Sprains – A sprain is one of the most common sports injuries. A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament near a joint, such as a knee, ankle, or wrist. Sprains are most often caused by falling or by a twisting motion. They can be mild or severe, depending on whether the ligament is stretched or torn. Symptoms are pain, swelling (sometimes severe), and bruising. You may also not be able to apply weight to the joint without pain. These injuries are acute.

Strains – A strain and a sprain are different. A strain hurts a muscle, while a sprain hurts a ligament. A strain occurs when you stretch or tear muscle tissue by overextending it. Mild strains can be caused by repetitive motion. In sports, acute strains are most likely to occur when you are running, jumping, or lifting. They also happen when you quickly change direction. You’re more likely to strain a muscle in cold weather. Symptoms are sudden pain followed by immediate limited range of motion to the affected area. In severe cases, you may also see bruising and swelling. These injuries can be chronic or acute.

Two of the main problems that can affect your feet due to diabetes are:

Diabetic neuropathy – Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your nerves. If you have damaged nerves in your legs and feet, you might not feel heat, cold, or pain there. This lack of feeling is called “sensory diabetic neuropathy.” If you do not feel a cut or sore on your foot because of neuropathy, the cut could get worse and become infected. The muscles of your foot may not work properly because nerves to the muscles are damaged. This could cause your foot to not align properly and create too much pressure on one part of your foot.

Peripheral vascular disease – Diabetes also affects the flow of blood. Without good blood flow, it takes longer for a sore or cut to heal. Poor blood flow in the arms and legs is called “peripheral vascular disease.” If you have an infection that will not heal because of poor blood flow, you are at risk for developing ulcers or gangrene (the death of tissue due to a lack of blood).

Paediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents.

General Foot Care – There are many good habits people can form when it comes to general foot care and also a few bad habits. As a Podiatrist I always ensure that my patients practice good foot care habits – ensuring healthier feet for years to come

Onychomycosis – is a fungal infection of the nail. It is another one of the most common diseases of the nails and constitutes about half of all nail abnormalities. This condition may affect toenails or fingernails, but toenail infections are particularly common. It occurs in about 10 percent of the adult population. The most common symptom of a fungal nail infection is the nail becoming thickened and discoloured: white, black, yellow or green. As the infection progresses the nail can become brittle, with pieces breaking off or coming away from the toe or finger completely. If left untreated, this condition can spread from toe to toe until both feet and hands are affected. In approximately half of suspected nail fungus cases there is no fungal infection, but only nail deformity.  A confirmation of fungal infection should precede treatment. Avoiding use of oral antifungal therapy in persons without a confirmed infection is a particular concern because of the side effects of that treatment, and because persons without an infection should not have this therapy.

Lower Limb or Foot Pain – While leg pain is a common occurrence after an injury, pain may also occur because of medical conditions or non-traumatic reasons. Pain in the legs may be due to injury or inflammation of any of the structures that are found in the leg, including bones, joints, leg muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, and skin. Inflammation of tissue is usually the cause of pain. Pain can also radiate from other parts of the body and manifest in the leg. Low back ailments may cause pain and numbness of the leg. Abdominal aorta and iliac artery aneurysms can also present with leg pain. A blood clot in the large veins and arteries located in the abdomen, pelvis, or legs is another cause of leg symptoms. Systemic diseases like diabetes can cause nerve or artery damage that can result in chronic foot pain and leg pain

Foot Care During Pregnancy – Swollen legs and feet: During pregnancy, the uterus puts pressure on veins in the pelvis, slowing down the return of blood to the heart. Blood vessels in your toes are among the smallest in the body which can cause fluid from the veins to leak into surrounding tissues of the legs and feet causing swelling and sometimes throbbing. Feet can increase in size and you may need to wear a larger shoe size

Lower Limb or Foot Skin Conditions – Having a rash on your foot can be alarming and uncomfortable, especially when you aren’t sure what it is or what caused it. Causes of a foot rash can range from an infection to irritation to an allergic reaction. And different kinds of rashes often have similar characteristics. When you notice a rash, it’s important that you get to the bottom of what type it is so you can treat it effectively. If the rash is new, it’s best to consult with a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. You may be able to safely treat yourself (using your doctor-recommended method) if a harmless rash comes back. However, if you’re unsure of what you have or if your rash worsens or persists, see your podiatrist

‘Pins & needles’ (paresthesia) – A sensation of uncomfortable tingling, prickling, itching or skin crawling usually felt in the hands or feet. The affected area is sometimes said to have ‘fallen asleep’. A common cause of pins and needles is leaning or lying awkwardly on an arm or leg, which either presses against the nerves or reduces the blood supply to the local area. Changing position usually quickly restores normal feeling as the nerves start sending messages to the brain and spinal cord again. In some cases, pins and needles are caused by temporary or permanent nerve damage or certain disorders of the central nervous system. Always see your podiatrist if you experience frequent or persistent bouts of pins and needles in your feet.

Foot Odours – Bromodosis, or smelly feet, is a very common medical condition. It’s due to a build-up of sweat, which results bacteria growth on the skin. These bacteria cause bad odours. Fungal infections like athlete’s foot can also lead to bromodosis. The good news is that bromodosis is easy, quick, and inexpensive to treat.

Foot Corns and Calluses – Hardened layers of skin that develop from your skin’s response to friction and pressure. You may have foot corns if you experience a rough yellowing patch of lumpy or bumpy skin, skin that is sensitive to touch or pain when wearing shoes. Foot corns can be safely treated, and you can even prevent future ones. 

Appropriate Shoe Choices – Although this may seem as simple as choosing the right size – many people are unaware that their feet may have certain characteristics that prevent them from wearing certain types of shoes. I am here to help!