Musculoskeletal Podiatry Treatment

Biomechanics is...

the study of how biological materials behave under stress and strain. Podiatry practises the clinical application of this knowledge and understanding. Clinically podiatrists look at the movements of your foot and how it compensates for poor alignment and function as it contacts with the ground. foot dysfunction can also affect the rest of your lower limb and leads to aches and pains in your feet and other areas of your body – such as your knees, hips and back. Long-term biomechanical injuries occur when there is excessive movement and force placed upon joints and/or soft tissue structures, may also be referred to as overuse injuries.

Musculoskeletal Podiatry is...

the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of biomechanical conditions primarily affecting the lower limbs. Such conditions may lead to acute or longer-term problems.

assessment

What to expect

treatment

Orthotics & Orthotic Therapy is...

Orthotics are an externally applied device used to modify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system. Foot orthoses are used by podiatrists and are specifically designed devices similar to insoles. They are prescribed according to your needs and therefore the shape and size differ when different people and footwear.

You can think of orthotics like glasses for your feet. If someone has bad eyesight, the optician will check the eyes and prescribe a lens to correct this problem; Similarly with foot pain, the podiatrist will check and assess the feet and determine the correct device or prescription required to alleviate the stress on the painful structures and reduce pain.

Back to the glasses; once the person has the correct lens, they then have to find a frame to fit – the better suited the frame is to the lens, the better the glasses work. The same is true for orthotics. Placed in the inappropriate shoe they can fail to resolve the persons’ foot pain and in some cases make it worse. It is possible to have several pairs of orthotics to fit different types of shoes or just one pair that fits into the shoes you wear most often when you get your pain.

Following an assessment with Axiomatic Biomechanics Consultancy, if foot orthoses (plural of orthosis) are necessary, we have a range of devices (charged separately) that you can take away on the day of your appointment or you may to have prescription devices manufactured. Axiomatic Biomechanics Consultancy offer three basic types of orthoses:

A simple inlay, which is pre-made and partly customised to the patients’ individual requirements.
A more robust and feature rich pre-made device which offer greater support and longevity and can be partly customised to the patients’ individual requirements.
A bespoke (made for your feet) customised foot-orthotic utilising a cast of your feet. These devices are thin, but made of a very strong composite material which may last many years and maintain their corrective effect extremely well.

Orthoses vary in price, with option 3 costing the most. Orthoses are made to last for several years and in the case of advanced appliances (option,of 3) one would expect at least 5 years of use although it is recommended that patients have them checked every two years. The soft top covers of the orthoses require renewal every year or so but this is a relatively inexpensive process.

Strapping

Strapping applied to the foot and ankle in the form of supportive tape can be helpful to diagnose and treat a number conditions.

Manipulation & Mobilisation

Manipulation and mobilisation are specialist techniques used by podiatrists to treat lower limb and foot problems. It may be recommended following your assessment. This treatment is particularly useful for aches and pains in the feet. It is used to adjust the position of your joints so that they function better.

The mobilisation is a very subtle movement and requires the clinician to feel for small movements in specific joints. They will be able to feel if the joint has become stiff and with the smallest of pain-free directional movement, adjust the joint position.

Manipulation is slightly more forceful but is not painful. Again the practitioner will be feeling for individual joint abnormalities, but this time the joint is forced into the correct position by applying pressure.

Following the initial appointment, further appointments are usually required – you will be advised accordingly following your assessment.