 Knee pain is a common problem that our team sees year-round, so we thought we'd fill you in on what could be going on by talking about one of the most common causes of anterior knee pain: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), though you may know it as Runner's Knee.
What is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)? PFPS is a cause of knee pain that affects 25% of people at some point in their lives and is even more common in runners, hence being known as runner’s knee. It describes pain behind the kneecap (patella) because of damage to or irritation of the articular cartilage where the patella meets the thigh bone (femur). What causes PFPS? PFPS is considered to be an overuse injury caused by the irregular movement (tracking) and rubbing of the patella over the femur, while the knee is bending and straightening. It is the repetitive bending and straightening of the knees that makes this condition more prevalent in runners. Instead of gliding smoothly through a groove (called the trochlea) at the femur, the poor alignment of the knee means the patella can mistrack and instead rub against the femur itself. This causes irritation at the joint and damage to the underlying cartilage and bone. Other contributing factors include:
What are the symptoms? Symptoms of PFPS often come on gradually during high-impact activities such as running, squatting and climbing stairs. Pain may continue on walking and in severe cases, may even be felt during rest. Symptoms can include:
How is it treated? Initially, treatment will look at reducing the painful symptoms. Following the PRICE principles (protection, rest, ice, compression, elevation) can help reduce pain and swelling. Treatment will then focus on treating the cause and correcting any alignment issues that may cause the pain to recur in the future. This may involve:
Our team are experts in this & the numerous other causes of knee pain and will get you back on your feet and back to doing the things you love! Book in as soon as any knee pain or niggles develop.
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 A surprisingly common complaint in children between ages 8 - 14 years but often overlooked or under diagnosed. We get parents saying their child has had it for a few months sometimes even a couple of seasons but didn't know what to do with it. Otherwise known as calcaneal apophysitis, it is an inflammation of the growth plate in the heel of growing children. The condition presents as pain in the heel and is caused by repetitive stress to the heel and is thus particularly common in active children. The condition is relatively easy to treat and we have a very good success rate with our treatment plans. Read more to see what you can do at home. The most important thing to do first is to confirm that the heel pain is in fact caused through Sever's disease. Most of the time if your child is between 8 - 14 years of age, the heel pain is worse with weight-bearing activities and better with rest, you can be sure that it is most likely Sever's disease.
Treating this at home will involve a period of rest from all pain inducing activities. Often a difficult thing for parents to tell their children and an equally difficult thing for children to hear, they have to stop running around. Be assured this is the best course of treatment though and plays a vital part in getting better sooner. Along with rest, some icing is required to decrease the pain and inflammation. Appropriate footwear also will play a part in managing the condition. There are a few more aspects to treating the condition however the above mentioned points are a really good start. If the pain persists past 4 weeks with the above, then see your Podiatrist who can create a customised treatment plan for your child. All it takes is 2 to 3 consultations to firstly assess and implement the treatment plan, secondly monitor the progress and thirdly to see if there is anything more we can do to hasten the recovery. With the correct treatment plan, we usually see the symptoms reduce in the first 4-8 weeks although this can vary from person to person. If you fear your kid is suffering from Sever's disease feel free to give us a call to discuss and arrange for an initial consultation. 'Shin splints' can be very painful but often people suffer from this and "just put up" with it. There are different reasons why shin splints occur and they can affect people in all walks of life. Most often they occur in runners. The medical name for the shin splints is "Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS)" or "Periostitis". It is caused when too much force is placed on the tibialis posterior muscle which attaches to the tibia. Anyone who has experienced shin splints before knows that it is quite painful and can affect your training significantly. Shin splints can be throbbing or sharp in nature, the degree of pain can give you an indication of the severity of this condition. In severe cases the pain might be felt during the entire training and even during rest time. Generally the longer you wait for treatment, the harder and longer it will take to heal. It is important to seek treatment from your Podiatrist straightway if you think you have shin splints as the speedy diagnosis can lead to a higher chance of a speedy recovery. The best way to treat shin splints is to find out the cause of it, which is often the way your foot functions  There are several different reasons for the appearance of shin splints:
Treatment involves a mixture of short term and long term options, and these will work together to get you back on your feet sooner:
We have had excellent success in managing and treating 'shin splints' for hundreds of people.
If you suffer from 'shin splints' phone us now for a biomechanical assessment and we can provide you with all the information you need in one consult!
 Running: Running causes your joints to take on 4-5 times your bodyweight. This is especially true on concrete surfaces. If you want to continue your hobby of running into your later years, the best thing to do is change the terrain you run on. Running on grass or dirt roads (trail running) and treadmills are usually better options. It won’t eliminate the forces but will reduce the forces to your joints. Another option to thinking about is "GAIT RETRAINING". The senior Podiatrists are able to create a program for you to help make your running style more efficient through simple techniques, which may reduce unwanted injuries and forces. This is usually a 6 week program but varies from person to person.  Prevent blisters:
If you have problems with blisters, try Hiker's wool (essentially sheep's wool). We’ve had several patients do the 100km Oxfam trail walk and have stood by the use of Hiker's wool to prevent blisters. It is effective at reducing friction, doesn’t leave any sticky residue from adhesive substances and doesn’t take up space in the shoes. If you don’t live on a farm, then come and grab some wool from us!  There are:
- 28 bones in each foot. - 33 joints in each foot and these play a major role in the flexibility and general health of our feet. - Over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons in both feet. Within our lifetime we walk an average of 150,000km. I'm sure you agree how much work our feet do on a daily basis, however, we don't give them enough attention and care to help them carry us further for longer. That's where we as Podiatrists want to help you stay on your feet for longer and be more comfortable.  Avoid unwanted movement in your shoes with this simple lacing technique! Are you noticing that sometimes you're heel can slip or move in your shoes too much? If so, this can lead to blisters and other foot issues. Here is a simple yet ingenious method to lace your shoes slightly different for extra stability and support in your shoes to avoid that unwanted movement. - When lacing your shoes leave the second to last hole out on each side (not crossing the laces this time) and create a loop as shown in the image. - Then put the laces through the last hole on each side. Then cross them over, going through the loops you've created before. - Pull the laces tightly upwards and then to the sides to 'lock' it in. This is another way to create a lace-lock or heel lock with that extra shoelace hole in your shoes. Have a look at this video below!  Relay For Life 2014 - Thanks to Waikato Trades Academy Manager Rachel Bowley and Youth Pathways Administrator Mieke Fookes-Lelieveld for organising the team! Together we raised nearly $1000. Relay For Life is an inspiring community event that gives everyone a chance to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers; remember loved ones lost to cancer; and fight back by raising awareness and funds to support the work of Cancer Society. http://www.relayforlife.org.nz/ - click here to find out more about Relay For Life and the Cancer Society   Rachael joins us after doing 5 years in Auckland. She has returned home to where she grew up, the mighty Waikato. Rachael is an excellent podiatrist and has brought with her a great deal of experience and lovely nature.
We are excited to have her in our team! She is also very fond of baking so we are even more excited to have her on our team. Thanks Rachael.  We have moved from our previous location in Cambridge from Duke Street to Alpha Street.
Based across the road from the Cambridge Medical Centre and from the Victoria Square, we have more parking and easier access. We also have great views of the Village Green and Cricket when the Summer arrives! We are very excited about the move and have settled in very well here. We have a new part-time receptionist, Heather Luxton. Feel free to come and have a look at the new place :) |
