Do your head, neck, back or hip ache? Check your feet. If you suffer from any body ache or pain, you should have your feet checked. From migraines to diabetes, your feet can be a major factor. Yet, most of us do not make the connection, and this includes many doctors.

Our feet are the most used and abused part of our body. They take on average 4,000 to 8,000 steps every day - this means the 26 bones in each foot, the muscles and ligaments, all have to take the full impact of our body up to 8,000 times. Double that if we do any sport.

As we age, wear and tear takes its toll, particularly if we are in the majority that does not have a perfect foot balance or ‘strike.' If our feet are out of alignment, like a car and its tyres, our body does not perform well and it adjusts - knees, back muscles, spine. Bones move against bones, ligaments become stretched, muscles become overused and experience injury. Nerves get jammed causing referred pain, neck aches and headaches. Soon the entire body and posture becomes faulty. If our body trunk is not stable because of poor foot alignment, we become unstable, literally on our feet. This means we are more likely to respond poorly when slightly tripped - leading to more broken bones, pulled ligaments and cracked heads.

All of this is easy to avoid and correct if you see a professional podiatrist.

What causes back pain?

Back pain may be osseous (bony), neuropathic (resulting from nerve damage) or soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) in its origin.

Common causes concerning feet include:

• Excessive pronation or ‘flat feet.' This causes rotations throughout the legs during walking, resulting in a forward tilt of the pelvis, abnormal curvature of the spine, strain on lower back muscles and ligaments, and lower back pain.
• Asymmetrical. This entails movement or rolling of the feet. One foot rolling in or out more than the other increases curvature through the lower back, causing pelvic tilt and functional scoliosis, and lower back pain.

 

Early intervention by a professional podiatrist can prevent much of this ‘collateral' damage.

What exactly is Podiatry?

Podiatry reflects a more holistic approach to foot care, encompassing all related body systems. (The name was changed from the original "chiropody" in the late seventies). A podiatrist spends four years in a college of podiatric medicine to obtain his doctorate (DPM).

How a Podiatrist can help you

Today, the podiatrist's professional assessment is centred around the analysis of human motion (called biomechanics), utilising mechanical treadmills, video motion recording and computerised diagnostic equipment to help identify the cause of injuries and / or the development of deformities.

Appropriate and effective treatment may include specific exercises or the use of foot orthoses or shoe inserts, based on precise measurements of your individual biomechanics. Orthoses are moulded from your feet and designed to stabilise the foot in order to prevent it from moving into an unbalanced position while walking or running.

Made mostly from thermoplastics, orthoses are soft, pliable and offer the wearer greater comfort. There are even special palliative inserts designed to reduce pressure from painful ulcers of the foot.

This type of insert is often an appropriate choice for elderly people with significant soft-tissue atrophy and / or circulatory disease. As providers of comprehensive foot care, podiatrists play an important role in the maintenance of mobility, providing us with the means to continue an active lifestyle after retirement. Regular check-ups are not only advisable, but can also provide early warning signals of chronic injuries that may require frustrating and expensive ongoing physical therapy and possibly surgery in the long-term.

After many years of being treated for chronic backache by physiotherapists and chiropractors, at age 50 ‘Emma' sought the advice of a podiatrist. A CAT scan revealed one leg 3mm shorter than the other and arches that fall (pronate) inwards. The specially moulded orthotics (pictured) plus raising the heal of one work shoe eliminated 50 percent of Emma's back pain in weeks, with full recovery predicted over several months with additional physio and exercises.

Footnotes to better health

• For any body ache, check your feet.
• The feet are a mirror to our general health and well being.
• Feet severely affect knees, hip and spine.
• Feet checks can detect diabetic and cardio-vascular problems.
• Added mobility through podiatric treatment can ease arthritis pain
• 85 percent of people over 55 use podiatric treatment on a regular basis
• Do I need a referral? No. Most patients, who claim through their private health cover, do not require a referral.
• Does Medicare cover podiatry? Yes, but not all patients. It covers long term chronic conditions, such as diabetes, long term arthritis, or vascular disease etc. Check before assuming you are covered.
• Do private health funds cover podiatry? Yes, all major Australian health funds cover podiatry. It is important you check your level of cover with your fund.