Like all seasons of the year, Summer bring its fair share of foot conditions into our clinic. With warmer days comes trips to the beach, long days at music festivals and more time spent barefoot or in thongs.

Unfortunately, whilst these are all great things to do it can come at a cost. Whilst not guaranteed, too much time spent in thongs or barefoot can result in an increased risk of:

– Callouses and dry, cracked heels;

– Plantar fasciitis (arch/heel pain);

– Achilles/calf and medial shin pain; and

– Anterior shin pain

The good thing about all these conditions is that, to some extent, they are preventable if some simple steps are followed on a regular basis…

Callouses/Cracked Heels

Anyone who has worn thongs or gone barefoot for an extended period will know the feeling… that rough, unsightly, hard skin around the heels and under the ball of the foot. This dryness and cracking results from the surrounding environment reducing the moisture content in the skin-combine this with the pressures of standing and the skin loses its ability to stretch causing the cracking. In most cases, this dryness and cracking will not be painful but if left too long bleeding and pain can result.

Thankfully, as podiatrists we can painlessly debride this dead, non-viable tissue and return the skin to a more ‘normal’ state. Regular use of a pumice stone and application of moisturiser will maintain the feet in a more pliable state meaning they can adapt to the demands we place on them. At Northern Podiatry, we sell Walkers Heel Balm, a great option for maintaining your feet!!

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis, or ‘arch/heel pain’, can affect anyone, at any time, with many risk factors being associated with this condition. The plantar fascia is associated with supporting the arch of the foot, along with other muscles, ligaments and tissue. In most cases, our feet can tolerate the loads we place on them but wearing thongs, and going barefoot, can raise this load past a healthy threshold leading to pain and dysfunction. Some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of arch and heel pain are:

– Wear thongs with ‘arch’ support which will help to distribute the pressure evenly across the whole foot. We stock Archies thongs and slides, in multiple sizes/colours, which are a great alternative to your traditional ‘flat’ thongs.

– Massage your arches using a Spikey ball for a few minutes each day to maintain the pliability of the soft tissue structures under your feet

If your pain continues or worsens then book with one of our podiatrists for an individualised management plan.

 Achilles/Calf & Medial Shin Pain

Whilst distinct in terms of the location of pain and the muscles involved, these conditions have similar causative factors therefore, the preventative steps and self-management tips are interchangeable.

The primary function of the calf muscle complex, comprising the gastrocnemius and soleus muscle, is to plantarflex the foot which is essential for propulsion (‘push-off’) when walking and running. However, due to the fact the associated tendons insert on the medial (‘inside’) aspect of the foot, they also play a role in supporting the arch of the foot. Similarly, attaching off the medial tibia (‘shin’) are a few muscles (mainly tibialis posterior) involved in supporting the arches and improving the overall stability of the feet.

Consequently, when walking barefoot or in traditional, flat thongs these muscles are at full stretch and are required to work harder placing more load on the tissues resulting in an increased risk of pain.

Once again, the use of Archie’s thongs/slides, which have a slightly elevated heel and arch support when compared to ‘traditional’ thongs, may reduce the load on these structures. This combined with calf stretches, massage and heel raises to strengthen the area may reduce the risk of calf and medial shin pain.

For a detailed plan please see one of our podiatrists who will be able to tailor a program to your needs.

Anterior Shin Pain

The muscles on the anterior (‘front’) of the shin dorsiflex the foot which enables toe clearance and stops us tripping over our toes when walking and running. Tibialis anterior is the main muscle involved and also acts to slow the rate at which the forefoot contacts the ground and helps to stabilise the foot. Due to thongs and sandals having little cushioning the forefoot is prone to getting sore if it hits the ground too hard when walking. Therefore, the anterior shin is a common area of pain during the warmer months as these muscles must work a lot harder to prevent the foot ‘slapping’ the ground when walking, whilst also contributing to the overall stability of the foot.

Like the aforementioned conditions, any anterior shin pain will benefit from some soft tissue therapy whether that be via massage using hands or a spikey ball or through stretching and strengthening of these muscles. The use of Archies thongs/slides will also assist in the prevention and management of this pain due to the thicker design and tighter toe straps which ensure the thongs provide more comfort and reduce the risk of foot slippage and instability.

With all these conditions, if the symptoms don’t respond to these measures then an appointment with our Podiatrists will ensure you get the right treatment and advice to best manage your pain.

For further information or to book an appointment please call 9480-5522 or book online via our website!!

by Mark Whiteside

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